Ukraine updates: Putin’s war plans ‘plain wrong’, says Biden
Ukraine news from February 20: US leader pledges additional military support for Kyiv on lightning visit to the Ukrainian capital.
The live blog is now closed, thank you for joining us. Here are the updates for February 20:
The live blog is now closed, thank you for joining us. Here are the updates for February 20:
- Joe Biden has made an unannounced wartime visit to Ukraine in a show of support ahead of the one-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion.
- The United States president has promised $500m of additional military aid to Kyiv and further sanctions against Russia, saying President Vladimir Putin’s war plans are “plain wrong”.
- The Kremlin accuses Moldova’s leaders of pursuing an anti-Russian agenda amid mounting tensions between the two countries.
- China’s top diplomat is due in Moscow for talks after the US warned Beijing against providing weapons to Russia.
West must provide more military aid to Ukraine, EU’s Borrell says
The West must provide more military aid to Ukraine and speed up its deliveries, the EU’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, says.
“Much more has to be done and much quicker,” Borrell said at the Munich Security Conference. “There is still a lot to be done. We have to increase and accelerate our military support.”
Al Jazeera’s James Bays reports from Brussels.
How the US reacted to Biden’s visit to Ukraine
Some Republicans in the US are slamming Biden’s visit to Ukraine, invoking crises at home that they accuse the president of ignoring as he pledges support for Kyiv.
The opposition to Biden’s surprise visit highlights the views of a small but vocal cohort of ultraconservative US legislators who are sceptical of US support for Ukraine.
First-term Republican Congressman Andy Ogles accused Biden of prioritising “political field trips”.
“America-last Biden visited UKRAINE before visiting the people living through an environmental crisis in East Palestine, Ohio,” Ogles wrote on Twitter, referring to a toxic chemicals spill caused by a train derailment.
Read more here.
Joe Biden visited Ukraine today before visiting the good people of East Palestine, Ohio.
The Biden administration continues to put America last.
— Congressman Ben Cline (@RepBenCline) February 20, 2023
Biden is in Poland, deputy foreign minister says
Biden has arrived in Poland after a surprise visit to Kyiv, the state-run news agency PAP cited Polish Deputy Foreign Minister Piotr Wawrzyk as saying.
Polish, Italian leaders discuss aid to Ukraine and strong EU
The prime ministers of Poland and Italy have discussed military support for Ukraine and voiced agreement that the EU should be made stronger politically while cutting down on bureaucracy.
Poland’s Mateusz Morawiecki and Italy’s Giorgia Meloni, both right-wing politicians, said they were on the same page on Ukraine and on wanting to impress on EU leaders that the bloc’s 27 member states make it strong through their diversity.
“Our views are very close on what the EU should be like as a player in the international arena,” Meloni said after talks in Warsaw with Morawiecki.
“We want Europe to be a political but not a bureaucratic giant, and we are working toward such a Europe,” Meloni said, adding that the “EU should take into account that there are various identities building it.”
More than 30 countries back ban on Russian, Belarusian athletes: UK gov’t
More than 30 countries – including the US, United Kingdom and France – have pledged their support for banning Russian and Belarusian athletes from competing in international sporting events, a British government statement says.
The statement follows recent proposals from the International Olympic Committee that suggest a pathway is being explored to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to return to competition, including at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, the government said.
How Russia’s war in Ukraine is deepening global climate crisis one year on
Missiles and mortars kill and maim people, but Russia’s year-long war in Ukraine is also poisoning the air, ground and sea, says Ruslan Strilets, Ukraine’s minister of environmental protection, who is building a case that Russia should pay for what he calls its ecological “crimes”.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has caused a large amount of gases that cause global warming to be released into the atmosphere.
It has also created energy challenges in developing countries, which have intensified global discussions about climate justice.
Ukrainian PM meets IMF’s Georgieva, says he hopes for $15bn
Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal says after meeting the head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that he hopes to clinch at least $15bn for his country, which is trying to cover budget deficits and continue fighting Russia’s invasion.
“We are looking for the launch of a new multi-year support programme valued at more than $15 billion,” Shmyhal wrote on the Telegram messaging app after talks in Kyiv with IMF chief Kristalina Georgieva.
A video posted on Zelenskyy’s Telegram account showed Georgieva meeting him and senior Ukrainian officials.
Leopard tanks like a Mercedes, Ukrainian soldier says
A Ukrainian soldier has compared Germany’s Leopard 2 tanks to a Mercedes as he underwent training with them ahead of their arrival on the battlefield.
He is among dozens of Ukrainian soldiers whom Germany is training on Leopard 2 simulators and then the tanks themselves in Munster at its largest military training ground before sending the armoured vehicles to Ukraine.
“It is crucial that we use this modern weapon wisely,” the 57-year-old soldier said. “It will bring the breakthrough, and we will win in the end.”
Asked about the difference between Western and Soviet tanks, he said: “You can imagine it like the difference between a Mercedes and a Zhiguli,” referring to a Soviet car sold under the brand name Lada in the West.
China’s top diplomat urges end to hostilities
China’s top diplomat, Wang Yi, has called for negotiations and peace for the sake of the world, and Europe in particular, ahead of a visit to Moscow.
“We would like a political solution to provide a peaceful and sustainable framework for Europe,” Wang said during a stop in Hungary that could result in billions of dollars of new Chinese investment in the country.
In a Facebook video filmed during a meeting with Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto, Wang said the world was afflicted by disorder and wars.
“Let me echo what we have just heard [from you] and jointly declare to the world that China and Hungary gladly work together with other peace-loving countries to bring the current hostilities to a halt as soon as possible,” Wang told Szijjarto.
EU’s Borrell: Next sanctions package against Russia should be reached this week
EU members should approve their 10th package of sanctions against Russia this week, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell says.
“It is going to be approved in the next hours. Before the 24th [of February] in any case”, he told reporters, referring to the first anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The measures, which still require the unanimous approval of all EU states, would target four more Russian banks; imports from Russia, including rubber; and exports to Russia, including heavy vehicles.
Biden declares, ‘Kyiv stands,’ in surprise visit to Ukraine
Ukraine is still fighting “a brutal and unjust war”, Biden says days before the first anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion.
“One year later, Kyiv stands, and Ukraine stands. Democracy stands,” Biden declared after meeting Zelenskyy at Mariinsky Palace. “The Americans stand with you, and the world stands with you.”
Biden spent more than five hours in the Ukrainian capital, consulting with Zelenskyy on next steps, honouring the country’s fallen soldiers and meeting US embassy staff.
Air raid sirens sound off on Biden’s ‘unprecedented’ Kyiv visit
Air raid sirens howled as Biden walked alongside Zelenskyy during a visit to wartime Kyiv.
US national security adviser Jake Sullivan said: “This is a historic visit, unprecedented in modern times, to have the president of the United States visit the capital of a country at war where the United States military does not control the critical infrastructure.”
Russian officials denying ammunition to Wagner fighters: Prigozhin
The founder of Russia’s Wagner mercenary group has accused unspecified officials of denying his fighters sufficient ammunition.
In a seven-minute audio message published by his press service, Yevgeny Prigozhin said he was required to “apologise and obey” to secure ammunition for his Wagner Group.
Speaking at times with a raised voice and occasionally swearing, he said: “I’m unable to solve this problem despite all my connections and contacts.”
Prigozhin said Russia’s military production is now sufficient to supply the forces fighting at the front and the supply difficulties his fighters were experiencing were the result of conscious decisions.
“Those who interfere with us trying to win this war are absolutely, directly working for the enemy,” he said.
Poland announces further curbs on Belarus border traffic
Poland has announced more restrictions on road traffic with Belarus, hours after saying Minsk was expelling three of its diplomats.
Freight traffic for Belarusian vehicles at the Kukuryki-Kozlowicze border crossing will be suspended as of 7pm (18:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the Polish interior ministry said.
The decision was linked to Minsk curbing traffic for Polish road freight on Belarus’s borders with Latvia and Lithuania, it said.
On February 9, Poland had announced it was closing a border crossing into Belarus at Bobrowniki, citing “state security” concerns and sending already hostile relations between the two countries to a new low.
Belarus is a close ally of Russia, and Minsk has backed Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine. Poland has been a leading supporter of Kyiv as it faces down the offensive.
Navalny says Russia has sunk to ‘rock bottom’ due to war
Jailed Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny has accused President Vladimir Putin of destroying Russia’s future for the sake of his own personal ambition.
In a post on social media ahead of the first anniversary of the invasion of Ukraine, Navalny said Russia had hit “rock bottom” and could only recover once the “Putin dictatorship” had been dismantled.
Navanly also called for Moscow to “reimburse” Kyiv for the damage inflicted during the war.
“The real reasons for this war are the political and economic problems within Russia, Putin’s desire to hold on to power at any cost, and his obsession with his own historical legacy. He wants to go down in history as ‘the conqueror tsar’…,” Navalny said in a series of posts on Twitter.
He added that Russia’s defeat on the battlefield was “inevitable”, and that Moscow had to withdraw its troops from Ukraine and recognise its borders as they were set in 1991 after the fall of the Soviet Union.
On the eve of the anniversary of the full-scale and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine by Russian troops, I have summarized the political platform of mine and, hopefully, of many other decent people.
15 theses of a Russian citizen who desires the best for their country.— Alexey Navalny (@navalny) February 20, 2023
Swedish military intelligence says threat from Russia has increased
Sweden’s Military Intelligence and Security Service says Russia poses a clear military threat in the country’s immediate area.
“The European Security Order as we know it has ceased to exist, … and with that, the risks for Swedish security have also increased,” Lena Hallin, head of agency said at a news conference.
Sweden has applied to join NATO in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, but its membership bid is being held up by Hungary and Turkey.
Hallin said she expected Russia to respond to Stockholm applying for NATO membership by strengthening its military capabilities near Sweden when it has the opportunity to do so.
Where does your country stand on the Russia-Ukraine war?
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began nearly a year ago, the world has been broadly categorised into three camps – those allied with Kyiv, those impartial to the conflict and those that back Moscow.
Read more here.
Who controls what?
Here are two maps that we update daily to chart the latest war developments:
Six Russian soldiers killed in bunker fire near Ukraine border: State media
Six Russian soldiers have been killed in a fire in a bunker in western Russia’s Kursk region, state media report, citing the Ministry of Defence.
The ministry said the fire was the result of a “gross violation” of safety rules, the state-owned RIA Novosti news agency reported.
The fire occurred near the village of Ulanok, fewer than 10km (six miles) from Ukraine’s northeastern border with Russia, the TASS news agency reported, citing emergency services.
Washington gave Moscow notice of Biden visit: White House
The US notified Russia of Biden’s trip to Kyiv hours before the visit took place, White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan says.
“We did so some hours before his departure for deconfliction purposes, and because of the sensitive nature of those communications, I won’t get into how they responded or what the precise nature of our message was, but I can confirm that we provided that notice,” Sullivan said.
He added that Biden wanted to send a “clear, unmistakable message” of enduring US support for Ukraine with his presence.
Jon Finer, a deputy national security adviser, said the entire operation had been meticulously planned over months with the final decision on whether to go ahead with the visit taken on Friday.
Zelenskyy says China backing Russia would cause a world war
Zelenskyy has warned China against supporting Russia, saying doing so would bring about a world war.
“For us, it is important that China does not support the Russian Federation in this war. In fact, I would like it to be on our side,” Zelenskyy told the German newspaper Die Welt.
“At the moment, however, I don’t think it’s possible,” he said.
“But I do see an opportunity for China to make a pragmatic assessment of what is happening here … because if China allies itself with Russia, there will be a world war, and I do think that China is aware of that.”
Poland says Belarus has expelled three of its diplomats
Belarus is expelling three Polish diplomats, a spokesman for the Polish foreign ministry has said, as tensions between the two countries rise.
“They have to leave Belarus by the end of the day on Wednesday,” Lukasz Jasina said. He added Warsaw was “thinking about a good and proper response to this”.
The trio were two consuls from Grodno and the go-between of the Polish border guard in Minsk.
Biden departs Kyiv after lightning visit
Joe Biden has departed from Kyiv after making a surprise visit to the Ukrainian capital, according to reporters travelling with the US President.
Biden’s lightning visit marked his first trip to Ukraine since Russia launched its offensive on February 24 last year.
He had been scheduled to travel to Poland today.
Russia’s offensive has caused $51bn of environmental damage: Ukrainian minister
Ruslan Strilets, Ukraine’s environment minister, says Russia’s offensive in Ukraine has caused more than $51bn of environmental damage to date.
“From the first day of the war, we began to develop new methodologies which we use now to calculate all of the environmental damage,” Strilets told Al Jazeera from Kyiv.
“The figure of $51bn will only increase because every day we see new damage and new cases,” he added.
Strilets said some of Ukraine’s natural environments had been “lost forever” as a result of the conflict.
“But any money, any time, will help us to repair what Russia destroyed. We have burnt trees and a lot of pollutants in the air,” he said.
Joe Biden’s surprise visit to wartime Kyiv: In pictures
The US president’s unannounced visit to Kyiv has come just days before the first anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
See photos from Joe Biden’s visit here.