- French President Emmanuel Macron praises Ukrainian “heroism” while visiting Irpin, a war-torn suburb of the capital Kyiv, along with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi.
- The visit of European leaders comes as heavy fighting continues in the eastern city of Severodonetsk, where they are fighting “for every home,” says a local authority.
- The head of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees says the food crisis fueled by the Ukrainian war will drive the record for displacement to more “surprising” levels.
- Washington has announced an additional $ 1 billion in security assistance to Ukraine, including more artillery and coastal defense weapons.
- A UN official has warned that essential supplies are running out for thousands of civilians trapped in Severodonetsk.
- Ukrainian fighters inside the Severodonetsk Azot chemical plant have ignored a Russian ultimatum to surrender.
Here are the latest updates:
4 minutes ago (10:25 GMT)
The Kremlin says Western weapons are “useless”
The Kremlin warns against new Western arms supplies, saying it would be “absolutely useless.”
“I would like to hope that the leaders of these three states and the President of Romania will not just focus on supporting Ukraine by bombing Ukraine even more with weapons,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. “Absolutely useless and will cause more damage to the country.”
14 minutes ago (10:15 GMT)
Battles “fought for every house” in Severodonetsk
Serhiy Haidai, governor of the eastern Luhansk region, says Russian forces have concentrated all their reserves on capturing Severodonetsk.
“Fierce battles are being fought for every house in the city,” Haidai said in his daily briefing, adding that the Ukrainians need long-range artillery to push back Russian forces. “Dozens of occupants die every day during street clashes in Severodonetsk,” he added.
31 minutes ago (09:58 GMT)
Russia says it is ready for peace talks, blame Kyiv for stagnation: Interfax
Moscow is ready to restart peace talks with Ukraine, but has not yet received a response to its latest proposals, Interfax news agency quoted Russia’s chief negotiator as saying.
Vladimir Medinsky said that Kyiv was to blame for the lack of progress.
Since intermittent talks between the two sides in March, including a high-profile meeting of delegations in Istanbul, negotiations between Russia and Ukraine have stalled.
49 minutes ago (09:40 GMT)
In war-torn Irpin, Macron praises Ukrainian “heroism.”
Macron praises Ukrainian “heroism” over the invasion of Russia while visiting Irpin.
“This is where, among other things, the Ukrainians prevented the Russian army from descending on Kyiv,” the French leader said. “It simply came to our notice then. And next to that, you have traces of barbarism.
He also said there were indications of war crimes following “massacres” by Russian forces.
In response to questions about his previous statements that Russia should not be humiliated, Macron said “we are with the Ukrainians unambiguously. Ukraine must resist and win.”
1 hour ago (09:13 GMT)
EU leaders visit Irpin
European leaders are now visiting the war-torn suburb of Irpin in Kyiv, where residential buildings and civilian infrastructure remain damaged after attempts by Russian troops early in the invasion to capture the capital. About 300 civilians were found in the district after Russian forces withdrew from the area in late March.
French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi visit Irpin [Marko Djurica/Reuters]
1 hour ago (09:03 GMT)
Fighting continues in Severodonetsk
Heavy fighting continues in Severodonetsk, in the eastern Luhansk region, where thousands of civilians are believed to be taking refuge inside the Azot chemical plant, Al Jazeera’s Chales Stratford reported.
The Interfax news agency quoted a separatist leader as saying that Russian-backed forces would reopen a humanitarian corridor for these civilians.
Leonid Pasechnik, head of the self-proclaimed Lugansk People’s Republic, said separatist forces had entered the plant but had been unable to evacuate Ukrainian fighters from the factory.
2 hours ago (08:39 GMT)
“A drive message”
“It simply came to our notice then. It is a message of unity that we are sending to the Ukrainians, in support, to talk about both the present and the future, because in the coming weeks, as we know, it will be very difficult, “Macron said when he arrived in Kyiv. Shortly after their arrival, along with Draghi and Macron, sirens of airstrikes were heard in the city.
“We are here, we are focused, we will join President Zelenskyy to go to a place of war where massacres have taken place,” Macron said. BFM TV said the leaders were going to Irpin, where Ukraine says Russia committed major … scale atrocities. Russia denies allegations.
2 hours ago (08:34 GMT)
The President of Romania arrives in Kyiv
Romanian President Klaus Iohannis is also now in Kyiv joining the other three European leaders.
Iohannis wrote on Twitter that he was there to show his “full solidarity” with Ukraine and that “illegal Russian aggression must stop!”
He has just arrived in Kyiv. pic.twitter.com/fFJhyMd0tK
– Klaus Iohannis (@KlausIohannis) June 16, 2022
2 hours ago (08:25 GMT)
From armaments to EU membership: three leaders to discuss a wide range of issues in Kyiv
Al Jazeera’s Charles Stratford, reporting from Kyiv, said the visit of the three European leaders was important in addressing a wide range of issues, from arms delivery to Ukraine’s accession to the EU.
“It is important to note that Germany has been criticized by Ukraine and NATO members in Eastern Europe for what it says dragged the German arms supply into Ukraine,” Stratford said. “There has been a delivery of German anti-aircraft tanks, but a plan for Germany to supply NATO members of Eastern Europe with relatively new German equipment, so that they can supply Ukraine with the old Soviet heavy weapons for the which the Ukrainians would not need training for, has not yet been implemented, “he said.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is escorted when he arrives at Kyiv train station [Ludovic Marin/AP]
France has also been spared some criticism in recent months, Stratford said, after Macron said Russia should not be humiliated if there was a potential diplomatic deal for the war.
Another point of discussion concerns Ukraine’s accession to the European Union, especially in view of a summit of EU leaders in Brussels next week: “Both [Germany and France] they are also accused of being reluctant to grant Ukraine this status of candidacy, “Stratford said, adding that France used a” rather ambiguous language “to create a European political community of which Ukraine can take part, as the full EU member would take years.
3 hours ago (07:52 GMT)
Russia has no plans to withdraw from the WTO
Russia has no plans to leave the World Trade Organization (WTO), the Interfax news agency reported, citing a Russian deputy foreign minister.
The diplomat’s comment came a month after Russian Duma Vice President Piotr Tolstoy said Moscow was beginning the process of unilaterally withdrawing a number of international bodies, including the WTO.
3 hours ago (07:51 GMT)
France wants Ukraine’s victory to establish full territorial integrity: source
A French diplomatic source told Reuters that France wants a Ukrainian military victory over Russia to restore the country’s territorial integrity, including Crimea, which was taken by Russia in 2014.
The source added that it was up to Zelenskyy to define what a military victory could be.
3 hours ago (07:21 GMT)
Scholz promises to support Ukraine “for as long as necessary”
The German leader, now in the capital, Kyiv, promises lasting support for Ukraine, along with Draghi and Macron.
“We not only want to show solidarity, but also to ensure that the aid we are organizing, financial, humanitarian, but also in terms of weapons, will continue,” Scholz told Bild. “And we will continue as long as necessary for Ukraine’s struggle” against Moscow, he said.
The chancellor added that EU sanctions imposed on Russia “contribute to the possibility of Russia abandoning its plan and withdrawing its troops, because that is the goal”.
3 hours ago (06:59 GMT)
German rocket launchers will be delivered to Kyiv in August: Minister
Three multiple rocket launchers that Germany pledged to Kyiv could be delivered in July or August after Ukrainian troops have been trained on weapons, the German defense minister has said.
“Training on these multi-rocket launchers can begin in late June, that is, they can be delivered in late July or early August,” Christine Lambrecht told reporters as she arrived for a second day of talks. with its NATO. counterparts in Brussels.
4 hours ago (06:53 GMT)
‘An important moment’: Macron, Sholz and Draghi in Kyiv
The French president, the German chancellor and the Italian prime minister have arrived in Kyiv, Emmanuel Macron’s office said.
The three leaders are on their way to meet with Volodymyr Zelenskyy in what Macron told reporters was “an important moment.”
The French president said he would convey the message of “European solidarity” to Zelenskyy.
Arrived! Third stage of President @EmmanuelMacron’s trip: #Kiev #Kyiv # Ukraineď¸ pic.twitter.com/rk5BsjrOpL
– Catherine Colonna (@MinColonna) June 16, 2022
4 hours ago (06:44 GMT)
Russia-US relations at zero: the Kremlin
Russian-American relations are at “zero,” a Kremlin spokesman told RIA news agency.
Dmitry Peskov said there was virtually no dialogue between the two countries.
4 hours ago (06:20 GMT)