Situation on the ground, international reactions, sanctions: update on the invasion of Ukraine by Russia.
Israel slams Lavrov’s comments about Hitler
Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid on Monday slammed his Russian counterpart Lavrov, who claimed Hitler “had Jewish blood” and summoned the Russian ambassador for “clarifications.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr “Zelensky makes this argument: how can Nazism be present (in Ukraine) if he himself is Jewish. I could be wrong, but Hitler also had Jewish blood,” Mr. Lavrov, whose statement was transcribed on his ministry’s website.
Russia has repeatedly said it wants to “denazify” Ukraine. Since the invasion of the country by the Russians on February 24, the Jewish state has tried to maintain a delicate balance between kyiv and Moscow, but the remarks on Sunday by Mr. Lavrov sparked outrage.
Interview: Salomé Zourabichvili: “In Ukraine, the Americans put what it takes for a victory”
Oil and banks: the EU will propose new sanctions
The European Commission is expected to propose a sixth sanctions package on Tuesday that would include a timetable for phasing out Russian oil imports, which account for 30% of European Union oil imports.
If the 27 agree on this measure, the cessation of purchases of oil and petroleum products from Russia will be gradual, over six to eight months, but with measures with immediate effect, in particular a tax on transport by tankers, said a European official.
The new sanctions will also concern “the banking sector, there will be other Russian banks that will come out of Swift”, said the high representative of the EU for foreign affairs, Josep Borrell, on a visit to Panama, in reference to the system interbank system that allows you to communicate quickly and securely on transactions.
Several European diplomatic sources had indicated this weekend that the most important Russian bank, Sberbank, which represents 37% of the market, should thus be excluded from Swift.
Boris Johnson to address Ukrainian parliament
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will address the Ukrainian Parliament by videoconference on Tuesday, a first for a Western leader since the start of the Russian invasion, and announce 300 million pounds of additional military aid to kyiv.
“This is your hour of glory,” he must tell Ukrainian MPs according to a Downing Street press release published Monday evening, drawing a parallel with the unity displayed by the Parliament and the British people during the Second World War. “We remember our period of great peril as our hour of glory,” he said in his scheduled speech around 10:00 a.m. (UK time, 0900 GMT).
He must announce a new component of military aid worth 300 million pounds (357 million euros), including in particular defensive armament equipment. So far, the UK has supplied Ukraine with 5,000 anti-tank missiles, five anti-aircraft missile systems with over 100 missiles and 4.5 tons of explosives.
Denmark and Sweden reopen their embassies in kyiv…
Denmark and Sweden announced on Monday the reopening of their embassies in kyiv, in a sign of support for Ukraine against the Russian invasion.
“On Wednesday the Swedish Embassy will reopen in Kyiv,” Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde wrote on Twitter. His Danish counterpart Jeppe Kofod reopened his country’s embassy in the Ukrainian capital on Monday during a surprise visit.
… and return of US diplomats expected by the end of May
The return of American diplomats to kyiv, the Ukrainian capital which they had left in mid-February a few days before the start of the Russian invasion, is hoped “by the end of the month” of May, announced Monday the charge of American businessman Kristina Kvien.
The Bolshoi withdraws shows
The Bolshoi Theater in Moscow announced on Monday evening the withdrawal of its poster from the performances scheduled for May by two directors who left Russia and publicly communicated their opposition to its offensive in Ukraine.