This is the CNBC blog covering updates on the war in Ukraine. [Follow the latest updates here. ]
The first anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is approaching Friday, and he noted that geopolitical tensions rose this week in the run-up to the event.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and U. S. President Joe Biden gave high-profile speeches this week in which they criticized other countries and traded beards over the conflict.
Putin blamed the West for the war in Ukraine in a State of the Union address on Tuesday, and at another pro-war event on Wednesday, the president led the crowd chanting “Russia!”lands” in Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Biden, on a visit to Europe this week, reaffirmed his commitment to Ukraine and said Moscow would “never” win the war. He also called Russia’s resolution to suspend its participation in the new START nuclear arms control treaty with the United States, a pact that limits the strategic nuclear arsenals of both sides, a “big mistake. “
While cutting ties with the West further, Putin sought to deepen ties with China on Wednesday by hosting one of Beijing’s most sensible diplomats in Moscow. Russia’s courtship of Russia comes ahead of President Xi Jinping’s plan with Russia this spring.
The war between Russia and Ukraine is due to a shortage of ammunition, Eurasia Group President Cliff Kuppan told CNBC’s “Squawk Box Asia. “
China, which offers Russia the ammunition it lacks, can simply “tilt. . . war for Russia,” Kupchan said. That’s one of the reasons I’m so involved and focused on China right now,” he added.
Meanwhile, the U. S. government’s “main concern” is supplying more ammunition to Ukrainians, who lack them, Kupchan said.
“I don’t think either aspect has a structural advantage, as they both suffer severely,” he said.
Putin will also invade Poland, Kupchan said. Putin “cannot get a direct yes” that Ukraine is a sovereign and independent country, he added.
“I don’t think he thinks about the country like he thinks about Ukraine. “
—Audrey Wan
China reiterated its commitment to Russia-Ukraine peace and ceasefire talks
“All sides help Russia and Ukraine work in the same direction and resume direct discussion as soon as possible, to gradually reduce the situation and eventually achieve a comprehensive ceasefire,” China’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
China added that it supports the International Atomic Energy Agency through a “constructive role in selling the safety and security of nonviolent nuclear facilities. “
China said the foreign network “helps warring parties open the door to a political settlement as soon as possible and creates situations and platforms for the resumption of negotiations. “He added that he was in a position to “play a constructive role. “in this regard. “
—Jihye Lee
The State Department warned U. S. citizens about an increased risk of missile strikes in Ukraine on the eve of the first anniversary of Russia’s war.
The U. S. Embassy The U. S. Department of Health and Security in Kiev urges U. S. citizens to “observe air alarms, seek adequate shelter, adhere to recommendations from local authorities” and take other safety precautions.
—Amanda Macias
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he had still noted a Chinese plan to end Russia’s war with Ukraine, but would welcome talks with Beijing.
China, a close friend of Russia, said it will set out its position on resolving the Ukrainian conflict through politics in a document that will take into account considerations on territorial integrity, sovereignty and security.
Asked about the meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Zelenskyy told a news conference in Kiev: “We would like to meet China. “
“This is in Ukraine today,” he said at the joint briefing with visiting Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez.
— Reuters
Yevgeny Prigozhin, founder of the Russian mercenary force of the Wagner Group, had sent much-needed ammunition for his troops, following a public dispute in which he accused the army rulers of treason.
Prigozhin on Wednesday published a gruesome symbol of dozens of men he said were killed because the comguyders, including Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Chief of Staff Valery Gerasimov, withheld ammunition to antagonize him. Neither commented, but the ministry denied the allegation.
In an audio clip, Prigozhin said he felt the strain he and others had placed on the Defense Ministry had paid off and said the munitions were now on their way.
Wagner spearheaded Russia’s months-long war over the small town of Bakhmut in Ukraine’s Donetsk region, a fact he loudly announced, and helped Moscow achieve modest but stable gains.
— Reuters
President Joe Biden and other G-7 leaders will virtually meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to discuss new tactics for Ukraine.
“The G7 has become the anchor of our strong and united reaction to Russia. Tomorrow, the leaders will talk about how we continue with Ukraine and continue to increase pressure on [Russian President Vladimir] Putin and all those who allow his aggression. “White House reporters said,” Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said at a daily news briefing.
“Among other announcements, the United States will enforce sweeping sanctions against key sectors that generate profits for Putin. Pursue more Russian banks, the Russian defense and generation industry and third-country actors seeking to update and evade our sanctions. ” she added.
Jean-Pierre also said Biden’s management will announce new energy and security assistance to help the Ukrainian government supply electric power and heat the country.
—Amanda Macias
European Union countries failed to agree on a new set of sanctions Russia had planned to implement for the first anniversary of Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine on Friday, diplomatic resources told Reuters.
The 27 EU countries will have to unanimously agree to introduce sanctions. The appeals said Poland was blocking the package on proposed exemptions to the EU import ban on Russian artificial rubber.
Polish diplomats said the waivers were to make sanctions ineffective. Other officials said the waivers were proposed to accommodate Germany-backed Italy.
Representatives of member states were scheduled to meet at four o’clock on Friday afternoon, the day Russia invaded Ukraine last year, to reach a deal, the appeals said.
— Reuters
Ukraine will propose to Turkey and the United Nations the Black Sea Grain Initiative for the Mykolaiv seaport.
Ukraine’s Deputy Minister of Infrastructure Yuriy Vaskov said that by blocking Ukrainian ports, Russia is violating foreign conventions on maritime transport. He called on the foreign network to interfere and repair Ukrainian ships at sea.
In addition, Vaskov said Ukraine will insist on expanding the number of inspection groups to the accumulation of ships awaiting inspection. In the past, Ukraine has accused Russia of creating a shipbuild.
The Black Sea Grain Initiative, negotiated in July between Ukraine, Russia, Turkey and the United Nations, eased the Russian naval blockade and allowed the reopening of 3 key Ukrainian ports.
So far, more than 700 ships have left Ukrainian ports.
—Amanda Macias
G7 finance ministers and central bank governors reaffirmed their “unwavering aid to Ukraine” and their “unity in our condemnation of Russia’s war of aggression” in a joint statement issued on the eve of the first anniversary of Russia’s invasion of its neighbor.
“We remain committed to fostering foreign cooperation to uphold multilateralism and address the global economic hardships caused by Russia’s war and its militarization of food and energy, which are disproportionately felt in low- and middle-income countries,” he said.
The leaders are in India for the ministerial assembly of G20 finance ministers and central bank governors on Friday and Saturday. They increased their budget commitment to the Ukrainian government to $39 billion by 2023 “as per the wishes of the Ukrainian government,” according to the statement.
The organization also identified contributions from the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank Group to help Ukraine’s economic recovery. The extra praises the effectiveness of sanctions against Russia and the cap on Russian oil prices in depleting the Russian economy.
“We reject Russia’s false narrative about the domino effect of sanctions on food and energy security. We reaffirm that our sanctions measures against Russia are not intended to contribute to energy and food insecurity, while those measures are designed to diminish Russia’s ability to harvest bargains and take advantage of fluctuations in world oil prices. “
—Chelsey Cox
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s brutal year-long invasion of Ukraine has failed, U. S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said.
“A year later, Putin’s war was a strategic failure for the Kremlin. Ukraine is still standing. And NATO and our global coalition are united,” Yellen told a news conference in Bangalore, India, where she is attending a bilateral convention. meeting with Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
The Treasury leader also praised Ukraine’s resilience in the face of the Russian military and reiterated the U. S. government’s monetary commitment to the Russian military. The U. S. government is working with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to protect the country.
“Our military assistance includes key defensive weapons that Ukraine has asked for, such as the Patriot missile defense system,” Yellen said. “And our financial aid makes Ukraine’s resilience imaginable by helping the front of the house: investing in essential public facilities and helping the government continue to function. In the coming months, we plan to provide approximately $10 billion in additional economic aid to Ukraine.
The United States has already donated more than $46 billion in security, economy and humanitarian aid to Ukraine, Yellen said.
—Chelsey Cox
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said he saw progress in stalled talks with Turkey over Sweden’s bid for the club and aimed for Sweden and Finland joining the alliance through their July summit.
Stoltenberg told Reuters that he and Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan had agreed that Turkey, Finland and Sweden would meet at NATO headquarters in mid-March “to deal with the demanding situations we face in relation to Turkey’s ratification of Sweden’s accession protocol. “
Stoltenberg, who met Erdogan last week in Ankara, was more positive on the issue than in previous months.
“I see progress,” he said in an interview. My goal is for Finland and Sweden to be full members through the NATO summit,” which will be held in Lithuania on July 11-12.
— Reuters
The outside temperature of Klaus Mueller’s workplace almost resembles spring, precisely the kind of mild climate that helped Germany get through the winter without Russian herbal gas.
But Germany’s top application regulator is in no position to explain an energy crisis caused by the war in Ukraine, even with abundant reserves of herbal fuel and costs well below their peak.
Too much can go wrong, especially if consumers and businesses tire of the conservation behavior they’ve learned during a winter marked by fears of power outages and rationing, Mueller, head of the Federal Network Agency, said in an interview Wednesday with The Associated Press. .
In addition, we will have to think about next winter.
Other risks, such as a twist of the pipeline’s fate or a sudden snap without bloodshed, may delay plans to keep the herbal fuel garage as complete as you can imagine as Europe learns to live without the reasonable Russian fuel that has fueled its economy for decades.
– Associated Press
Two ships carrying about 96,895 metric tons of grain and other food products departed from Ukrainian ports, said the organization that oversees the country’s agriculture export.
The ships are bound for Italy and Portugal and corn.
The Black Sea Grain Initiative, negotiated in July between Ukraine, Russia, Turkey and the United Nations, eased the Russian naval blockade and allowed the reopening of 3 key Ukrainian ports.
So far, more than 700 ships have left Ukrainian ports.
—Amanda Macias
The executive director of the Ukrainian Railways, Alexander Kamyshin, told the story of US President Joe Biden’s secret about Kiev.
In a Twitter thread, Kamyshin “complicated the task,” but added that “it has been an honor and a privilege for me and the entire Iron Team to manage this visit. “
Kamyshin also called the exercise Biden mounted on “Rail Force One” to play with the transportation used by U. S. presidents to play with the transportation used by U. S. presidents. U. S.
—Amanda Macias
Western European countries will be faster and more generous in supplying arms to Ukraine, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said in Copenhagen after meeting his Danish counterpart Mette Frederiksen.
“I would like them to be precisely like Denmark and Poland. A longer edition will have to be more beneficial in terms of arms delivery and faster,” Morawiecki told reporters.
— Reuters
Protesters painted the Ukrainian flag on the street in front of the Russian embassy in London on Thursday ahead of the first anniversary of the war on Friday.
The protest was reportedly conducted through the crossover organization Led By Donkeys, which said on Twitter on Thursday:
“Tomorrow is the first anniversary of Putin’s imperialist invasion of Ukraine, an independent state and other people who fully enjoy the right to self-determination. The lifestyles of a huge Ukrainian flag in front of its embassy in London will serve to remind you of this. . “
—Holly Ellyatt
The Hungarian parliament will begin debating the NATO club of Sweden and Finland next week, according to its tentative schedule.
It shows that the Hungarian parliament could vote on the factor the week of March 6. Hungary and Turkey are the only two NATO members that have so far rejected their approval to integrate the Nordic countries into the military alliance.
Finland and Sweden signed heavily implemented to join the coalition in May, as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine forced them to deviate from their long-standing policy of no army alignment. In particular, Ankara opposes Sweden’s candidacy, which it accuses. of harboring suspected members of the Kurdish Workers’ Party, which both countries designate as a terrorist organization.
The continued delays have raised questions about whether the Swedish and Finnish application processes will be separated. But Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billström told CNBC this week that admitting Stockholm and Helsinki into NATO is “only a matter of time. “
—Ruxandra Iordache
On the eve of the first anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned Russia’s aggression.
“Russia has selected the path of the murderer. The path of the terrorist. That of the torturer. That of the looter. This is the selection of Russia’s state, and there will be a duty of the state for the terror committed, Zelenskyy said on Telegram in a post accompanied by photographs of the war.
“Dozens, lots of thousands of photographs that leave deep scars in the center and in the soul. They remind us how we have come from February to February. It has to be in our DNA,” the president added.
Zelenskyy said Ukraine would triumph and “hold accountable all those who brought this evil, this war to our land. “
Ukraine has accused Russia of committing multiple war crimes, from launching missile movements at civilian infrastructure, such as schools and hospitals, to torturing prisoners of war and civilians. Russia has denied targeting civilians during the war, despite multiple examples of civilian infrastructure. , adding residential buildings, hit by Russian missiles, and also accused Ukraine of committing war crimes, adding the execution of prisoners of war, which Ukraine denies.
UN-appointed independent human rights investigators said war crimes were indeed committed in the conflict. He said last September, after an initial investigation, that while Ukrainian forces were guilty of some human rights violations, Russian forces had committed more cases that amounted to war crimes. .
—Holly Ellyatt
China’s Foreign Ministry said any forward-looking intelligence on China’s arms transfer to Russia that the United States plans to make is speculation, its spokesman said Thursday.
“As far as the so-called data is concerned, it is only hypotheses and slanders against China,” Wang Wenbin said at a normal press conference.
The Wall Street Journal previously reported that the U. S. government is in the U. S. government. The US is publishing intelligence on China’s arms supply to Russia.
— Reuters
Ukraine’s armed forces in the north of the country said Thursday they believe Russian forces are preparing for imaginable provocations on the first anniversary of their invasion.
Ukraine’s Northern Operational Command said today on Telegram that Russian forces “are preparing imaginable provocations for the anniversary of the large-scale offensive, most likely the purpose is to accuse Ukrainian defenders of violating territorial integrity,” according to a Google translation of the statement. mail.
The Northern Operational Command said its suspicions were “evidenced through intelligence data, which recorded the movement of columns of army aircraft in the border domain with the Chernihiv region [in northern Ukraine] without identifying marks and bodies of workers dressed in a pixel [camouflage], similar to the uniform of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The command unit issued a subsequent statement reiterating that its caution referred to imaginable Russian provocations and not “actions that have taken place. “
CNBC was unable to verify the report’s data, but neither side accused each other of planning imaginable provocations and false flag attacks ahead of the one-year anniversary of the invasion of Ukraine on Friday.
—Holly Ellyatt
Moldova on Thursday rejected an accusation by the Russian Defense Ministry that Ukraine is making plans to invade Moldova’s breakaway Transnistria region after staging a false flag operation, and called for calm.
Russian news firm RIA said Ukraine, which borders Moldova, is making plans to launch an attack through suspected Russian forces from Transnistria as a pretext for the invasion. Russia maintains troops in the breakaway region.
The TASS news firm quoted Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin as saying that the West had ordered the Moldovan government in Chisinau to end all interaction with Moscow-backed Transnistrian authorities.
The Moldovan government issued a Telegram messaging app saying the state government “does not confirm” the Russian Defense Ministry’s allegations.
“We call for calm and to be won (by the public) with official and credible resources from the Republic of Moldova,” he said. “Our establishments cooperate with foreign partners and in case of threats opposed to the country, the public is informed immediately. “
Moldova’s foreign minister told Reuters on Wednesday that the tiny former Soviet republic, which also borders NATO member Romania, is ready for a “full diversity of threats” from Russia.
“Our establishments have planned responses that cover the full diversity of threats,” he said. “Of course, we have limited means, but at the same time, we are not in this case. “
President Maia Sandu, who needs her country to join the European Union, accused Moscow this month of plotting a coup to oust Moldova’s leadership. Moscow has denied the accusation.
The predominantly Russian-speaking region seceded from then-Soviet Moldova in 1990. After the disintegration of the Soviet Union in 1991, pro-Russian separatists waged war with Moldovan forces.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said last week that it was “obvious” that Ukraine would not be Russia’s last prevention after invading Ukraine, and that the Kremlin is considering tactics to “strangle” Moldova.
— Reuters
Britain’s Defense Ministry said Thursday that heavy fighting has continued in the Bakhmut region over the past 48 hours, but that Ukrainian forces “keep the origin routes to the west open despite Russia’s progressive encirclement over the past six weeks. “
Further south, in the Donetsk region, the city of Vuhledar suffered heavy shelling, the ministry noted, adding that there is now “a realistic option that Russia will prepare for a new offensive effort in this domain despite the costly mistakes of attacks in early February and past February. “2022”.
The ministry noted that the Group of Eastern Russian Forces will most likely remain guilty of Operation Vuhledar, noting that its commander, Colonel General Rustam Muradov, “is likely under intense pressure following harsh complaints from the Russian nationalist network after previous setbacks. “
However, the ministry added that Muradov will have a strike force capable of achieving a breakthrough.
—Holly Ellyatt
Marking a year of war, Ukraine and Russia pressed the United Nations on Wednesday to get the countries to approve a 193-member General Assembly vote that the United States said would “go down in history. “
“We will see what the position of the nations of the world is on the factor of peace in Ukraine,” U. S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield told the General Assembly.
The General Assembly gave the impression of being in a position to adopt a solution on Thursday, presented by Ukraine and its supporters, stressing “the desire to achieve, as soon as possible, a comprehensive, just and lasting peace” in accordance with the founding Charter of the UN. .
U. N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres denounced Russia’s invasion, calling the Charter “unequivocal,” quoting it: “All members must chorus in their foreign relations against the risk or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state. “
Ukraine and its ers hope to deepen Russia’s diplomatic isolation by seeking favorable votes from nearly three-quarters of the General Assembly to adjust, if not more, to the win for several resolutions last year.
They argue that the war is simply a case of illegal invasion of a country without provocation, while Russia presents itself as a “proxy war” with the West, which has been arming Ukraine and applying sanctions to Moscow since the invasion.
— Reuters
The NATO leader said the army alliance had noticed “some signs” that China was contemplating supporting Russia in its war in Ukraine, and suggested Beijing echo what would be a violation of foreign law.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg also told The Associated Press in an interview that the alliance, while not part of the war, will keep Ukraine “for as long as it takes. “
Asked if NATO has any indication that China might be in a position to supply arms or others to Russia’s war, Stoltenberg said:
“We’ve noticed signs that they might plan this and, of course, NATO allies, the United States, have warned that they oppose that because it’s something that deserves not to happen. China deserves not Russia’s illegal war. “
– Associated Press
Swedish Defense Minister Pål Johnson said it was “difficult to give fighter jets to Ukraine” because Sweden wishes them “[their] territorial integrity. “
“When I look at Russian capabilities, they are seriously degraded as parts of the floor are involved at the moment. But when it comes to air and naval assets, [they] have practically not changed, so, right now, [giving Ukraine] Gripen is in the category of ‘too hard to do’ for me,” Jonson told CNBC’s Silvia Amaro, referring to Sweden’s Saab JAS 39 Gripen fighter jets.
Jonson also said Sweden is well aware of what he described as Russia’s “low threshold” for the army’s use of force.
“[Russia] is taking wonderful political and military risks, and that’s something we’re aware of,” Johnson said, underscoring how vital it is for Ukraine to win against Russia.
“This is a war that Russia started,” Johnson said. If Russia wins this war, it would have disastrous geopolitical consequences on the military and security policy for Europe and Sweden as well. “
“We are with Ukraine as long as necessary,” he added.
Sweden is lately in the application process to join NATO’s military alliance with Finland. It is only “a matter of time” before the country gains its membership, Sweden’s foreign minister said on Wednesday.
— Hannah Ward-Glenton
Norwegian Foreign Minister Anniken Huitfeld said Wednesday that NATO allies “must be prepared” for emerging nuclear risks, following Russia’s resolution on its nuclear arms treaty with the United States.
Huitfeld told CNBC that geopolitics is ultimately “stable” in northern Europe, but warned that Russia’s nearby nuclear arsenal is cause for concern.
“The north is stable, but we have to prepare,” he told Silvia Amaro.
“Russia has one of its largest nuclear arsenals very, very close to the Norwegian border, and it still has those functions despite the traditional losses we’ve noticed on earth,” he said.
President Putin announced Tuesday that Russia is postponing its participation in the New START nuclear arms treaty with the United States, a pact that limits the strategic nuclear arsenals of both sides.
Huitfeld added that the region would be “even safer” Sweden and Finland are ratified in the NATO military alliance.
“When that happens, I can’t be sure. But they give everything, then they are prepared and we are in a position for them,” he said.
—Karen Gilchrist
Russian President Vladimir Putin attended a concert in Moscow on Wednesday to mark Russia’s national “Defender of the Fatherland” day.
Delivering a brief speech to the pro-war crowds gathered at the Luzhniki Stadium, Putin addressed the audience with shouts of “Russia!”and said the country is fighting in Ukraine “for lands that were traditionally ours,” NBC News reported.
“Today, as part of a special army operation . . . We gathered here for, in fact, a festive event, but I know that I only listen to the most sensible military leaders of the country about the fact that at this moment there is a war for our historical borders, for our people,” Putin added, according to other comments reported through the official Tass news agency.
Putin expressed pride in the Russian forces and said that each and every soldier is a defender of the motherland.
—Holly Ellyatt
Officials in Moscow on Wednesday appeared positive about Russian President Vladimir Putin’s resolution to suspend Russia’s participation in the New START nuclear arms treaty, the newest nuclear arms pact between the United States and Russia that aimed to restrict both countries’ nuclear arsenals.
Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said Wednesday that the resolution to suspend the treaty is “overdue” and that Russia’s resolution would have “enormous resonance in the world in general and in the United States in particular. “
Medvedev repeated a Russian claim that the United States “defeats Russia” and that the world is on the brink of a new global conflict. “If the United States defeats Russia, then we have the right to protect ourselves with any weapon, adding nuclear weapons. “Medvedev said.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov reported Wednesday in Russian media that Moscow could still “fairly reliably assess” the U. S. nuclear outlook from outside the deal.
“There are national technical means that make it imaginable to evaluate in a fairly reliable way what is happening. We also have a cumulative delight in tracking what is happening in the United States, and not just in the United States, in this area, employing other Member States. But the scenario has changed drastically, so we will start with what is available,” Ryabkov told reporters, according to Russian news agency Ria Novosti.
The New START treaty allowed for mutual inspections of each other’s nuclear weapons sites; in practice, they have been suspended since the Covid-19 pandemic and have not resumed since the beginning of the war in Ukraine.
Ryabkov also said Russia would continue to adhere to the treaty’s “core quantitative restrictions,” saying that at this level Moscow “is sufficient from the point of view of predictability and maintaining strategic stability. “
Medvedev noted, as did Moscow’s Foreign Ministry on Tuesday, that Russia’s suspension of the treaty is reversible but that it needs Washington to show “political will. . . for a general de-escalation and to create the situations for the resumption of the treaty. “Russia has also said it needs the nuclear arsenals of Britain and France to be factored into any long-term START treaty.
—Holly Ellyatt
Biden calls postponing the nuclear treaty a “big mistake”; Putin Woos Beijing Ahead of Xi’s Trip
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