Ukraine retains control of its major cities, including the capital Kiev
Ukraine has begun to ask Russia to find a way forward against Russian aggression and to maintain control of its major cities. The move comes as protests against Russia escalate within and beyond its borders.
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Ukraine agreed to the talks at the same time that Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered defense chiefs to put nuclear “resistance forces” on high alert. The US has slammed them for “creating up threats that don’t exist” as their invasion of Ukraine has been halted.
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Ukraine agreed to hold talks with Russia – near the Chernobyl exclusion zone – on its border with Belarus – following a call between President Volodymyr Zelensky and Belarus’ leader Alexander Lukashenko. Ukraine had previously refused to speak to Belarus, where Russian troops were stationed before the invasion.
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The White House claims that Russia’s offensive force has lost momentum and is facing logistical and supply problems after facing stiff resistance from Ukraine. US officials say the Russian military has failed to achieve air superiority because Moscow has acknowledged killed and wounded.
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Ukraine claims Russian troops have been evacuated from Kharkiv, its second city in the country’s east, after Russian armored vehicles merged with its defences. The country says it is holding the line around the capital Kiev, but was fighting Russian “sabotage groups” that had infiltrated the city.
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The UN refugee agency has said tens of thousands of people are fleeing the fighting, most of whom are entering Poland as the total number reaches 400,000. Others are seeking asylum in Hungary, Romania, Moldova and Slovakia. Pope Francis has called for corridors for citizens to avoid fighting.
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There are protests against the invasion. Hundreds of thousands of people are taking part in solidarity marches from Berlin to Baghdad to Quito. Within Russia, more than 5,000 people have been arrested for demonstrating against the attack.
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EU members have announced new sanctions and assured more military aid to Ukraine in the coming days. The bloc’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said on Sunday that the country would also send fighter jets to help Ukraine counter Russia’s attack.
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Germany has broken a long tradition by sending 1,000 anti-tank weapons and 500 “Stinger” surface-to-air missiles to aid Ukraine. Sweden has sent weapons to a war zone for the first time since Hitler and Stalin invaded Finland in 1939.
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As the chorus against the invasion grows, Google has followed Facebook for blocking Russian state media from making money on its platforms. Elon Musk has ordered SpaceX’s Starlink satellite service to supply broadband to Ukraine after Russia tried to block Internet coverage.
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Russia is also facing repercussions in the field of sports. Football World Cup champions France say Russia should be expelled from the tournament in November after the Czech Republic, Sweden and Poland boycotted play-off matches against them. England has also refused him to play.
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