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Macron, Scholz and Draghi arrive in Kyiv
Reuters has a news flash that Emmanuel Macron, Olaf Scholz and Mario Draghi have arrived in Kyiv. It also has some lines that have been given to the press pool from one of Macron’s Elysee officials. They say:
- the three leaders will discuss Ukraine’s EU candidacy with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy
- they know that Ukraine wants a strong symbol ahead of the 23-24 June EU summit
- they need to balance Ukraine’s natural aspirations for EU membership with the aspirations of all of the existing candidate countries
- they want to ensure the EU is not destabilised or fractured
French President Macron is quoted as telling reporters on his arrival that he will pass on a message of “European solidarity” to Zelenskiy, and that today marks an “important moment”.
For context, Albania, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Turkey are all currently candidate countries for EU membership. Kosovo and Bosnia and Herzegovina also have open discussions about potentially becoming candidate countries.
Those with the longest processes so far for joining the EU are Turkey, which became a candidate country in 1999, and North Macedonia, which became one in 2005.
The Russian ministry of defence has issued its operation briefing for today.
In the last 24 hours Russia claims to have destroyed among other things two command posts, an electronic warfare station, a Tochka-U launcher in Kharkiv, a Buk-M1 anti-aircraft missile system in Sumy, two ammunition depots in the Razdolovka area of what it terms the Donetsk People’s Republic, and to have killed 480 members of the Ukrainian armed forces.
The claims have not been independently verified. The Russian ministry of defence continues to designate its latest invasion of Ukraine as a “special military operation in Ukraine”.
Reuters has a quick snap that the deputy head of Russia’s State Duma parliamentary committee on information policy, Anton Gorelkin, said today he expected Google would remain in Russia.
Moscow has no intention of blocking YouTube, Gorelkin added.
The headquarters of the territorial defence of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic has issued its operational briefing for the day. In it they claim to control 238 settlements within occupied Donetsk. They claim that one person was killed and three inured as a result of shelling by Ukraine’s armed forces in the last 24 hours. The claims have not been independently verified. Russia is the only UN member state to recognise the Donetsk People’s Republic as a legitimate authority.
In the UK, the former Commander Joint Forces Command of the British army, Gen Richard Barrons, has been interviewed by Sky News about the current situation in Ukraine. He had this to say on the prospect for humanitarian corridors out of Sievierodonetsk, where some 10,000 civilians are said to be trapped:
It’s very unlikely to work until – and unless – Russia sees advantage in doing that. And so were Russia to decide it has gone as far as it wants to, or can, in the Donbas, it might try and make a virtue of letting people out of cities like this, so that they no longer are a threat to them, and they no longer have to look after them.
He stressed that Russia’s President Vladimir Putin seems very secure in his position, observing:
This isn’t a war just between Putin and Ukraine. This is a war where a large number of the Russian population genuinely supports it. It’s a combination of the information that they receive, and also their view of Russian history and Russia’s place in the world. This is not just a war with a small clique in the Kremlin.
Barrons said that Russia’s action would have to prompt a strategic rethink from Nato, telling viewers:
In the short to medium term, Nato is revitalising itself because it’s seen what Russia is really like under Putin and what it’s capable of doing. So it’s going to reset the conventional defence and deterrence of Europe, with the new members as they line up.
He suggested that western countries needed to offer further military support to Ukraine, saying:
I think everyone has to be impressed by the spirit of national resistance we’ve seen from Ukraine. We should recognise they knew this day would come. They knew Russians would invade again after 2014. And we should also recognise that that we simply failed to give them the military means they needed to deter and defeat that invasion. And now we’re all playing catch up.
Luhansk governor: ‘fierce battles fought for every house’ in Sievierodonetsk
Serhai Haidai, Ukraine’s governor of Luhansk, has posted his latest status update for the region to Telegram. He reports:
For almost four months, the Russians have not had significant victories, so they throw all their reserves to capture Sievierodonetsk. Fierce battles are fought for every house in the city. The Ukrainian military needs long-range artillery to push the Russians to a safe distance. Dozens of occupiers die every day during street clashes in Sievierodonetsk.
Here are some of the first pictures of the visit to Kyiv by French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Italy’s Prime Minister Mario Draghi.
Macron, Scholz and Draghi arrive in Kyiv
Reuters has a news flash that Emmanuel Macron, Olaf Scholz and Mario Draghi have arrived in Kyiv. It also has some lines that have been given to the press pool from one of Macron’s Elysee officials. They say:
- the three leaders will discuss Ukraine’s EU candidacy with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy
- they know that Ukraine wants a strong symbol ahead of the 23-24 June EU summit
- they need to balance Ukraine’s natural aspirations for EU membership with the aspirations of all of the existing candidate countries
- they want to ensure the EU is not destabilised or fractured
French President Macron is quoted as telling reporters on his arrival that he will pass on a message of “European solidarity” to Zelenskiy, and that today marks an “important moment”.
For context, Albania, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Turkey are all currently candidate countries for EU membership. Kosovo and Bosnia and Herzegovina also have open discussions about potentially becoming candidate countries.
Those with the longest processes so far for joining the EU are Turkey, which became a candidate country in 1999, and North Macedonia, which became one in 2005.
Here are some of the latest images to be sent to us from Ukraine over the newswires.
Children born in Ukraine’s Kherson region since 24 February will automatically receive Russian citizenship, according to a statement by an official.
Kirill Stremousov, deputy head of the Russian-imposed military-civilian administration in the occupied Kherson region has told Russian news agency RIA Novosti:
Children born after 24 February in the Kherson region will automatically receive citizenship of the Russian Federation. Plus, orphans will also be registered as citizens of the Russian Federation.
Yesterday Stremousov claimed that thousands of citizens in the occupied territory were applying for Russian citizenship.
Ukraine has repeatedly accused Russia of abducting children from its territory and transferring them into Russia.
Russia’s combat force in the Donbas is highly likely operating in increasingly ad hoc and severely undermanned groupings, the UK ministry of defence has said in its latest report.
The full report reads:
All of the main bridges over the Siverskyy Donets River, which link the contested town of Sieverodonetsk and Ukrainian-held territory, have now highly likely been destroyed.
Ukraine has probably managed to withdraw a large proportion of its combat troops, who were originally holding the town. The situation continues to be extremely difficult for the Ukrainian forces and civilians remaining east of the river.
With the bridges highly likely destroyed, Russia will now likely need to either conduct a contested river crossing or advance on its currently stalled flanks to turn tactical gain into operational advantage.
Russia’s combat force in the Donbas is highly likely operating in increasingly ad hoc and severely undermanned groupings.
As claimed by the Ukrainian authorities, some Russian Battalion Tactical Groups (BTGs) – typically established at around 600 to 800 personnel – have been able to muster as few as 30 soldiers.
For both sides fighting in contested towns, front line combat is likely increasingly devolving to small groups of troops typically operating on foot.
Some of Russia’s strengths, such as its advantage in numbers of tanks, become less relevant in this environment. This is likely contributing to its continued slow rate of advance.”
An overnight Russian air-launched rocket strike hit a suburb of the northern Ukrainian city of Sumy, killing four and wounding six, officials say.
Regional governor Dmytro Zhyvytskyi did not specify the target of the strike on the suburb of Sad.
He said another rocket strike hit the Dobropillia district, which lies next to the Russian border, at 5am on Thursday, followed by 26 mortar rounds fired from across the border.
Presidential advisor Anton Herashenko also appeared to confirm the news, writing over his Telegram account: “Last night the occupiers fired at Glukhov in Sumy region from helicopters … Unfortunately, according to preliminary data, there are losses among the local population.”
Russia has torpedoed a western-backed proposal to discuss whether its diamonds are funding war ahead of an international conflict diamond meeting in Botswana, letters seen by Reuters show.
The rift in the Kimberley Process (KP), which certifies rough diamond exports, risks paralysing the body which makes decisions by consensus.
The letters, which have not been previously reported, show a dispute over a proposal by Ukraine, the European Union, Australia, Britain, Canada, and the United States to discuss Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and whether to broaden the KP’s definition of conflict diamonds to include state actors at its June 20-24 meeting in Botswana.
The United States and Britain have already placed sanctions on Russia’s Alrosa, the world’s largest producer of rough diamonds, which accounted for around 30% of global output last year, and is partly state-owned.
A draft agenda dated May 20 included an hour-long slot to discuss the issue, but the item was removed after objections from Russia, Belarus, Central African Republic (CAR) and Kyrgyzstan.
“We find ourselves at an impasse,” Botswana’s KP chair Jacob Thamage told participants – who include 85 nations, industry representatives, and civil society organisations – in a June 9 letter urging them to find common ground.
The KP defines conflict diamonds as gems used to fund rebel movements seeking to undermine legitimate governments.
Officially labelling Russian diamonds “conflict diamonds” would require widening the definition. The KP Civil Society Coalition has been calling for such a change for years, along with some KP member countries.
Two US volunteers in Ukraine feared taken prisoner by Russia
Two American volunteers in Ukraine have gone missing and are feared to have been taken prisoner by Russia, officials and family members said on Wednesday.
Alexander Drueke, 39, and Andy Tai Ngoc Huynh, 27, are both US military veterans who had been living in Alabama and went to Ukraine to assist with war efforts. Relatives have been in contact with Senate and House offices seeking information on the men’s whereabouts.
The pair haven’t been heard from in days, members of the state’s congressional delegation have said.
If confirmed, they would be the first Americans fighting for Ukraine known to have been captured since the war began in February.
US pledges further $1bn arms package
US President Joe Biden earlier announced a new $1bn arms packages for Ukraine , following appeals by Kyiv for help on the eastern and southern fronts.
The support package, confirmed on Wednesday, includes 18 additional howitzers with tactical vehicles to tow them, 36,000 rounds of 155mm ammunition for the howitzers and two Harpoon coastal defence systems, the defence department said.
Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said the alliance was “extremely focused on stepping up support” for Ukraine.
While Ukraine has welcomed the new pledges, it says deliveries are not coming fast enough.
Recent deliveries of M777 howitzers from the United States have been too few and that Ukraine remains numerically outgunned, officials said.
German chancellor Olaf Scholz, the French president Emmanuel Macron and the Italian prime minister Mario Draghi are on their way to Ukraine this morning.
The group reportedly took an overnight train from Poland and were pictured in one of the train’s compartments.
EU leaders to visit Kyiv to show support for Ukraine
The leaders of the European Union’s three biggest countries, Germany, France and Italy, are expected in Kyiv on Thursday to show their backing for Ukraine as it struggles to withstand a relentless Russian assault.
The visit by the German chancellor Olaf Scholz, the French president Emmanuel Macron and the Italian prime minister Mario Draghi has taken weeks to organise with the three men looking to overcome criticism within Ukraine over their response to the war.
The expected trip, which has not been announced for security reasons, comes a day before the European Commission is due to make a recommendation on Ukraine’s status as an EU candidate, something the biggest European nations have been lukewarm about.
Speaking in Romania on Wednesday, Macron said it was time for Europe to reassure Ukraine over its EU ambitions.
“We are at a point when we need to send clear political signals, us Europeans, towards Ukraine and its people when it is resisting heroically,” he said, without giving details.
Russia and the United States must discuss the extension of the START nuclear arms reduction treaty, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told the RIA news agency in an interview on Thursday.
The matter was important for global security and Russia’s military operation in Ukraine was no reason to avoid its discussion, Peskov added.
When asked about the possibility of a nuclear war, Peskov said: “I believe that today the media should be professional enough not to ask such questions, and those who are being interviewed should be wise enough not to answer such questions.”
Summary and welcome
Hello it’s Samantha Lock back with you to deliver all the latest developments from Ukraine.
The leaders of the European Union’s three biggest countries, Germany, France and Italy, are expected in Kyiv today to show their backing for Ukraine as it struggles to withstand a relentless Russian assault.
Here are the major developments:
- Nato’s secretary general, Jens Stoltenberg, said allies would continue to supply Ukraine with heavy weapons and long-range systems, with an agreement on a new package of assistance to Kyiv expected at the summit in Madrid later this month. The agreement will help Ukraine move from old Soviet-era weaponry to “more modern Nato standard” gear, he said. Stoltenberg was speaking before a meeting in Brussels of defence ministers from Nato and other countries to discuss and coordinate help for Ukraine.
- At the meeting in Brussels, the US defence secretary, Lloyd Austin, said Ukraine was facing a “pivotal moment on the battlefield” in Sievierodonetsk, with Russian forces using long-range weapons to try to overwhelm Ukrainian positions. Austin urged America and its allies not to “let up and lose steam” and to “intensify our shared commitment to Ukraine’s self-defence”.
- China’s Xi Jinping has assured Vladimir Putin of China’s support on Russian “sovereignty and security” prompting Washington to warn Beijing it risked ending up “on the wrong side of history”. China is “willing to continue to offer mutual support [to Russia] on issues concerning core interests and major concerns such as sovereignty and security,” state broadcaster CCTV reported Xi as saying during a call with Putin. US State Department spokesperson responded: “China claims to be neutral, but its behaviour makes clear that it is still investing in close ties to Russia.”
- Turkey has said it is ready to host a four-way meeting with the United Nations, Russia and Ukraine to organise the export of grain through the Black Sea, saying safe routes could be formed without needing to clear mines around Ukrainian ports. Foreign minister, Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, said it would “take some time” to de-mine Ukraine’s ports and that a safe sea corridor could meanwhile be established in areas without mines. “Since the location of the mines is known, certain safe lines would be established at three ports,” he said. “Ships, with the guidance of Ukraine’s research and rescue vessels as envisaged in the plan, could thus come and go safely to ports without a need to clear the mines.”
- Two US veterans from Alabama who were in Ukraine assisting in the war against Russia haven’t been heard from in days and are missing, members of the state’s congressional delegation said. John Kirby, a national security spokesman at the White House, said that the administration wasn’t able to confirm the reports about missing Americans. “We’ll do the best we can to monitor this and see what we can learn about it,” he said.
- Europe’s unity over the war in Ukraine is at risk as public attention increasingly shifts from the battlefield to cost of living concerns, polling across 10 European countries suggests. The survey found support for Ukraine remained high, but that preoccupations have shifted to the conflict’s wider impacts, with the divide deepening between voters who want a swift end to the conflict and those who want Russia punished.
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