2 months into war, Zelensky says 'Not afraid to meet Putin' amid renewed attack
Ukraine war: Russia has been accused of thousands of crimes of aggressions since the war started two months ago.
Russia began its "special military operation" in Ukraine on February 24 and two months later with thousands of lives lost, cities damaged and millions displaced, Moscow has shown no signs of calling back its troops despite being accused of thousands of crimes of aggression. A day after a top Russian general said that the operation will be expanded to southern parts too, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has called for a meeting with Vladimir Putin yet again to end the war. "I am not afraid to meet Putin," the 44-year-old leader was quoted as saying in reports, if the Russian president would lead to a peace deal. "From the beginning, I have insisted on talks with the Russian president," he said.
Here are ten points on the Ukraine war:
1. Zelensky has objected to the decision of UN chief Antonio Guterres to first go to Moscow and then visit Ukraine this week. "It is simply wrong to go first to Russia and then to Ukraine. There is no justice and no logic in this order. The war is in Ukraine, there are no bodies in the streets of Moscow. It would be logical to go first to Ukraine, to see the people there, the consequences of the occupation," he said at a briefing on Saturday.
2. The UN chief on Saturday had tweeted that he would meet presidents of both the countries. He will go to Russia on Tuesday and then travel to Kyiv on Thursday. "Next week, I will meet with President Vladimir Putin in Russia and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Ukraine. We need urgent steps to save lives, end human suffering and bring about peace in Ukraine. (sic)" the tweet read.
3. As the war completes two months, Mariupol's giant steel works saw renewed assault by Russia, news agency Reuters reported. The Ukrainian president said the country's army was not ready to break through the siege of the port city. "As soon as we have (more weapons), as soon as there are enough of them, believe me, we will immediately retake this or that territory, which is temporarily occupied," he said.
4. UK PM Boris Johnson has assured more aid for the war-battered country. "Today I spoke with President @ZelenskyyUa to update him on the latest steps the UK is taking to support Ukraine. We are providing further military aid, including protected mobility vehicles. We have issued new sanctions against members of the Russian military. (sic)" he tweeted.
5. In the eastern region of northern Donbas, sound of ongoing artillery and air raid sirens were heard overnight.
6. The Russian defence ministry was quoted as saying in reports that it had targeted a logistical terminal in Odesa with high-precision missiles.
7. "The only aim of Russian missile strikes on Odesa is terror. Russia must be designated a state sponsor of terrorism and treated accordingly. No business, no contacts, no cultural projects. We need a wall between civilization and barbarians striking peaceful cities with missiles," tweeted Ukraine foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba.
8. More than 5.2 million have been forced out of their homes in the two months of war.
9. While Zelensky has said top US officials - US secretary of state Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin - would visit Kyiv on Sunday, there has been no confirmation from the Pentagon.
10. Russia has been very strong resistance from Ukraine in the two months of war. After being forced out of the capital city of Kyiv, and pushing its focus to the eastern region, Moscow recently said it will focus on the southern parts too in declaration of new war aims.
(With inputs from AFP, Reuters, AP)