The latest news on the war between Russia and Ukraine | Wilnesh News

Russian President Vladimir Putin has identified the West and what he calls the “Western elites led by the United States” as the common enemy of Russia and China ahead of a two-day visit to Beijing to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

The visit from May 16 to 17 is Putin’s first overseas trip since he was re-elected as Russian president for the fifth time in March, extending his presidential term until 2030. But it can still rely on Beijing, which has refused to condemn the invasion.

In recent decades, Putin and Xi Jinping have continuously deepened Sino-Russian relations and have held 40 meetings since 2010.

Ahead of his latest visit, Putin emphasized the close ties and mutual respect between Russia and China over the West, he told Chinese state media Xinhua News Agency “The Western elite, led by the United States, refuses to respect civilization and cultural diversity and rejects traditional values ​​developed over centuries.”

“In order to maintain their global dominance, they consider themselves entitled to tell other countries with which countries they can be friends and cooperate with and with which they cannot… Naturally, Russia and its partners feel uncomfortable with this state of affairs. Not satisfied. Kremlin website.

The interview covered economic and trade relations between Russia and China, geopolitics, and the war in Ukraine. Putin said he supported China’s 12-point peace plan and said Russia was willing to hold talks to resolve the conflict. Analysts say China’s plans lack substance, while Ukraine has said it will not hold talks with Russia while Russian troops are on its territory.

— Holly Elliot

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken ended a surprise trip to Kiev on Tuesday by performing Neil Young’s “Rockin’ in the Free World” with a band on a bar stage.

Blinken arrived in Kiev early Tuesday morning and later met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and other senior officials, where he pledged continued U.S. support for Ukraine as Russia launches a new offensive in northeastern Ukraine.

After lunch with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, Blinken made a surprise appearance on stage at Kiev’s Barman Dictat cocktail bar with members of The 1999.

The frontman told the crowd he had a ‘secret guest’ for them He invited “Ukraine’s biggest friend Antony Blinken” On stage, the audience cheered.

Blinken, holding an electric guitar, told the audience: “Listen, I know this is a very, very difficult time. Your soldiers, your citizens, especially the people in northeast Kharkiv, are suffering tremendously. .

“They are fighting not just for a free Ukraine, but for a free world, and the free world is with you,” he added.

As the band prepared to begin playing, Blinken was unsure of his skills, telling the audience, “I don’t know if we’re going to make it.”

— Holly Elliot

Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in China this week, the latest sign of deepening strategic ties.

At the invitation of Xi Jinping, Putin will pay a two-day state visit to China starting on Thursday announced on tuesday.

The Kremlin has become increasingly dependent on China for trade and political support as it seeks to bolster its power. “Unlimited” partnership Cooperate with Beijing in all aspects.

“It’s been clear over the past two years that Putin wants three things from China,” Max Hess, a fellow at the Institute for Foreign Policy Research, told CNBC’s “Squawk Box Asia” on Wednesday.

He wants to make a “deal” The power of siberia 2 Natural gas pipelines and seeking more support from China in the war in Ukraine, especially in terms of hardware, he added. Hess said Putin also wants to access China’s financial markets and use “the yuan to promote trade with Russia.”

“We really haven’t seen any progress on any of these things,” he added. “So Putin is really going to China to see what he can get.”

Read the full story

— Sumati Bhalla

Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said on Tuesday that Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping will discuss the war in Ukraine, developments in the Middle East and international cooperation with organizations such as the United Nations.

Ushakov said: “The integration process within the Eurasian Economic Community will be considered with China’s “One Belt, One Road” initiative, the situation surrounding Ukraine, and the situation in the Middle East, Central Asia and Northeast Asia.” Russian state media agency RIA Novosti ) wrote in a comment on Google Translate.

Ushakov said that it is important for Sino-Russian relations to withstand external pressure, and Russia appreciates China’s “balanced stance” on the Ukrainian conflict.

Putin will travel to China this week to meet with several senior Chinese politicians, including Xi Jinping.

“The leaders will have a one-on-one dialogue and, of course, they will walk in the park next to the palace and drink tea. Then there will be informal negotiations during an informal dinner, which will also be attended by some members of the delegations from each country. Both sides ,” Ushakov said.

Chinese government officials also plan to visit Russia this year, he added.

——Sophie Kidlin

An attack in the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv on Tuesday hit a high-rise residential building in the city center, killing at least Nine people were injured. telegraph Posted on Tuesday.

He added that no fires were caused by the strike, but victim searches were ongoing in all apartments in the building.

According to Terekhov, there were several attacks in Kharkov earlier in the day. He said multiple residential buildings, garages, a school and cars were damaged in the attack.

CNBC could not independently verify developments on the ground.

Fighting in the region has intensified in recent days as Russia launched a new offensive in the Kharkiv region. Russia claims it has made gains near Kharkov since its latest offensive began.

——Sophie Kidlin

France will provide military support The French government said on Tuesday it would provide aid to Ukraine in the coming days and weeks, according to a statement on Google Translate.

The statement said that French President Macron and Ukrainian President Zelensky had a phone call earlier in the day to discuss local developments.

“The President of the Republic reiterated France’s determination to provide all necessary support in the long term, together with all partners, to defeat Russia’s war of aggression. He also detailed the deliveries in the coming days and weeks to support Ukraine’s military efforts,” it explain.

in a postal Zelensky said on social media platform X that he also discussed the upcoming peace summit with Macron.

“I appreciate the important role played by France in the implementation of the peace package, especially with regard to nuclear security,” he said. “We discussed the importance of encouraging countries from the southern hemisphere to participate in the summit and coordinated positions on the matter.”

——Sophie Kidlin

Poland will allocate an additional 100 million zlotys ($25.3 million) to strengthen its intelligence services, Prime Minister Donald Tusk said on Tuesday, as he warned of a growing threat from Russia.

Poland says its status as a hub for Ukrainian supplies makes it a prime target for Moscow’s intelligence services, concerns heightened by the defection last week of a judge with military secrets to Russia’s ally Belarus.

“I have decided to allocate 100 million zlotys from my own reserves (the Prime Minister’s Reserves) to strengthen domestic security and intelligence agencies,” Tusk told a news conference.

He said Russia’s efforts to destabilize European countries, particularly Poland and the Baltic states, would intensify in the run-up to European elections in June.

“In terms of our special services, we have to invest more resources, more time and more actions,” he said.

— Reuters

Russian troops have taken control of areas west and north of the town of Volchansk in Ukraine’s northeastern region, where street fighting is currently taking place, a Russian official claimed on Tuesday.

Vitaly Ganchev, the head of the Russian-backed Civil-Military Administration for the region, told Russia 1 channel that Russian troops were closing in on the town, which has been at the center of war since Russia launched a new offensive to seize the border area. hot spots.

“While the Ukrainian Armed Forces are still resisting in the city itself and on the roads leading to it… At the same time, the western and northern areas of Volchansk have been controlled by Russian troops, and our personnel are now continuing to enter the meat processing plants area, etc.,” he said, according to comments State news agency TASS reported.

“A convenient position is being taken to further promote the development of Volchansk city and suburbs,” he added.

However, the Ukrainian military appeared to contradict that summary, saying the situation in Wovchansk was “under control” while acknowledging that it had withdrawn its troops to new positions near the village of Lukyanchi.

“Due to the impact of heavy enemy fire, namely air strikes… on our troops, in order to save the lives of Ukrainian soldiers, a change of position was carried out in the Lukyansi settlement area. The fighting continues,” the General Staff said in a statement. Updates on Facebook. CNBC was unable to verify either battlefield report.

— Holly Elliot