United States President Joe Biden made a dramatic statement on Friday when he said a direct NATO-Russia conflict over an invasion of Ukraine could trigger World War III. Biden’s warning came on Day 16 of the invasion, even as President Vladimir Putin acknowledged some progress had been made in Moscow’s ceasefire talks with Kyiv.
The United Nations said 41 children were among the 564 civilians killed in Ukraine since February 24. The organization’s human rights office said most of the deaths were caused by the use of explosive weapons, including heavy artillery fire, missiles and airstrikes. The United Nations further said that about 2.5 million people had fled Ukraine since the invasion two weeks ago, and about two million people were “internal displaced”. The war could also trigger a rise in international food and feed prices by between 8% and 20%, which according to the United Nations could spark a jump in global malnutrition.
Here are the top five developments of Russia’s attack against Ukraine:
Putin’s progress with Kyiv: Putin said Moscow’s talks with Ukraine had made some progress. “There are some positive changes, negotiators on our side tell me,” Putin told a meeting with his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko, adding that talks “continued on a practically daily basis. But Ukraine however warned that Belarus could start an offensive after the meeting between Putin and Lukashenko.
Biden’s warning: According to news agency AFPPresident Joe Biden denied any direct interference by the US to stop the invasion, warning that such a conflict pitting the NATO coalition 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 a Russian attack.
US, G7 withdraw Russia’s ‘Most Favored’ status President Joe Biden announced that the United States would dramatically downgrade its trade status with Russia and impose sanctions on imports of Russian seafood, wine, and diamonds. He also revoked “most favored nation status” for Russia. This is being done in collaboration with the European Union and the G-7. The European Union also said it would continue to pressure Russia by preparing a new set of sanctions while increasing military support for Kyiv. But, Block drew a line on allowing Kyiv to reach it faster. Ukraine had applied for fast-track accession to the European Union since the invasion. “I understand very well that when you fight boldly like Ukraine, you want a lot. But we are not on the side of this conflict,” French President Emmanuel Macron said at a news conference. Ukraine’s allies in Eastern Europe were disappointed.
Russia’s accusations on the use of bio-weapons: The Biden administration has accused Russia of using the UN Security Council to promote propaganda from Moscow ahead of a meeting on allegations of biological activities by the US in Ukraine. This is an unproven allegation and has been denied by Washington and Kyiv. According to analysts and officials, the Kremlin is allegedly spreading conspiracy theories about US bio-weapons research in Ukraine to justify the offensive. US and Ukrainian officials and independent scientists said the laboratories conduct legitimate disease research. This week the White House warned that Russia could use conspiracy theory as a prelude to a biological or chemical attack that it would blame on Ukraine or the US. It is also getting help from China in spreading these claims. Biden said Russia would pay a “serious price” if it used chemical weapons in Ukraine, as US intelligence reportedly suggested Moscow was preparing for such an attack.
Indian students returned from Sumi: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, in a post on Twitter, thanked Russia, Ukraine and the Red Cross for specifically mentioning the evacuation of Indian students from the northeastern city of Sumy. He also thanked Ukraine’s neighboring countries – Romania, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia and Moldova. Emotional scenes emerged at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport when three special flights carrying Indian students landed from Sumi. India had sent three flights to Poland after 600 students were evacuated on Tuesday.
(with agency input)
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