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US President Joe Biden described Russian leader Vladimir Putin as a butcher who "cannot remain in power" after meeting Ukrainian refugees in Poland, as Kremlin forces stepped up attacks across Ukraine, including the western city of Lviv.
Biden's comments, an escalation of US rhetoric towards Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine, were not a call for regime change in Russia, a White House official said later, but meant to prepare the world's democracies for an extended conflict.
While rejecting President Biden's statement that Vladimir Putin "cannot remain in power", Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that this is not to be decided by him, adding that it should only be a choice of the people of the Russian Federation.
As the fight since Russia's February 24 invasion of its neighbour drags on, a visibly irritated Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky again demanded Western nations send military hardware.
Here are the LIVE updates on the Ukraine-Russia War:
Ahead of new peace talks, Zelensky says eying Russia neutrality demand
President Volodymyr Zelensky said Sunday his government is "carefully" considering a Russian demand of Ukrainian neutrality, a key point of contention as negotiators for both sides prepare for a fresh round of talks aimed at ending the brutal month-long war.
"This point of the negotiations is understandable to me and it is being discussed, it is being carefully studied," Zelensky said during an interview with several independent Russian news organisations.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said Sunday his government is "carefully" considering a Russian demand of Ukrainian neutrality, a key point of contention as negotiators for both sides prepare for a fresh round of talks aimed at ending the brutal month-long war.
"This point of the negotiations is understandable to me and it is being discussed, it is being carefully studied," Zelensky said during an interview with several independent Russian news organisations.
Ukraine says Russian forces near Chernobyl could pose new radiation threat
A senior Ukrainian official accused Russia on Sunday of "irresponsible" acts around the occupied Chernobyl power station that could send radiation across much of Europe, and urged the United Nations to dispatch a mission to assess the risks.
Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said Russian forces were "militarising" the exclusion zone around the station, site of the world's worst civil nuclear accident in 1986.
A senior Ukrainian official accused Russia on Sunday of "irresponsible" acts around the occupied Chernobyl power station that could send radiation across much of Europe, and urged the United Nations to dispatch a mission to assess the risks.
Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said Russian forces were "militarising" the exclusion zone around the station, site of the world's worst civil nuclear accident in 1986.
Russian Businessmen Offered Ukraine Support, Says President Zelensky
President Volodymyr Zelensky said Sunday that Ukraine had received offers of support from Russian businessmen and that Kyiv would give refuge to anyone who backed his country's fight against Moscow.
During an interview with Russian journalists Zelensky said he had received signals of support from Russian businessmen, including Roman Abramovich.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said Sunday that Ukraine had received offers of support from Russian businessmen and that Kyiv would give refuge to anyone who backed his country's fight against Moscow.
During an interview with Russian journalists Zelensky said he had received signals of support from Russian businessmen, including Roman Abramovich.
New Ukraine-Russia talks next week
Ukraine said that a second round of conflict talks between negotiators from Kyiv and Moscow will take place in Turkey from Monday, just over one month into Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
"Today, during another round of video negotiations, it was decided to hold the next in-person round of the two delegations in Turkey on March 28-30," David Arakhamia, a Ukraine negotiator and politician wrote on Facebook.
Ukraine said that a second round of conflict talks between negotiators from Kyiv and Moscow will take place in Turkey from Monday, just over one month into Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
"Today, during another round of video negotiations, it was decided to hold the next in-person round of the two delegations in Turkey on March 28-30," David Arakhamia, a Ukraine negotiator and politician wrote on Facebook.
Russia warns media: don't report interview with Ukrainian president
Russia's communications watchdog told Russian media on Sunday to refrain from reporting an interview done with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and said it had started a probe into the outlets which had interviewed the Ukrainian leader.
In a short statement distributed by the watchdog on social media and posted on its website, it said a host of Russian outlets had done an interview with Zelenskiy.
"Roskomnadzor warns the Russian media about the necessity of refraining from publishing this interview," it said. It did not give a reason for its warning.
Kyiv Says Russia Could Divide Ukraine Like Korea
Ukraine said Sunday that Russia, whose troops have been slowly advancing towards the capital Kyiv, may aim to divide the country into versions of North and South Korea.
Kyrylo Budanov, Chief of the Defence Intelligence, said in a statement on social media that the strategy could result from President Vladimir Putin's failure to "capture Kyiv and remove Ukraine's government".
"There are reasons to believe that he may try to impose a separation line between the occupied and unoccupied regions of our country. In fact, it will be an attempt to set up South and North Koreas in Ukraine," Budanov said.
The two Koreas are still technically at war after a 1950-53 conflict ended with an armistice rather than a peace treaty, sealing the division of their peninsula with an impenetrable border.
World Powers Must "Keep Talking" With Putin To End Ukraine War: France
International powers must keep talking with Russia's President Vladimir Putin until he is ready to end his invasion of Ukraine, France's Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said Sunday.
Le Drian told a conference in Doha that Putin had not achieved any of his aims, but that there had to be a ceasefire around the bombarded Ukrainian city of Mariupol before there could be negotiations.
Asked about French President Emmanuel Macron's plan to speak with Putin this week about a ceasefire, Le Drian told the Doha Forum: "We must keep talking with the Russians, we must continue to speak with President Putin precisely because he has not had the results he thought he would."
1,119 Civilians Killed In Ukraine Since Conflict Began: UN
The United Nations human rights office said on Sunday that 1,119 civilians had so far been killed and 1,790 wounded since Russia began its attack on Ukraine.
Some 15 girls and 32 boys, as well 52 children whose sex is as yet unknown, were among the dead, the United Nations said in a statement which covered the period between when the war began on Feb. 24 and midnight on March 26.
3.8 million people flee Ukraine: UN
More than 3.8 million people have fled Ukraine since Russia's invasion a month ago, UN figures showed Sunday, but the flow of refugees has slowed down markedly.
The UN refugee agency, UNHCR, said 3,821,049 Ukrainians had fled the country -- an increase of 48,450 from Saturday's figures.
Around 90 percent of them are women and children, it added.
Of those who have left, 2.2 million have fled for neighbouring Poland, while more than half a million have made it to Romania. Nearly 300,000 have gone to Russia.
Before the crisis began a month ago, EU member Poland was home to around 1.5 million Ukrainians.
In total, more than 10 million people -- over a quarter of the population in regions under government control before the February 24 invasion -- are now thought to have fled their homes, including nearly 6.5 million who are internally displaced.
Ukraine: Russian referendum in occupied territory would have no legal basis
Ukraine said on Sunday that Russia holding a referendum in occupied Ukrainian territory would have no legal basis and would face a strong response from the international community, deepening its global isolation.
The Russian-controlled Luhansk region in eastern Ukraine could hold a referendum soon on joining Russia, its local leader was quoted as saying.
"All fake referendums in the temporarily occupied territories are null and void and will have no legal validity," Ukraine's foreign ministry spokesperson Oleg Nikolenko said in a statement to Reuters. "Instead, Russia will face an even stronger response from the international community, further deepening its global isolation."
No Russia Regime Change Strategy: US After Biden's Comment On Putin
The United States has no strategy of regime change for Russia, Secretary of State Antony Blinken told reporters on Sunday after President Joe Biden said Russian President Vladimir Putin "cannot remain in power".
"I think the president, the White House, made the point last night that, quite simply, President Putin cannot be empowered to wage war or engage in aggression against Ukraine or anyone else," Mr Blinken said during a visit to Jerusalem.
French President fears 'escalation' after Biden calls Putin a 'butcher'
French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday warned against verbal "escalation" with Moscow, after US President Joe Biden called Russian leader Vladimir Putin a "butcher" over his invasion of Ukraine.
Macron told broadcaster France 3 that he saw his task as "achieving first a ceasefire and then the total withdrawal of (Russian) troops by diplomatic means."
"If we want to do that, we can't escalate either in words or actions."
Paris has kept diplomatic channels to Moscow open throughout Russia's military buildup on Ukraine's borders and invasion of its neighbour.
The stance has been criticised by some other leaders and commentators but defended by Macron as vital to limiting damage from the war.
Head of Ukraine rebel region says may hold vote on joining Russia
The head of Ukraine's Lugansk separatist region said Sunday it may hold a referendum on becoming part of Russia, after Moscow sent troops into its pro-Western neighbour.
"I think that in the near future a referendum will be held on the territory of the republic, during which the people will... express their opinion on joining the Russian Federation," Russian news agencies quoted Leonid Pasechnik as saying.
"For some reason, I am sure this will be the case," he said.
Russia launched its military action in Ukraine in late February, saying it was acting in defence of the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Lugansk republics in the country's east.
President Vladimir Putin had days earlier recognised the two regions as independent.
The industrial, mainly Russian-speaking regions broke from Kyiv's control in 2014 in fighting that over the next few years claimed more than 14,000 lives.
Ukraine-Russia War: No Russia Regime Change Strategy: US After Biden's Comment On PutinThe United States has no strategy of regime change for Russia, Secretary of State Antony Blinken told reporters on Sunday after President Joe Biden said Russian President Vladimir Putin "cannot remain in power".
Ukrainian rebel region may hold referendum on joining Russia
The Russian-backed self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic in eastern Ukraine could hold a referendum soon on joining Russia, the republic's news outlet cited local separatist leader Leonid Pasechnik as saying on Sunday.
30,000 Ukrainian refugees reach France
Some 30,000 Ukrainian refugees have arrived in France, with half of them travelling through the country to other places such as Spain, French housing minister Emmanuelle Wargon said Sunday.
Mr Wargon told Franceinfo radio the government was preparing to welcome 100,000 people fleeing the war in Ukraine. France has been granting temporary European Union stay permits to Ukrainian refugees, which allows them to have access to schools and to work in the country.
170,000 still trapped in Mariupol
Mariupol city council posts on Telegram to say that while 140,000 civilians have been able to escape the besieged city, another 170,000 are still trapped there.
"We call on the whole civilised world to pay attention to city," the write. "Mariupol needs a complete evacuation."
Ukraine War: Russian Colonel Killed By Demoralised Troops, 7th General Dead: ReportsRussia-Ukraine war: In fresh setbacks for the Russian assault on Ukraine, a top commander of the country was killed by his own "demoralised" men while a general was believed to have also died, reports have said.
Russia struck Ukraine's Lviv with cruise missiles
Russia struck military targets in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv with high-precision cruise missiles, the Russian defence ministry said on Sunday.
Ukraine says two evacuation corridors agreed for Sunday, including from Mariupol
Ukraine and Russia have agreed two 'humanitarian corridors' to evacuate civilians from frontline areas on Sunday, including allowing people to leave by private car from the southern city of Mariupol, Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said.
Russia has started destroying Ukrainian fuel and food storage depots,
Russia has started destroying Ukrainian fuel and food storage depots, meaning the government will have to disperse the stocks of both in the near future, Ukrainian Interior Ministry adviser Vadym Denysenko said on Sunday.
Speaking on local television, Denysenko also said Russia was bringing forces to the Ukrainian border on rotation, and could make new attempts to advance in its invasion of Ukraine.
Ukraine exports first grain by train to Europe
Traders have exported the first supplies of Ukrainian corn to Europe by train as the country's sea ports remain blocked due to the Russian invasion, APK-Inform agriculture consultancy said on Sunday.
Ukraine is a global major grain grower and exporter and almost all its exports have traditionally been shipped from its Black Sea ports. Monthly grain exports exceeded 5 million tonnes before the war.
Traders and agriculture official have said Ukraine, which still has significant volumes of grain in stock, may start exporting by train via its western border.
I'll Be Blunt, Says Ukraine MP Inna Sovsun After Joe Biden Speech In Neighbouring PolandA Member of Parliament in Ukraine has criticised US President Joe Biden for not doing enough to help the east European nation counter the Russian invasion, in its second month now.
Ukraine asks Red Cross not to open office in Russia's Rostov-on-Don
Ukraine has asked the International Committee of the Red Cross not to open a planned office in Russia's Rostov-on-Don, saying it would legitimise Moscow's "humanitarian corridors" and the abduction and forced deportation of Ukranians.
The head of the ICRC said on Thursday after his talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov that agreement between the Russian and Ukrainian armies was needed before civilians could be evacuated properly from war-torn Ukraine.
Kyiv needs 1 per cent of NATO planes, tanks: Zelenskyy
Ukraine needs just one per cent of aircraft and tanks that are stationed in NATO countries, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, accusing Kyiv's Western allies of being indecisive in terms of military assistance to Ukraine.
"Only 1 per cent of all NATO aircraft and 1 per cent of all NATO tanks, 1 per cent - we are not asking for more," Zelenskyy said in a video address posted on his Telegram channel.
Blinken to attend Israeli-Arab summit, eyes Iran and Ukraine in Mideast tour
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken kicks off a Middle East trip on Sunday in Israel, where he will take part in a rare Arab-Israeli summit and hold talks with regional partners on stalled Iran nuclear talks and Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Blinken will meet with Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Foreign Minister Yair Lapid on the first leg of a Middle East and North Africa trip lasting until March 30.
Russia occupies Chernobyl staff town
Russian forces took control of a town where staff working at the Chernobyl nuclear site live and briefly detained the mayor, sparking protests, Ukrainian officials said Saturday.
"I have been released. Everything is fine, as far as it is possible under occupation," Yuri Fomichev, mayor of Slavutych, told AFP by phone, after officials in the Ukraine capital Kyiv announced earlier he had been detained.
UK says sanctions could be eased with peace
British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss says UK sanctions against Russia could be lifted if Moscow commits to a full ceasefire and withdraws its troops.
Truss says the Kremlin must also agree to "no further aggression" towards Ukraine for the British sanctions imposed on hundreds of people and entities to remain eased.
Russia's Oligarchs Can Continue To Do Business In Turkey: Foreign Minister Mevlut CavusogluRussia's oligarchs can continue to do business in Turkey so long as they respect national and international law, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Saturday.
"It's Up To Russians": Moscow Slams Biden's Remarks
The Kremlin dismissed a remark by U.S. President Joe Biden on Saturday that Vladimir Putin "cannot remain in power," saying it was up to Russians to choose their own president.
Asked about Biden's comment, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Reuters: "That's not for Biden to decide. The president of Russia is elected by Russians."
US President Biden tells crowd Putin cannot remain in power
Russian President Vladimir Putin could not remain in power, and his war against Ukraine has been a strategic failure for Moscow, U.S. President Joe Biden said on Saturday.
"For God's sake, this man cannot remain in power," Biden told a crowd in Warsaw. Biden also said the Russia-Ukraine war, now in its second month, had united the West, adding that NATO was a defensive alliance which never sought Russia's demise.
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky Demands Arms From West, Asks If They Are Afraid Of RussiaUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, visibly irritated, on Saturday demanded Western nations provide a fraction of the military hardware in their
