Despite the negotiations, the military offensive is not stopped.
(Photo: imago images/ITAR-TASS)
New York, Dusseldorf A week ago today, Vladimir Putin had his troops invade Ukraine. And there was soon no doubt that the Russian ruler would invade the entire neighboring state under fire.
In the second week of the war, the Russian army continued its offensive in Ukraine: it fired rockets at Kyiv overnight and intensified its advance on cities in the south. There are said to have been rocket and air attacks on the eastern Ukrainian metropolis of Kharkiv. According to both sides, the city still appears to be in Ukrainian hands.
The port city of Cherson, which was last home to 280,000 people, is hotly contested. It could be the first major city to finally fall into Russian hands. In the capital Kyiv, Mayor Vitali Klitschko describes the situation as “difficult but under control”.
The reports about the ongoing fighting correspond to the statements made by the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. On the one hand, he declared his willingness to negotiate on Thursday, but at the same time emphasized that the attacks on Ukrainian military facilities would continue.
Top jobs of the day
Find the best jobs now and
be notified by email.
Talks with the Ukrainian delegation are planned for this Thursday. The Russian side has presented its demands and is now waiting for a reaction from Ukraine, Lavrov said.
In the capital, people use the subway shafts as air raid shelters.
(Photo: dpa)
“I am convinced that this hysteria will pass,” the Russian foreign minister said in a conversation with journalists from the international media. Referring to the sanctions against his country Russia, Lavrov said that “our western partners are blowing their horns off”. As in a “Hollywood film”, it is pretended that there is “absolute evil” and “absolute good”.
“We are always ready for dialogue,” Lavrov said. The condition, however, is that the discussion is based on equality and the appreciation of mutual interests. A possible peace agreement with Ukraine must also include the point of demilitarization of the country.
>> Read about this: The current developments can be found in our news blog
The Ukrainian leadership, in turn, is demanding compensation for the damage caused by the war before the new round of negotiations. “You will replace us for everything you did to Ukraine. In full,” said President Volodymyr Zelensky in a video message.
Addressing Russia, the head of state emphasized: “Learn the words reparations and contributions.” Kyiv plans to rebuild every house, every street, every city. None of the dead will be forgotten.
Zelensky said the planned international legion should have a size of 16,000 fighters. The first volunteers from abroad have already arrived. “They come to defend freedom, to defend life. For us, for all of us,” said the President. The 44-year-old has issued a decree guaranteeing all voluntary fighters from abroad visa-free entry.
>> Read about this: Volodymyr Zelensky – the hero of freedom who came out of TV
In view of the pictures from the Ukraine, many people in Europe are very willing to help – be it in the form of monetary or material donations. The EU wants to coordinate the distribution of aid supplies for Ukraine via a new logistics center in Romania. That said EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Romania’s President Klaus Iohannis on Thursday in Bucharest.
Von der Leyen praised the Romanians’ willingness to help: “They are a shining example of European solidarity.” When the war began, Romanians rushed to the border in droves to receive the refugees with food, water, blankets and baby milk.
Praise for the help of the Romanians.
(Photo: AP)
Romanian state bodies such as civil protection, police and border guards have also provided assistance. In addition, von der Leyen promised further money for humanitarian purposes. Aid of 500 million euros has already been announced.
>> Read about this: EU wants to activate special protection status for refugees for the first time
The Russian aggression in Ukraine is also causing a rethink in more and more company headquarters. Volkswagen took action on Thursday. The company announced that production at the Kaluga and Nizhny Novgorod sites will be suspended until further notice.
Likewise, vehicles will no longer be exported to Russia with immediate effect. “With the extensive interruption of business activities in Russia, the Group Management Board is drawing the conclusions from the overall situation, which is characterized by great uncertainty and the current upheavals.”
>> Read about this: More and more companies are giving up business in Russia
DIHK cuts forecast and worries
The Association of German Chambers of Industry and Commerce (DIHK) has also cut its export forecast because of the consequences of the war. The previously forecast German export growth of six percent for 2022 can no longer be achieved, said DIHK foreign trade chief Volker Treier. Even before the war there were global delivery problems and bottlenecks, which have now been intensified.
In addition, the western sanctions against Russia, which are supported by the German economy, also burden German companies. Treier said the sanctions would amount to a “full embargo”.
Because of the war, there are also production interruptions in German car plants because important parts from suppliers in Ukraine are missing. Alexander Markus, CEO of the German-Ukrainian Chamber of Industry and Commerce, expects further disruptions to the supply chains. Markus said he himself is now in Berlin after the Foreign Office asked all Germans to leave the country.
Markus is very worried about employees in Ukraine. He is in daily contact with them. They would go to basements at night and line up in the morning or during the day to buy food or medicine. According to Markus, the chamber continues to work.
Here is a selection of current Handelsblatt reports:
Yachts in sight
The German authorities apparently want to confiscate the mega yacht “Dilbar” owned by the Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov, and French customs are already reporting completion. The yacht belonging to a Russian oligarch was taken to a shipyard in La Ciotat near Marseille for repairs, where it was confiscated on Thursday night, the French Ministry of Economic Affairs said.
At the beginning of the customs inspection, the yacht wanted to leave the port and thus violated the applicable regulations. The confiscation was then pronounced. According to the information, the officials found a company whose main shareholder was on the European Union’s list of sanctions against Russian oligarchs as the owner.
French Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire had previously announced that he would confiscate the property of sanctioned Russians in France. The legal prerequisites for this will be created.
They are working on an overview of the financial assets, real estate, yachts and luxury vehicles of Russians in France, who are already subject to sanctions. “We will also identify all Russian individuals with assets in France who could still be put on the European sanctions list because of their close ties to the Russian government.”
>> Read about this: Germany confiscates oligarch mega yacht in Hamburg
With agency material.