Attacks show Moscow not moving towards ‘real peace’ despite ceasefire talks, says Zelenskyy – Europe live | World news
Russian strikes show Moscow not moving towards ‘real peace,’ Zelenskyy says
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy has responded to the Russian attacks on Ukraine overnight, saying they revealed that Moscow was not moving towards “real peace.”
In a post on Telegram, he called out attacks just hours after ceasefire negotiations as “a clear signal to the whole world that Moscow is not going to pursue real peace,” and called for more pressure to be put on Russia, including further US sanctions.
He stressed that the US proposal for a complete ceasefire has been on the table since 11 March, but “literally every night” Russia continues to reject the offer.
Key events
Russian neo-imperialism, radical US policy change push Europe to ‘step up and be brave,’ Spanish PM says
Sam Jones
Pedro Sánchez during session of the Congress of Deputies in Madrid, Spain. Photograph: Sergio R Moreno/GTRES/REX/Shutterstock
Spain’s prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, has said the push for increased EU defence spending could make the country both safer and more prosperous, but has vowed not to increase defence investment at the cost of social or environmental programmes.
Speaking in congress on Wednesday morning, the socialist leader said it was time to be brave and to recognise the huge threats the world now faces.
“Russian neo-imperialism and the radical change in US economic and military policy compel Europe to step up and be brave,” he said. “As Europeans, we continue to believe in diplomacy and prosperity. But neither Russia nor the US sees things that way … Others will no longer protect our skies and our borders, so we will have to do that ourselves. As long as this government is in office, this push will not come at the expense of the welfare state. We will support Ukraine without touching a penny of our social or environmental budgets.”
The prime minister – whose push for an increase in defence spending has not gone down well with many in the more leftwing Sumar platform that is the junior partner in his socialist-led coalition – said the new investment could be used to bring a “technological and industrial” advance that would benefit Spain.
Despite announcing that the new defence spending plan would be in place before the summer, Sánchez gave no further details.
Spain, which currently spends 1.3% of its GDP on defence, has committed to reaching the Nato member target of 2% before 2029.
