In response to the invasion of Ukraine, Ukraine claimed that Russia had begun assembling a military strike force with its sights set on President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s hometown of Kryvyi Rih. NATO is now on the verge of undergoing its largest expansion in decades.
On Wednesday, the U.S. Senate and the Italian parliament both approved the 30-member North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s admission of Finland and Sweden (NATO). An attack on one member of NATO is an attack on all members, according to the organization’s charter, which must be approved by all 30 member states.
In a statement, U.S. President Joe Biden said, “This historic vote sends an important signal of the sustained, bipartisan U.S. commitment to NATO, and to ensuring our Alliance is prepared to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow.”
Finland and Sweden have received numerous warnings from Russia, which invaded Ukraine on February 24, to stay away from NATO.
Last month, the 30 members of NATO ratified the accession protocol, making it possible for them to join the nuclear-armed alliance led by the United States.
It might take up to a year for ratification.
On Wednesday, Ukraine rejected claims made by former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder that Russia desired a “negotiated solution” to the five-month conflict and declared that any talks would be subject to a cease-fire and Russian troop withdrawal.
Ineffective attempts at peace negotiations took place in March. According to a report from The South China Morning Post (SCMP) on Thursday, Ukraine is looking for a chance to speak “directly” with Chinese leader Xi Jinping to help put an end to the war.
In an interview with SCMP, Zelenskiy urged China to use its political and economic sway over Russia to put an end to the fighting.
It’s a state with a lot of power. It has a robust economy. Russia can be influenced politically and economically as a result. “Zelenskiy was quoted in the report as saying.”
The South-Western New Offensive Claims Ukraine (NATO)
On Wednesday night, Ukraine claimed that Russia was heavily involved in military operations in the east, northeast, and south of the nation and issued a warning that Moscow might be planning new offensive operations in southern Ukraine.
The governor of the Sumy region, which shares a border with Russia, Dmytro Zhyvytsky, reported that on Wednesday, Russian forces shelled three towns with a total of 55 missiles. Although there were no injuries, houses and businesses suffered damage.
According to him, eight artillery shells struck the Krasnopilska community’s residential areas.
Reports from the battlefield could not be confirmed by Reuters.
The largest conflict in Europe since World War Two has resulted in thousands of civilian deaths, despite Russia’s denial that it targets civilians. Russian forces are charged with war crimes by Ukraine and its Western allies.
Vladimir Putin, the president of Russia, dispatched troops to Ukraine as part of what he described as a “special military operation” to purge the nation of fascists. Putin was accused by the West and the Ukraine of starting an unprovoked “imperial” land grab.
A global energy and food crisis has been sparked by the war. A third of the world’s wheat is grown in Russia and Ukraine, and Russia is Europe’s primary energy supplier.
A deal between Moscow and Kyiv to permit the safe passage of grain ships from Ukraine has been hailed as a rare diplomatic victory in the conflict. The deal was mediated by the United Nations and Turkey.
On Wednesday, the first ship carrying grain from Ukraine since the war began passed through the Bosphorus Strait.
On Monday morning, the ship Razoni sailed from the Black Sea port of Odessa with 26,527 tonnes of corn bound for the port of Tripoli in Lebanon.
According to a senior Turkish official, following the departure of the Razoni, three ships could depart Ukrainian ports each day. The infrastructure minister of Ukraine added that 17 additional ships had been loaded with agricultural cargo and were ready to sail.
