Here is the situation as it stands on Wednesday, April 5, 2023:
Diplomacy
- After decades of neutrality, Finland has become the 31st country to join NATO, prompted by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said the alliance would also ensure that Sweden, whose membership has been held up by NATO members Turkey and Hungary, will also join.
- French President Emmanuel Macron and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen fly into Beijing on Wednesday on a three-day state visit to China that is set to focus on Ukraine.
- The United Nations Human Rights Council agreed to appoint Bulgarian human rights expert Mariana Katzarova as a special rapporteur to monitor the situation inside Russia. It also voted to extend an investigative body looking into possible war crimes committed since Russia invaded Ukraine.
- Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko will travel to Moscow on Wednesday for two days of talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, the Kremlin said.
- Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who was arrested and charged with spying in Russia last week, met his lawyers for the first time on Tuesday, editor-in-chief Emma Tucker told staff in a message.
Conflict
- The United States unveiled a $2.6bn package of military assistance for Ukraine that includes three air surveillance radars, anti-tank rockets and fuel trucks, the Pentagon announced on Tuesday.
- Russian investigators have formally charged Darya Trepova with terrorism over a bomb blast that killed military blogger Vladlen Tatarsky. Trepova has been remanded in custody.
- In an interview with Ireland’s public service broadcaster (RTÉ), former US President Bill Clinton said he regrets his role in persuading Ukraine to give up its nuclear weapons in 1994. Clinton suggested Russia would not have invaded Ukraine if Kyiv still had its nuclear deterrent.
Fighting
- Ukrainian defence systems destroyed 14 out of 17 Iranian-made Shahed drones launched by Russia on Monday night, Ukraine’s military said.
- According to the United Kingdom’s Ministry of Defence, the Russian government is probably looking to develop alternative private military groups to replace the Wagner Group.
Economy
- US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the US and the European Union were exploring ways to further reduce Europe’s dependence on Russian energy.
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has discussed further US assistance to Ukraine with a delegation of Republican members of the US House of Representatives.
- Lithuania’s parliament has voted to ban Russian nationals from buying property in their country, citing risks to national security.
