Russia-Ukraine War LIVE Updates: Conflict Talks Resume; Zelensky Says Ukraine Must Accept Fact That It Won't Join NATO

As Ukraine-Russia talks continue on Tuesday, the European Union (EU) imposed fresh sanctions against Vladimir Putin’s country, targeting steel, energy and luxury sectors, and powerful oligarchs, including Chelsea football club owner Roman Abramovich.

Ukraine is also requesting that Russia be ordered to end its war and withdraw troops from the country. The International Court of Justice will issue a ruling on March 16.

Another appeal came from UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres who vehemently opposed the war and give weight to “serious negotiations” to end the “tragedy”. “Ukraine is on fire and being decimated before the eyes of the world. This tragedy must stop. We need an immediate cessation of hostilities and serious negotiations based on the principles of the @UN Charter and international law,” Guterres said in a tweet. He also said, “I am in close contact with a number of countries, including India, Israel, China, Turkey, France and Germany on mediation efforts to bring an end to the war in Ukraine.”

Here are the top developments:

— Russia and Ukraine resumed another round of ceasefire talks on Tuesday. “Negotiations are ongoing,” a member of the Ukraine delegation and presidential aide, Mykhailo Podolyak, wrote on Twitter, adding that his side would be pushing for a “ceasefire (and) withdrawal of troops from the territory of the country”.

— Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Ukraine must accept fact that it won’t join NATO, Sputnik reported.

—  The US has warned China not to help Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as Moscow allowed the first convoy to escape besieged Mariupol. Russia has yet to capture any of the 10 biggest cities in Ukraine since the start of the February 24 attack, which the Kremlin calls a “special military operation” to demilitarise and “denazify” its neighbour. Russia has asked for military and economic aid from Beijing, according to US officials. Moscow, however, denies that, saying it has sufficient military resources to fulfil all of its aims. China’s foreign ministry labelled the reports on assistance as “disinformation”. Biden has also announced to provide Ukraine with weapons against Russia, to allow Ukrainian refugees in the US, and send money, food and other humanitarian aid there.

— The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has said that Ukraine has informed the agency that external power has been restored to the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant today after the line that had been again damaged “by the occupying forces”. “Staff had restarted operations to reconnect the plant to the electricity grid.”

— White House officials are discussing the possibility of US President Joe Biden travelling to Europe in the coming weeks to discuss Russia and Ukraine with allies, two sources familiar with the situation said on Monday. One plan under discussion calls for Biden to meet with other leaders from the NATO alliance in Brussels on March 23 and then travel to Poland, said one of the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity since details were still being finalised. No final decision has been made about the trip, one of the sources said.

— Volodymyr Zelensky has said he’s spoken with Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett as part of a negotiation effort to end the war with Russia “with a fair peace”. “Our delegation also worked on this in negotiations with the Russian party,” Zelensky said in his nightly video address. “Pretty good, as I was told. But let’s see. They will continue tomorrow.” Zelensky submitted a bill to parliament late on Monday that seeks to extend martial law for another 30 days from March 24, according to the president’s website.

— NASA had said on March 14 that tensions linked to the war in Ukraine had no impact on International Space Station operations or the planned return of an American astronaut aboard a Russian capsule later this month, according to AFP reports.

— Prime Ministers of Poland, Czech Republic and Slovenia will go to Kyiv on Tuesday to meet Ukrainian President Zelensky as representatives of European Council, Czech Republic PM Petr Fiala said on Twitter. “The aim of the visit is to express the European Union’s unequivocal support for Ukraine and its freedom and independence,” he said in a tweet.

— Nearly 19 killed, 9 injured in Russia’s attack on TV tower in western Ukrainian city of Rivne. According to Rivne Governor Vitaliy Koval, there might be more victims as the rescuers are still working at the scene.

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