While numerous civilians are again dying in Russian air raids in Ukraine, the country is striving further west. President Volodymyr Zelenskyj praised the good relations with neighboring Poland – and is planning joint customs controls. Meanwhile, Moscow can imagine a resumption of talks with Kyiv – including a meeting between the two presidents. There is sharp criticism from the Union of Chancellor Scholz and his Ukraine policy.
At least eight people were killed by Russian shelling on Sunday, according to Ukrainian sources. At least seven people were killed and eight injured in the eastern Ukrainian region of Donetsk. At least one person was killed in a rocket attack on Malyn northwest of Kyiv. During the night there were air raids and attacks in Kyiv, Kharkiv, Avdiivka and other Ukrainian cities and regions.
The Ukrainian military reported eleven repelled attacks by Russian troops in eastern Ukraine on Sunday. More than 200 Russian military vehicles and 3 planes were destroyed during the week. According to the Interior Ministry, a Russian pontoon bridge over the Siwerskyi Donets river in eastern Ukraine was demolished again.
According to an adviser to President Vladimir Putin, Russia is ready to resume talks with Kyiv. However, he sees Ukraine under pressure, Vladimir Medinski said on Sunday evening on Belarusian state television. Medinsky also did not rule out a meeting between Putin and Zelenskyy. But this requires “serious preparation”, such as documents that the presidents can then sign. There was initially no reaction to the statements from the Ukrainian side. Ukraine suspended negotiations to end the war on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Putin plans to meet with Belarusian ruler Alexander Lukashenko in Sochi on Monday to discuss cooperation between the two countries and a Union state that is currently being built.
The CDU politician Kiesewetter has denounced the government course in the delivery of heavy weapons to Ukraine. He accused Chancellor Scholz of the SPD on Sunday evening of hesitation and a game for time. CDU leader Friedrich Merz had previously criticized the government. Kiesewetter said on “Anne Will”: “German industry made it clear on February 28 that they could very quickly train around 100 Leopards and around 100 Martens.” To date, however, there has been no order. When asked why, Kiesewetter said, “I’m afraid the Chancellor doesn’t want Ukraine to win this war. Wins in the sense that Russian troops are driven out of the country.”
Federal Minister of Justice Marco Buschmann has expressed concern about the prisoners of war in Mariupol. “Russia’s massive violations of international law are completely unacceptable – but they also fill us with great concern with regard to the population of Ukraine and the soldiers who have now been taken prisoner,” said the FDP politician to the “Rheinische Post”.
According to Ukrainian President Zelenskyy, Ukraine wants to introduce joint customs controls with Poland – this is “the beginning of our integration into the common customs area of ??the European Union”. In Poland, Ukrainians were given “de facto and de jure the same opportunities” as Polish citizens. Similarly, Selenskyj wants to introduce a law in Ukraine.
Selenskyj also praised the good relations with the neighboring country. He wants to “remove the pressure of the past” from relations with all neighbors “who respect us and are not occupying our state”. In his video message on Monday night, he described relations with Poland as a “historic achievement” without “old conflict legacy”. Poland’s President Andrzej Duda became the first foreign head of state to speak in the Ukrainian parliament on Sunday since the Russian invasion began at the end of February and spoke of the intention to conclude a Polish-Ukrainian friendship agreement.
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