Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk dismissed calls by Russia for Ukraine to surrender Mariupol to the Russians, according to Pravda Ukraine.
“There can be no talk of any surrenders, laying down of arms,” Vereshchuk said, adding that they will “just open a corridor” for people to leave the city.
The comments come after Russia called on Ukraine to surrender the city by 5 am on March 21 as the two sides negotiated a humanitarian corridor that would allow civilians to depart the city if they choose, according to reporting from RIA Novosti. Ukrainian authorities have continuously asked for such a corridor in the past, a request Russia has said the would grant but has yet to follow through on.
Russian forces, who have the city surrounded, say those who stay will be “with the bandits.”
Eight people killed during shelling in Kyiv’s Podilskyi district: report
Chernihiv region of Northern Ukraine issues curfew as Russian War enters 26th day: report
Translation: “From today, the curfew in Chernihiv region will last from 20:00 to 6:00 – at this time it is forbidden to leave the shelter or your own housing if you do not have a special pass.”
Russian forces have seized Ukrainian ships: report
UK’s Boris Johnson: The UK will continue to step up
Biden will visit Poland, home of 2 million Ukrainian refugees, during Europe trip
President Biden will stop in Poland during his visit to Europe this week amid urgent talks with NATO and European allies, the White House announced.
Biden will keep his initial itinerary by traveling to Brussels, Belgium, before he heads to Warsaw, Poland, on Friday, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said in a statement Sunday night.
Poland has been directly impacted by the Ukraine-Russia War, having taken in over two million of Ukraine’s three million refugees. Poland also houses U.S. troops.
In Warsaw, Biden will meet with President Andrzej Duda to discuss how the U.S. and its allies can do mo to help “the humanitarian and human rights crisis that Russia’s unjustified and unprovoked war on Ukraine has created,” Psaki said.
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Ukraine’s Zelenskyy warns of ‘third World War’ if peace talks with Russia fail
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned of a third world war if peace talks with Russia fail during a television interview that aired Sunday.
Zelenskyy said that “any format” should be used in order to have a possibility of negotiating with Russia, in particular Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“I think that we have to use any format, any chance in order to have a possibility of negotiating, possibility of talking to Putin. But if these attempts fail, that would mean that this is a third World War,” Zelenskyy said.
He added: “If there is just 1 percent chance for us to stop this war, I think that we need to take this chance, we need to do that. I am ready for negotiations with him. I was ready over the last two years, and I think that without negotiations, we cannot end this war.” (READ MORE)
President Zelenskyy accuses Russia of war crimes
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accused
Russia of war crimes after an overnight siege of Mariupol resulted in Russian forces bombing an art school.
Zelenskyy described the attack as “a terror that will be remembered for centuries to come.”
In a nightly address, Zelenskyy said Ukraine renewed calls for peace, calling ongoing talks with Russia “necessary.” He also said Ukraine would not surrender.
China is funding Putin’s war: Foreign policy expert
Half of staff at Chernobyl NPP rotated after being held hostage for nearly 4 weeks: IAEA
Ukraine has informed the IAEA that many of the staff that were forced to stay at the Chernobyl nuclear power plan amid Russia’s takeover of the facility have been allowed to return home.
A group of 46 employees rotated into the facility and started a shift Sunday, according to reporting from Fox New’s NaNa Sajaia. It is unclear how long the new employees will stay to operate the plant.
Spoke to the family, whose father was at the plant since February 24. He is now home and resting. According to him, the group of 46 employees started their shift today, however it is unclear how long the current group will operate the plant.
“It is a positive – albeit long overdue – development that some staff at the Chornobyl NPP have now rotated and returned to their families. They deserve our full respect and admiration for having worked in these extremely difficult circumstances,” IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said of the news.
Russian forces took control of the facility on February 24, with the staff there having to stick behind and continue to operate the plant without the ability to go home to their families.
