Live updates: follow the latest news on Russia-Ukraine
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed the US Congress on Wednesday to appeal for a no-fly zone imposed by Nato to resist the Russian onslaught as the United Nations top court ruled the war had no justification in international law.
Mr Zelenskyy cited Pearl Harbor and the terror attacks of September 11 on Wednesday as he appealed to the US Congress to do more to help Ukraine’s fight against Russia.
“We need you right now,” he said, adding, “I call on you to do more.”
"Last night Russian forces continued shelling Ukrainian territory, our peaceful cities and citizens. Kharkiv and the region, as well as Odesa's shore were bombed. They fired missiles on Kyiv, on civil infrastructure in Zaporizhzhia. As of today this morning, 103 children have been killed."
As ceasefire negotiations ground on, statements from the two sides suggested room for their talks to make progress as reports said a 15 point peace plan had been shared with the two sides.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said a neutral military status for Ukraine was being “seriously discussed” at the “business-like” talks, while Mr Zelenskyy earlier described Moscow's demands for ending the war as becoming “more realistic.”
The UN International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague ordered Russia to stop its invasion on Wednesday after ruling there was no evidence to support the Kremlin’s justifications accusing Ukraine of committing genocide against Russian-speakers in the eastern regions.
The ruled was backed by 13 votes to two that “the Russian Federation shall immediately suspend military operations that it commenced on 24 February 2022 in the territory of Ukraine”. Russian and Chinese judges on the court voted against the provisional order.
A member of a delegation of European leaders that travelled to Ukraine said the country needs a faster supply of weapons more than anything else to be able to protect itself from Russia’s attacks.
The Czech Republic’s prime minister Petr Fiala had journeyed o the conflict-hit Ukrainian capital by train with his Polish and Slovenian counterparts in an attempt to show solidarity with Ukraine, despite concerns about risks to their security while travelling through a war zone.
On his return, Mr Fiala expressed his admiration for the “brave struggle” of the Ukrainian people and said he had made the visit to “let them know that they are not alone”.
While sanctions on Russia and humanitarian aid were discussed with President Zelenskyy, so too was military and diplomatic support.
“Ukrainians are fighting extremely bravely, smartly and strategically. But they have a chance only if western countries provide them with enough military equipment,” Mr Fiala said.
Nato member states have sent military equipment to Ukraine, but the military alliance insists it has no intention of sending its soldiers there.
"We need to step up the supplies and involve as many countries as possible," said Mr Fiala, adding that Ukraine needed above all anti-tank and anti-aircraft missiles.
"And it needs to be done fast because in two weeks' time it may be too late. This has to be done within days."
Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovenia are all members of the EU and Nato. Although the three leaders spoke to European Council President Charles Michel upon their return, officials in Brussels cast the visit as something the prime ministers had undertaken on their own.
Mr Zelenskyy voiced his appreciation for the show of support from members of the EU, which he hopes Ukraine will one day be able to join.
European Commission spokesman, Eric Mamer, did not criticise the visit, but said that “solidarity is expressed in different ways through different channels”.
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Smoke rising in Kyiv, which mayor Vitali Klitschko says faces a 'difficult and dangerous moment' as Russian forces step up strikes. AFP -
Pope Francis meets visitors holding the Ukrainian flag during his weekly general audience in the Vatican. AFP -
An anti-war protester demonstrates against Russia's invasion of Ukraine in front of the Nato headquarters in Brussels. AFP -
A poster in Saint Petersburg carries the letter Z, a symbol of support for the invasion, and reads: "We are proud of Russia! We are not ashamed!" AFP -
Amid the Ukraine war, there's time for a seaside stroll in Odesa. Reuters -
A child who fled from Ukraine to Belgium waits outside an immigration office in Brussels. EPA -
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy receives a standing ovation as he appears via videoconference to make an address to Canada's Parliament. AP -
A woman walks with a bicycle next to a building damaged during the conflict in the separatist-controlled town of Volnovakha, Donetsk region. Reuters -
A firefighter outside a destroyed apartment building in a residential area of Kyiv. AP -
Ukrainian soldiers pay tribute to Col Valeriy Gudz, who was killed in battle against Russian troops, at a cemetery in the town of Boryspil. AP -
Firefighters work to extinguish a fire in a housing block hit by shelling in the Sviatoshynsky district, in western Kyiv. AFP -
Two people were killed as a series of powerful explosions rocked residential districts in Kyiv just hours before talks between Ukraine and Russia were set to resume. AFP -
The Met Opera and Chorus performs during 'A Concert For Ukraine' in New York City. AFP -
A worker welds metal at the Interpipe Steel plant in Dnipro, Ukraine. Hundreds of Interpipe’s 10,000 employees have joined the fight against Russia. AP -
A woman is rescued by firefighters from her apartment in a burning building that was hit by artillery shells in Kyiv. AP -
Rescuers work at a building damaged by an air strike, in central Kharkiv, Ukraine. Reuters -
A woman who fled Ukraine to Belgium waits outside an immigration office, in Brussels. EPA -
Cars stuck at the Irpin River bridge, as Russia unleashes a barrage of air strikes on cities across Ukraine. AFP -
A firefighter looks at a section of a Ukrainian Tochka-U missile on a street in the separatist Donetsk region. The Russian military said 20 civilians were killed by a ballistic missile launched by the Ukrainian forces. AP -
Musician Davide Martello plays a piano near the Ukrainian border in Medyka, Poland. More than 1.76 million people have crossed the Polish-Ukrainian border into Poland, the Polish Border Guard reported on March 14. EPA -
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, left, snaps a selfie with a wounded man during a visit at a military hospital after fighting in the Kyiv region.AFP -
Ukrainian soldiers carry rocket-propelled grenades and sniper rifles as they walk towards the city of Irpin, north-west of Kyiv. AFP -
Troops carry an elderly woman on a stretcher across a makeshift bridge as Ukrainians flee Irpin. AFP -
Irina Moprezova, 54, stands in front of a house that was damaged by an air strike in Irpin. AFP -
The flags of Russia and Ukraine are projected on the walls of Jerusalem's Old City, which a representative from the Jerusalem Municipality said is a show of support for diplomatic dialogue between the countries. Reuters -
A person holds a Ukrainian flag during an anti-war demonstration at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Germany. Reuters -
A Ukrainian soldier takes cover as people flee Irpin. AFP -
Ukrainians shelter in an underground train station during the day in Kyiv. EPA -
A Ukrainian serviceman walks carefully with his weapon in the city of Irpin, near Kyiv. AFP -
Ukrainian people flee the city of Irpin, north-west of Kyiv. AFP -
Ukrainian servicemen carry an elderly woman on a stretcher from the city of Irpin. AFP -
A girl plays games on her tablet inside a subway carriage being used as a bomb shelter in Kyiv. AFP -
A Ukrainian firefighter drags a hose inside a large food products storage facility which was destroyed by an air strike on the outskirts of Kyiv. AP -
Ukrainian troops with a Javelin anti-tank missile on the front line in the northern Kyiv region. Reuters -
A woman carries her dog during an evacuation in Irpin. Reuters -
A Ukrainian woman takes shelter in a metro station during the day in Kyiv. EPA -
A member of the Ukrainian armed forces on patrol in Irpin. Reuters -
A Ukrainian fighter takes cover behind a car in the city of Irpin. AFP -
Firefighters at work after air strikes hit residential buildings in Chernihiv, northern Ukraine. AFP -
A man wounded in an air strike is helped by medical staff in Novoiavorivsk, western Ukraine. Getty -
The ruins of the Ukraine Hotel after recent shelling in Chernihiv. EPA
“Our solidarity with Ukraine is absolute. It has been repeated on numerous occasions. But more importantly, it is extremely tangible,” he said.
Speaking from Kyiv on Tuesday, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said: “It is here, in war-torn Kyiv, that history is being made. It is here, that freedom fights against the world of tyranny. It is here that the future of us all hangs in the balance.”
Defence ministers gathered in Brussels for a Nato summit on the conflict, where Jens Stoltenberg, the Secretary General, said the dangers of escalation remained the most important factor in formulating a response. "We see destruction, we see human suffering in Ukraine but this can become even worse if Nato took actions that actually turned this into full-fledged war between Nato and Russia," he said.
Lloyd Austin, the US Secretary for Defence, said the summit would demonstrate unity within the Atlantic Alliance. "We remain united in our support of Ukraine and and we condemn Russia's unprovoked and unjustified invasion into Ukraine," he said. "And so Ukraine has a legitimate and sovereign government, and certainly we support their ability to defend themselves and we'll continue to support them going forward."
