- War in Ukraine Hungary and Poland temporarily ban imports of grain and other products from Ukraine
- Wide-angle Taiwan exposes Europe's internal fracture over China
The religious holiday of Orthodox Easter was not a reason for a lull in fighting in Ukraine's 418-day war. The mercenaries of the Wagner Group made progress in Bakhmut (Artiomovsk for the Russians), the city in eastern Ukraine where fierce fighting has been taking place since August last year, and sent at least a hundred Ukrainian prisoners of war back to Ukraine for the religious holiday.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky used the celebration to launch a message of "unwavering faith" in victory against Russia.
At the diplomatic level, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has again proposed the creation of a group of countries not involved in the war between Russia and Ukraine to negotiate peace.
President Lula said he had discussed seven issues with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping. Meanwhile, China said it was willing to work with Russia to forge close strategic communication between its militaries, Chinese state media reported. Li met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Sunday.
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07.53
Beijing, ready to "strengthen communication" between the Chinese and Russian Army
The Chinese Defense Minister, Li Shangfu, met this Sunday in Moscow with Russian President Vladimir Putin, to whom he transferred that Beijing is willing to "strengthen strategic communication" between the armies of both countries.
"China is willing to work together with Russia to strengthen strategic communication between the two militaries and strengthen multilateral coordination and cooperation in order to make new contributions in safeguarding global and regional security and stability," Li said.
He added that "mutual military trust between the two countries has been increasingly consolidated, which translates into substantial progress in terms of cooperation."
According to Xinhua, Putin recalled "the recent and fruitful visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to Russia," during which "the course for the development of relations between the two countries" was charted, agreeing to "further strengthen strategic coordination and deepen practical cooperation in various fields."
He added that military cooperation plays "an important role in Russia-China ties," expressing hope that the two militaries will "strengthen cooperation in joint training, professional exchanges and other spheres."
Li is in Russia between April 16 and 19 invited by his counterpart from the Eurasian country, Sergei Shoigu.
During his stay, he will meet with Russian military leaders and visit military academies, Chinese military spokesman Tan Kefei said last week.
The Chinese and Russian militaries "have maintained close interaction" that has led to "new developments in strategic communication, joint military exercises and pragmatic cooperation," Tan said.
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07.42
Zelenskiy congratulates Orthodox Easter with "unwavering faith" in victory
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky congratulated believers on Sunday on the occasion of Orthodox Easter, which he said Ukraine celebrates "with unwavering faith" in the victory against Russia, in a speech in which for once he abandoned his military garb to wear a traditional embroidered shirt.
"Today we celebrate the feast of the Resurrection of the Lord. Its main symbol is victory: the victory of good, the victory of truth, the victory of life. We celebrate Easter with unwavering faith in the irreversibility of these victories," he said in a video distributed by the Presidential Office, reports Efe.
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07.40
More financial support
A new $115 billion international economic support package gives Ukraine more confidence that it can prevail in the fight against the Russian invasion, Ukrainian Finance Minister Serhiy Marchenko told Reuters.
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07.36
Wagner conquers another two blocks of house in Bajmut
The Russian Defense Ministry stated that Wagner's mercenary units had captured two other city blocks in the northwestern and southeastern areas of Bakhmut. The battle for the city of Donetsk, where both sides have invested huge material and human resources, has become the longest of the war in Ukraine.
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07.34
Wagner frees a hundred Ukrainian prisoners of war
Russia's most powerful mercenary group, Wagner, sent at least 100 Ukrainian prisoners of war back to Ukraine on the occasion of Orthodox Easter, according to a video posted by the group's founder, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Reuters reports.
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07.33
Lula proposes a meeting for the peace of countries not involved
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has again proposed the creation of a group of countries not involved in the war between Russia and Ukraine to negotiate peace, and has claimed that he has recently discussed the issue with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, Reuters reports.
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07.30
Clash over grain imports
A spokesman for the European Commission said it is unacceptable for European Union member states to take unilateral action on trade, after Poland and Hungary announced bans on imports of cereals and other food from Ukraine to protect their agricultural sectors, Reuters reports.
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