The Russian ambassador in Berlin, Sergey Nechayev, has made serious accusations against Germany for providing weapons to defend Ukraine against the Russian war of aggression. “The mere handing over of lethal weapons to the Ukrainian regime, which are used not only against Russian soldiers but also against the civilian population in Donbass, is a ‘red line’ that the German government (…) Nechayev said in an interview with the newspaper Russian Izvestia He referred to “Germany’s moral and historical responsibility for the crimes of Nazism in World War II”.
In the course of the crisis in Ukraine, the German government has destroyed good bilateral relations with Russia and is undermining the process of reconciliation between peoples. According to Nechayev, Germany is one of the driving forces behind the West’s policy of sanctions against Russia. The ambassador therefore denied Berlin a mediating role in the conflict.
During the Russian invasion in February, large swathes of Ukraine were bombed – both front and rear – and civilian infrastructure was destroyed. Thousands of civilians were killed.
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All developments in the live ticker:
12:42 – Kremlin announces continuation of offensive in Ukraine until objectives are achieved
According to the Kremlin, the Russian military offensive in Ukraine is expected to continue after Ukrainian troops reported significant gains in territory in the east of the country. “The military special operation is ongoing and will continue until the initially set goals are achieved,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. Currently, “there is no prospect of negotiations” between Moscow and Kyiv, he added.
12:00 pm – the federal government is constantly in negotiations with allies
According to the federal government, Germany is in constant talks with its allies on the issue of further arms deliveries to Ukraine. Details cannot be given, says a government spokeswoman in Berlin. This also applies to the issue of supplying western-style tanks. Chancellor Olaf Scholz has repeatedly emphasized that Germany will not go it alone. However, there is no doubt that Germany will continue to support Ukraine.
11:38 am – Lambrecht agrees to higher expenses for the Bundeswehr
Federal Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht (SPD) prepared the population for greater expenditures and costs for the Bundeswehr in the long run. In a speech in Berlin about Germany’s planned new national security strategy, Lambrecht referred to the consequences of “Russia’s terrible war of aggression in Ukraine”. The associated “turning point” made it necessary to strengthen the German armed forces and also the European pillar of NATO in the long term.
10:53 am – Ukraine reports recapture of 20 sites in 24 hours
According to their own statements, the Ukrainian armed forces recaptured more than 20 other cities within 24 hours during their counteroffensive. The counter-offensive against Russian troops is progressing particularly in the Kharkiv and Donetsk regions, and Russian troops have fled their positions, the Ukrainian army said in its morning situation report.
10:36 – Ukrainian troops in Kharkiv eight times stronger
The military administration installed by Russia in the occupied areas of the Kharkiv region recognizes that Ukrainian troops have a clear superiority in their counter-offensive. They are eight times stronger than Russian units and the pro-Russian forces allied to them, says Vitaly Gantchev, head of government, on state television channel Rossiya-24. Ukrainian forces seized Russian-occupied settlements in the northern Kharkiv region and invaded the state’s border with Russia. About 5,000 civilians were taken to safety in Russia.
10:09 – The current situation in Ukraine
The current situation in Ukraine.
Source: WORLD Infographic
09:50 – Xi meets Putin on first long overseas trip
According to the Russian ambassador to Beijing, Chinese leader Xi Jinping will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) two-day summit in Samarkand, Uzbekistan on Thursday and Friday. It is the first face-to-face meeting between the two leaders since Russia invaded Ukraine. In the conflict, China has positioned itself behind Putin and describes the US and NATO as the main culprits in the crisis.
9:25 am – Kühnert lowers expectations of German tank delivery
SPD Secretary General Kevin Kühnert downplays expectations of German tank deliveries to Ukraine. “But we support the exchange of rings with our Eastern European partners,” Kühnert says on RTL/ntv with a view to the ongoing process and points out that no state has yet delivered Western tanks. Furthermore, the statement continues to apply “that we do not want to be gradually drawn into war, that we do not want to encourage Russia to act completely irrationally in the end and attack completely different states”. the dispute. And this aspect must always be considered – “with all warm hearts”. In view of the Ukrainian counteroffensive, voices in Germany have recently risen to provide the government in Kyiv with more heavy weapons, including main battle tanks like the German-made Leopard 2.
8:40 am – EU suspends visa facilitation for Russians
As of this Monday, Russian citizens will no longer benefit from the simplified issuance of visas for travel to Germany and other countries in the Schengen area. The agreement concluded between the EU and Russia to facilitate the issuance of visas has now been completely suspended for Russian citizens following a decision by EU states last week. The number of new visas for Russians is expected to drop significantly. The Schengen area includes 22 EU countries and 4 other European countries.
The visa application fee is now 80 euros instead of 35 euros. In addition, more paperwork will be required, processing time will increase, and the issuance of multiple-entry visas will be restricted.
On Friday, the EU Commission gave EU states guidelines for issuing visas and made it clear that “consulates must carry out a rigorous assessment of security risks”. This can result in visa denial and revocation of existing valid visas. States have “great discretion and a basis for further scrutiny of requests”.
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At the same time, the EU remains open to candidates “who travel for urgent reasons, in particular family members of EU citizens, journalists, dissidents and representatives of civil society”. For them, member states could, for example, reduce or completely waive the visa fee.
The visa agreement between the EU and Russia has been in force since 2007. Shortly after the start of the war in Ukraine on February 24, simplifications for business people, government officials and diplomats have already been suspended.
07:59 – Strack-Zimmermann demands German main battle tanks for Ukraine
The chairman of the Defense Committee in the Bundestag, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann (FDP), demanded the delivery of German main battle tanks to Ukraine. Germany should support Ukraine’s successes in its counter-offensive with the Marder infantry fighting vehicle as well as the Leopard II main battle tank, said FDP politician in ARD “Morgenmagazin”. “This is incredibly important and must happen immediately.”
7:39 am – Kremlin candidates win regional elections in Russia
In the context of the war in Ukraine, the majority of Kremlin candidates won clear victories in regional elections in Russia. According to the central election commission, all 14 incumbent governors who voted won, state news agency Tass announced on Monday. The Kremlin party “United Russia” also has a majority in most regional and municipal parliaments. Voting took place from Friday to Sunday in more than 80 Russian regions.
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