LIVE: Russian invasion shut down 30% of Ukraine's economy, says FM

The Russian invasion has forced 30% of Ukraine's economy to stop working, Finance Minister Serhiy Marchenko said in a televised interview on Saturday

8:03 PM

Japan announces five trillion Yen (Rs 3,20,000 crore) investment target in India

7:51 PM

India-Japan are working as 'One team- One project' on Mumbai-Ahmedabad high-speed rail corridor: PM Modi

7:47 PM

Medvedev says Russia has many reliable partners with promising markets

Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council, Dmitry Medvedev, said that Russia has many reliable partners in the post-Soviet space -- in China, Southeast Asia and Africa.

 

There are many more countries in the world than those that are part of the West, he said.

 

"You can proclaim yourself a 'golden billion' as much as you like, but the population on the globe is many times larger, and metals are much more expensive than gold. By the way, we also get them. And who is isolating whom now is a big question.

 

"Russia has many reliable partners, not only in the post-Soviet space, but also in China, Southeast Asia and African countries. This is a huge, promising market, which is not torn apart by such contradictions as in Europe. The fruits of this partnership and cooperation are more than obvious," Medvedev said, RT reported.

7:42 PM

PM Narendra Modi speaks at the India-Japan Economic Forum, in Delhi

6:38 PM

War could halt crop exports from Ukraine, says presidential adviser

Ukraine may not produce enough crops to export if this year's sowing campaigns are disrupted by Russia's invasion, presidential adviser Oleh Ustenko said in a televised interview on Saturday.

 

"Ukraine has enough grain and food reserves to survive for a year, but if the war continues ... (Ukraine) will not be able to export grain to the world, and there will be problems," he said, adding that Ukraine is the world's fifth-largest wheat exporter.

6:10 PM

Germany, seeking to pare Russia energy, courts Qatar and UAE for deals

German Economy Minister Robert Habeck said on Saturday that he will explore liquefied natural gas (LNG) supply on a trip to Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, and aims to secure a hydrogen deal, making Germany less dependent on Russia.

 

Russia is the largest supplier of gas to Germany, according to data on the Economy Ministry's website. Since Russia invaded Ukraine, Habeck has launched several initiatives to lessen Germany's energy dependence on Russia, including large orders of non-Russian LNG, plans for a terminal to import LNG and slowing the nation's exit from coal.

 

Habeck, ahead of the weekend trip, said "the goal ... is to establish a hydrogen partnership in the medium term, that is, to flank it politically."

 

6:00 PM

Russia-China cooperation will only get stronger: Interfax cites Lavrov

Cooperation between Russia and China will only become stronger in the current circumstances, the Interfax news agency quoted Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov as saying on Saturday.

 

"This cooperation will get stronger, because at a time when the West is blatantly undermining all the foundations on which the international system is based, of course we - as two great powers - need to think how to carry on in this world," Lavrov was quoted as saying.

5:59 PM

Putin 'in better shape than ever', Belarus leader says

Russian President Vladimir Putin is healthy, sane and "in better shape than ever", his close ally Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko has said in an interview with the Japanese television channel TBS.

 

"He and I haven't only met as heads of state, we're on friendly terms," Lukashenko said in a recording of the interview shared by state news agency BelTA. "I'm absolutely privy to all his details, as far as possible, both state and personal." Russia used Belarusian territory as a staging post for its invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24.

 

Western leaders have suggested Putin made a costly miscalculation by launching the military assault on Ukraine, where Russian forces have taken heavy losses and their advance has largely stalled despite their apparent superiority.

5:59 PM

Seven killed in mortar attack near Ukrainian capital, police say

A Russian mortar attack on Ukrainian town of Makariv in the Kyiv region killed seven people and hospitalised five on Friday, local police said in a statement on Saturday.

 

"As a result of enemy shelling of Makariv, seven civilians were killed," the statement said. Russia denies targeting civilians.

5:26 PM

Russia's Lavrov: No reason to believe that OPEC+ mechanism will be dismantled

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov sees no reason to believe that the OPEC+ mechanism will be dismantled as no one is interested in that, the Interfax news agency quoted him as saying on Saturday.

 

Lavrov said the OPEC+ format will still be needed once new participants emerge on the global oil supply market, Interfax reported.

5:24 PM

If Ukraine doesn't agree with Russia now, it will eventually sign an act of surrender: Lukashenko

President of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, has said that if Ukraine does not agree with Russia now, it will eventually sign an act of surrender.

 

"It is now that Russia is offering Ukraine an agreement. If Ukraine does not come to an agreement with Russia, it will sign the act of surrender," Lukashenko said during a TV interview, RT reported.

 

According to Lukashenko, now the Russian side is offering Ukraine a settlement and an agreement, which are acceptable.

 

"Perhaps, the only moment that may not be repeated is for Ukraine to adequately get out of the current situation. If this moment is lost, it will most likely never come back. This situation will no longer exist. Therefore, Ukraine needs to cling to this moment," he stressed.

4:42 PM

Poland proposes total EU ban on trade with Russia, PM says

Poland has proposed to the European Union that the bloc impose a total ban on trade with Russia, Prime Minister Mateus Morawiecki said on Saturday, urging tougher sanctions on Moscow for its invasion of Ukraine.

 

"Poland is proposing to add a trade blockade to this package of sanctions as soon as possible, (including) both of its seaports... but also a ban on land trade. Fully cutting off Russia's trade would further force Russia to consider whether it would be better to stop this cruel war," Morawiecki said.

 

Earlier this week EU member states agreed on a fourth package of sanctions against Russia. Details were not disclosed, but the French presidency said Russia's "most-favoured nation" trade status would be revoked.

4:01 PM

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida arrives in Delhi on a two-day visit

3:30 PM

Ukraine says 10 corridors agreed with Russians

Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk announced Saturday that 10 humanitarian corridors have been agreed on with the Russians.

 

They include a corridor from the besieged port city of Mariupol, several in the Kyiv region and several in the Luhansk region.

 

She also announced plans to deliver humanitarian aid to the city of Kherson, which is currently under control of the Russian forces.

 

In his nightly video address, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russian forces are blockading the largest cities with the goal of creating such miserable conditions that Ukrainians will cooperate. He said the Russians are preventing supplies from reaching surrounded cities in central and southeastern Ukraine.

3:30 PM

Ukraine sees no major changes in fighting over past 24 hours, says official

Ukrainian authorities have not noticed any significant shifts over the past 24 hours in front line areas where Ukrainian troops are battling Russian forces, presidential adviser Oleksiy Arestovych said on Saturday.

 

In an online video address, he said fighting was ongoing and named the southeastern city of Mariupol, the southern cities of Mykolaiv and Kherson, and the eastern town of Izyum as particular hotspots where Russian troops were on the offensive.