Biden to attend meeting with Ukrainian officials today
From CNN's Kevin Liptak
US President Joe Biden, center, talks to service members from the 82nd Airborne Division during his trip to Poland on March 25. (Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images)
US President Joe Biden will attend a meeting Saturday with Ukrainian officials as he completes his visit to Poland.
The White House said Biden would drop by a meeting between his Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and their Ukrainian counterparts, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba and Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov.
It comes as Ukraine laments the outcomes of this week's NATO summit, which rebuffed calls from the country's leader to impose a no-fly zone.
“We expected more bravery. We expected some bold decisions,” Andriy Yermak, the chief of staff to President Volodomyr Zelensky, told the Atlantic Council in a live video interview Friday.
4:46 a.m. ET, March 26, 2022
UK to provide $2.64 million in food supplies to Ukraine
From CNN's Wayne Chang in Taipei
Volunteers are seen preparing and distributing food for locals and the territorial defense in Kyiv, Ukraine, on March 25. (Wolfgang Schwan/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)
British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said on Saturday that the UK will provide £2 million (approximately $2.64 million) in food supplies for areas of Ukraine encircled by Russian forces, following a direct request from the Ukrainian government, according to a government press release on Saturday.
This vital donation of food and supplies will help support the Ukrainian people in the face of Russia’s barbaric invasion,” Truss said.
Truss said the UK government is working with Poland and Slovakia to provide “dried food, tinned goods and water” to Ukraine from “early next week,” where approximately 25 truckloads of supplies will be transported by road and rail to communities in need.
The donation comes as part of the £400 million (approximately $528 million) the UK has committed in humanitarian and economic aid, according to the press release.
Access to food, water and cooking facilities for cities encircled by Russian forces is becoming increasing difficult, the statement added.
UK's Ministry of Defence said on Saturday in its intelligence update that Russia "continues to besiege" several major Ukrainian cities, including Kharkiv, Chernihiv and Mariupol.
4:29 a.m. ET, March 26, 2022
Zelensky asks energy producing countries to increase output of oil and gas to avoid Russia’s “blackmail”
From CNN’s Mostafa Salem in Doha
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky delivers a video link address to the Doha Forum in Qatar's capital on March 26. (Karim Jaafar/AFP/Getty Images)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky asked energy producing countries at the Doha Forum in Qatar on Saturday to increase oil and gas output to avoid Russia’s global “blackmail.”
“The future of Europe rests on your efforts, I ask you to increase the output of energy to ensure that everyone is Russia understands that you cannot use energy as a weapon,” Zelensky told the political forum virtually.
“[Qatar] can make their contribution to the stabilization of Europe,” he said.
Zelensky also referenced other conflict-stricken countries, saying the international order needs to be protected not just for Ukraine, but for Afghanistan, Iraq and Yemen.
The Ukrainian president also warned of the potential effect the invasion is having on food exports from Ukraine to countries around the world, saying no country is insured against food disruption.
3:48 a.m. ET, March 26, 2022
Emir of Qatar: We stand with refugees and "victims of this unjust war"
Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani addresses the Doha Forum in Qatar's capital on March 26. (Karim Jaafar/AFP/Getty Images)
Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani said his country stands with millions of refugees in the “unjust” war on Ukraine.
Speaking at the opening of the Doha Forum, Sheikh Tamim said Qatar also stands against any hostilities against national sovereignties.
“We stand in solidarity with the millions of innocent people and refugees who are victims of this unjust war and the geopolitical calculations," he said.
The question of gas: Qatar, one of the world's top suppliers of liquefied natural gas (LNG), has been thrust into the limelight as European states rush to find alternatives to the Russian gas that has powered their economies for decades, while Moscow presses on with its brutal war in Ukraine.
The European Union depends on Russia for about 40% of its natural gas. This week, German economy minister Robert Habeck left the Qatari capital, Doha, with an understanding to have Qatar supply it with gas. Germany currently has no terminals to receive direct shipments of LNG from Qatar, but it plans to build two.
UK defense ministry: Russia is likely to continue using "heavy firepower" on urban areas
From CNN's Wayne Chang
A man recovers items from a burning shop following a Russian attack in Kharkiv, Ukraine, on March 25. (Felipe Dana/AP)
Britain's Ministry of Defence said Saturday in its latest intelligence update that Russia prefers “indiscriminate” bombardments and will likely continue using “heavy firepower” on urban areas.
“Russian forces are proving reluctant to engage in large scale urban infantry operations, rather preferring to rely on the indiscriminate use of air and artillery bombardments in an attempt to demoralise defending forces,” the ministry said.
"It is likely Russia will continue to use its heavy firepower on urban areas as it looks to limit its own already considerable losses, at the cost of further civilian casualties."
Russia "continues to besiege" several major Ukrainian cities, including Kharkiv, Chernihiv and Mariupol, the ministry added.
2:19 a.m. ET, March 26, 2022
Kyiv's historical, irreplaceable treasures are at risk
From CNN's Aya Elamroussi and Seán Federico-O'Murchú
St. Michael's Golden-Domed Cathedral in Kyiv, Ukraine, on April 1. (Adobe Stock)
When Vladimir Putin's forces last approached a capital city, they leveled it.
As the invasion of Ukraine enters its second month, Russian forces are digging in on the outskirts of Kyiv — and there are fears they could be preparing for the same indiscriminate scorched-earth tactic used in the Chechen capital of Grozny in 1999.
Kyiv is one of Ukraine's many jewels — a city more than 1,500 years old, a once-bustling capital of 2.8 million people, and home to irreplaceable international treasures, including architectural landmarks and cultural monuments.
"If Putin levels Kyiv the way he's been leveling Kharkiv and other cities, there is a lot that will be lost forever," said Olenka Z. Pevny, an associate professor of Slavonic and Ukrainian Studies at the University of Cambridge.
Here are some of the sites experts say are at risk:
St. Sophia Cathedral: Built in the 11th century, the cathedral is topped with sparkling golden domes and sits in the center of Kyiv.
St. Michael's Golden-Domed Cathedral and Monastery: This church, first constructed in 1108, played a major role in the Revolution of Dignity, also known as the Maidan Revolution — providing safe haven for those injured in the violence.
The Monastery of the Caves: This UNESCO World Heritage Site features underground churches, and is home to relics of saints dating back to the 10th century.
Presidential Palace: The majestic Baroque-style Mariinsky Palace is the ceremonial home of the President of Ukraine and is located near the Parliament.
Zelensky says Ukraine has "dealt powerful blows" to Russian forces
(Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky/YouTube)
In a video address on Friday, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky said the country's military had dealt "powerful blows" to Russia, and thanked all those who were helping defend the nation.
"Over the past week, our heroic armed forces have dealt powerful blows to the enemy, significant losses," Zelensky said. "I am grateful to our defenders who showed the occupiers that the sea will not be calm for them even when there is no storm. Because there will be fire."
Russian losses: Zelensky claimed that more than 16,000 Russian soldiers had been killed since the war began, a far higher number than the estimate Russia put forth Friday. CNN cannot independently confirm these figures.
"By restraining Russia's actions, our defenders are leading the Russian leadership to a simple and logical idea: talk is necessary. Meaningful. Urgent. Fair. For the sake of the result, not for the sake of the delay," he said. "16,000 Russian servicemen have already died. For what? What does it give and to whom?"
Any negotiations with Russia must guarantee Ukraine's sovereignty and the country's territorial integrity, he added.
Civilian evacuations: The President added that Ukraine had established 18 evacuation corridors this week, allowing more than 37,000 people to escape "blocked cities" — including more than 26,000 residents from Mariupol, which has been under relentless shelling for weeks. "The situation in the city remains absolutely tragic," Zelensky said.
4:20 a.m. ET, March 26, 2022
Biden to meet with Polish president, visit refugees and make major speech on final day of Europe trip
From CNN's Maegan Vazquez
Biden arrives at Warsaw Chopin Airport, Friday, March 25, in Warsaw, Poland. (Evan Vucci/AP)
US President Joe Biden on Saturday is taking part in his final stop on a last-minute trip to Europe aimed at synchronizing how Western allies will address Russia's war with Ukraine and reassure nations that they have the support of the United States.
In Warsaw, Biden will hold a bilateral meeting with Polish President Andrzej Duda to discuss how the US and its allies are responding to the refugee crisis that has ensued as a result of the war and he will meet with Ukrainian refugees.
Before returning to Washington, Biden will also deliver a speech billed by the White House as a "major address."
His Europe trip: Biden's multi-day swing through Europe began in Brussels, where heconferred with major US allies on the global response to the war. The trip is set to end in a nation bordering Ukraine — where the regional security issues and the humanitarian crisis underway will be front and center.
The visit to Ukraine's western neighbor comes as Poland has, on several fronts, urged the US to do more in the war.
Emergency meetings: During snap summits in Brussels, Biden announced new sanctions against Russian parliament members, revealed the US' intent to take in 100,000 refugees fleeing Ukraine and conferred with leaders on how the world will respond if Russia deploys a chemical, biological or nuclear weapon during the war.
On Friday, Biden also announced a new initiative intended to deprive Russian President Vladimir Putin of European energy profits that Biden says are used to fuel Russia's war in Ukraine.
It's 6 a.m. in Kyiv. Here are the latest developments
The sun is rising in Kyiv, where a Ukrainian official says Ukraine's forces are "going on the counterattack" around the capital. Meanwhile, Russia says it will now concentrate on eastern Ukraine, claiming the "first stage" of its military plan is complete.
Here's what you need to know:
"First stage": A top Russian general claimed Friday that the "first stage" of Russia's military plan is complete, with their primary focus now centered on eastern Ukraine. It's unclear if this implies a shifting of the goalposts for the Russian military, or just represents a change in public messaging.
Theater bombing casualties: An adviser to Mariupol's mayor says about 300 people were killed by the Russian bombing of a theater on March 16, with about 600 survivors. CNN has not independently verified the figures. New footage has emerged on social media showing people making their escape from the scene.
Mass graves: The UN said it has information corroborating the existence of mass graves in Mariupol, which has seen a heavy civilian toll after weeks of relentless shelling by Russian troops.
Battle for Kyiv: Russian forces around the capital are now in defensive positions and have stopped “any interest in terms of ground movements,” though air attacks and long-range strikes continue, according to a senior US defense official. Intense combat is ongoing in several directions around the city, but Ukrainian forces seem to have retaken territory to the east, pushing back Russian forces.
Biden in Poland: US President Joe Biden is in Ukraine's western neighbor, where he is set to meet with Polish President Andrzej Duda and deliver a "major address" on Saturday, according to the White House. Read more about Biden's visithere.
Russian losses: The Russian military said on Friday that more than 1,300 military personnel had been killed in Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky gave a much higher figure on Friday, at 16,000 Russian troops. CNN cannot independently verify these numbers.
Alleged assassination plan: A senior Ukrainian adviser told CNN the notorious Russian private military group Wagner was involved in an alleged assassination plot against the Ukrainian president and prime minister. Wagner has previously been accused of human rights abuses by US officials and human rights advocates.
Crackdown in Moscow: Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a new federal law banning "fake news" or discrediting of government agencies working abroad — broadening tough new censorship laws introduced shortly after the invasion.
