The foreign ministers of Russia and Ukraine are set to cross paths on Thursday in Turkey, the most senior officials to hold in-person talks since the war began.
The meeting comes as both sides repeat their demands in order to call a halt to the fighting. Moscow has said it wants the demilitarization of Ukraine and the recognition of separatist territories as independent. It has periodically called for regime change in Kyiv.
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has again said he’s willing to consider some compromises, but Ukraine has ruled out ceding any territory and is pushing for security guarantees from the U.S. and Germany, alongside European Union membership, all of which could be unacceptable for Russia in terms of Ukrainian “neutrality”.
Zelenskiy also said there’s been no direct contact with Russian President Vladimir Putin, and “only after the direct talks between the two presidents can we end this war.”
Ukraine Open to Neutrality, Won’t Yield Territory, Aide Says
Key Developments
- U.S. Weighs Sanctions on Russian Nuclear Power Supplier Rosatom
- Russian Prowess in Question With Military Bogged Down in Ukraine
- Citi Assessing Its Russia Operations Following Ukraine Invasion
- U.S.’s Raimondo Warns Chinese Firms on Evading Russia Sanctions
- War in Ukraine Puts Shipping’s Tentative Recovery in Jeopardy
- World Economy Can Avoid 1970s Rerun, But Not Without Some Hurt
U.S. House Votes to Ban Russian Oil Imports (6:27 a.m.)
The ban would go into effect 45 days after it is signed into law. It also has a provision letting President Joe Biden to allow importation of some products if it is “in the national interest,” subject to review by Congress.
The 414-17 vote came after Biden implemented a ban on imports of Russian crude oil and other fossil fuel products, a move made in part because of pressure from lawmakers. The House also passed a long-delayed spending bill that would provide $13.6 billion to respond to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Raimondo Warns Chinese Firms on Sanctions (5:45 a.m.)
Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said the U.S. would be on guard against Chinese semiconductor companies that might try to get around the sanctions on Russia.
“It’s going to be hard. I’m not going to pretend it won’t be hard,” she said in an interview at the White House. “We’ve never done anything like this. But we have a plan and we’re serious about it.”
Beijing has long opposed U.S. sanctions Chinese tech companies, accusing policy makers in Washington of seeking to thwart China’s rise.
Expansion of Conflict Involving NATO Inevitable: Ex-U.S. Envoy (5:40 a.m.)
The U.S. should set up a no-fly zone over Ukraine, said Kurt Volker, former U.S. ambassador to NATO and special representative to Ukraine. ”The risks of not doing anything means that Putin advances anyway and we confront him later on less favorable terms then we have now,” Volker said on Bloomberg Television.
NATO states have made very clear they cannot set up such a zone over Ukraine because it would see their pilots confronting and shooting down Russian jets, risking a broader war.
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