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Kyiv rules out a ceasefire or territorial concessions as Moscow hits military targets in eastern and southern Ukraine.
- Ukraine rules out a ceasefire or territorial concessions to Moscow as Russia ramps up attacks in the east and south of the country.
- Kyiv extends martial law and general mobilization in the country by another 90 days until August 23.
- According to the Russian gas producer Gazprom, it has continued to supply gas to Europe via Ukraine.
- African Union chief announces visits to Moscow and Kyiv
- Polish leader visits Kyiv and supports Ukraine
- Russia’s chief negotiator at peace talks with Ukraine said Moscow is ready to resume talks, but the ball is in Kyiv.
(Al Jazeera)
Here are the updates from Monday, May 23rd:
11 minutes ago (22:45 GMT)
Russia’s chief negotiator says Moscow is ready to resume negotiations
Russia’s chief negotiator at peace talks with Ukraine said on Sunday Moscow was ready to resume talks, but the decision rested with Kyiv.
“Freezing talks was entirely Ukraine’s initiative,” Vladimir Medinsky told Belarusian TV, adding that “the ball is completely in their court.”
He spoke a day after Zelenskyi said the war would “finally end only through diplomacy.”
16 minutes ago (22:41 GMT)
Polish leader first addresses Kiev parliament during the war
Poland’s president has traveled to Kyiv to become the first foreign head of state to address the Ukrainian parliament since the start of the Russian war against Ukraine.
Ukrainian lawmakers stood up on Sunday to applaud Polish President Andrzej Duda, who thanked them for the honor of speaking in a place where, he said, “beats the heart of a free, independent and democratic Ukraine.” the statements transmitted by the Polish state operate the PAP news agency.
“The free world has the face of Ukraine,” Duda told the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine’s legislature.
Read more here
1 hour ago (21:44 GMT)
Britain’s Johnson discussed Russia’s blockade of Odessa with Zelenskyy
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Sunday about Russia’s blockade of Ukraine’s Odessa shipping port, a Downing Street spokesman said.
Johnson decided to redouble efforts to get essential food and humanitarian aid to Ukraine’s people and ensure the country was able to export to the rest of the world, the spokesman added.
2 hours ago (21:10 GMT)
Ukrainian parliament bans Russian war symbols
Ukraine’s parliament has banned the “Z” and “V” symbols used by the Russian military to promote its war in the country, but agreed to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s call to allow their use for educational or historical purposes.
Yaroslav Zheleznyak, an opposition member, announced the decision via messaging app Telegram, saying 313 MPs voted in favor of it in the 423-strong Verkhovna Rada assembly.
Zelenskiy vetoed an earlier version of the bill, demanding that the two symbols be allowed to be displayed in museums, libraries, scholarly works, recreations, textbooks and similar cases.
Neither letter exists in the Russian alphabet. They were widely used, particularly on Russian military vehicles and equipment, to further the goals of the conflict.
Two National Guard soldiers take a shot at the Kharkiv cemetery in eastern Ukraine on Sunday to honor the memory of two soldiers who died [Bernat Armangue/AP Photo]
2 hours ago (21:01 GMT)
Ukraine refuses concessions as Russians attack east and south
Ukraine has ruled out a ceasefire or territorial concessions to Moscow as Russia stepped up attacks in the eastern and southern parts of the country, bombarding the Donbass and Mykolaiv regions with airstrikes and artillery fire.
Kiev’s stance has become increasingly hard-line in recent weeks as Russia faced military setbacks, while Ukrainian officials increasingly feared they might be pressured to sacrifice land for a peace deal.
“The war must end with the full restoration of Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty,” said Andriy Yermak, Ukraine’s president’s chief of staff, in a Twitter post.
Hello and welcome to Al Jazeera’s ongoing coverage of the war in Ukraine.
Read all updates from Saturday 22 May here.