United States President Joe Biden made a dramatic statement on Friday when he said a direct NATO-Russia clash over the invasion of Ukraine could trigger World War III. Biden’s warning came on Day 16 of the invasion even as President Vladimir Putin admitted there had been some progress in Moscow’s ceasefire talks with Kyiv.
The United Nations said among 564 civilians killed in Ukraine since February 24, 41 were children. The organisation’s human rights office said most of the fatalities were due to the use of explosive weapons, including heavy artillery shelling, missile and air strikes. The UN further said nearly 2.5 million people had fled Ukraine since the invasion two weeks ago, and around two million more had been “internally displaced”. The war could also trigger a rise between 8% and 20% in international food and feed prices, which could lead to a jump in global malnourishment, as per the UN.
Here are the top five developments on Russia’s offensive against Ukraine:
Putin’s progress with Kyiv: Putin said there had been some progress in Moscow’s talks with Ukraine. “There are certain positive shifts, negotiators on our side tell me,” Putin said in a meeting with his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko, adding that talks continued “practically on a daily basis. But Ukraine, however, warned that Belarus could launch an offensive after the meeting between Putin and Lukashenko.
Biden’s warning: According to news agency AFP, President Joe Biden ruled out any direct intervention by the US to halt the invasion, warning that such conflict pitting the NATO alliance against the Kremlin “is World War III.” “We will not fight a war against Russia in Ukraine,” Biden said in a speech at the White House, refuting increasingly desperate calls from Kyiv for NATO to intervene against the Russian assault.
US, G7 revoke Russia’s ‘most favoured’ status: President Joe Biden announced that the United States will dramatically downgrade its trade status with Russia as punishment and ban imports of Russian seafood, alcohol and diamonds. He also revoked “the most favoured nation status” for Russia. This is being done in coordination with the European Union and G7. The EU also said it will continue applying pressure on Russia by devising a new set of sanctions while stepping up military support for Kyiv. But the bloc, however, drew a line on allowing Kyiv rapid access to it. Ukraine had applied for fast-track accession to the EU since the invasion. “I understand very well that, when you fight courageously like Ukraine does, you would want much more. But we are not a side to this conflict,” French President Emmanuel Macron told a news conference. Allies of Ukraine in eastern Europe were disappointed.
Russia’s allegations on use of bioweapons: The Biden administration has accused Russia of using the United Nations Security Council to promote disinformation from Moscow ahead of a meeting on allegations of biological activities by the US in Ukraine. This is a charge made without evidence and has been denied by Washington and Kyiv. The Kremlin is allegedly spreading conspiracy theories about US bioweapon research in Ukraine to justify the offensive, as per analysts and officials. US and Ukrainian officials and independent scientists said the labs do legitimate disease research. This week the White House warned Russia might use the conspiracy theory as the prelude to a biological or chemical attack that it would blame on Ukraine or the US. It is also getting a helping hand from China in spreading these claims. Biden said Russia would pay a “severe price” if it used chemical weapons in Ukraine, after US intelligence reportedly suggested that Moscow was preparing such an attack.
Indian students return from Sumy: External affairs minister S Jaishankar, in a post on Twitter, thanked Russia, Ukraine and Red Cross specifically mentioning the evacuation of Indian students from the northeastern city of Sumy. He also thanked neighbouring countries of Ukraine — Romania, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia and Moldova. Emotional scenes unfolded at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi when three special flights carrying Indian students from Sumy landed. India had sent three flights to Poland after the 600 students were evacuated on Tuesday.
(With agency inputs)
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