US Vice President Kamala Harris accused Russian forces of committing war crimes in Ukraine and called on allies to back international tribunals convened to investigate any battlefield atrocities.
(Bloomberg) — US Vice President Kamala Harris accused Russian forces of committing war crimes in Ukraine and called on allies to back international tribunals convened to investigate any battlefield atrocities.
Harris spoke to NBC News on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, where she is due to speak later Saturday about the role of the US in the world. UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and China’s top diplomat, Wang Yi, will also address delegates, while US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is due to take part in a panel discussion with his Ukrainian and German counterparts.
Germany and France warned Friday that Russia’s nearly one-year-old war could drag on well into the future and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy made another plea for speeding up weapons deliveries.
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Key Developments
- Europe’s Rebel Leader Woos Germany to Profit From Arms Race
- Russia’s Shadow Oil Tanker Fleet Becomes Everyone Else’s Problem
- Ukraine Clears Hurdle to Begin Talks on Full-Fledged IMF Loan
- Harris Demands Justice for Russia’s ‘War Crimes’ in Ukraine
- Ukraine’s Allies Brace for Long War as Zelenskiy Calls for Speed
On the Ground
The threat from Russian air and missile strikes remains “very high” across Ukraine, the nation’s General Staff said in its daily report. Russian forces launched 10 missile barrages and 29 air strikes as well as 69 MLRS attacks in the previous day, according to the report. Ukraine said its forces repelled Russian attacks near settlements in the Kharkiv, Luhansk and Donetsk regions on Friday. Ukrainian air defenses shot down six Russian drones, the General Staff added. Ukraine downed two out of four Kalibr missiles launched from Russian ships in the Black Sea, the country’s Air Force said on Telegram.
(All times CET)
Finland Open to Joining NATO Ahead of Sweden (10:30 a.m.)
Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin signaled that she’s ready to see her country become a NATO member before Sweden, even as she appealed to Turkey and Hungary to ratify membership for both countries.
“We are willing to join and we prefer and want to join together,” Marin said during a panel discussion in Munich. “Of course, we cannot influence and affect how some countries will ratify.” She said that it’s in the interest of all of NATO to see the Nordic neighbors join simultaneously because it increases the potential for cooperation in defending the alliance’s northern border.
China ‘Very Ambiguous’ on Sanctions (10:15 a.m.)
China is taking a “very ambiguous position” when it comes to circumvention of EU sanctions imposed on Russia, the EU’s trade chief, Valdis Dombrovskis, told reporters on the sidelines of the Munich meeting.
Asked what measures the EU would take if it clearly emerged that Chinese companies were circumventing sanctions, Dombrovskis said it would be something that would need to be discussed with allies, adding that in some cases, as with Iran providing drones, companies have been added to sanctions packages.
“As we are actively imposing sanctions on Russia, they’re actively seeking ways to circumvent it so it requires constant pressure,” Dombrovskis said, adding that “atypical trade patterns” were emerging in a handful of countries that point to potential sanctions circumvention.
NATO Chief Says Putin Is Preparing Russia for a Long War (10:15 a.m.)
Jens Stoltenberg, NATO’s secretary general, said President Vladimir Putin is preparing Russia for a long war and building up his military to sustain the fighting.
“There are no indications he has changed his ambitions,” Stoltenberg will tell the Munich conference later Saturday, according to a text of his remarks. “He is mobilizing hundreds of thousands of troops, increasingly putting the Russian economy on a war footing and reaching out to other authoritarian regimes, such as Iran and North Korea, to get more weapons.”
Ukraine Power Intact Despite Russian Missile Attack (10 a.m.)
A Russian missile attack on Saturday morning failed to trigger a power shortage in Ukraine, according to a statement from national grid operator Ukrenergo.
Ukrenergo preemptively limited supply during the attack and the power network is returning to normal, the company said on Telegram. Imports from Slovakia are minimal amid lower demand during the weekend and sufficient electricity being generated within the country, Ukrenergo said.
Ukraine PM Rules Out Reconciliation (10 a.m.)
Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said “cooperation and reconciliation” with Russia will not be possible for 100 years and it would first need to be “democratized, demilitarized and denuclearized.”
In an interview with Germany’s Focus magazine, Shmyhal called for “the complete evacuation from Ukraine of Russian troops within the 1991 borders” and said that “thousands of our best people didn’t die so that we could compromise with a bloody terrorist and aggressor who is blackmailing the whole world.”
Russian Sanctions Hit €5.32 Billion in Germany (9:10 a.m.)
Germany has sanctioned Russian assets worth €5.32 billion as part of EU penalties imposed after the invasion of Ukraine, according to a newspaper report.
The total includes assets of Russian individuals and companies, including the Russian central bank, Welt am Sonntag reported, citing the finance ministry in Berlin. The ministry declined to specify the scope of frozen assets belonging to oligarchs, the newspaper said.
Scholz, Wang Discuss ‘Ukraine Issue’ (9 a.m.)
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Wang discussed “the Ukraine issue” on the sidelines of the Munich meeting Friday, according to Chinese state news agency Xinhua.
“Wang said that China and Germany, both independent major countries, shoulder common responsibility for maintaining world peace and addressing global challenges,” Xinhua reported.
Wang also told Scholz that “China has always stood on the side of peace and committed itself to promoting peace talks and calling for an early cease-fire” and that “he hoped Germany would play a constructive role in de-escalating the situation.”
Harris Holds Talks With Macron (2:40 a.m.)
Harris met with French President Emmanuel Macron Friday and they “reaffirmed the importance of continued support for Ukraine and imposing costs on Russia for its brutal invasion,” according to a White House account.
The two leaders also discussed “the strength of NATO and U.S.-European relations” as well as the challenges posed by China and cooperation on climate policy, the White House said. President Joe Biden will travel to Poland next week.
US to Warn Companies Evading Sanctions (11:40 p.m.)
The US will directly warn companies against evading sanctions imposed against Russia, Reuters reported, citing an interview with Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo.
Banks in the US, Europe and Japan will also be asked to warn clients about possible loss of access to financial institutions for breach of Russia sanctions, Reuters quoted Adeyemo as saying.
IMF Applauds Ukraine Progress (8:35 p.m.)
Ukrainian authorities had a strong performance meeting the targets contained in the nation’s four-month, non-cash program with the International Monetary Fund, Gavin Gray, the IMF mission chief for Ukraine, said in a statement.
“The authorities are making progress in reforms to strengthen governance, anti-corruption and rule of law, and lay the foundations for postwar growth, although the agenda of reforms in these areas remains significant,” Gray said.
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