Wednesday, April 19, 2023

South Korea might extend its support for Ukraine beyond humanitarian and economic aid if it comes under a large-scale civilian attack, President Yoon Suk-yeol has said, signalling a shift in his stance against arming Ukraine for the first time.

In an interview with the Reuters news agency ahead of his state visit to the US next week, Yoon said his government has been exploring how to help defend and rebuild Ukraine, just as South Korea received international assistance during the 1950-53 Korean War.

"If there is a situation the international community cannot condone, such as any large-scale attack on civilians, massacre or serious violation of the laws of war, it might be difficult for us to insist only on humanitarian or financial support," Yoon said.

"I believe there won't be limitations to the extent of the support to defend and restore a country that's been illegally invaded both under international and domestic law," Yoon said.

"However, considering our relationship with the parties engaged in the war and developments in the battlefield, we will take the most appropriate measures."

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2013 GMT — Lula condemns violation of Ukraine's territorial integrity

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has condemned the violation of Ukraine's territorial integrity by Russia and again called for mediation to end the war, a peace initiative that was criticised by the Ukrainian government.

Speaking at a lunch with Romanian President Klaus Iohannis, Lula said a group of neutral nations must come together to help broker peace between Russia and Ukraine.

His comments came after he set off a storm among Western allies by stating over the weekend that they were prolonging the fighting by supplying arms to Ukraine.

A White House spokesperson accused Lula of "parroting Russian and Chinese propaganda without looking at the facts."

And on Tuesday, the White House said Lula's "tone was not one of neutrality." Among Western nations so far, only French President Emmanuel Macron has welcomed Lula's peace initiative.

2154 GMT — US accuses 4 Black nationalists of acting for Russian intelligence

The US Justice Department has charged the founder and three members of a half-century-old Black nationalist group with working with Russian intelligence to influence elections in the United States.

Omali Yeshitela, the founder of the African People's Socialist Party (APSP) and the Uhuru Movement, and two other party members, Penny Joanne Hess and Jesse Nevel, were charged with acting as unregistered agents of Russia, which carries a maximum five-year prison sentence.

All three, as well as another member named Augustus Romain, have also been charged with conspiring to act as agents for Russia, which brings up to 10 years in prison.

According to an indictment, the four people took money and other support from US-based Russian Alexandr Ionov and Moscow-based officers of Russia's FSB intelligence agency who directed Ionov.

2117 GMT — Ukraine's Zelenskyy, top US House Republican McCarthy discuss Russia sanctions

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said he and US House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy discussed in a phone call Ukraine's need for weapons as well as increasing sanctions pressure on Russia.

On Twitter, Zelenskyy said he thanked McCarthy for bipartisan support in Congress for Ukraine as well as Ukraine's defense needs.

"Outlined the situation at the front & Ukraine's urgent defense needs in armored vehicles, artillery, air defense & aircraft," Zelenskyy's tweet said.

He said they al so discussed enhancing sanctions pressure on Russia, including in oil and gas. A spokesperson for McCarthy, the highest-ranking Republican in Washington, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

For our live updates from Tuesday (April 18), click here.