Third round of Russia-Ukraine negotiations concluded in Belovezhskaya Pushcha at the Hunter's House, where the previous round. “There are small positive movements in improving the logistics of humanitarian corridors“. The head of the Ukrainian presidential office Mikhailo Podolyak wrote on twitter, stating that "intense political consultations continued on the political bloc together with the ceasefire and security guarantees". But Moscow reiterates its own conditions for a ceasefire: international recognition of Russian sovereignty over Crimea, occupied by Moscow in 2014, the neutrality of Ukraine and the independence of the secessionist republics of Donetsk and Luhansk. While the negotiations between the delegations were still underway in Belovezhskaya Pushcha, the four heads of state of the USA, France, Germany and the United Kingdom discussed the Ukrainian situation via videoconference. Absent Mario Draghi who had a meeting with Ursula von der Leyen this morning.
Russia-Ukraine negotiations: humanitarian corridors
In an already tense context, Russia has offered humanitarian corridors that Ukraine does not like because they would all be directed towards Russia and Belarus. In particular, from the capital it is possible to reach only Belarus, from Kharkiv there is only one corridor towards Russian territory. The corridor from Mariupol leads to the Russian city of Rostov-on-Don, near the border with Ukraine, while from Sumy there are two corridors, one to other cities in Ukraine and the other to Russia. Among other things, "still not open" underlined the deputy prime minister of Ukraine, Mykhailo Fedorov.
Meanwhile, in the rest of Ukraine the bombings. The Russian military has taken control of the Melitopol TV tower. This was announced live on Facebook by the mayor of the city Ivan Fedorov. "The city's television tower, as well as the radio towers are under the control of the occupiers of the city of Melitopol, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation."
During the Russia-Ukraine negotiations video call between Biden, Macron, Sholz and Johnson
German Chancellor Scholz, US President Joe Biden, French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson discussed the situation in Ukraine in a video conference this afternoon. “The focus has been on concerns about an additional one Russian escalation and on the question of humanitarian supplies in war zones”. The four heads of state agreed that the protection of the civilian population "must have the highest priority and that Russia is called upon to immediately end its attack on Ukraine and completely withdraw its troops". This was announced by the German chancellery after the video conference between the four leaders who also discussed further options for humanitarian assistance to Ukraine.
Draghi sees von der Leyen: dear energy and new sanctions in the foreground
A focus on the diversification of energy sources to rapidly reduce the dependence on gas row e new sanctions to Russia: these are the issues on which the EU Commission is working, also at the center of the meeting between President Ursula von der Leyen and Prime Minister Mario Draghi.
After the "proof of extraordinary European unity, we remain united in imposing unprecedented sanctions on Moscow", Draghi told the press, and that it is "essential to maintain it in dealing with all the consequences that this crisis will have on the European Union, such as the reception of refugees from Ukraine and the protection of energy security for citizens and businesses”. So the Italian premier once again condemned Russia's invasion of Ukraine but underlined the Italian government's willingness to "seek all diplomatic ways to put an end to the conflict".
Draghi: "Everyone should do as Italy does on sanctions"
"I would really like to see that similar measures are taken by all our countries as Italy has done". These are the words of the Prime Minister on the implementation of the sanctions in a passage, pronounced in English, of the joint declaration with the president of the EU Commission, reiterating: "Now we must all be quick in implementing this point".
Von der Leyen: "A new package of sanctions is being studied"
“We must ensure that there are no loopholes and that the effect of sanctions is maximized. The sanctions in place are really biting, we see the turbulence on the Russian economy”, thundered the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen. But given the escalation of the situation in Ukraine and the Kremlin's "reckless" attack on citizens, women, children, men, of course we are also working on further sanctions - continued von der Leyen - we will discuss Putin's atrocious war, and of the new sanctions package we are working on,” said the president of the European Commission.
