It comes as Russia has begun withdrawing some troops from Kyiv, according to CNN. In a new video – the first time he spoke about the peace talks that ended with a hint of some possible progress that follows – he said that only a specific outcome of the talks can be trusted. The US says “do not be fooled” by the Russian realignment – live updates But he added that he sees no reason to trust the words of some representatives of a power that “continues to fight for our destruction.” In other news: • Ukrainian troops “reclaim territory” and repel Russian forces • More than 40 Russian diplomats expelled from four countries for alleged espionage • Soldier telling Russian warship “go alone” Sky team receives award discusses for the first time the miraculous escape from the ambush in Kyiv “The situation has not become easier,” Zelensky said, warning that the Russian military still had “significant capabilities” to carry out attacks. “We are not reducing our defense efforts,” he added. “The enemy is still on our territory. The bombing of our cities continues. Mariupol is under siege. The rockets and airstrikes do not stop. That is the reality.” Mr Zelenskyy also announced an update to the government’s Diia mobile app, which means citizens can apply to the state for money to make up for the loss of a house or apartment as part of the war. “The state will compensate for every measure of lost real estate,” he said. Russia is offering to reduce its military presence near Kyiv Earlier, Russia offered to drastically reduce military activity near the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, and around Chernihiv. Alexander Fomin, the Kremlin’s deputy defense minister, said Moscow had decided to “fundamentally cut” operations to “increase mutual trust”. The UK Department of Defense said in its latest update that Russia’s stated focus on an attack on Donetsk and Luhansk was “probably a tacit admission that it is struggling to maintain more than one major axis of advance”. He said Russian units had returned to Belarus and Russia to “reorganize and resupply” after suffering heavy casualties. “Russia is likely to continue to compensate for the reduced ground maneuvering capacity through massive artillery and missile strikes,” the foreign ministry warned. He explained the invasion of Ukraine US President Joe Biden has expressed skepticism about Russia’s commitment, telling reporters at the White House: “We will see if they follow.” A Western official said Russia’s announcement “seems to be more of a tactic exercise” to save time for troops to regroup – a sentiment backed by the Pentagon. He acknowledged that there was a “small movement” of Russian troops away from Kyiv, but described it more as a “repositioning – not a withdrawal”. Read more: Zelensky offers Putin a way out of the war – but will the Russian leader step down? Use the Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 0:15 Huge fire in an oil depot in Ukraine Russia outlines possible path to peace Ukrainian and Russian officials met in Istanbul for talks, during which the Russian delegation outlined two steps to de-escalate the war. The reduction of troops was one of the steps, while the other offer was a meeting between the leaders of the two countries if and when a peace treaty was to be reached. The head of the Russian delegation, Vladimir Medinsky, stressed that the withdrawal did not represent a ceasefire. Use the Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 3:08 The struggle for survival in Chernihiv In further indications that Russia is reducing its targets in the conflict, a report this morning suggested that it was willing to make two key concessions. Calls for a “de-escalation” of Ukraine – widely understood as a code of regime change – have been rejected by Russia as part of negotiations on a ceasefire, sources told the Financial Times. Sanctioned Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich also appeared in peace talks Tuesday morning after allegations he had been poisoned in previous talks – a claim the Kremlin has rejected as part of an “information war”. Read more: How involved is Roman Abramovich in peace talks?
KEY POINTS FROM SPEECHES
The Ukrainian and Russian delegations arrived in Istanbul late Monday afternoon with low expectations. By the time they left, on Tuesday afternoon, talk of a major discovery resonated around the world. The talks lasted only a few hours, but both sides seemed to be making compromises that could pave the way for something bigger. Ukraine is said to be ready to give up its ambitions to join NATO. In exchange for sworn neutrality, they will demand security guarantees from as yet unclear states. The United States and the United Kingdom have been discussed, but because of their prominent position in NATO, they may prove unacceptable to Moscow – Poland, Italy and Canada have been added to the list. Ukraine remains firm in its refusal to leave Crimea and Donbas. Russia is just as firm on this issue. These territorial negotiations could be separated at a later date, depending on the outcome of more direct peace talks. But the most unexpected announcement of the day came from the Russian delegation – the proposal to withdraw forces from around Kyiv and Chernihiv. In fact, Russian forces had been bogged down and made little progress for weeks. It was rumored that many of them would pull east anyway, to boost the push there. The prospect of Russian troops occupying Kyiv is becoming increasingly unrealistic, so this is more of a face-saving move. Putin would describe it as a confidence-building gesture, but in reality it represents a complete failure to achieve what he wrongly thought he would do in a matter of days. The Turkish hosts, eager to be pacifists, have suggested that the next step is for Putin and Zelensky to meet in person. This is certainly more likely tonight, but after weeks of broken Russian promises, I can only maintain some skepticism. “No one in Ukraine was left unscathed” An estimated 18 million people in Ukraine will need humanitarian assistance amid the devastation of the Russian invasion, said the head of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). The Ukrainian Red Cross has already reached 400,000 people with items such as food, bedding, blankets, tents and water since the start of the war. Speaking to reporters at a UN briefing in Geneva, he said “no one in Ukraine is safe from the ongoing conflict.” Follow the Daily Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, according to information, Britain also provided specialized equipment to the Ukrainian police. In a statement to the Telegram, the department said British explosives technicians had delivered “special equipment for explosive ordnance disposal, minesweepers, explosion control systems, diagnostic devices, first aid kits and other equipment”.
