MOSCOW/KYIV/BERLIN/WARSAW/WASHINGTON, March 10 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Russian President Vladimir Putin and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz discussed diplomatic ways to settle the Ukraine conflict and the implementation of humanitarian corridors to evacuate civilians, the Kremlin said.
“In the context of the developing situation around a special military operation to protect Donbas, various political and diplomatic efforts have been discussed, in particular a third round of talks between a Russian delegation and representatives of the Kyiv authorities,” the Kremlin said in a statement, referring to eastern Ukraine.
The Kremlin said that the two leaders discussed “the humanitarian aspects of the situation” in Ukraine and separatist regions.
Putin informed Scholz of measures being taken to evacuate ivilians and “attempts of fighters of nationalist groupings” to scupper those plans.
Russia and Ukraine agreed to open more humanitarian corridors on Wednesday to evacuate terrified civilians from bombarded cities, while new concerns emerged over the Chernobyl nuclear plant after a power cut.
As fighting raged on the 14th day of what the Kremlin has termed a “special military operation”, safe routes were opening out of five Ukrainian areas including suburbs of the capital Kyiv that have been devastated by Russian shelling and air strikes.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called on Western powers to urgently resolve on a Polish offer
that would see his country supplied with fighter jets, but Germany and Canada poured cold water on the idea.
“When will there be a decision? Look, we’re at war!” Zelensky said in a video on his Telegram channel. “We ask you again to decide as soon as possible. Send us planes.”
On Tuesday, the United States rejected a plan put forward by Poland to send its fleet of Soviet-era MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine via a US air base in Ramstein, Germany.
Poland had suggested that its air force would receive F-16 fighters as replacements.
“We have seen in the media that there are discussions between the American and Polish sides. But we sense that the Polish offer is not supported,” said Zelensky.
“We don’t have time for the media, for all these signals. This isn’t ping-pong. It’s human lives,” he added.
Although the United States and European allies have supplied Ukraine with weapons, including anti-tank and anti-aircraft missiles, they have stopped short of sending fighter jets for fear of triggering a wider conflict with Russia.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, speaking at a Berlin press conference alongside Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, signalled his opposition to the jet offer.
Germany has given “significant” financial support to Ukraine, as well as offering humanitarian aid and some weapons, he said.
“Apart from that, we have to think very carefully about what we are doing, and this certainly does not include fighter jets,” Scholz added.
Trudeau warned of the risk of “expanding or escalating” the war.
“We want to deescalate the conflict, we want to see an end to this conflict,” he said.
“We will be there to support Ukrainians in every way that we can, but we need to be mindful of the best way to support them.”
Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said Tuesday that the prospect of the jets being flown from a US-NATO base “into airspace that is contested with Russia over Ukraine raises serious concerns for the entire NATO alliance”.
“We do not believe Poland’s proposal is a tenable one,” Kirby said in a statement. — NNN-AGENCIES
