Russo-Ukraine War: Blinken and Austin in Kyiv for Zelensky talks, says adviser – LIVE | Ukraine

Igor Zhovkova, a top diplomatic adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, has criticized UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ upcoming meeting with Vladimir Putin and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrour, saying that Guterres “really has” the right to speak on behalf of Not there. Ukraine.

“It’s not a good idea to travel to Moscow. We don’t understand his intention to go to Moscow to talk to President Putin,” Zhovkova told NBC’s Meet the Press on Sunday.

Zovqua said that “any peace talks are good if they end with a result”, “I really doubt whether the peace talks organized by the Secretary-General of the United Nations will end with any result.”

Guterres will meet with Putin and Lavrov on Tuesday. He will then meet with Zelensky and Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmitro Kuleba on Thursday.

Guterres announced the meeting on Friday, Tweet “We need to take urgent steps to save lives, end human suffering and bring peace to Ukraine.”

US officials met Zelensky in Kyiv

In addition to the destruction in Ukraine caused by Russia’s invasion, the conflict could have a major impact on climate change if Russian wildfires go unchecked.

Experts have expressed concern that Russia will allow wildfires to grow – a major source of carbon emissions – as it dedicates its military planes to the invasion to fight the fires.

“Either there will be more fires … or these planes and personnel will be taken away from the Western Front and brought to Siberia,” Jessica McCarty, a climate researcher at the University of Miami in Ohio, told Axios.

In a tweet, Ukraine’s People’s Deputy Lesya Volodymyrevna said: “The question is, what will Putin choose: less fire in Russia or less attacks on Ukraine?”

A slight visual contrast: Ukrainian soldiers holding huge Easter cakes.

A new report from the Wall Street Journal shows that US officials have blocked sanctions against Alina Kabaeva, a former Olympic gymnast from Russia believed to be Vladimir Putin’s mistress. Last month, the US targeted Putin’s daughters, Maria Vorontsova and Katerina Tikhonova, along with his ex-wife, Lyudmila Shkrebneva, but Kabaeva – and at least three of their children believed to be Putin – were spared. Here’s more from the journal:

Ms. Kabaeva, a former Olympic champion rhythmic gymnast known in the sport for her extreme resilience and an international doping scandal, is suspected of playing a role in hiding Mr. Putin’s personal wealth overseas, US officials said, and A potential sanctions target remains.

The belief among US officials debating the move is that approving Ms. Kabaeva would be considered such a personal blow to Mr. Putin that it could further escalate tensions between Russia and the US. Mr. Putin, 69, has never admitted to a relationship. With Ms. Kabaeva, a 39-year-old former cover model for Russian Vogue.

The US Treasury Department, which according to US officials prepared the sanctions package against Ms Kabaeva, declined to comment. US officials said action against Ms Kabaeva is not off the table.

The Kremlin has long denied any connection between Mr Putin and Ms Kabaeva. Mr Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov did not respond to requests for comment. Ms Kabaeva, who has denied ties with Mr Putin, could not be reached for comment.

French polling agencies are predicting that voters will elect French President Emmanuel Macron for a second term, defeating far-right candidate Marine Le Pen.

The solid base of voters maintained by Le Pen during the election raised concerns about what the French election might mean for the future of the Russian invasion. Earlier this month, Le Pen said that if elected, she would propose closer ties between NATO and Russia after the war ends, and she would remove France from the coalition’s military command.

In the lead-up to the election, Macron portrayed Le Pen as being friendly with Russia, saying he was “satisfied” and “financially dependent” on the Kremlin, a charge he denied.

Some Twitter users are celebrating the victory – which has not been made official – as a good sign for Ukraine.

At least eight people, including a child, have been killed in a Russian missile attack in Ukraine’s southern port city of Odessa.

Resident Ekaterina said she started running down 17 floors with her family, including her parents and young daughter, after the windows of her house were closed due to the explosion and smoke.

This is taking Lauren Artani from Sam Jones.

Bulgarian journalist Kristo Grozev noticed on a flight-tracking website that a Ukrainian Antonov plane had just landed in the Bulgarian capital.

On Twitter, Grozev noted that Bulgaria is secretly supplying gunpowder to Ukraine through “a ‘third country'” as a way to “prevent the disintegration” of the coalition government in the country, which includes the pro-Russian Socialist Party. is included.

On Thursday, Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dimitro Kuleba appealed for military aid to Bulgaria, which is a member of NATO and the European Union.

“Today the best way to bring peace closer is to stand with Ukraine,” Kuleba told the Bulgarian parliament.

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The AP has this interesting report from the United Arab Emirates, where Russians and Ukrainians are celebrating Orthodox Easter in the only Russian Orthodox church on the Arabian Peninsula:

Skyscraper in the United Arab Emirates The church’s gold Byzantine cross rises unexpectedly from the dusty streets of Sharjah – an Orthodox Muslim emirate south of Dubai.

Although the two nationalities, united in language and history, usually celebrate Easter with harmony in this strange corner of the world where they have forged new life as migrants, this year flowers are played on stone steps. There was untold tension even as children in K’s dress. And the priests filled baskets of bread and blessed under the blazing sun.

“I don’t have a problem with Russians as people,” said Sergei, a Ukrainian businessman from Kyiv and a five-year-old Dubai resident who liked all interviews, who declined to give his last name for privacy reasons. . “But war changes people. Children are dying. Russians hate my country now.”

Some Russians interviewed said they did not support the war and felt sick or guilty about it. But to avoid any clashes in the pews, they stuck to small talk with Ukrainians about festivities and warm weather, he said.

“We are all alike, we all came here from Russia or Ukraine looking for a better life,” said Kata, who moved from Moscow to Dubai for a marketing job just before the war. “It’s so awkward between us right now. We try not to discuss war as much as possible. It’s very painful, very difficult.”