The leaders of the NATO countries gathered in Madrid for the summit of the Atlantic Alliance.
At the center of the summit the conflict between Russia and Ukraine and the entry of Sweden and Finland into the Pact. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is also connected remotely.
The latter has in these hours taken stock of the Moscow offensive, explaining that since the invasion began , 2,800 Russian missiles have hit Ukraine .
Meanwhile, while Russian leader Vladimir Putin is grappling with his first trip - to Tajikistan and Turkmenistan ( LOOK ) - since the beginning of the conflict, Prime Minister Mario Draghi has ended up in the sights of the Kremlin, who "suggested" the participation of Moscow's number one in the next G20 only remotely. "It is not he who decides," thundered the officials closest to the Tsar.
From Madrid, US President Joe Biden announced the sending of new forces to Europe, including Italy . But Moscow warns: "We will answer".
( HERE all the news about Ukraine)
( HERE all the videos of the conflict)
Here is the news by the hour.
19.52 - Born: Guerini; today historic moment, reiterated support for Ukraine
"At the NATO Summit with President Draghi and Minister Luigi Di Maio. A historic moment for the Alliance, with a new Strategic Concept ready to face the challenges of the near future. Support for Ukraine reaffirmed and an important step towards the entry of Finland and Sweden, now allied friendly countries ". Thus in a tweet the Minister of Defense, Lorenzo Guerini.
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18.20 - Erdogan in Biden: "We will open corridors for wheat"
"There are countries that are deprived of wheat and we will open corridors to ensure that they get the wheat they need." This was stated by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan about the problems related to the export of wheat from Ukraine during an interview with US counterpart Joe Biden, broadcast by Turkish state TV TRT, on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Madrid.
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18.10 - Biden to Erdogan: "Thanks for the efforts on Sweden and Finland"
Joe Biden thanked Recep Tayyp Erdogan, in a bilateral session on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Madrid, for Turkey's efforts in resolving the entry of Sweden and Finland into NATO.
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5.40 pm - Zelensky: "If I go to the G20 it will depend on other participants"
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told Indonesia President Joko Widodo on a visit to Kiev that he will attend the next G20 Summit in Bali depending on who else will attend. "I certainly accept the invitation. Ukraine's participation will depend on the security situation in the country and on the composition of the participants at the summit", Zelensky specified, in clear reference to the possible presence of Russian President Vladimir Putin in Bali.
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17.20 - Russia-Ukraine prisoner exchange, 95 defenders of Azovstal freed
Ukrainian intelligence reports that 144 soldiers have been released in the "largest" prisoner exchange with Moscow to date. Of these, 95 are "defenders" of the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol. The announcement comes through a post on Telegram, in which it is not specified where and when the exchange took place.
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16.50 - Kuleba: "From NATO a 'clear position' on Russia"
Ukraine welcomed NATO's decisions to commit to greater support for Kiev and to invite Finland and Sweden to join the alliance. "Today in Madrid, NATO has shown that it can make difficult but essential decisions. We welcome the clear-headed stance on Russia, as well as the accession of Finland and Sweden. An equally strong and active stance on Ukraine will help protect the country. Euro-Atlantic area security and stability ", Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said on Twitter.
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16.20 - Kiev: "1 dead and 5 injured in a new Russian raid in Kharkiv"
"The Russian invaders hit the Kharkiv region again, leaving one civilian killed and five wounded, including a child." This was announced by the Kharkiv regional military administration on Telegram. Ukrinform reports it. Regional authorities have urged local residents to stay in air raid shelters.
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3.10 pm - NATO: "Russia's terrible cruelty in Ukraine"
NATO leaders denounce Russia's "terrible cruelty" in Ukraine. This can be read in the statement released at the end of the Alliance summit in Madrid. "Russia's terrible cruelty has caused immense human suffering and massive displacement, disproportionately affecting women and children. Russia bears full responsibility for this humanitarian catastrophe. Russia must allow safe, unhindered and lasting humanitarian access," yes reads in the final press release.
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14.06 - Moscow: "We will respond to the new US forces in the EU"
Russia "will not leave unanswered" the decision announced today by US President Joe Biden to deploy new forces in Europe, including Italy. This was said by Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Serghei Ryabkov, quoted by the Interfax agency, warning that Moscow has "the capacity and the resources" to respond. Russia is not "intimidated" by this move, Ryabkov added, adding that Washington "could have avoided such an escalation".
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13.20 - A power plant in Severdonetsk hit
"The Severdonetsk thermoelectric power plant was almost completely destroyed due to the Russian fighting in the Lugansk region." This was announced on Telegram Energoatom, the state-owned company that oversees nuclear plants in Ukraine. Ukrinform reports it.
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12.50 pm - London also sanctions Putin's "cousin"
The British government of Boris Johnson is still expanding the black list of people affected by anti-Russian sanctions following the war in Moscow in Ukraine: from today the freezing of all traceable assets in the United Kingdom and the travel ban on the island also affect the oligarch Vladimir Potanin, historical nickel magnate since the time of Boris Ieltsin, referred to as the second richest man in Russia, and Anna Tsivileva, "cousin of Vladimir Putin" and president of the mining company JSC Kolmar Group.
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12.12 pm - Frozen 330 billion Russian assets
The United States and allies have frozen over $ 330 billion in Russian assets since the start of the conflict in Ukraine. The US Treasury announced today.
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11.52 - Moscow: "Western weapons are a threat"
"Western arms supplies can threaten security not only in Ukraine but beyond its borders." This was stated by the spokeswoman for the Russian foreign ministry Maria Zakharova, quoted by Tass.
11.16 - Turkey: "Sweden and Finland hand over the terrorists"
Turkish Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag said extradition requests for 33 members of the Kurdish PKK armed party and other affiliates of the Feto network, held responsible for the attempted coup in 2016, will be sent again to Sweden and Finland. citing the memorandum between Ankara, Helsinki and Stockholm, signed yesterday in Madrid, with which Turkey vetoed the Scandinavian countries' request for NATO membership in exchange for cooperation in the fight against terrorism. Bozdag mentioned 6 PKK and 6 Feto members in Finland and 10 Feto and 11 PKK members in Sweden.
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10.31 - Biden: "More US soldiers in the EU, including Italy"
The US will strengthen its military presence in Europe, including additional air defensive capabilities in Germany and Italy. American President Joe Biden said this when opening the NATO summit in Madrid. "Today we send a message: NATO is strong and united," Biden said.
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9.41 am - Johnson: "Putin got more NATO"
"The first lesson to be learned is that Vladimir Putin hoped to have less NATO at the borders and instead he was wrong, after the invasion of Ukraine he will have more NATO". British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said this when arriving at the Madrid summit. "This is a historic summit in many ways, we will have two more members and it is a step forward for the Alliance; we will understand then
how we can further help Ukraine but we must also learn the lessons of the last few months and review our posture on the eastern front, "Johnson added.
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8.35 am - Stoltenberg: "Russia threatens NATO"
Russia poses a "direct threat" to NATO security. This was underlined by the Secretary General of the Alliance, Jens Stoltenberg, engaged in Madrid at the summit of the Atlantic Alliance.
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7.51 am - Attack on Mykolaiv, three dead
Three killed and three wounded in an attack, presumably with a Russian missile, against a building in the Ukrainian city of Mykolaiv. This was reported by the mayor of the city, Oleksandr Sienkevych, and the governor of the oblast, Vitaliy Kim, quoted by the Kyiv Independent. Rescue operations are underway, Kim reports.
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7 am - US sanctions, China's wrath
Joe Biden's US administration has added five Chinese companies to a trade blacklist, accusing them of supporting Russia's defense and military industrial base following the invasion of Ukraine by Moscow troops. The move provoked a harsh reaction from China which rejected the accusations and suspicions, saying it "did not provide any military assistance to the parties involved in the Russia-Ukraine conflict", opposing "strongly the unilateral sanctions imposed by the United States on
our companies, "according to a statement from the Chinese embassy in Washington.
(Unioneonline)