Glimmers of negotiations in the war unleashed by Russia against Ukraine .
After having warned Germany, France and of course his main ally, the United States, Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett flew by surprise to Moscow to Vladimir Putin to attempt mediation in the Ukrainian conflict. After a three-hour conversation with the "Tsar", he phoned Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelensky and flew to Berlin to meet German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, after hearing Emmanuel Macron as well, confirming that something is probably moving.
Although it does not belong to the EU or to NATO, even Israel is in all respects considered a nation on the Western side, but it is also the only Western country that can boast privileged relations with both Russia and Ukraine (where a community of about 50,000 Jews, including President Volodymyr Zelensky himself).
HUMANITARIAN CORRIDORS JUMP - The tenth day of the war began with the announcement of the truce by the Russian Defense Ministry, to bring out 200,000 civilians from Mariupol and 15,000 from Volnovakha. In a short time, however, hopes for a significant evacuation were frozen. Local authorities in the port city in the south-east announced a postponement of operations for security reasons because the Russians "continued bombing".
Humanitarian corridors in Ukraine, at least for the moment, have been blown, trapping hundreds of thousands of civilians in cities besieged by the Russians. The hope is that tomorrow will be a good day to evacuate women, children and the elderly, explained the government of Kiev, which is also preparing evacuations from the capital, Sumy, Kharkiv and Kherson. Meanwhile, the third round of negotiations has been called for Monday.
THE ADVANCE - The Russian advance across the country today did not make significant progress while in the south the Ukrainians announced that they had regained control of the port city of Mykolayv.
In Kiev, Russian troops go ahead with a raid campaign along the outskirts of the capital but are still far from the center. At this stage, hopes for an effective ceasefire, at least temporary, are entrusted to the Moscow-Kiev negotiations which, despite everything, have not yet stalled.
HERE USA - Meanwhile, the war pushes Joe Biden, making him rise in the polls to the levels before the debacle in Afghanistan: according to the NPR / PBS NewsHour / Marist survey, the overall consensus for the president has jumped to 47%, with a jump of 8 points compared to a month ago, and 18 points for the management of the Ukrainian crisis, promoted by 52% of Americans.
The president is now trying to reassure NATO's eastern flank by sending his deputy Kamala Harris to Eastern Europe, after Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who today visited refugees on the Ukrainian border in Poland and promised $ 2.7 billion to support them. Blinken is also putting pressure on Beijing, which he reminded today that "the world is looking to see which nations defend the fundamental principles of freedom, self-determination and sovereignty".
HERE CHINA - China has reacted constructively, calling for an end to the fighting, the US-NATO-EU-Russia dialogue for a peaceful solution ("paying attention to the negative impact of NATO's continued eastward expansion on Russia's security" ) and compliance with the UN charter. But he also took the opportunity to remind Washington to "stop supporting Taiwan's independence" by returning to the "One China" principle. And another possible negotiating protagonist is also heating up: the President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan will have a telephone conversation with Putin tomorrow.
(Unioneonline / D)