Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan held phone talks respectively with his Russian and Ukrainian counterparts on the first anniversary of the Russia-Ukraine war. Erdogan on Friday reiterated to both Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky that Turkey was ready to offer any assistance toward a ceasefire and peace talks between the two countries, Xinhua news agency reported, citing separate statements issued by the Turkey's presidential office.
In his phone conversation with Putin, Erodgan expressed Turkey's wish for an extension of the grain deal reached in Istanbul, adding that Ankara is ready to facilitate this in every possible way, according to the Turkish presidency.
The Turkish President also discussed with them the latest developments in the Ukraine crisis, and thanked the two leaders for their solidarity over the devastating earthquakes that hit southern Turkey in early February. On July 22, 2022, Russia and Ukraine separately signed a deal in Istanbul with Turkey and the United Nations on grain and fertiliser exports from Ukraine and Russia to ensure supplies to global markets amid the Russia-Ukraine war. The deal, due to expire on November 19, 2022, was extended for another 120 days.
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Ukrainian President Zelensky planning to meet Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday said that he would meet Chinese President Xi Jinping. This comes after Beijing called for peace talks to end the Russia-Ukraine war, New York Post reported. Zelensky, however, refused to negotiate with Russian President Vladimir Putin, the US media reported. "I am planning to meet with Xi Jinping," he said. However, the Ukrainian President didn't say when or where the meeting would take place. "It's an important signal that they are preparing to take part in this theme," he said from Kyiv, referring to China's bid to broker peace between the two countries, according to New York Post. "So far, I see this as a signal, I don't know what will happen later," he said. Zelensky warned Russia-allied China to not provide Moscow with arms.
Four migrant labourers die in Delhi after MCD truck loses balance
- Four people were dead after a truck met with an accident near Delhi's Anand Parbat area, last night. On reaching the spot at Rohtak road, police found one MCD truck which had turned turtle. Three were dead on spot & one person succumbed to his injuries at hospital, says Delhi Police.
- It was revealed by the eyewitnesses that the speeding truck lost balance and toppled on the labourers indulged in the construction of a road. All are migrant labourers from Tikam Garh, MP. The driver who might be injured is yet to be traced. Further probe underway, adds Delhi Police.
US reports over 100 pediatric flu deaths this season
- A total of 115 pediatric flu deaths have been reported in the US so far this season, according to the latest data published by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). There have been at least 25 million flu illnesses, 280,000 hospitalisations, and 18,000 deaths from flu so far this season in the US, Xinhua news agency reported, citing the CDC estimates. The number and weekly rate of flu hospital admissions continue to decline in the country. About 1,800 people were hospitalised with flu in the latest week ending February 18, the CDC data showed.
Congress plenary session: Kharge, Sonia Gandhi to deliver addresses; 3 resolutions up for deliberation
- Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and former AICC chief Sonia Gandhi will address leaders, as well as political, economic and international affairs resolutions will be deliberated upon at the party's 85th plenary session Saturday. At the start of the second day of the three-day conclave, the Congress president will release a book and party general secretaries will submit their respective reports. After this Kharge will address the gathering.
- A "thanksgiving" statement for former Congress president Sonia Gandhi will also be read out at the session following which she will deliver her address. The delegates will then deliberate upon the political, economic and international affairs resolutions, according to the programme shared by the party. On the first day of the session, the Congress steering committee unanimously decided not to hold elections to the CWC and authorised the party chief to nominate its members. The decision was taken at the Kharge-led steering committee meeting which members of the Gandhi family skipped.
German economy shrinks 0.4% in Q4 2022
- Germany's gross domestic product (GDP) in the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2022 declined 0.4 per cent on the previous quarter, the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) said. "The German economy markedly lost momentum at the end of the year," Destatis said in a statement. Early figures had still indicated a milder decline of only 0.2 per cent, Xinhua news agency reported.
- Soaring energy prices pushed inflation in Europe's largest economy above the 10 per cent mark at the end of last year, before relief measures started to slow prices again. In January, inflation stabilised at 8.7 per cent, according to official figures. As real wages were falling due to high inflation, private consumption, which had still supported Germany's economy over the course of last year following the end of the Covid-19 restrictions, declined by 1.0 per cent in Q4.
Sweden to send Leopard tanks to Ukraine
- The Swedish government has said that the country will provide Ukraine with "around 10" Leopard 2 tanks as well as air defense systems.
- "On Germany's initiative and after discussions in what we refer to as the 'leopard family,' we have decided to deliver Swedish Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine in close coordination, in particular, with Germany," Swedish Television (SVT) quoted Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson as saying at a press conference, Xinhua news agency reported.
- Sweden's Defence Minister Pal Jonson told SVT that "up to around 10" units will be sent to Ukraine and that "we are building joint capabilities. Together with international partners, we are assembling battalions as well as brigades."
Canada to send four more battle tanks to Ukraine
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced that Canada will donate four additional Leopard 2 main battle tanks to support Ukraine.Trudeau said on Friday that Canada will also donate an armoured recovery vehicle and over 5,000 rounds of ammunition, and impose new sanctions on nearly 200 more individuals and entities including members of Russia's lower house of parliament and ministers, Xinhua news agency reported.
China on Ukraine conflict
China called for a comprehensive ceasefire and gradual de-escalation in a 12-point paper. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy welcomed some elements of the Chinese proposal but said only the country where a war is being fought should be the initiator of a peace plan.
One year into invasion, Ukraine mourns dead and vows victory
- Ukraine honored its dead and vowed to keep fighting on Friday while Russia told the world to accept "the realities" of its war but faced new Western sanctions on the invasion's anniversary.
- At a ceremony in Kyiv's St Sophia Square, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy bestowed medals on soldiers and the mother of one killed. He fought back tears at the national anthem.
- Washington announced a new $2 billion package of military aid for Ukraine, and a raft of additional sanctions and tariffs hitting Russia's mining and metals industries, as well as companies from third countries accused of supplying Moscow with restricted goods.
The risk of escalation
American and European leaders repeated in public that it was solely up to Ukraine to define the aims of the conflict and decide when it is ready to negotiate an end to it. But some analysts believe that the risk of escalation by Russia and the blowback effects on the global economy mean that it is in Washington’s interest to push Ukraine toward more realistic war aims and eventual negotiations with Moscow.
What lies ahead for Ukraine?
At the Munich Security Conference last weekend, the full-throated expressions of support for Ukraine rarely included specifics, and in the corridors, Western officials and analysts privately expressed less sanguine views about Ukraine’s ability to achieve its stated goal of full victory.
The losses mount
On the battlefield, Russia’s winter offensive has so far been underwhelming. Ukraine is widely expected to mount a spring offensive of its own, but is running low on ammunition and, Ukrainian officials say, is desperate for better weaponry. Zelenskyy faces the twin tasks of keeping his country’s morale high and maintaining the resolve of Western allies.
Problems aplenty for both nations
Declaring the resolve to fight on, however, is much easier than mustering the resources and support to do so. Ukraine, with a population less than a third that of Russia and an economy devastated by the invasion, is increasingly dependent on Western aid. Russia, facing sanctions and voluminous front line casualties, depends on close ties and economic cooperation with China, as well as a populace and a ruling elite that remain willing to accept the pain caused by Putin’s war.
After one year
“Putin is as committed as he’s ever been to his grand victory,” said Eugene Rumer, a former American intelligence officer and the director of the Russia program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington. “Ukrainians are as committed as ever to defeating Putin, even if it will be at a most terrible price.”
Russia, Ukraine and the West vow to fight on
At the one-year mark of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, President Vladimir Putin and President Joe Biden both insisted this week that they were committed to the fight. Putin prepared Russia for a long war to be waged “step by step,” while the American president said “we will not tire” in the quest to ensure a democratic Ukraine.And in a news conference in Kyiv on Friday, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine said he was “confident we will have this victory and hope it will happen this year."But none of the leaders made it clear what an attainable victory might look like, while hitching their legacies to a war with no discernible end.