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KYIV, Ukraine — Ukraine proposed adopting a neutral status in exchange for security guarantees at talks with Russia, meaning it would not join military alliances or host bases, Ukrainian negotiators said. Russia said it had decided to drastically cut its military activity focused on Kyiv and Chernihiv in Ukraine.
Fighting
- Earlier, a Russian rocket hit an administration building in the southern Ukrainian port of Mykolaiv, killing three people and wounding 22, emergency services said.
- Russia said it destroyed a fuel depot in western Ukraine's Rivne region. Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said Russia had degraded Ukraine's military and would respond if NATO supplied Ukraine with planes and air defense systems.
- On Tuesday morning, British military intelligence said Ukrainian forces were continuing counterattacks to the northwest of Kyiv, and Russia has kept up heavy shelling of Mariupol.
Talks and diplomacy
- The Ukraine-Russia talks began in Istanbul with "a cold welcome" and no handshake, Ukrainian television reported.
- Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich was there, to "enable certain contacts" between the two sides, the Kremlin said.
- U.N. nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi visited Ukraine to help keep facilities there safe, apparently without Russia's blessing.
Economy
- Russia said it was launching a buyback offer on its $2 billion sovereign Eurobonds maturing on April 4, its biggest debt payment of the year, and would make full payment to bondholders taking up the offer in roubles.
- European shares rallied to five-week highs, buoyed by the talks. The rouble hit a more than one-month high.
- Holcim, the world's biggest cement maker, said it was exiting the Russian market; Japan will ban the export of high-end cars and luxury goods to Russia; Germany wants to end all fossil fuel imports from Russia.
- The United States and its allies plan new sanctions on Russian supply chains, Deputy U.S. Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo said.
- France and Germany saw bigger than expected drops in consumer confidence this month as government measures to help with rising inflation and fuel costs offered little relief in the wake of Russia's invasion, surveys showed.
- Britain has detained a 38 million pound ($49.67 million) superyacht owned by a Russian businessman which was docked in London, the government said.
Quotes
- "It is up to the sides to stop this tragedy," Turkey's President Tayyip Erdogan told the delegations.
- "Look at our food reserve. We are eight people. We have two buckets of potatoes, one bucket of onions," said Irina from her wrecked flat in Mariupol.
