Despite warnings from the US and the international community, Ukraine’s military started a long-awaited invasion of its ex-Soviet neighbor early Thursday, striking it from many directions.
The attacks on Thursday came after weeks of rising tensions in the region. Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Monday that he was recognizing the independence of two Russia-backed separatist enclaves in eastern Ukraine’s Donbas region: the self-proclaimed People’s Republics of Donetsk and Luhansk, in a furious hour-long address.
Russia has accused Ukraine of inflaming the conflict, and it has maintained its demand that Ukraine never join the transatlantic military alliance.
A team from Ukraine has arrived in Russia for discussions.
The Ukrainian team headed to Russia for negotiations arrived at the Belarus-Ukraine border on Monday morning, where the conference will take place.
The essential topic for the discussions, according to Ukraine, is a quick ceasefire and the departure of Russian soldiers.
Russia has shown an interest in discussing Ukraine’s adoption of “neutral status.”
The Russian delegation’s leader has stated that the two sides will meet in approximately an hour. They’re meeting near Chernobyl, on the Pripyat River.
The Ukrainian delegation comprises Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov, the leader of Zelenskyy’s parliamentary party, as well as presidential advisors and legislators.
Officials from Russia’s Foreign and Defense Ministries, as well as the presidential administration, are part of the trip.
In a phone call on Sunday, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Belarus’ President Alexander Lukashenko agreed to the discussions.
Throughout the night, fighting raged as Russia sought to advance and blasted Ukrainian soldiers.
The Russian Push North Of Kyiv Has Slowed, According To The Uk Military
The advance of Russian ground forces has been halted by Ukraine’s defense of an airport at Hostomel, roughly 19 miles north of Kyiv, according to the UK Ministry of Defence.
“Logistical failures and staunch Ukrainian resistance continue to frustrate the Russian advance,” the ministry said on Twitter.
Read More:
- Russians Stage Anti-war Marches Despite Putin’s Frightening Warnings
- Trump Expects “A Great Battle In Europe” And Accuses Biden Of Being Complicit In Russia’s Invasion Of Ukraine
- As Russians Advance Into Ukraine’s Second-largest City, The President Of The Country Appeals To Outsiders To Join The Battle
Japan Has Committed $100 Million In Humanitarian Relief To Ukraine
“We will show clearly that this kind of outrage comes with a heavy price,” he said. “The international community now believes that because of Russian aggression, it can no longer carry on relations with Russia in the same way it used to.”