On the 29th day of the invasion in Ukraine, Thursday March 24, Russian forces are still besieging the major southern port city, Mariupol. Counterattacks enabled the Ukrainians to regain ground near kyiv. Three summits (G7, NATO, EU) are scheduled for Thursday where Western countries intend to warn Vladimir Putin.
► The site of the Russian editorial staff of RFI broadcasts Ukrainian public radio (in the Ukrainian language) from the home page.
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The main points:
► Russian troops are still trying, without success, to encircle kyiv. Some residential areas of the capital were targeted by strikes on Wednesday. The bombardments continue on many Ukrainian cities, such as Kharkiv, Mariupol, Odessa, Mykolaiv, but without major strategic progress.
► Kyiv and Moscow each described as “ difficult » the talks with Russia with a view to a cessation of hostilities, the two parties rejecting responsibility for the blockages. After several face-to-face negotiating sessions, they are continuing online, said the Ukrainian negotiator.
► The Ukrainian president spoke by videoconference to the elected members of the French Parliament on Wednesday to obtain further support from France in the face of the war led by Russia. Earlier in the day, he addressed the Japanese parliament, calling for UN reforms.
► Joe Biden arrives in Europe where he will participate in the NATO, G7 and European Union summit on Thursday before going to Poland.
Times are given in Universal Time (UT)
1:04 am: Renault immediately suspends the activities of its factory in Moscow
The French automaker was the subject of growing criticism over the recent resumption of business on Russian soil. The pressure escalated on Wednesday, when Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called on French companies to leave Russia, citing Auchan, Leroy Merlin and Renault.
Shortly after, the head of Ukrainian diplomacy Dmytro Kouleba welcomed Wednesday evening the decision of Renault to suspend the activities of its factory in Moscow, a few hours after having called for a “ boycott campaign of the French car manufacturer Renault.
I welcome @renaultgroup‘s statement on cessation of industrial activities in Russia. Responsible move against the backdrop of Russia’s ongoing barbaric aggression against Ukraine. https://t.co/8LFGoGz94e
— Dmytro Kuleba (@DmytroKuleba) March 23, 2022
►The car manufacturer Renault announces that it is suspending the activities of its factory in Moscow
12:01 a.m.: West to warn Putin at three summits this Thursday
Western countries will warn Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday that his country will pay an “exorbitant” price for the invasion of Ukraine, on the occasion of three summits – of NATO, the G7 and the European Union – which will be held Thursday in the presence of US President Joe Biden.
The day of meetings aims to maintain Western unity and will begin at the Atlantic Alliance headquarters in Brussels, where leaders will agree to strengthen military forces on Europe’s eastern flank.