Live blog: G7 meeting hears calls for 'critical' Ukraine aid

Thursday, April 18, 2024

1809 GMT — NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has told a G7 meeting that Ukraine had an "urgent, critical need for more air defence", as Kiev's foreign minister pressed allies for more Patriot systems.

Foreign ministers from the Group of Seven developed nations, including US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, are gathering on the Italian island of Capri from Wednesday to Friday.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba joined counterparts from Italy, the UK, the US, Japan, Canada, France and Germany for a working session dedicated to the conflict on Thursday.

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1724 GMT — Poland arrests man over suspected plan to kill Zelenskyy

A man suspected of aiding a plot by Russian intelligence services to assassinate Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been arrested in Poland, Polish and Ukrainian prosecutors said.

The Polish national, named only as Pawel K., is suspected of supplying information to Russian military intelligence and "helping the Russian special forces to plan a possible assassination attempt" against Zelenskyy, said a statement from Polish prosecutors.

It said the suspect had stated he was "ready to act on behalf of the military intelligence services of the Russian Federation and established contact with Russian citizens directly involved in the war in Ukraine".

1647 GMT — Ukraine gives order of merit to France's ailing Delon: envoy

Ukraine is bestowing its top order of merit honour on the French actor Alain Delon, 88, who has been battling ill health, Kiev's embassy in Paris said, hailing the screen icon's support in the face of Russian attacks.

"Since the first day of the war, Delon has spoken a lot in support of Ukraine. For us, it is a symbol, it is important," the Ukrainian embassy said.

1415 GMT — US aid for Ukraine won't change military situation: Krelim

Russia has said fresh US aid for Ukraine will not change the dynamics on the battlefield, as Washington gears up for a crucial weekend vote on long-stalled military funding for Kiev.

US House Speaker Mike Johnson said he would advance a $61 billion package of funding for Ukraine, stalled since last year amid political infighting in the Republican Party.

Ukraine has struggled on the battlefield for months, outgunned and outnumbered by Russian forces amid a shortage of Western military aid.

1411 GMT — NATO working on the possibility of more air defence to Ukraine: Stoltenberg

NATO is working to send more air defence systems to Ukraine, Stoltenberg has said at a meeting of foreign ministers of the G7 major democracies.

"We have compiled data about the different air defence systems we have in NATO and focused on the Patriot systems. And we are working with Allies to ensure that they redeploy some of their systems to Ukraine," he told reporters.

"I am encouraged by the commitment and the determination by NATO Allies to stand up for Ukraine," he a dded, saying he was seeing encouraging signs that the U.S. Congress might soon unlock an aid package for Ukraine worth $60.84 billion.

0930 GMT — Russia accuses Ukraine of shelling medical facilities an killing medical staff

Russia accused Ukrainian forces of repeatedly shelling medical facilities in Russian-controlled areas of Ukraine with Western weapons and said the West and the World Health Organization (WHO) had turned a blind eye to the attacks.

The accusation was made by Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova who told reporters that Ukrainian forces had repeatedly targeted medical facilities and doctors in four Ukrainian regions which Moscow says it has annexed.

Zakharova listed the dates and locations of the attacks in recent months and said the same information had been provided to the WHO which she said had done nothing with the data.

"Real doctors are dying from shelling by Kiev with weapons supplied by the West," Zakharova said.

0801 GMT — Russian shelling kills one in east Ukraine

Russian shelling killed one person in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region, authorities said, as Moscow ramps up its assault to capture the war-battered region.

In Selydove, about 20 kilometres from the front, "one person died and a private home was destroyed" during Russian bombardment on Thursday, regional head Vadim Filashkin said on Telegram.

"In total, the Russians fired 17 times at settlements in the Donetsk region over a day. 127 people were evacuated from the frontline, including 13 children," he added.

Two people were injured in the nearby town of Krasnogorivka, while in Ukraine's southern Kherson region, officials said Russian shelling wounded at least 16.

0735 GMT — Two arrested in Germany for allegedly spying for Russia

Two German-Russian men were arrested in Bavaria on suspicion of spying for Russia and planning blasts and arson attacks to undermine Berlin's military support for Ukraine, German prosecutors said.

The pair, identified only as Dieter S. and Alexander J., were arrested in the city of Bayreuth in southeastern Germany, federal prosecutors said in a statement.

The main accused, Dieter S., is alleged to have scouted potential targets for attacks, "including facilities of the US armed forces" stationed in Germany.

According to prosecutors, Dieter S. had been exchanging information with a person linked to Russian intelligence services since October 2023, discussing possible sabotage acts.

0734 GMT — EU countries must send anti-missile systems to Ukraine: Borrell

European Union countries must send their anti-missile systems to bolster Ukraine's air defences as Russia pounds its cities, the EU's top diplomat said, warning that Europe cannot just rely on the United States to help Kiev.

"We have Patriots, we have anti-missile systems. We have to take them (out) from our barracks where they are just in case and send them to Ukraine where the war is raging," EU's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell told reporters at G7 meeting in the island of Capri.

"Otherwise the electricity system of Ukraine will be destroyed. And no country can fight without having electricity at home, in the factories, online, for everything," he added.

Ukraine's air defences is a key issue for ministers gathered in Italy, following a German appeal on Wednesday to the European Union and NATO to do more to help Kiev.

0726 GMT — Germany's Baerbock sees 'hopeful sign' for continued US support of Ukraine

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock sees signs of hope out of the United States after her government pushed for Washington to continue its support for Ukraine in the war against Russia, she told reporters.

"In these turbulent times, it is a hopeful sign that there are now signals from the Republicans in the US that support for Ukraine can be continued intensively," Baerbock said on the sidelines of a meeting with her G7 counterparts in Italy.

0651 GMT — Ukrainian forces hit Russian airfield in Dzhankoi, Crimea: Zelenskyy

The Ukrainian Armed Forces hit a Russian military airfield near the city of Dzhankoi in Crimea, Ukraine’s Zelenskyy said.

“Today, the Armed Forces of Ukraine have carried out a correct strike against the occupier in Dzhankoi, targeting the airfield. Thank you, warriors! Thank you for your precision,” Zelenskyy said in a statement on Telegram.

The Crimean authorities said on Thursday that the movement of vehicles along one of the sections of the highway near Dzhankoi airbase in the north of Crimea has been temporarily restricted.

The reason for the restriction was not mentioned.

2244 GMT — Death toll from missile strike on Ukraine's Chernigiv rises

The death toll from the Russian missile strike on Ukraine's Chernigiv has risen to 18 from 11, while emergency services said 78 people — including three children — had been wounded.

Pools of blood gathered on the street at the scene of one strike, where rescuers searched for survivors in the rubble and carried away the wounded on stretchers, official images showed.

Resident Olga Samoilenko told the AFP news agency how she ducked with her children into the corridor of their apartment building for protection when the first missile exploded.

"Our neighbours were already there. We started shouting for everyone to fall to the floor. They did. There were two more explosions. Then we ran to the parking lot," the 33-year-old said.

2036 GMT — Yellen calls Republican delays in approving Ukraine aid inexcusable

US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has underscored the Biden administration's commitment to provide Ukraine with the budgetary and military assistance it needs while calling Republican delays in approving the aid inexcusable.

"Budgetary assistance from the United States is more critical than ever, as it is inextricably linked to Ukraine's success on the battlefield and the government's ability to deliver essential services to its people," Yellen said.

Yellen said that the United States completed an agreement with the World Bank to contribute $255 million to World Bank trust funds to support Ukraine's critical export transportation needs and fuel private sector investment.

She hailed the US Senate for passing additional funding for Ukraine on a bipartisan basis and said the failure of Republicans in the US House of Representatives to act so long "has been inexcusable and detrimental to our national security."

For our live updates from Wednesday, April 17, click here.