Ron DeSantis., the governor of Florida and likely Republican presidential candidate, said in a statement that protecting the US southern border, confronting China and bolstering the American military should take priority over what happens in Ukraine.
(Bloomberg) — Ron DeSantis., the governor of Florida and likely Republican presidential candidate, said in a statement that protecting the US southern border, confronting China and bolstering the American military should take priority over what happens in Ukraine.
Chinese President Xi Jinping and Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskiy plan to speak by video link in what would be their first conversation since Russia’s invasion last year.
The conversation will occur after a visit by Xi to Moscow next week, according to the Wall Street Journal. While there was no immediate official confirmation of that trip from either the Kremlin or Beijing, both countries have said for weeks that a Xi visit was in the works as China tries to position itself as a broker to end the conflict.
While Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine rages thousands of kilometers away, NATO forces gathered in Norway for joint drills as the defense alliance — along with Russia, China and others — vie for greater control of the Arctic.
Key Developments
- DeSantis Assails US Policy in Ukraine, Breaking With Much of GOP
- Ukraine Rebuffs Russia Offer of 60-Day Grain Deal Extension
- The Arctic Is Where NATO and Russia Are Flexing Military Muscle
- Russian Oil Flows Rebound as India Snaps Up More Pacific Cargoes
- Putin to Meet Business Tycoons For First Time Since Start of War
- Xi to Call Ukraine’s Zelenskiy After Russia Visit Next Week
- Italy Wants NATO to Help Combat Russia-Driven Migrant Influx
(All times CET)
DeSantis Assails US Policy in Ukraine (5:35 a.m.)
DeSantis on Monday expressed strong misgivings over US support for Ukraine in its defense against Russia’s invasion, breaking not only with the Biden administration but other prominent Republicans.
DeSantis, the governor of Florida, said in a statement, which was read by Tucker Carlson on his Fox News program, that protecting the US southern border, confronting China and bolstering the American military should take priority.
“The Biden administration’s virtual ‘blank check’ funding of this conflict for ‘as long as it takes,’ without any defined objectives or accountability, distracts from our country’s most pressing challenges,” DeSantis added in the statement, which was confirmed by his spokeswoman.
World Court to Open War Crimes Cases, New York Times Reports (10:15 p.m.)
The International Criminal Court is planning to open two cases involving accusations of war crimes, the newspaper reported, citing officials it didn’t name.
The cases include allegations that Russia abducted Ukrainian children and teenagers and sent them to re-education camps or Russian homes, and that the Kremlin has singled out civilian infrastructure, according to the newspaper.
Russia has denied war crimes accusations and has characterized the relocation of children as a humanitarian gesture to find homes for orphans.
Ukraine May Boost Defense Spending, Zelenskiy Says (9:05 p.m.)
Zelenskiy vowed to continue destroying Russia’s military power as fierce fighting continued in the country’s east and the government proposed to bolster defense spending.
The cabinet proposed to parliament an increase to the defense budget of 518 billion hryvnia ($14 billion) this year, Zelenskiy said in a video address.
The money will be used to strengthen Ukraine’s defense capabilities, including for the purchase of drones, he said. If approved, Ukraine will spend 26.6% of its GDP on defense, according to an earlier statement from the Finance Ministry.
“We’ll do everything possible and impossible to reinforce our warriors,” Zelesnkiy said.
US, Ukraine Defense Chiefs Talked by Phone (8:55 p.m.)
Ukraine’s Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov and US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin talked by telephone on Monday.
“We compared notes on our cooperation & the path to Victory,” Reznikov tweeted. “This genuine support of the Allies makes me very optimistic about the future.”
Brigadier General Pat Ryder, a Defense Department spokesman, said in a statement that Austin provided an update on US security assistance efforts and Reznikov detailed developments on the ground.
“The two leaders pledged to remain in close contact,” Ryder said.
Russia Open to Grain Deal Extension of 60 Days (5:12 p.m.)
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Vershinin said Moscow is not against extending the Black Sea grain-export deal, but only for 60 days, Tass reported. Consultations in Geneva with the United Nations were not simple, the state-run news service cited the Russian official as saying.
The accord, which expires March 18, could run for a further 120 days if no side in the process objected. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has stressed the importance of keeping the pact, which has allowed Ukraine to ship about 24 million tons of crops since it was agreed in July.
But Ukraine quickly objected.
Ukrainian Infrastructure Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov said on Twitter Russia’s proposal contradicts the deal, which he said provides for at least 120 days of extension. Ukraine is waiting for the official position of the UN and Turkey as guarantors of the initiative, he said.
Italy Seeks NATO Help on Russia Meddling in Mediterranean (4:57 p.m.)
Italy called for help from NATO and the European Union to deal with a new influx of migrants from North Africa that Defense Minister Guido Crosetto said has been sparked by Russian meddling in the region.
An “exponential increase” in arrivals across the Mediterranean is “part of a clear strategy of hybrid warfare” by Russia’s paramilitary Wagner Group, which is targeting Italy because of its pro-Ukraine stance, Crosetto said Monday. Leaving Italy to face “retaliation” in the form of migration on its own could lead to cracks in the defense alliance, he said.
Scholz Sees No Talks With ‘Gun to the Head’ (4:18 p.m.)
While there is no end to the fighting in sight, Germany stands ready to be supportive of Ukrainian efforts to think about how a peace agreement might look, Chancellor Olaf Scholz said.
“Ukraine is ready for peace – but of course this cannot be a dictated peace,” Scholz said at a news conference in Berlin. “As I said before, there is no negotiating with a gun to the head. And this is still the intention of the Russian president.”
Russian Arms Exports Seen Falling Amid War (3:44 p.m.)
Russian weapons sales fell in the five years including the war and are likely to decline further as the conflict undermines a key Kremlin export, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
“Russia’s invasion of Ukraine will probably put additional constraints on Russia’s ability to export arms, as it is likely to prioritize the production of arms for its own military over those for export,” SIPRI said in a report. “The multilateral sanctions, including wide-ranging trade restrictions, imposed on Russia, coupled with pressure from the USA and its allies on states not to acquire Russian arms, will also hamper its efforts to export arms.”
Weapons sales by Russia, the No. 2 seller in the world, dropped 31% in the 2018-2022 period from the previous five years, with sales falling to eight of top 10 clients, SIPRI said. Russia’s pending orders are also down, indicating the decline is likely to continue, according to SIPRI.
Ukraine’s Economy Contracted 31.4% Year-on-Year in Fourth Quarter (3:28 p.m.)
Gross domestic product fell by a seasonally adjusted 4.7% from the previous three months, according to the statistics office, as Russia targeted energy infrastructure with air strikes.
The government expects the economy to show a marginal rebound of 0.3% to 1% this year.
EU Struggles on Delivering Ammunition Rapidly (2:57 p.m.)
The EU is struggling to figure out a way to fill Ukraine’s immediate ammunition needs. The bloc is expected to sign off on a joint ammunition procurement plan for the country as soon as next week, but it’s stalled on how to provide Kyiv with the 155mm shells it needs this year.
Ukraine has said it will need 1 million rounds this year, and Estonia has estimated that would cost around €4 billion ($4.3 billion).
Russia to Tighten Secrecy Rules Amid War (2:55 p.m.)
Russia plans to tighten restrictions on access to state secrets with a draft law in parliament banning security clearance for people with financial assets or real estate abroad held in their own name or through family members.
“This will help minimize the risks of pressure being applied by unfriendly countries to bearers of secret information,” Vasily Piskarev, the ruling-party legislator who proposed the plan, was cited by the state-run Tass news service as saying.
The draft would also clarify rules for limiting access to secret information by people considered a security risk, including in state companies, he said. At the same time, it would allow foreign trips for emergencies like medical treatment for those with security clearance.
Xi to Hold Call With Zelenskiy (1:57 p.m.)
Xi and Zelenskiy plan to speak by video link, though no date has yet been set for the conversation, according to a Ukrainian official familiar with the preparations. The president of Ukraine has long sought talks with China, which had emerged as one of Russia’s largest global supporters amid the conflict.
Beijing last month released proposals to achieve peace in Ukraine, but they were quickly rejected as one-sided by Kyiv’s allies in the US and Europe. Zelenskiy was less categorical, saying “it’s good that China has started to talk about Ukraine” and welcoming Beijing’s commitment to the principle of territorial integrity.
Russia Expands Military Draft Eligibility (1:07 p.m.)
Russia plans to draft men up to the age of 30 for army service from 2024, up from 27 now, as it seeks to expand its military to 1.5 million.
At the same time, the lower age for eligibility for military service will be raised from 18 to 19 next year, 20 in 2025 and 21 in 2026, according to a draft law submitted to the lower house of parliament. The move means students are exempt from service but graduates would be eligible for conscription.
President Putin in December approved the Defense Ministry’s plans to boost the size of his military to 1.5 million from the current target level of 1.15 million, though the Kremlin hasn’t said how fast the expansion will be.
One Dead in Strike Against Village in Northeastern Ukraine (12:42 p.m.)
A Russian missile strike killed one person and wounded four in a village in the northeastern Sumy region, 5 kilometers (3 miles) from the border with Russia, the local administration said on Telegram.
Putin Praises Chechen Troops Fighting in Ukraine (12:41 p.m.)
Putin hailed the contribution of Chechen troops to his invasion of Ukraine as the Caucasus Mountain region’s leader vowed to fight until “final victory.”
In a televised meeting at the Kremlin, Ramzan Kadyrov told Putin that popular support in his region for the war is strong. “Give the boys fighting my best,” Putin responded. “Thanks very much to them.”
Chechnya, the site of bloody fighting with Islamist separatists as recently as the early 2000s, has sent thousands of troops to fight in Ukraine.
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