If you’re just joining us, here’s what you need to know about the developments in Ukraine so far today.
Zelensky visits Bucha: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited the town near the country’s capital after images over the weekend showed civilian bodies found strewn across a street and sparked international outrage.
He addressed the cameras around him briefly, saying that it was “very difficult” for Ukraine to negotiate with Russia following the atrocities carried out by Russian forces in Bucha. He the atrocities carried out in the town typify “the nature of the Russian military” and added that they “treat people worse than animals.”
Growing number of leaders and institutions call the Bucha atrocities a “war crime: The European Union on Monday announced it has established a joint investigation team with Ukraine to probe alleged Russian war crimes and crimes against humanity.
US President Joe Biden Monday called the atrocities committed by Russia and President Vladimir Putin in Bucha, Ukraine, a “war crime” but said it was not a genocide, adding that he is looking into more sanctions on Russia.
French President Emmanuel Macron said it’s “his wish” to see a total block on Russian exports of coal and oil to the European Union “this week,” following the discovery of what he described as “war crimes” in the Ukrainian town of Bucha.
European countries consider more sanctions against Russia but face economic concerns: Germany’s Finance Minister Christian Lindner said Germany supports further sanctions on Russia, but cutting off gas supplies was not possible right now. This comes as one of the country’s top banking officials, Christian Sewing, said Germany would face a “substantial recession” if supplies of Russian gas stop.
Similarly, Belgian Finance Minister Vincent Van Peteghem said Monday that the process of the fifth package of sanctions against Russia should be accelerated. However, he stressed that any proposed sanctions had to have a stronger economic impact on Russia than on the EU, adding that the effect of the war was being felt across Europe.
“We see rising energy prices, we see rising prices at the pump, rising prices in the supermarkets, so we really need to see how we can coordinate that situation,” he said.
Here’s a look at Ukraine’s claimed counteroffensives around Kyiv:
