“Weathering the Russian energy terror is now our national task,” Zelenskyj said in his evening video address on Thursday. He spoke of about 4.5 million people who were repeatedly affected by emergency shutdowns, especially in Kiev and ten other areas.
The fact that Russia has been increasingly attacking thermal and power plants of late is “a sign of weakness,” Selenskyj said. The Russian army cannot achieve success on the battlefield and is now trying to “break” the Ukrainians on this path. But this won’t work. Friday is the 254th day of the war.
Zelenskyj: G20 participation only without Putin
Ukraine makes its participation in the G20 summit in Indonesia on November 15-16 dependent on its war enemy, Russia. If Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin travels to the meeting, he will not attend, Zelenskyj said in Kiev, according to the Unian agency. This is his “personal position and the position of the country”. Putin has so far left open whether he will travel to Bali.
US: Ukraine can retake territory
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has expressed confidence that Ukrainians can still recapture Russian-occupied areas on the west side of the Dnipro River and around the city of Kherson. “I think they can,” Austin said in Washington on Thursday. “The most important thing is that the Ukrainians themselves believe that they can do it.”
The US plays a central role in providing weapons and other aid to Ukraine in defense against the Russian war of aggression, which has been going on since February. Western security circles announced on Thursday that Russia is preparing to withdraw from Kherson in southern Ukraine. The strategically important city was one of the first to be occupied by Russian forces and is one of four areas Kremlin chief Putin recently declared part of Russia, in violation of international law.
Baerbock announces G7 winter aid for Ukraine
Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has announced coordinated action by the G7 Group of Economically Strong Democracies on winter aid to Ukraine. “The joint sanctions we initiated are now being followed by joint winter aid from G7 partners,” the Greens politician said at the start of the consultations in Münster on Thursday. Many other countries have already announced that they will join. Russia recently launched a targeted attack on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. “This winter aid also means that we will not accept violations of peace and international law in the winter,” Baerbock said.
Despite Russian vetoes, OSCE continues to work in Ukraine
The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) has resumed its limited work in support of Ukraine, despite a veto by Moscow. With some 70 employees in Kiev, among others, psychosocial services must be strengthened, mine clearance promoted and illegal arms trade curbed, OSCE diplomats said Thursday at the organization’s headquarters in Vienna. Germany, Poland, the US and the Scandinavian countries are among the countries that have pledged around 7 million euros for 23 projects so far.
Moscow quotes British ambassador to the Foreign Office
The Foreign Office in Moscow has called in the British ambassador over London’s alleged involvement in a Ukrainian drone attack on Russia’s Black Sea fleet. The conversation with Ambassador Deborah Bronnert lasted about half an hour on Thursday, the Russian state news agency Tass reports. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Bronnert would like to provide evidence of British specialists’ involvement in preparing for Saturday’s drone strike. The evidence must be made public.
Imprisoned basketball player Griner was allowed to meet American diplomats
US basketball player Brittney Griner, who is being held in Russia, has met with staff at the US embassy. She is making it as best as possible under the circumstances, White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said on Thursday. She reiterated that the US had made a “major offer” to the Kremlin to release Griner and ex-Marine Paul Whelan, also detained in Russia, to which the Russian side has still not responded. Griner was arrested at a Moscow airport in February with a small amount of hashish and was sentenced to nine years in prison by a Moscow court in early August.
That will be important on Friday
The meeting of foreign ministers of the G7, chaired by German foreign minister Baerbock, ends in Münster – one of the topics is the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine. In Moscow, Russian President Putin visits the exhibition “Ukraine. Over the years”.
(SDA)