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world news Diamars 1 maart 2022

Ukraine, Russia envoys talk under shadow of nuclear threat

(AP) — Russian and denied targeting residential defense minister and other
Ukrainian officials met areas despite abundant evi- top officials, the Russian del-
for talks Monday amid dence of shelling of homes, egation was led by Putin’s
high hopes but low expec- schools and hospitals. adviser on culture — an un-
tations for any diplomatic likely envoy for ending the
breakthrough, after Mos- Across the country, terrified war and perhaps a sign of
cow ran into unexpectedly families huddled overnight how seriously Moscow views
stiff resistance when it un- in shelters, basements or cor- the talks.
leashed the biggest land ridors.
war in Europe since World Also, the 193-nation U.N.
War II. The U.N. human rights chief General Assembly opened
said at least 102 civilians have its first emergency session in
Outgunned Ukrainian forces been killed and hundreds decades in order to deal with
managed to slow the Rus- wounded in more than four the Ukraine invasion, with
sian advance, and Western days of fighting — warning Assembly President Abdulla
sanctions began to squeeze that figure is probably a vast Shahid calling for an imme-
the Russian economy, but undercount — and Ukraine’s diate cease-fire, maximum though Western officials be- U.S. and British officials have
the Kremlin again raised the president said at least 16 chil- restraint by all parties and “a lieve he wants to overthrow played down Putin’s nuclear
specter of nuclear war, re- dren were among the dead. full return to diplomacy and Ukraine’s government and threat as posturing. But for
porting that its land, air and dialogue.” replace it with a regime of many, the move stirred up
sea nuclear forces were on More than a half-million his own, reviving Moscow’s memories of the 1962 Cuban
high alert following Presi- people have fled the coun- Putin is not completely iso- Cold War-era influence. Missile Crisis and fears that
dent Vladimir Putin’s week- try since the invasion, an- lated and has talked to a se- the West could be drawn into
end order. other U.N. official said, with ries of heads of state in recent The Russian leader made direct conflict with Russia.
many of them going to Po- days, including a 90-minute a clear link between ever-
Stepping up his rhetoric, Pu- land, Romania and Hungary. call with French President tightening sanctions and his In addition to sanctions,
tin denounced the U.S. and And millions have left their Emmanuel Macron, who decision Sunday to raise Rus- the U.S. and Germany an-
its allies as an “empire of lies.” homes. called for a truce. He has also sia’s nuclear posture. He also nounced they will send
spoken to the leaders of Is- cited “aggressive statements” Stinger missiles and other
A tense calm reigned in Kyiv, Still, a sliver of hope emerged rael, Armenia and other na- from NATO. military supplies to Ukraine.
where people lined up to buy as the first face-to-face talks tions. The European Union —
food, water and pet food af- between Ukrainian and Rus- Meanwhile, Russia’s Central Moscow’s Defense Ministry founded to ensure peace on
ter two nights trapped inside sian officials since the war Bank scrambled to shore up said that extra personnel were the continent after World
by a strict curfew, but social began opened Monday. The the tanking ruble, and the deployed to Russian nuclear War II — is supplying lethal
media video from Ukraine’s delegations met at a long ta- U.S. and European countries forces and that the high alert aid for the first time, includ-
second-largest city, Kharkiv, ble with the blue-and-yellow upped weapons shipments to applies to nuclear-capable in- ing anti-tank weapons.
showed residential areas be- Ukrainian flag on one side Ukraine. While they hope to tercontinental ballistic mis-
ing shelled, with apartment and the Russian tricolor on curb Putin’s aggression, the siles, submarines and long- EU defense ministers were
buildings shaken by repeated, the other. measures also risked pushing range bombers. to meet Monday to discuss
powerful blasts. Authorities an increasingly cornered Pu- how to get the weaponry
in Kharkiv said at least seven Ukrainian President Volody- tin closer to the edge — and A senior U.S. defense of- into Ukraine. A trainload of
people had been killed and myr Zelenskyy’s office said it inflicted pain on ordinary ficial, speaking Monday on Czech equipment arrived
dozens injured. They warned would demand an immediate Russians. condition of anonymity, said Sunday and another was
that casualties could be far cease-fire and withdrawal of the United States had yet to en route Monday, though
higher. Russian troops. It wasn’t immediately clear see any appreciable change in blocking such shipments will
what Putin is seeking in the Russia’s nuclear posture. clearly be a key Russian pri-
The Russian military has But while Ukraine sent its talks, or from the war itself, ority.

Europe welcomes Ukrainian refugees — others, less so

(AP) — They file into been applauded, it has also people are Europeans,” Bul- Mohammad described a Viktor Orban. In the first, in
neighboring countries by highlighted stark differences garian Prime Minister Kiril sense of déjà vu as he fol- December, he was addressing
the hundreds of thousands in treatment given to mi- Petkov told journalists earlier lowed events in Ukraine. migrants and refugees from
— refugees from Ukraine grants and refugees from the this week, of the Ukrainians. Like thousands of Ukraini- the Middle East and Africa
clutching children in one Middle East and Africa, par- “These people are intelligent, ans, he also had to shelter un- seeking to enter Europe via
arm, belongings in the ticularly Syrians who came they are educated people. ... derground to protect himself Hungary. In the second, this
other. And they’re being in 2015. Some of the lan- This is not the refugee wave from Russian bombs. He also week, he was addressing peo-
heartily welcomed, by guage from these leaders has we have been used to, people struggled to board an over- ple from Ukraine.
leaders of countries like been disturbing to them, and we were not sure about their crowded bus to flee his town.
Poland, Hungary, Bulgar- deeply hurtful. identity, people with unclear He also was separated from And it’s not just politicians.
ia, Moldova and Romania. pasts, who could have been his family at the border. Some journalists are also be-
“These are not the refu- even terrorists…” ing criticized for how they are
But while the hospitality has gees we are used to… these “A refugee is a refugee, reporting on and describing
Syrian journalist Okba Mo- whether European, African Ukrainian refugees. “These
hammad says that statement or Asian,” Mohammad said. are prosperous, middle-class
“mixes racism and Islamo- people,” an Al Jazeera Eng-
phobia.” When it comes to Ukraine, lish television presenter said.
the change in tone of some of “These are not obviously ref-
Mohammad fled his home- Europe’s most extreme anti- ugees trying to get away from
town of Daraa in 2018. He migration leaders has been areas in the Middles East... in
now lives in Spain, and with striking — from “We aren’t North Africa. They look like
other Syrian refugees found- going to let anyone in” to any European family that you
ed the first bilingual maga- “We’re letting everyone in.” would live next door to.”
zine in Arabic and Spanish.
He said he wasn’t surprised Those comments were made The channel issued an apolo-
by the remarks from Petkov only three months apart by gy saying the comments were
and others. Hungarian Prime Minister insensitive and irresponsible.