More than 1.2 million refugees have fled Ukraine this week since Russia’s invasion
new Delhi:
Russian President Vladimir Putin said Western sanctions were akin to war as his military pressed for a 10th day its attack on Ukraine on Saturday and the IMF warned the conflict would have a “serious impact” on the global economy.
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President Vladimir Putin said on Saturday that Western sanctions on Russia were tantamount to a declaration of war and warned that any attempt to impose a no-fly zone in Ukraine would amount to entering conflict.
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Moscow and Kyiv trade blame on the plan’s failure to enforce a brief ceasefire and enable civilians to evacuate two cities surrounded by Russian forces. Russia’s invasion has already sent some 1.5 million refugees west to the European Union.
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The Chamber’s Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky made a “desperate plea” for Eastern Europe to provide his country with Russian-made aircraft during a call with US senators on Saturday.
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NATO, which Ukraine wants to join, has opposed Zelensky’s appeal to impose a no-fly zone on its country, saying it would escalate conflict outside Ukraine. But there is strong bipartisan support in the US Congress to provide $10 billion in emergency military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine.
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Putin said he wanted a neutral Ukraine that had been “demilitarized” and “denied”, adding: “The sanctions being imposed are tantamount to a declaration of war but thank God it is not on that.” has come.”
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Bennett’s spokesman said Putin met with Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett in the Kremlin to discuss the crisis. Israel has offered to mediate in the conflict, though officials have downplayed hopes of success.
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Ukrainian negotiators said a third round of talks with Russia on a ceasefire would go ahead on Monday. The last two rounds have been unsuccessful and Zelensky has said that Russia should stop bombing first.
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Since the invasion by President Vladimir Putin’s forces on February 24, Russia has plundered Ukrainian cities, killed hundreds of civilians and attacked Europe’s largest nuclear power plant.
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The invasion has balanced the Kremlin’s sentence with fears of an alarming escalation to condemnation and severe sanctions from Western nations. Moscow has seized two major cities, Burdiansk and Kherson on Ukraine’s southern Black Sea coast, in its 10-day long offensive.
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A UN surveillance mission said at least 351 civilians were confirmed dead and 707 wounded in Ukraine since the invasion began on 24 February, adding that the actual figures were “much higher”. is likely to.