Day 391 since the war began: Ukraine has attacked targets in Crimea with drones. And Xi is visiting Moscow. All information in the news blog.
The most important things at a glance
IMF and Ukraine agree on new financing package
11.30 p.m.: Ukraine and its international donors have set the course for a new billion-euro financing package. The loan program promised by the IMF is intended to give the country attacked by Russia access to 15.6 billion US dollars (around 14.5 billion euros), as the Washington-based International Monetary Fund announced on Tuesday. The technical level agreement (a so-called Staff Level Agreement) is subject to approval by the Executive Board. The test is expected to take place in the coming weeks, it said.
Stoltenberg plans NATO meeting against Hungary’s resistance
11:01 p.m.: NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg wants to convene a meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Commission at ministerial level for the first time since 2017 – apparently against Hungary’s will. Stoltenberg said in Brussels on Tuesday that he respects points that Hungary has raised regarding the protection of minorities in Ukraine and always tries to reach agreement. If there is no consensus, however, he ultimately has the prerogative to convene such meetings and he is now making use of this. The NATO-Ukraine Commission is a platform to demonstrate support for Ukraine, Stoltenberg said.
According to the Norwegian, the first new meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Commission at ministerial level is to be organized in April on the sidelines of a regular NATO foreign ministers’ meeting in Brussels. It is possible that the heads of state and government of the alliance states will meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in July on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Lithuania’s capital Vilnius. “I have made it clear that I will invite Selenskyj to the summit,” said Stoltenberg on Tuesday.
Great Britain wants to supply ammunition with depleted uranium – Russia warns
5:37 p.m.: Russia condemns a British plan to provide Ukraine with depleted uranium ammunition. A spokeswoman for the ministry said such munitions are carcinogenic and pollute the environment. Russian President Putin said: “I would like to note that if all this happens, Russia will be forced to react accordingly.”
The background is a statement by the Conservative British MP and Secretary of State at the Ministry of Defense, Annabel Goldie. She said Monday, in response to a question in the House of Lords, that such munitions would be transferred to Ukraine along with Challenger 2 tanks. It is “very effective in combating modern tanks and armored vehicles”. Depleted uranium increases the penetrating power of armor-piercing weapons and was used in the Gulf Wars, for example. The exact consequences for humans and the environment are disputed.
According to a media report, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu sees a potential “nuclear collision” between the West and his country approaching in this context. The Interfax news agency quoted Schoigu as saying that there were fewer and fewer steps left until then. His statement was in response to reports that Britain was planning to provide Ukraine with depleted uranium ammunition.
Russia and China apparently want to hold military maneuvers
5:59 p.m.: According to a media report, Russia and China want to hold joint maneuvers of their air and naval forces on a regular basis. The Interfax news agency reports that the cooperation and trust between the respective military forces should be deepened, citing a joint statement after the visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping. The document underlines that relations between Russia and China are not a “military-political alliance”.
Who does not want to fight becomes an “untouchable”
5:58 p.m.: Russia burns its fighters so quickly that new recruits are needed. The Kremlin is apparently relying on the perfidious caste system in prison. Read more here.
German Putin fighter has had enough of the war
5:47 p.m.: Alexander F. fought for the separatists in Donbass and for Russia against Ukraine. He was the first German to be taken prisoner in Ukraine in 2022 – t-online and ZDF “Frontal” met him. Read more here.
