‘Stop fighting in Mariupol to aid civilians’ evacuation’
UN’s appeal came after an attempted evacuation from Mariupol failed, with Kyiv saying it was ‘thwarted’ by Russia
KYIV: The United Nations Ukraine crisis coordinator, Amin Awad, on Sunday called for an “immediate stop” to fighting in Mariupol to allow the evacuation of trapped civilians in the battered city “today”.
“The lives of tens of thousands, including women, children and older people, are at stake in Mariupol,” Awad said in a statement. “We need a pause in fighting right now to save lives.
“The longer we wait the more lives will be at risk. They must be allowed to safely evacuate now, today. Tomorrow could be too late.”
His call came after an attempted evacuation from Mariupol by Ukraine had failed on Saturday, with Kyiv saying it was “thwarted” by Russian forces.
The UN statement said there was an estimated 100,000 civilians trapped in the city, which has been heavily destroyed after being besieged by Russian forces for weeks.
Even on Sunday, no humanitarian routes were established out of Mariupol, Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said, blaming Russian forces for not holding their fire.
Vereshchuk said that the Ukrainian side would try again on Monday to establish safe passage out of Mariupol.
Ukraine said on Sunday that Russia was “continuously attacking” the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol, where Ukrainian servicemen defending the city are holed up.
US officials to visit Kyiv
The United States’ top diplomat and defence chief were on Sunday set to make their first wartime visits to Kyiv since Russia invaded Ukraine two months ago. The trip by secretary of state Antony Blinken and defence secretary Lloyd Austin comes as the war enters its third month with thousands dead and millions displaced. Several European leaders have already travelled to Kyiv to meet President Volodymyr Zelensky and underscore their support, but the United States - a leading donor of finance and weaponry - had not sent any top officials so far.
The highly-sensitive trip by two of President Joe Biden’s top cabinet members comes as Russian forces show no sign of easing their attacks after a missile strike on the southern city of Odessa that killed eight people, including an infant.
Turkey ready to assist
Turkey is ready to give all possible assistance during the negotiation process between Ukraine and Russia, President Tayyip Erdogan told Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky during a telephone call, the Turkish presidency said on Sunday.
Erdogan said the evacuation of the wounded and civilians in Mariupol must be ensured, adding that Turkey viewed the guarantor issue positively in principle.
Ukraine has sought security guarantees from various countries during talks.
United Nations secretarygeneral Antonio Guterres will visit Ankara before heading to Moscow this week to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin and then to Ukraine for talks with President Volodymyr Zelensky, a UN statement said on Saturday.
Guterres will visit the Turkish capital on Monday, where he will be received by President Tayyip Erdogan, the statement said.
The UN aid chief, Martin Griffiths, said on April 18 that Turkey was a valuable host for humanitarian talks between Ukraine and Russia.
Meanwhile, the United Kingdom government will send more military aid in the form of much-needed defence equipment to Ukraine in its fight against Russia, Prime Minister Boris Johnson told Ukrainian president.
Johnson said Britain would provide more mobility vehicles, drones and anti-tank weapons as he condemned ongoing attacks by Russian forces against civilian targets.