LIVE: Biden says he thinks Russia should be removed from G-20

Biden also said if countries such as Indonesia and others do not agree with removing Russia, then in his view, Ukraine should be allowed to attend the meetings

7:48 PM

NATO allies have agreed to supply weapons to Ukraine to tackle such attacks: Jens Stoltenberg

7:42 PM

US to welcome 100,000 Ukrainians and others fleeing Russia’s aggression: White House

7:11 PM

Ukraine says Russian forces have been pushed back in some areas around Kyiv

Ukraine said on Thursday that its troops had pushed back Russian forces from some areas around Kyiv but that Russia had not given up hope of surrounding and seizing the Ukrainian capital.

 

"In some sectors the enemy was driven back by more than 70 km (44 miles), in some sectors the enemy is at a distance of 35 km," Defence Ministry spokesperson Oleksander Motuzyanyk told a televised briefing.

 

Without citing evidence, he said the Kremlin had been sending additional military equipment to Belarus to reinforce its troops attacking Kyiv.

 

 

6:57 PM

G7 restricting Russian bank's use of gold

Group of Seven leaders have announced they are restricting the Russian Central Bank's use of gold in transactions, while the US announced a new round of sanctions targeting more than 400 elites and members of the Russian State Duma.

 

Previously, sanctions against Russian elites, the country's Central Bank and President Vladimir Putin did not impact Russia's gold stockpile, which Putin has been accumulating for several years. Russia holds roughly $130 billion in gold reserves, and the Bank of Russia announced Feb 28 that it would resume the purchase of gold on the domestic precious metals market.

 

White House officials said Thursday the move will further blunt Russia's ability to use its international reserves to prop up Russia's economy and fund its war against Ukraine.

 

6:37 PM

US to welcome up to 100,000 Ukrainians fleeing war: Report

The United States plans to accept up to 100,000 Ukrainians fleeing Russia's invasion, two sources familiar with the plan said, after a month of bombardments has brought Europe's fastest-moving refugee crisis since the end of World War Two.

 

The expected announcement would coincide with US President Joe Biden's meeting with European leaders on Thursday to coordinate the Western response to the crisis.

 

More than 3.5 million people have fled since Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, according to the United Nations.

The sources who spoke to Reuters did not clarify how the United States would handle travel and immigration logistics.

 

6:22 PM

Continue to support Ukraine with security assistance to fight Russian aggression: US President Biden

6:20 PM

UK imposes new sanctions to cut off Russia's key industries

The UK government announced 65 new Russian sanctions on Thursday against a range of key strategic industries and individuals, which it says are aimed at cutting off support for President Vladimir Putin's “war machine” in Ukraine.

 

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said the latest set of sanctions, which add to over 1,000 already imposed by the UK, target key industries supporting Russia's illegal invasion, including Russian Railways and defence company Kronshtadt, the main producer of Russian drones.

 

The Wagner Group, the organisation of Russian mercenaries reportedly tasked with assassinating Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has also been sanctioned.

5:43 PM

Providing £25 mn in financial backing for Ukrainian military, apart from £400 mn committed in aid: UK PM

5:38 PM

Ukrainian president to press Biden, NATO for more support

Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelenskyy called on people worldwide to gather in public Thursday to show support for his embattled country as U.S. President Joe Biden and other world leaders met for talks focused on pressuring Russia to end the invasion that is entering its second month.

 

“Come to your squares, your streets. Make yourselves visible and heard,” Zelenskyy said in English during an emotional video address late Wednesday that was recorded in the dark near the presidential offices in Kyiv. “Say that people matter. Freedom matters. Peace matters. Ukraine matters.”

 

Brussels was the center Thursday of a flurry of diplomatic activity. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg opened an emergency summit bringing together Biden and other leaders by saying that the alliance is determined to continue to ratchet up the costs on Russia for its aggression.

 

5:13 PM

WB govt orders a 10-day special clean-up drive; directs Police to uncover illegal arms and ammunition

4:38 PM

China rejects disinformation accusations

China is rejecting accusations of helping Russia spread disinformation over Washington's involvement in Ukraine, while repeating Moscow's baseless claims about secret American biological warfare labs in Ukraine.

 

“Accusing China of spreading disinformation on Ukraine is disinformation in itself,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said at a daily Briefing Thursday. He said China has acted in “an objective and just manner." Wang claimed the international community continues to have “grave concerns” about US biolabs in Ukraine, despite rebuttals from independent scientists.

 

4:38 PM

Birbhum killing: BJP delegation, led by WB BJP chief Sukanta Majumdar, reaches Bagtui to meet the victims

4:05 PM

'We stand for peace', Jaishankar briefs Rajya Sabha on Ukraine war

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Thursday told the Rajya Sabha that India's stand on the Russia-Ukraine war is based on six principles.

 

Responding to a question, he said that India has called for immediate cessation of violence and end to all hostilities. "We stand for peace, we believe that there is no other way than a return to the path of dialogue and diplomacy. We recognize that the global order is anchored on international law, UN charter and respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty of all states and we call for humanitarian access to a conflict situation."

 

He also said, "We have given 90 tonnes of humanitarian assistance so far and we are looking to providing more, especially medicines."

 

Jaishankar also said that the Government of India is in touch with the leadership of both the Russian Federation and Ukraine on this matter. "The Prime Minister himself has spoken with the Presidents of both the countries. This was also mentioned in a statement made before the House recently," he added.

 

3:50 PM

Biden, Western allies open 1st of 3 summits on Russian war

US President Joe Biden and Western allies opened the first of three summits Thursday focused on increasing pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin over his war in Ukraine while tending to the economic and security fallout spreading across Europe and the world.

 

Biden and the leaders of other NATO countries met at the alliance's headquarters where they posed for a group photo memorialising the urgent gathering before retreating behind closed doors for their summit, which was expected to last several hours.

 

Over the course of Thursday, the European diplomatic capital is hosting an emergency NATO summit as well as a gathering of the Group of Seven industrialised nations and a summit of the 27 members of the European Union.

 

Biden will attend all three meetings and plans to hold a news conference at the end of the day.

 

Biden arrived here late Wednesday with the hopes of nudging allies to enact new sanctions on Russia, which has already seen its economy crippled by a steady stream of bans, boycotts and penalties over the past four weeks.

3:45 PM

NHRC takes suo motu cognizance of Birbhum killings, investigations to be carried out by team there