Live blog: Ukraine, Finland ink decade-long security cooperation pact

Wednesday, April 3, 2023

1258 GMT — Finland and Ukraine have signed a long-term agreement on security cooperation, during a visit by Finnish President Alexander Stubb to the Ukrainian capital.

Stubb also said Finland was delivering a $202 million package of military aid, including air defence and heavy ammunition to Ukraine's army to help it "win this war".

In the 10-year agreement, the Nordic country said it would "continue to provide long-term military, political and financial support, as well as humanitarian assistance and civil protection support to Ukraine ... for as long as it takes".

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1209 GMT — Backing Ukraine is investment, not charity: Belgium

Funding to support Ukraine is not charity but an investment, the Belgian foreign minister has said.

“We will envisage the feasibility of this proposition among us,” Lahbib said.

“This is not charity. This is an investment to our own protection. So this is very important, but on the other hand, it is dangerous to make promises that we cannot keep,” she added.

1109 GMT — NATO allies to provide 0.25 pct GDP for Ukraine: Estonia

Estonia's Foreign minister Margus Tsahkna said his country had proposed to all NATO allies that they provide each year 0.25 percent of their GDP in military support to Ukraine.

He was speaking ahead of a NATO foreign ministers meeting aiming to discuss how to put military support for Ukraine on a long-term footing, including a proposal for a $107 billion five-year fund and a plan seen as a way to "Trump-proof" aid for Kiev.

1035 GMT — Zelenskyy discusses weapon supplies with Japan's Kishida

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy discussed the situation on the frontline and needs of his nation's army in a phone talk with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.

In a statement on Telegram, Zelenskyy expressed gratitude to the Japanese government for its financial aid to Ukraine, amounting over $12 billion, and for allocating additional funds.

Zelenskyy provided an update to Kishida regarding the ongoing war with Russia, mentioning recent missile and drone attacks on its territory.

0923 GMT — Russia hit Ukraine with 3,000 bombs in March: Zelenskyy

Russia fired over 3,000 guided aerial bombs, 600 drones and 400 missiles at Ukraine in March alone, President Zelenskyy has said.

Russia has stepped up its long-range air strike campaign on Ukrainian energy infrastructure over the last two weeks, destroying another chunk of a system already hobbled by previous Russian bombardments during the 25-month full-scale offensive.

0917 GMT — NATO must ensure long-term, reliable arms for Ukraine: chief

NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said that alliance members must guarantee long-term weapon deliveries for Ukraine, as ministers prepared to discuss a proposal for a 100-billion-euro, five-year fund.

"We must ensure reliable and predictable security assistance to Ukraine for the long haul so that we rely less on the voluntary contributions and more on NATO commitments, less on short-term offers and more on multi-year pledges," Stoltenberg said as NATO foreign ministers met in Brussels.

0833 GMT — Ukraine behind Moscow concert attack: Russia security official

Top Russian security official Nikolai Patrushev has said that "Ukrainian special services" were behind last month's deadly concert shooting near Moscow and that Ukraine was under the control of the United States, state media reported.

Patrushev, secretary of the Security Council, provided no evidence for Russia's latest claim of Ukrainian involvement.

Ukraine has denied having anything to do with the attack that killed at least 144 people, and the United States has said the Daesh terror group bore sole responsibility.

0800 GMT — Ukraine lowers its conscription age to 25 to plug a shortfall in troop numbers fighting Russia

Ukraine lowered the military conscription age from 27 to 25 in an effort to replenish its depleted ranks after more than two years of war following Russia's full-scale military campaign.

The new mobilisation law came into force a day after Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed it. Ukraine's parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, passed it last year.

It was not immediately clear why Zelenskyy took so long to sign the measure into law. He didn't make any public comment about it, and officials did not say how many new soldiers the country expected to gain or for which units.

Conscription has been a sensitive matter in Ukraine for many months amid a growing shortage of infantry on top of a severe ammunition shortfall that has handed Russia the battlefield initiative. Russia's own problems with manpower and planning have so far prevented it from taking full advantage of its edge.

0724 GMT — Ukraine expects power exports to resume on Wednesday, ministry says

Ukraine expects significant electricity exports to rebound, but the volumes are still well below levels prior to Russia's recent missile attacks on the Ukrainian power system, Ukraine's energy ministry said.

Ukraine's electricity imports reached a record high at the end on March after a string of Russian missile strikes on critical infrastructure caused blackouts in many regions.

The attacks, the largest of which came on March 22, have caused major damage to generating and transmission facilities, forcing Kiev to halt power exports and rely on imports.

0514 GMT — Over 100,000 Russians signed contracts to join armed forces this year, ministry says

More than 100,000 people have enlisted for military service under contract in the Russian armed forces this year, the defence ministry said in a statement.

It said that over the last week, most of those enlisting said they wanted to avenge the victims of the March 22 concert hall shooting near Moscow that killed at least 144 people.

The Daesh group claimed responsibility but Russia says the perpetrators were linked to Ukraine, something Kiev has repeatedly denied.

2301 GMT — UK's Cameron calls for increased NATO spending amid Ukraine conflict

British Foreign Minister David Cameron has called for NATO allies to bolster defence spending and production in support of Ukraine amid the ongoing Russian assault.

"Allies need to step up and spend more on defence in the face of continued Russian aggression and a more dangerous world," Cameron will say in a speech on the occasion of 75 years of NATO history since its founding on April 4, 1949.

The British minister will ask the allies to endorse British-led initiatives to procure NATO standard missiles and munitions for the Ukrainian armed forces.

"With Ukraine closer to NATO than ever, we must sustain the critical support Ukraine needs to win the war," Cameron said.

2023 GMT — NATO mulls $107B 'Trump-proof' military fund for Ukraine

NATO foreign ministers meet to discuss how to put military support for Ukraine on a long-term footing, including a proposal for a $107 billion five-year fund and a plan seen as a way to "Trump-proof" aid for Kiev.

The proposals by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg would give the Western alliance a more direct role in coordinating the supply of arms, ammunition and equipment to Ukraine as it fights Russia's offensive, diplomats say.

Under the plans, NATO would take over some coordination work from a US-led adhoc coalition known as the Ramstein group — a move designed in part to guard against any cut in US support if Donald Trump returns to the White House, diplomats said.

For our live updates from Tuesday, April 2, click here.