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Second round of talks opens as war continues
Summary
A look back at the diplomatic and military developments reported around the start of the second round of Ukraine–Russia talks.
What did diplomacy look like on 3 March 2022, the eighth day of Russia's invasion of Ukraine? Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that a second round of talks between Ukraine and Russia had begun. He also called for a personal meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in an effort to end the war.
Moscow's public line was harder. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said the war on Ukraine would continue "until the end" and accused Zelenskyy of allowing "a society where Nazism is flourishing". Lavrov also said Russia was not planning a nuclear war.
Mediation and pressure
On 1 March, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba had asked China to help mediate a ceasefire. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi replied that China was ready to help Russia and Ukraine reach an agreement and mediate a ceasefire, and Beijing had expressed regret for the conflict. On 2 March, Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny called for more anti-war protests in Russia and around the world.
Also on 1 March, the European Parliament formally accepted Ukraine's application for EU membership. Andorran Prime Minister Xavier Espot announced an urgent parliamentary procedure to allow sanctions that would freeze the bank assets of 700 people and 50 companies linked by the European Union to the invasion; it would be the first time Andorra had applied sanctions to a foreign country.
On the ground
On 3 March, the Estonian cargo ship MV Helt sank near the Port of Odesa in the Black Sea after an explosion. Authorities said all six crew members were rescued, and Estonian Foreign Minister Eva-Maria Liimets said an investigation would take place.
Earlier, on 1 March, a senior Ukrainian territorial defence official said Belarusian ground units had entered northern Chernihiv Oblast, while the Ukrainian presidential office said there was no evidence of this. Ukrainian intelligence information also indicated that forces had foiled a plot against Zelenskyy by killing a group of Chechen paramilitaries known as Kadyrovtsy who tried to enter Kyiv on 26 February.
