(Bloomberg) — Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov suggested talks with the U.S. could be useful, as United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres continues diplomatic efforts to end the war in Ukraine with a trip to Moscow.
U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin is hosting NATO counterparts and other partners at Ramstein Air Base in Germany later on Tuesday to discuss ways of boosting weapons supplies to Ukraine, which has been fighting invading Russian forces for more than two months.
Guterres is due to hold talks with Lavrov and meet Vladimir Putin as he seeks progress in brokering a solution to the conflict ahead of a visit to Ukraine Wednesday for discussions with President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. There was intense fighting overnight in four regions across the south and east of the country, according to Ukraine’s military authorities.
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Key Developments
- Russia Warns of ‘Real’ Nuclear War Risk as Ukraine Talks Go On
- Blasts Hit Moscow-Backed Transnistria Region Near Ukraine
- Biden Weighs Adding Global Food Aid to Ukraine Funding Request
- U.S. Sees Russian Military Shortfalls After Austin, Blinken Trip
- The Long Shadow of Germany’s Top Putin Ally Is Hemming in Scholz
(All times CET)
Transnistria Says Radio Antennas Blown Up (9:45 a.m.)
Two radio antennas that carried Russian state broadcasts to Transnistria in Moldova were blown up early Tuesday, according to the breakaway region’s Interior Ministry, the second episode of violence reported in the Moscow-backed region in as many days.
On Monday, authorities reported that unknown attackers fired several rounds from a grenade launcher at the state security headquarters in Transnistria’s capital, Tiraspol. No one was injured. The Moldovan government said in a statement that those explosions were aimed at “creating pretexts for straining the security situation” in the enclave bordering Ukraine, and called for calm.
Oil Gives Up Gains (5:38 a.m.)
Oil has given up most of the gains since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in late February following a tumultuous period of trading. The war has led to the U.S. and U.K. banning Russian crude imports, while the European Union is considering similar measures as the conflict continues.
Biden Announces Choice for Ambassador (2:30 a.m.)
President Joe Biden announced he intends to nominate Bridget Brink as ambassador to Ukraine. Brink is a veteran diplomat who, according to a White House statement, “spent her twenty-five-year career in the Foreign Service focused on advancing U.S. policy in Europe and Eurasia.”
On Twitter, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer called Brink “an excellent choice to lead our diplomatic mission as we continue standing with the Ukrainian people, and we will move quickly to confirm her.”
Biden Weighs Adding Global Food Aid (1:02 a.m.)
The Biden administration is weighing swift action to ramp up global food assistance amid rising concern that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is stoking a hunger crisis in many poorer nations, according to people familiar with the discussions. White House spokespeople declined immediate comment.
The war has disrupted exports of wheat, corn, sunflower oil and other foods from Russia and Ukraine, and growing alarm about how to deal with rapidly rising food costs and insecurity is driving bipartisan support in Congress for providing as much as $5 billion in aid.
U.K. to Remove Tariffs on All Ukraine Imports (12:29 a.m.)
The U.K. said it would remove tariffs on imports covered by its trade agreement with Ukraine, following a pledge made by Prime Minister Boris Johnson during his visit to Kyiv this month. The measure will boost Ukraine’s exports of products including barley and poultry, the Department for International Trade said on its website.
The department also announced further bans on exports to Russia, covering “products and technology” that could be used for repressive purposes, such as interception and monitoring equipment.
Lavrov Warns of ‘Serious’ Risk of Nuclear Conflict (11:15 p.m.)
In an interview with Russia’s Channel 1 TV, Lavrov warned of the risk of nuclear war even though the world’s atomic powers made a joint declaration in January that such a conflict is unacceptable. “The danger is serious, the danger is real, and shouldn’t be underestimated,” the foreign minister said.
Lavrov said that talks with Ukraine’s negotiating team would continue even though many in Russia believe that the Kyiv government’s position is set in Washington and other Western capitals. He said it could be useful to hold talks with the U.S., “but we don’t see any interest from their side in contacts regarding Ukraine or other issues.”
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