- Ukraine rules out a ceasefire or any territorial concessions to Moscow as Russia steps up its attack in the country’s east and south.
- Kyiv extends the period of martial law and general mobilisation in the country for an additional 90 days, until August 23.
- Russian gas producer Gazprom says it has continued to supply gas to Europe through Ukraine.
- African Union chief announces visits to Moscow, Kyiv
- Polish leader visits Kyiv, lends support to Ukraine
- Russia’s lead negotiator in peace talks with Ukraine says that Moscow was willing to resume negotiations, but that the ball was in Kyiv’s court.
Here are the updates on Monday, May 23:
2 mins ago (23:56 GMT)
Zelenskyy dubs Poland’s Rzeszów ‘Rescuer City’
Zelenskyy has given the Polish city of Rzeszów the honorary title of “Rescuer City” for its help in welcoming millions of Ukraine’s refugees.
“I have introduced a special honorary title of ‘rescuer city’ for the partner cities of our state, which today do the impossible to help us, to help our people, to help our army,” Zelenskyy said in parliament during a visit from Poland’s President Andrzej Duda.
“On behalf of the entire Ukrainian people, I would like to express great gratitude to the city of Rzeszów, the first rescuer city,” he added.
Rzeszów lies about 100 km from the border with Ukraine and has been acting as a reception point for people fleeing the war.
20 mins ago (23:39 GMT)
Ukraine to reach verdict on Russian soldier Monday
A Ukrainian court is expected to reach a verdict on Monday for a Russian soldier who was the first to go on trial for an alleged war crime.
The 21-year-old sergeant, who has admitted to shooting a Ukrainian man in the head in a village in the northeastern Sumy region on February 28, could get life in prison if convicted.
Ukrainian Prosecutor General Iryna Venediktova has said her office was prosecuting war crimes cases against 41 Russian soldiers for offences that included bombing civilian infrastructure, killing civilians, rape and looting.
She said it was looking into more than 10,700 potential war crimes involving over 600 suspects, including Russian soldiers and government officials.
1 hour ago (22:45 GMT)
Russia’s lead negotiator says Moscow willing to resume negotiations
Russia’s lead negotiator in peace talks with Ukraine said on Sunday that Moscow was willing to resume negotiations, but that the decision remained with Kyiv.
“Freezing talks was entirely Ukraine’s initiative,” Vladimir Medinsky told Belarusian TV, adding that the “ball is completely in their court”.
He spoke a day after Zelenskyy said the war “will only definitively end through diplomacy”.
1 hour ago (22:41 GMT)
Polish leader first to address wartime Kyiv parliament
Poland’s president has travelled to Kyiv to become the first foreign leader to address the Ukrainian parliament since the start of Russia’s war on Ukraine.
Ukrainian legislators stood on Sunday to applaud Polish President Andrzej Duda, who thanked them for the honour of speaking in a place where, he said, “the heart of a free, independent and democratic Ukraine beats”, according to remarks carried by the Polish state-run news agency PAP.
“The free world has the face of Ukraine,” Duda told the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine’s legislature.
Read more here.
2 hours ago (21:44 GMT)
UK’s Johnson discussed Russia’s blockade of Odesa with Zelenskyy
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Sunday discussed with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy Russia’s blockade of Ukraine’s shipping port Odesa, a Downing Street spokesperson said.
Johnson resolved to redouble efforts to provide vital food and humanitarian aid to the people of Ukraine and ensure the country was able to export to the rest of the world, the spokesperson added.
3 hours ago (21:10 GMT)
Ukraine parliament bans Russian war symbols
Ukraine’s parliament has banned the symbols “Z” and “V”, used by Russia’s military to promote its war in the country but agreed to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s call to allow their use for educational or historic purposes.
Yaroslav Zheleznyak, an opposition member, announced the decision on the Telegram messaging app, saying 313 deputies had voted in favour in the 423-member Verkhovna Rada assembly.
Zelenskyy had vetoed an earlier version of the bill and called for the two symbols to be allowed in displays in museums, libraries, scientific works, re-enactments, textbooks and similar instances.
Neither of the two letters exists in the Russian alphabet. They have been widely used, particularly on Russian military vehicles and equipment, to promote the aims of the conflict.
3 hours ago (21:01 GMT)
Ukraine rejects concessions as Russians attack in east and south
Ukraine rules out a ceasefire or any territorial concessions to Moscow as Russia stepped up its attack in the eastern and southern parts of the country, pounding the Donbas and Mykolaiv regions with air strikes and artillery fire.
Kyiv’s stance has become increasingly uncompromising in recent weeks as Russia experienced military setbacks while Ukrainian officials grew worried they might be pressured to sacrifice land for a peace deal.
“The war must end with the complete restoration of Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty,” Andriy Yermak, Ukraine’s presidential chief of staff said in a Twitter post.
Hello and welcome to Al Jazeera’s continuing coverage of the war in Ukraine.
Read all the updates from Saturday, May 22 here.
0
0
