Pavel Polityuk and Natalia Zinets by Omer Berberoglu

LVIV/KYIV Ukraine (Reuters). Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy stated Wednesday that peace negotiations were more realistic, but needed more time, after five civilians died in Russian air strikes on Kyiv. The refugee count from Moscow’s invasion was also at 3 million.

Moscow did not capture the 10 most important cities of Ukraine after its invasion that started on February 24, 1945. This was the longest attack on an European state since 1945.

Officials from Ukraine have expressed hope that the conflict could be resolved sooner than anticipated, perhaps by May. They suggested that Moscow might finally come to terms with Russia’s failure to force a new government and run out of troops.

The meetings are continuing, and I’m informed that the positions taken during negotiations sound much more realistic. “But time is still required for the decisions in Ukraine’s interests,” Zelenskiy declared in a video address, Wednesday. This was ahead of the next round.

Zelenskiy indicated that earlier Ukraine had been open to accepting security guarantees from Western countries, even though they were not sufficient for its long-term goal. Moscow regards any Ukraine joining the Western alliance in the future as a threat, and demanded that it be given guarantees.

Dmitry Peskov, spokesperson for the Kremlin, said that it was premature to forecast progress in negotiations. “The work can be difficult and the mere fact that talks continue is positive in current circumstances.

Russia describes its actions as “special military operations” meant to “denazify and demilitarize” Ukraine. This is a pretext to a war of choice, which has raised concerns about wider European conflict.

According to the White House, Joe Biden from the USA will be making his first trip to Europe to talk with NATO members about the Ukraine crisis.

Biden will participate in a NATO leader meeting that took place at Brussels’ headquarters on March 24,

A White House official stated that Biden will announce on Wednesday an additional $800million in security aid to Ukraine.

KYIV BOMBED AND 5 KILLED

The United Nations reports that just under 3 million people fled Ukraine. More than 1.8million have arrived in Poland, which is the next-door neighbor. To show solidarity, the prime minister of Ukraine and representatives from Slovenia and Czech Republic visited Kyiv Tuesday.

Kyiv is home to around 50% of the 3.4 Million residents. Some spend nights hiding in Metro stations.

According to local authorities, Tuesday’s attack on Kyiv claimed at most five lives were lost when buildings were set ablaze. People were also buried beneath rubble. Russia denies targeting civilians.

According to the local council, approximately 2,000 vehicles left Mariupol’s southern port, which was under siege. This is the location of the most severe humanitarian crisis.

However, the convoy carrying supplies to Mariupol was stopped at Berdyansk by Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Veselchuk. The residents of Mariupol have been under repeated Russian bombardments, and need food, water and shelter.

According to the International Committee of the Red Cross, more than 100 buses with a few thousand people left Sumy’s northeastern town on Tuesday in a safe passage operation. After Russians granted permission for evacuation, they were moving towards Lubny, central Ukraine.

Russia claimed that it is now in control of the Kherson region, south Ukraine. Reuters couldn’t independently confirm the report.

Fox News reports that another journalist for its cable network, a Ukrainian-based reporter, was injured in the accident in which their car was struck by an incoming bullet.

ECONOMIC FALLOUT

Russia is now in economic isolation due to the conflict. The economic costs of the sanctions-afflicted government were made clear Wednesday when it was at the edge of the first international default on debts since the Bolshevik Revolution.

Moscow had to pay $117million in interest on the two sovereign bonds in dollar denominated it sold in 2013. However, it has limitations on its ability to make payments and is openly discussing paying in rubles which could trigger a default.

This crisis can also be felt through spiralling energy prices in many Western nations, some of which are heavily dependent on oil exports from Russia. The U.S. has banned imports of oil from Russia.

Boris Johnson, British Prime Minister, visits the Middle East Wednesday to meet with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed (United Arab Emirates) and then see Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (Saudi Arabia) in an effort to increase oil flow.

Johnson stated, “We will cooperate with them in order to ensure regional security and support humanitarian relief efforts. We also intend to stabilize global energy markets over the long term.”

Britain, the United States and Europe announced more sanctions Tuesday. Moscow countered by adding Biden and other U.S. officials to a “stop list”, which bars them entering Russia.

EU has placed restrictions on investments in the energy sector, exports of luxury goods to Moscow, as well as imports of Russian steel products.

Further assets were frozen by the Russian authorities, which include Roman Abramovich (Chelsea football club owner) and other leaders who are believed to have supported the Russian state.