(Bloomberg) — European Union foreign and defense ministers are meeting in Brussels this week, where they’ll discuss punitive measures over Iran’s alleged drone and missile transfers to Russia.
Most Read from Bloomberg
“We are witnessing the fight for freedom and justice, and we are witnessing how Iranian drones are attacking Ukrainian cities and how they are killing people,” German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said over the weekend. Iran has said that it provided drones to Russia months before Moscow’s invasion, a claim disputed by the US.
Separately, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy visited the city of Kherson, which Ukrainian troops liberated last week, and addressed troops there, Ukrainian TV reported on Monday.
Key Developments
-
Russia Denies Lavrov Taken to Hospital in Bali After AP Report
-
G-20 Latest: Biden and Xi to Meet Before Summit Starts
-
G-20 Statement in Doubt as US, Russia Fail to Agree at Asean
-
Yellen Says Russia Faces Oil Shut-In or Price Cap Amid Sanctions
(See RSAN on the Bloomberg Terminal for the Russian Sanctions Dashboard.)
On the Ground
Russian troops are continuing air attacks in Ukraine, with Zelenskiy saying that fierce fighting continues to take place in the country’s east. Russian troops continue their attempts to advance near the cities of Bakhmut and Avdiyivka in the Donetsk region, but their attacks have been repelled, Zelenskiy said.
An industrial facility was damaged in Kharkiv, one of Ukraine’s biggest cities, after Russian troops launched a missile strike late Sunday, the region’s head, Oleh Synyehubov, said on his Telegram channel. A power facility was also hit in an unspecified village in the Zaporizhzhia region, according to the local governor.
(All times CET)
Zelenskiy Visits Liberated Southern Kherson Region (11:10 a.m.)
President Zelenskiy addressed troops in Kherson, according to local media reports on Monday. Ukrainian troops liberated the city last week.
Kherson, the regional center, was the first major city occupied by Russia since it launched its invasion almost nine months ago. Russia’s troops were forced to leave the west bank of the Dnipro river in the Kherson region and to relocate to the east bank following a Ukrainian counter-offensive that started in August.
Russia Denies Lavrov Taken to Hospital in Bali (10:35 a.m.)
Russia denied an Associated Press report that Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was taken to a hospital in Bali, Indonesia, after suffering a health problem while attending the Group of 20 summit.
Lavrov was being treated for a heart condition, the report said, citing two unidentified Indonesian government officials. They said he was taken to Sanglah Hospital in the provincial capital of Denpasar, AP said.
Maria Zakharova, a Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, called the report “of course the highest level of fakes” in a Telegram post.
Russia Committed War Crimes in Kherson, Ukraine Says (10:30 a.m.)
Investigators documented more than 400 war crimes committed by Russian troops in the southern Kherson region, which includes the central city that was recently liberated, according to Zelenskiy. “In the Kherson region, the Russian army left behind the same atrocities as in other regions of our country,” he said in his regular night address on Sunday. “We will find and bring to justice every murderer.”
Ukraine has repeatedly accused Russia’s troops of committing war crimes in those areas that were seized during Moscow’s invasion, but later retaken by Ukraine. Multiple examples of Russian crimes were found by domestic and foreign investigators as well as foreign media in such cities as Bucha in the Kyiv region and Izyum in the Kharkiv region. Russia denies its involvement in war crimes.
Romania Supports Further Iran Sanctions (10:30 a.m.)
Romanian Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu said his country would “absolutely” support further sanctions on Iran after the government admitted it was offering Russia military support with drone deliveries.
Aurescu said there were “indications” about Iran delivering missiles to Russia but that “we need to see concrete evidence.” Still, that Tehran has admitted to sending drones to Russia, “that means there is an acknowledgment of its support and complicity with the aggressor. And this has to be taken very seriously,” Aurescu told reporters ahead of the gathering of EU foreign ministers.
The EU’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell told reporters earlier there was “no evidence about missiles, but a clear evidence about drones, that’s clear.” The issue of Iran’s military support for Russia is due to be discussed by ministers today.
Kherson’s Liberation Shows Need for More Weapons, Lithuania Says (8:57 a.m.)
“The main message that could be said is that it’s clear that the more weapons we could provide, the sooner this war will be over,” Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis said in a reference to Ukrainian forces taking the city of Kherson.
“Peace in Ukraine can only come under Ukrainian terms,” Landsbergis told reporters before a meeting with his EU counterparts in Brussels. “It’s important that Europe sends a very clear message that we will support Ukraine to the peace that will be settled by them.”
Finland’s Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto, asked if there was any room for negotiations after Kherson, said the “possibility for negotiations comes when Russia withdraws from those areas Russia has occupied.”
Ukraine Limits Power Supplies (5:40 p.m.)
Ukraine on Monday introduced emergency limits on electricity supply in eight north, central and eastern regions and the capital, Kyiv, utility company Ukrenergo said on Telegram. Power cuts have been caused by fallout from Russian attacks on Ukraine’s infrastructure and the need to repair electric lines.
Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek
©2022 Bloomberg L.P.
