Ukraine live briefing: African leaders arrive in Kyiv; Austin continues Brussels meeting
Ukraine live briefing: African leaders arrive in Kyiv; Austin continues Brussels meeting African heads of state and government, including South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa, participating in the African Leaders Peace Mission, hold a consultation while enroute from Warsaw to Kyiv by train, 15 June 2023. (Gcis/via REUTERS)
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Several leaders of African nations arrived in Ukraine on Friday before heading to Russia on a diplomatic tour aimed to encourage peace negotiations and highlight the impact of the conflict on their continent. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa posted a video of his arrival by train from Poland into Kyiv where he and leaders from Senegal, Egypt, Zambia and the Comoros are expected to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, before traveling on to Russia for talks with President Vladimir Putin on Saturday.
In Europe, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and other senior officials from NATO member nations continue a second-day of defense ministerial meetings in Brussels, as Ukraine pushes on with its counteroffensive.
Here’s the latest on the war and its impact across the globe.
Key developments
Ukraine’s counteroffensive will probably require “a considerable amount of time” and come at a high cost, Gen. Mark A. Milley, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters Thursday in Brussels. Ukrainian officials have and come at a high cost, Gen. Mark A. Milley, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters Thursday in Brussels. Ukrainian officials have said their forces have made small gains, of up to 40 square miles, and liberated seven small villages in the country’s southeast. The claims could not be verified independently.
U.S. lawmakers introduced a bipartisan bill that would authorize using confiscated Russian assets to pay for aid to Ukraine and help finance the country’s reconstruction. The bill aims to force President Putin to pay for the damage caused by his invasion, “not U.S. taxpayers,” the lawmakers and help finance the country’s reconstruction. The bill aims to force President Putin to pay for the damage caused by his invasion, “not U.S. taxpayers,” the lawmakers said
The head of the U.N.'s nuclear watchdog concluded a visit of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine late Thursday, and said his team would continue monitoring the site to help prevent a “nuclear accident.” Rafael Grossi of the International Atomic Energy Agency late Thursday, and said his team would continue monitoring the site to help prevent a “nuclear accident.” Rafael Grossi of the International Atomic Energy Agency said the impact of flooding from the breach of the Kakhovka dam remained a risk to the cooling of the Russian-controlled plant but noted that the station could operate safely for “some time.” He urged both sides not to attack the plant.
Global impact
Sweden will probably not join NATO before next month’s gathering of the military alliance, said the U.S. ambassador to Turkey, Jeff Flake. His remarks, in an interview with Axios, come as Turkey continues its opposition to Sweden’s membership, saying Stockholm has been too lenient toward militant Kurdish groups, which Ankara views as threats. Flake, a Republican former senator from Arizona, said the U.S. ambassador to Turkey, Jeff Flake. His remarks, in an interview with Axios, come as Turkey continues its opposition to Sweden’s membership, saying Stockholm has been too lenient toward militant Kurdish groups, which Ankara views as threats. Flake, a Republican former senator from Arizona, said U.S. lawmakers have withheld the sale of F-16s to Turkey to pressure Ankara to ease its demands against Sweden.
Ukraine accused Russia of continuing to deport children from occupied areas into Russia. , a government agency, said Thursday that 150 children in Luhansk had been “illegally transported” to the Kuban region of southern Russia earlier this month. The National Resistance Centre of Ukraine , a government agency, said Thursday that 150 children in Luhansk had been “illegally transported” to the Kuban region of southern Russia earlier this month. Blinken has previously accused Russia of deporting 260,000 Ukrainian children, and in March, the International Criminal Court in The Hague issued an arrest warrant for President Putin and others for the war crimes of “unlawful deportation” and “unlawful transfer” of children from occupied areas of Ukraine.
Russia is offering financial bonuses for the destruction of foreign-made tanks and equipment, according to its Defense Ministry on Friday. The ministry listed German-made Leopard tanks and NATO or U.S.-supplied armored vehicles among its list of “enemy military equipment” that Russian service members would receive “special payments” for destroying. More than 10,000 service members have received payments since the war began, the ministry said.
From our correspondents
Amid NATO divisions, U.S. backs incremental step for Ukraine’s entry: The Biden administration said it is “comfortable” with a proposal from NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg that would permit Ukraine to forgo a formal candidacy process but not attach a deadline for the country to become a member, Missy Ryan reports. The idea is aimed at bridging a divide within NATO about how swiftly and under what conditions Ukraine should become a member of the military alliance.
U.S. officials said the proposal goes beyond the preferred course of NATO countries that fear Ukrainian membership could intensify the West’s standoff with Russia. But the proposal would still require Ukraine to carry out reforms and, contrary to the wishes of NATO members in Eastern Europe, would not attach any time frame for Ukraine’s accession.
Source: The Washington Post
