Flood of weapons to Ukraine raises fear of arms smuggling
President Biden is expected to sign in the coming days a $40 billion security-assistance package that will supercharge the flow of missiles, rockets, artillery and drones to a war-torn Ukraine.
But what remains unclear is Washington’s ability to keep track of the powerful weapons as they enter one of the largest trafficking hubs in Europe.
Ukraine’s illicit arms market has ballooned since Russia’s initial invasion in 2014, buttressed by a surplus of loose weapons and limited controls on their use.
This uncomfortable reality for the United States and its allies comes amid urgent pleas from President Volodymyr Zelensky to provide artillery needed to counter Russian forces in the country’s east and south. But the unprecedented influx of arms has prompted fears that some equipment could fall into the hands of Western adversaries or reemerge in faraway conflicts — for decades to come.
Read the full story here.
President Biden is expected to sign in the coming days a $40 billion security-assistance package that will supercharge the flow of missiles, rockets, artillery and drones to a war-torn Ukraine.
But what remains unclear is Washington’s ability to keep track of the powerful weapons as they enter one of the largest trafficking hubs in Europe.
Ukraine’s illicit arms market has ballooned since Russia’s initial invasion in 2014, buttressed by a surplus of loose weapons and limited controls on their use.
This uncomfortable reality for the United States and its allies comes amid urgent pleas from President Volodymyr Zelensky to provide artillery needed to counter Russian forces in the country’s east and south. But the unprecedented influx of arms has prompted fears that some equipment could fall into the hands of Western adversaries or reemerge in faraway conflicts — for decades to come.
Read the full story here.
This media is not supported in your browser
VIEW IN TELEGRAM
Database of 231 videos exposes the horrors of war in Ukraine
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is one of the most documented wars ever. Citizens, public officials and soldiers have posted videos every day that show the dead bodies in neighborhoods, the trails of missiles streaking through the skies and the smoldering ruins of entire towns.
The Washington Post’s visual forensics team has been verifying and cataloging videos from the war from the day Russia’s invasion began. This work is now searchable in a database that will be updated. The videos have been uploaded in raw format and graphic content is clearly marked. It also geographically tagged, so it can be searched by location.
The Post will continue to verify videos of the Russian invasion, so if you are in Ukraine and have footage you recorded of what is going on, please send it to us here on Telegram at +1 202-580-1002.
Click here to see the full database.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is one of the most documented wars ever. Citizens, public officials and soldiers have posted videos every day that show the dead bodies in neighborhoods, the trails of missiles streaking through the skies and the smoldering ruins of entire towns.
The Washington Post’s visual forensics team has been verifying and cataloging videos from the war from the day Russia’s invasion began. This work is now searchable in a database that will be updated. The videos have been uploaded in raw format and graphic content is clearly marked. It also geographically tagged, so it can be searched by location.
The Post will continue to verify videos of the Russian invasion, so if you are in Ukraine and have footage you recorded of what is going on, please send it to us here on Telegram at +1 202-580-1002.
Click here to see the full database.
Sweden’s ruling party gives green light to join NATO, paving way for nation to apply for status in the Western military bloc
Sweden’s governing party is dropping its opposition to joining NATO — a significant step that paves the way for the nation to join Finland in applying for membership and ending the long-standing military nonalignment of both Nordic countries.
Ahead of the move, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg declared that the accession of Sweden and Finland would be a “historic moment” — additions that would enhance security and show that “aggression does not pay.”
Earlier on Sunday, Finland’s prime minister and president announced that the nation is seeking NATO membership, with a formal application expected as soon as Tuesday. President Sauli Niinisto said in an interview Sunday on CNN that a call with Vladimir Putin was “calm and cool” and that the Russian president made no specific threats even though he called Finland’s decision a “mistake.”
Read the full story here.
Sweden’s governing party is dropping its opposition to joining NATO — a significant step that paves the way for the nation to join Finland in applying for membership and ending the long-standing military nonalignment of both Nordic countries.
Ahead of the move, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg declared that the accession of Sweden and Finland would be a “historic moment” — additions that would enhance security and show that “aggression does not pay.”
Earlier on Sunday, Finland’s prime minister and president announced that the nation is seeking NATO membership, with a formal application expected as soon as Tuesday. President Sauli Niinisto said in an interview Sunday on CNN that a call with Vladimir Putin was “calm and cool” and that the Russian president made no specific threats even though he called Finland’s decision a “mistake.”
Read the full story here.
Ukrainians react to Eurovision 2022 win with ‘happiness’ and ‘tears of joy’
Polina Falkovskaya doesn’t think of herself as much of a party person. “I don’t dance. I never go out,” she says.
But on Saturday, Falkovskaya, a Ukrainian living in Germany, danced — in her kitchen and in pajamas, no less.
Like millions of Ukrainians, Falkovskaya was celebrating the victory of Ukrainian band Kalush Orchestra at the Eurovision Song Contest. The band’s victory, which gives Ukraine the right to host the hugely popular spectacle in 2023, was secured by audience votes and cheered by world leaders, in a sign of the strong public support for Ukraine as the war with Russia approaches its three-month mark.
“For the first time [since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine], we were able to listen to music and not feel guilty,” Falkovskaya, 23, told The Washington Post from Munich, where she and her mother have settled since fleeing their home in Odessa.
Read the full story here.
Polina Falkovskaya doesn’t think of herself as much of a party person. “I don’t dance. I never go out,” she says.
But on Saturday, Falkovskaya, a Ukrainian living in Germany, danced — in her kitchen and in pajamas, no less.
Like millions of Ukrainians, Falkovskaya was celebrating the victory of Ukrainian band Kalush Orchestra at the Eurovision Song Contest. The band’s victory, which gives Ukraine the right to host the hugely popular spectacle in 2023, was secured by audience votes and cheered by world leaders, in a sign of the strong public support for Ukraine as the war with Russia approaches its three-month mark.
“For the first time [since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine], we were able to listen to music and not feel guilty,” Falkovskaya, 23, told The Washington Post from Munich, where she and her mother have settled since fleeing their home in Odessa.
Read the full story here.
Here is the latest from Ukraine:
- Four Russian missiles hit military infrastructure in the Lviv region early Sunday, the regional governor said, destroying military equipment but without causing fatalities or injuries. The claims could not be independently verified by The Washington Post.
- Sweden’s governing party is dropping its opposition to joining NATO — a significant step that paves the way for the nation to join Finland in applying for membership and ending the long-standing military nonalignment of both Nordic countries.
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met with a U.S. Senate delegation led by Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Saturday in Kyiv, calling the visit “a powerful signal of bipartisan support for Ukraine from the U.S. Congress and the American people,” his office said.
More live updates here.
- Four Russian missiles hit military infrastructure in the Lviv region early Sunday, the regional governor said, destroying military equipment but without causing fatalities or injuries. The claims could not be independently verified by The Washington Post.
- Sweden’s governing party is dropping its opposition to joining NATO — a significant step that paves the way for the nation to join Finland in applying for membership and ending the long-standing military nonalignment of both Nordic countries.
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met with a U.S. Senate delegation led by Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Saturday in Kyiv, calling the visit “a powerful signal of bipartisan support for Ukraine from the U.S. Congress and the American people,” his office said.
More live updates here.
Here’s the latest on key battlegrounds in Ukraine.
Kharkiv: Ukrainian forces have mounted a counterattack in the area, pushing away Russian troops, officials say.
Luhansk: Ukrainian forces blew up railway bridges between the cities of Rubizne and Severodonetsk to halt Russian advances in the area.
Mariupol: The Ukrainian military on Sunday described “massive artillery and airstrikes” at a steel plant in this shattered city, where the last holdouts from the Ukrainian military have sheltered.
Zaporizhzhia: In this southeastern region, the front lines have almost completely frozen — with both sides effectively in stalemate, a Pentagon intelligence official said last week.
Kyiv: A wartime curfew began an hour later starting Sunday, from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m.
Lviv: A Russian missile struck military infrastructure in this city in western Ukraine early on Sunday, regional governor Maksym Kozytskyy said. No deaths or injuries were immediately reported.
More live updates here.
Kharkiv: Ukrainian forces have mounted a counterattack in the area, pushing away Russian troops, officials say.
Luhansk: Ukrainian forces blew up railway bridges between the cities of Rubizne and Severodonetsk to halt Russian advances in the area.
Mariupol: The Ukrainian military on Sunday described “massive artillery and airstrikes” at a steel plant in this shattered city, where the last holdouts from the Ukrainian military have sheltered.
Zaporizhzhia: In this southeastern region, the front lines have almost completely frozen — with both sides effectively in stalemate, a Pentagon intelligence official said last week.
Kyiv: A wartime curfew began an hour later starting Sunday, from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m.
Lviv: A Russian missile struck military infrastructure in this city in western Ukraine early on Sunday, regional governor Maksym Kozytskyy said. No deaths or injuries were immediately reported.
More live updates here.
Here is the latest from Ukraine:
- The U.S. Senate will advance a $40 billion aid package for Ukraine on Monday, according to Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), with a final vote coming as soon as Wednesday. U.S. and Ukrainian officials have urged quick passage of the bill, with the remaining authorized aid set to run out on Thursday. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) delayed expedited passage of the aid last week.
- Moscow’s forces are trying to stave off Ukraine’s advance toward the Russian border near Kharkiv, Ukrainian military officials said. Russia is also continuing attacks in the east as it seeks full control of the eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
- Finland and Sweden are all but certain to seek accession to NATO. Both countries have cited Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as a major factor in their decision to abandon years of combat neutrality by joining the military alliance.
More live updates here.
- The U.S. Senate will advance a $40 billion aid package for Ukraine on Monday, according to Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), with a final vote coming as soon as Wednesday. U.S. and Ukrainian officials have urged quick passage of the bill, with the remaining authorized aid set to run out on Thursday. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) delayed expedited passage of the aid last week.
- Moscow’s forces are trying to stave off Ukraine’s advance toward the Russian border near Kharkiv, Ukrainian military officials said. Russia is also continuing attacks in the east as it seeks full control of the eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
- Finland and Sweden are all but certain to seek accession to NATO. Both countries have cited Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as a major factor in their decision to abandon years of combat neutrality by joining the military alliance.
More live updates here.
McDonald’s seeks to sell Russian business that is ‘no longer tenable’
After more than three decades, McDonald’s is pulling out of Russia and seeking to find a “local buyer” for its business there, which includes 850 restaurants in the country.
In early March, McDonald’s temporarily closed its restaurants in Russia in response to the country’s invasion of Ukraine.
“The humanitarian crisis caused by the war in Ukraine, and the precipitating unpredictable operating environment, have led McDonald’s to conclude that continued ownership of the business in Russia is no longer tenable, nor is it consistent with McDonald’s values,” the company said Monday in a statement.
Whoever buys its Russian restaurants will no longer be allowed to use the McDonald’s “golden arches” logo or brand, the company said, adding that it wants to protect its 62,000 employees in Russia.
Read the full story here.
After more than three decades, McDonald’s is pulling out of Russia and seeking to find a “local buyer” for its business there, which includes 850 restaurants in the country.
In early March, McDonald’s temporarily closed its restaurants in Russia in response to the country’s invasion of Ukraine.
“The humanitarian crisis caused by the war in Ukraine, and the precipitating unpredictable operating environment, have led McDonald’s to conclude that continued ownership of the business in Russia is no longer tenable, nor is it consistent with McDonald’s values,” the company said Monday in a statement.
Whoever buys its Russian restaurants will no longer be allowed to use the McDonald’s “golden arches” logo or brand, the company said, adding that it wants to protect its 62,000 employees in Russia.
Read the full story here.
Why Turkey dissents on Finland and Sweden joining NATO and why it matters
Finnish and Swedish officials have declared in recent days their intention to join NATO, citing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. But their acceptance to the alliance requires unanimous consent among members, and the leader of one such state — President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey — has voiced hesitation about the two nations.
Erdogan said on Friday that Turkey was not “favorable” toward the possibility of Finland and Sweden joining NATO, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
“We are following the developments with Sweden and Finland, but we don’t have favorable thoughts,” he told reporters.
But Turkey hasn’t said it would veto the countries’ membership, and on Sunday, its foreign minister laid out several conditions for its support, including that the Nordic nations end what he called support for “terrorist organizations” in their countries, as well as export bans on Turkey.
Read the full story here.
Finnish and Swedish officials have declared in recent days their intention to join NATO, citing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. But their acceptance to the alliance requires unanimous consent among members, and the leader of one such state — President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey — has voiced hesitation about the two nations.
Erdogan said on Friday that Turkey was not “favorable” toward the possibility of Finland and Sweden joining NATO, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
“We are following the developments with Sweden and Finland, but we don’t have favorable thoughts,” he told reporters.
But Turkey hasn’t said it would veto the countries’ membership, and on Sunday, its foreign minister laid out several conditions for its support, including that the Nordic nations end what he called support for “terrorist organizations” in their countries, as well as export bans on Turkey.
Read the full story here.
Media is too big
VIEW IN TELEGRAM
Russian oligarchs loved Sardinia. Now they’re frozen out of paradise.
Even among the billionaires who flock to this Italian vacation enclave, the Russian oligarchs stood out.
They bought up the choicest villas along the coast, building de facto empires shielded behind clipped hedges and surveillance cameras. They were known among real estate agents for always wanting armed guards. One mining and metals tycoon, Alisher Usmanov, would announce his presence every summer with the arrival of one of the world’s largest yachts, which he’d park in the turquoise bay, shuttling between the vessel and his villas, flying in guests on helicopters.
“It was like having an oligarch state right here in Sardinia,” said Mauro Pili, a journalist who was once this island’s governor.
That state has now been dismantled.
Read the full story here.
Even among the billionaires who flock to this Italian vacation enclave, the Russian oligarchs stood out.
They bought up the choicest villas along the coast, building de facto empires shielded behind clipped hedges and surveillance cameras. They were known among real estate agents for always wanting armed guards. One mining and metals tycoon, Alisher Usmanov, would announce his presence every summer with the arrival of one of the world’s largest yachts, which he’d park in the turquoise bay, shuttling between the vessel and his villas, flying in guests on helicopters.
“It was like having an oligarch state right here in Sardinia,” said Mauro Pili, a journalist who was once this island’s governor.
That state has now been dismantled.
Read the full story here.
Ukrainian refugees in Russia report interrogations, detention and other abuses
Russian authorities are forcing Ukrainians who seek safety to submit to strip searches and interrogations, placing some refugees in guarded camps, stripping them of their vital documents and in some cases forcing them to stay in Russia, according to displaced Ukrainians, volunteers helping refugees, and Ukrainian and Western officials.
At least 1 million Ukrainian civilians have fled the fighting into Russia, according to Russian Defense Ministry numbers that the Ukrainian government also accepts as valid.
In many cases, namely in the city of Mariupol, residents were effectively forced into Russia with no option to seek refuge elsewhere. In other cases, especially in the breakaway territories of eastern Ukraine, the travel to Russia was voluntary.
Almost everyone has had to pass through “filtration camps". People suspected of having sympathies to the Ukrainian military are being detained and tortured.
Read the full story here.
Russian authorities are forcing Ukrainians who seek safety to submit to strip searches and interrogations, placing some refugees in guarded camps, stripping them of their vital documents and in some cases forcing them to stay in Russia, according to displaced Ukrainians, volunteers helping refugees, and Ukrainian and Western officials.
At least 1 million Ukrainian civilians have fled the fighting into Russia, according to Russian Defense Ministry numbers that the Ukrainian government also accepts as valid.
In many cases, namely in the city of Mariupol, residents were effectively forced into Russia with no option to seek refuge elsewhere. In other cases, especially in the breakaway territories of eastern Ukraine, the travel to Russia was voluntary.
Almost everyone has had to pass through “filtration camps". People suspected of having sympathies to the Ukrainian military are being detained and tortured.
Read the full story here.
Media is too big
VIEW IN TELEGRAM
Here is the latest from Ukraine.
- As the Western business exodus from Russia continues, McDonald’s said Monday that it “has initiated a process to sell its Russian business” and is seeking a “local buyer” for its portfolio there, which includes 850 restaurants. French automaker Renault Group also said it would pull out of Russia, and sell its shares there to Russian government entities.
- U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken described broad support for Swedish and Finnish membership in NATO among foreign ministers. But all NATO countries must agree on new members, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has criticized the Nordic nations.
- Republican U.S. senators, including Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), visited Helsinki after meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky over the weekend. The U.S. Senate is expected to advance the approval of a $40 billion aid package for Ukraine on Monday, with a final vote as soon as Wednesday.
More live updates here.
- As the Western business exodus from Russia continues, McDonald’s said Monday that it “has initiated a process to sell its Russian business” and is seeking a “local buyer” for its portfolio there, which includes 850 restaurants. French automaker Renault Group also said it would pull out of Russia, and sell its shares there to Russian government entities.
- U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken described broad support for Swedish and Finnish membership in NATO among foreign ministers. But all NATO countries must agree on new members, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has criticized the Nordic nations.
- Republican U.S. senators, including Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), visited Helsinki after meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky over the weekend. The U.S. Senate is expected to advance the approval of a $40 billion aid package for Ukraine on Monday, with a final vote as soon as Wednesday.
More live updates here.
Ukraine ends bloody battle for Mariupol, evacuates Azovstal fighters
Ukrainian fighters have ended their weeks-long defense of a besieged steel plant in the strategic port city of Mariupol, as hundreds of combatants — dozens of them seriously wounded — were evacuated from the complex Monday.
“Ukraine needs Ukrainian heroes alive,” President Volodymyr Zelensky said in his nightly address. “We hope that we will be able to save the lives of our guys. Among them are the seriously wounded, they are being provided with medical aid.”
Mariupol’s Azovstal Iron and Steel Works and its network of underground tunnels have for weeks served as a shelter and holdout for some 1,000 Ukrainian fighters, including many from the Azov Regiment.
Ukrainian officials reached a cease-fire agreement with the Russian military on Monday, with dozens of buses seen leaving the plant. The evacuation is being coordinated with the help of the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross.
Read the full story here.
Ukrainian fighters have ended their weeks-long defense of a besieged steel plant in the strategic port city of Mariupol, as hundreds of combatants — dozens of them seriously wounded — were evacuated from the complex Monday.
“Ukraine needs Ukrainian heroes alive,” President Volodymyr Zelensky said in his nightly address. “We hope that we will be able to save the lives of our guys. Among them are the seriously wounded, they are being provided with medical aid.”
Mariupol’s Azovstal Iron and Steel Works and its network of underground tunnels have for weeks served as a shelter and holdout for some 1,000 Ukrainian fighters, including many from the Azov Regiment.
Ukrainian officials reached a cease-fire agreement with the Russian military on Monday, with dozens of buses seen leaving the plant. The evacuation is being coordinated with the help of the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross.
Read the full story here.
Here’s the latest on key battlegrounds in Ukraine.
Kharkiv: Russian troops are trying to hold the border after withdrawing from areas around Ukraine’s second-largest city. The Institute for the Study of War, a think tank, said this activity is different from previous Russian withdrawals from around Kyiv, Chernihiv, and Sumy, when they pulled all the way back into Russian territory. In this case, they “may seek to retain positions in Ukraine” — and keep up artillery strikes — to prevent Ukrainian forces from getting within striking range of the Russian city of Belgorod.
Donbas: Despite a mostly stalled offensive in the eastern Donbas region, Russian forces have made modest gains amid heavy fighting in the Donetsk oblast.
Mariupol: An evacuation of at least some Ukrainian soldiers from an encircled steel plant in this Russian-controlled city appeared to be underway Monday. The number of Ukrainian troops to be evacuated was not immediately clear — nor was their fate.
More live updates here.
Kharkiv: Russian troops are trying to hold the border after withdrawing from areas around Ukraine’s second-largest city. The Institute for the Study of War, a think tank, said this activity is different from previous Russian withdrawals from around Kyiv, Chernihiv, and Sumy, when they pulled all the way back into Russian territory. In this case, they “may seek to retain positions in Ukraine” — and keep up artillery strikes — to prevent Ukrainian forces from getting within striking range of the Russian city of Belgorod.
Donbas: Despite a mostly stalled offensive in the eastern Donbas region, Russian forces have made modest gains amid heavy fighting in the Donetsk oblast.
Mariupol: An evacuation of at least some Ukrainian soldiers from an encircled steel plant in this Russian-controlled city appeared to be underway Monday. The number of Ukrainian troops to be evacuated was not immediately clear — nor was their fate.
More live updates here.
Here is the latest from Ukraine:
- Ukraine’s military said it was ending its combat mission in the southern port city as evacuations of the last fighters at the embattled Azovstal steel plant began Monday evening. Ukrainian officials said some 260 Ukrainian fighters, including 53 who were gravely wounded, were taken to Russian-held territory. It is not clear how many remain.
- Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde on Tuesday signed the country’s application to join NATO, bringing the country a step closer to membership. Both Sweden and Finland are expected to submit their applications to join the military organization NATO this week.
- Attacks continued in other parts of Ukraine, with the regional governor of Lviv saying early Tuesday that Russian forces shelled a military facility near the border with Poland. Lviv’s mayor, Andriy Sadovyi, said the assault was “one of the largest” on the Lviv region “in terms of the number of missiles.”
More live updates here.
- Ukraine’s military said it was ending its combat mission in the southern port city as evacuations of the last fighters at the embattled Azovstal steel plant began Monday evening. Ukrainian officials said some 260 Ukrainian fighters, including 53 who were gravely wounded, were taken to Russian-held territory. It is not clear how many remain.
- Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde on Tuesday signed the country’s application to join NATO, bringing the country a step closer to membership. Both Sweden and Finland are expected to submit their applications to join the military organization NATO this week.
- Attacks continued in other parts of Ukraine, with the regional governor of Lviv saying early Tuesday that Russian forces shelled a military facility near the border with Poland. Lviv’s mayor, Andriy Sadovyi, said the assault was “one of the largest” on the Lviv region “in terms of the number of missiles.”
More live updates here.
Why Russia is struggling in eastern Ukraine, in maps
More than a month after Russia shifted its focus from an assault on Ukraine’s capital to a push to carve off pieces of the country’s east, the invading forces have made little progress — and Ukraine is launching counterattacks. The war is at “a bit of a stalemate,” according to Lt. Gen. Scott Berrier, a top U.S. defense official.
While Russia cemented its control this week over the southern port city of Mariupol after a brutal 12-week assault, the invasion across much of the east has proceeded at a crawl.
With no end in sight, these maps explain how terrain, geography and logistics are shaping the battle for key cities, where the war’s outcome could be decided.
Read the full story here.
More than a month after Russia shifted its focus from an assault on Ukraine’s capital to a push to carve off pieces of the country’s east, the invading forces have made little progress — and Ukraine is launching counterattacks. The war is at “a bit of a stalemate,” according to Lt. Gen. Scott Berrier, a top U.S. defense official.
While Russia cemented its control this week over the southern port city of Mariupol after a brutal 12-week assault, the invasion across much of the east has proceeded at a crawl.
With no end in sight, these maps explain how terrain, geography and logistics are shaping the battle for key cities, where the war’s outcome could be decided.
Read the full story here.
Calls grow for Russia to free up Ukrainian ports for grain exports
Foreign ministers from the Group of Seven nations appealed to Russia to free up sea export routes for Ukrainian grain and agricultural products critical to feeding the world, as food prices rise and the World Food Program warns of “catastrophic” consequences if Ukrainian ports remain blocked.
“We must not be naive. Russia has now expanded the war against Ukraine to many states as a war of grain,” German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said at a news conference Saturday after the G-7 meetings. “It is not collateral damage, it is an instrument in a hybrid war that is intended to weaken cohesion against Russia’s war.”
Baerbock, who hosted the three-day gathering of top diplomats in Weissenhaus, Germany, said the group was searching for alternative routes to transport grain out of Ukraine.
Up to 50 million people will face hunger in the coming months unless Ukrainian grain is released, Baerbock said.
Read the full story here.
Foreign ministers from the Group of Seven nations appealed to Russia to free up sea export routes for Ukrainian grain and agricultural products critical to feeding the world, as food prices rise and the World Food Program warns of “catastrophic” consequences if Ukrainian ports remain blocked.
“We must not be naive. Russia has now expanded the war against Ukraine to many states as a war of grain,” German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said at a news conference Saturday after the G-7 meetings. “It is not collateral damage, it is an instrument in a hybrid war that is intended to weaken cohesion against Russia’s war.”
Baerbock, who hosted the three-day gathering of top diplomats in Weissenhaus, Germany, said the group was searching for alternative routes to transport grain out of Ukraine.
Up to 50 million people will face hunger in the coming months unless Ukrainian grain is released, Baerbock said.
Read the full story here.
Media is too big
VIEW IN TELEGRAM
Here is the latest from Ukraine.
- Switzerland, with its deep-rooted tradition of neutrality, is considering options to bolster its security amid the war in Ukraine that could bring the country closer to NATO, according to Reuters.
- Attacks continued in other parts of Ukraine, with the regional governor of Lviv saying early Tuesday that Russian forces shelled a military facility near the border with Poland. Lviv’s mayor, Andriy Sadovyi, said the assault was “one of the largest” on the Lviv region “in terms of the number of missiles.”
- The International Criminal Court sent a team of 42 investigators, forensic experts and staff to Ukraine to probe potential war crimes, its “largest ever” field deployment since the office began its work.
- The U.S. Senate voted 81 to 11 to advance a bill Monday that would secure nearly $40 billion in aid for Ukraine, setting the stage for final passage this week.
More live updates here.
- Switzerland, with its deep-rooted tradition of neutrality, is considering options to bolster its security amid the war in Ukraine that could bring the country closer to NATO, according to Reuters.
- Attacks continued in other parts of Ukraine, with the regional governor of Lviv saying early Tuesday that Russian forces shelled a military facility near the border with Poland. Lviv’s mayor, Andriy Sadovyi, said the assault was “one of the largest” on the Lviv region “in terms of the number of missiles.”
- The International Criminal Court sent a team of 42 investigators, forensic experts and staff to Ukraine to probe potential war crimes, its “largest ever” field deployment since the office began its work.
- The U.S. Senate voted 81 to 11 to advance a bill Monday that would secure nearly $40 billion in aid for Ukraine, setting the stage for final passage this week.
More live updates here.
Splits open at NATO about how to boost presence in Eastern Europe
TALLINN, Estonia — Divisions are opening among NATO members about how to boost military deployments in Eastern Europe after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, amid disagreements about whether the Kremlin’s faltering battlefield effort means it cannot significantly threaten alliance territory.
The debate underlines different assessments of the lessons from nearly three months of war in Ukraine. The Baltic states and Poland are asking for a significantly expanded military presence on their soil and new capabilities such as antiaircraft defense that could make it far harder for Russia to invade. Other policymakers, including from France and Italy, are voicing skepticism that the shambolic Russian invasion force will pose a threat to NATO territory anytime soon.
An initial decision must be made by the end of June, when NATO leaders will meet at a summit in Madrid.
Read the full story here.
TALLINN, Estonia — Divisions are opening among NATO members about how to boost military deployments in Eastern Europe after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, amid disagreements about whether the Kremlin’s faltering battlefield effort means it cannot significantly threaten alliance territory.
The debate underlines different assessments of the lessons from nearly three months of war in Ukraine. The Baltic states and Poland are asking for a significantly expanded military presence on their soil and new capabilities such as antiaircraft defense that could make it far harder for Russia to invade. Other policymakers, including from France and Italy, are voicing skepticism that the shambolic Russian invasion force will pose a threat to NATO territory anytime soon.
An initial decision must be made by the end of June, when NATO leaders will meet at a summit in Madrid.
Read the full story here.
Finland and Sweden formally apply for NATO membership
Finland and Sweden on Wednesday submitted letters formally expressing interest in joining NATO, a historic moment for two countries that held fast to military nonalignment until Russia’s invasion of Ukraine upended their thinking about security.
The delivery of the letters to the alliance’s Brussels headquarters marks the start of an accession process that could take months, but that is ultimately expected to result in an expansion of NATO from 30 to 32 members, remaking Europe’s post-Cold War security architecture along the way.
“We are leaving one era and beginning another,” Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson said Monday, announcing the decision.
How Putin’s brutal war in Ukraine pushed Finland toward NATO
Andersson and Finnish President Sauli Niinistö of Finland are scheduled to appear at the White House on Thursday, where President Biden is expected to show his support.
Read the full story here.
Finland and Sweden on Wednesday submitted letters formally expressing interest in joining NATO, a historic moment for two countries that held fast to military nonalignment until Russia’s invasion of Ukraine upended their thinking about security.
The delivery of the letters to the alliance’s Brussels headquarters marks the start of an accession process that could take months, but that is ultimately expected to result in an expansion of NATO from 30 to 32 members, remaking Europe’s post-Cold War security architecture along the way.
“We are leaving one era and beginning another,” Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson said Monday, announcing the decision.
How Putin’s brutal war in Ukraine pushed Finland toward NATO
Andersson and Finnish President Sauli Niinistö of Finland are scheduled to appear at the White House on Thursday, where President Biden is expected to show his support.
Read the full story here.
Here’s the latest from some of the key battlegrounds across Ukraine.
Mariupol: The last Ukrainian fighters in this southeastern port city surrendered on Monday, marking the end of one of the war’s bloodiest, most drawn-out battles. The fate of the soldiers remained unclear Tuesday, however, as about 260 were transported to Russian-held territory.
Severodonetsk: Home to a prewar population of about 100,000, this city in the Luhansk region is the easternmost still under Ukrainian control. With Russia seeking full control of Donbas, analysts say it could be Moscow’s next major target.
Elsewhere in Donbas: The Ukrainian military reported shelling in 45 settlements across this eastern region on Tuesday, with damage to residential buildings, industrial facilities and a school.
Sumy region: This northeastern region shares a border with Russia and on Tuesday, Ukraine’s northern military command reported heavy shelling along the border, tallying more than 70 artillery strikes.
More live updates here.
Mariupol: The last Ukrainian fighters in this southeastern port city surrendered on Monday, marking the end of one of the war’s bloodiest, most drawn-out battles. The fate of the soldiers remained unclear Tuesday, however, as about 260 were transported to Russian-held territory.
Severodonetsk: Home to a prewar population of about 100,000, this city in the Luhansk region is the easternmost still under Ukrainian control. With Russia seeking full control of Donbas, analysts say it could be Moscow’s next major target.
Elsewhere in Donbas: The Ukrainian military reported shelling in 45 settlements across this eastern region on Tuesday, with damage to residential buildings, industrial facilities and a school.
Sumy region: This northeastern region shares a border with Russia and on Tuesday, Ukraine’s northern military command reported heavy shelling along the border, tallying more than 70 artillery strikes.
More live updates here.