If you’re just joining us, here’s a round-up of the latest on Ukraine:
- UN chief Antonio Guterres is due to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow later today. The talks are expected to focus on the besieged city of Mariupol. Ukraine has asked Guterres to guarantee a humanitarian corridor to evacuate civilians
- The US will kick off Ukraine-related defence talks with more than 40 countries today. Hosted by US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin in Germany, the talks will focus on providing more arms Kyiv
- The US wants to see “Russia weakened to the degree that it can’t do the kinds of things that it has done in invading Ukraine,” Austin told reporters after meeting President Volodymyr Zelensky
- The UK Ministry of Defence said that the city of Kreminna in Luhansk has reportedly fallen. The MoD’s daily update also said Russian forces are likely attempting to encircle heavily fortified Ukrainian positions in the east of Ukraine
- Meanwhile, the British government announced it has dropped tariffs on all goods from Ukraine. It has also imposed a ban on the export of products and technology to Russia that could be used to repress Ukrainians