Natalia Zinets and Pavel Polityuk

LVIV (Ukraine) – On Monday, diplomatic efforts were stepped up to end the conflict in Ukraine. Ukrainian and Russian negotiators met again to discuss the matter after they cited progress. This was despite Russia attacking a Polish base and fighting raged at other locations.

According to a Ukrainian official, the attack by Russian missiles on Ukraine’s Yavoriv International Centre for Peacekeeping and Security was just 15 miles away from Poland border. The base had previously been home to NATO military officers.

Russia’s defense minister claimed up to 180 “foreign soldiers” were killed, and that a number of weapons from foreign countries had been destroyed. Reuters couldn’t independently verify which side reported the deaths.

Since February 24, 2014, when Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a military operation that aimed to exterminate dangerous Nazism and nationalists from Ukraine, thousands of people have been killed.

After watching Russia’s buildup of tensions on Ukraine’s border with increasing alarm over the past weeks, the United States declared that it was an unjustified, premeditated and illegal “war”

The White House stated that U.S. President Joe Biden, and France’s Emmanuel Macron, spoke by telephone late Sunday to reiterate their resolve to hold Russia responsible for the invasion.

The State Department reported that Antony Blinken, U.S. Secretary, and Dmytro Kuleba (Ukraine counterpart) discussed diplomatic steps to end Russia’s invasion.

Following weekend negotiations, Russia & Ukraine expressed their highest positive assessments.

Mykhailo Podolyak, Ukrainian negotiator said that Russia is beginning to speak constructively in a video posted online. “I am certain that we can achieve tangible results within a matter days.”

Leonid Slovitsky, a Russian delegate, stated that they made substantial progress, and it was possible for delegations to soon reach draft agreements.

The details of what they would include were not disclosed by either side. Talks between the Belarusian and Belarusian sides have gone three times, with most of them focusing on humanitarian matters.

Volodymyr Zelenskiy, the Ukrainian president, stated that their delegations had been communicating daily via video link. His negotiators clearly stated that they wanted to do everything to make arrangements for Putin’s meeting.

“We have to keep fighting. It is essential that we fight. We will prevail,” Zelenskiy stated in late-night video speech.

HARSH SANCTIONS

Although Western countries have attempted to isolate Putin with harsh economic sanctions and weapons supplies to Ukraine, the United States is concerned about NATO’s involvement in this conflict.

After its invasion of Ukraine, Russia sought military equipment from China. The White House was concerned that Beijing could undermine Western attempts to aid the Ukrainians, according to several U.S. officials.

Jake Sullivan, the U.S. National Security Adviser, is set to meet Yang Jiechi (China’s top diplomat) in Rome on Monday.

Liu Pengyu spokeswoman for China’s Embassy in Washington when asked about Russia’s request of military aid.

China finds the situation in Ukraine to be “disconcerting”, and he added that China supports and encourages all efforts towards a peaceful resolution of the crisis.

Violence and bloodshed did not stop.

Many cities in Ukraine heard the sirens of air raids before dawn, including Kyiv and Lviv.

According to authorities in capital, they have two weeks of food stockpiled for 2,000,000 people still evading Russian forces.

According to the chief of regional police, a journalist from the United States was killed and another was injured in the shooting incident at Irpin (northwest of Kyiv).

Britain’s defense ministry stated that Russian naval force had placed a far-reaching blockade on Ukraine’s Black Sea coast. This isolated the country from any international maritime trade.

According to the report, Russian troops attempted to surround Ukrainian forces in eastern Ukraine as they advanced from Mariupol, in the south, and Kharkiv, in the northern.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has led to more than 2.5 million refugees fleeing the country’s borders. Hundreds of thousands remain trapped in their cities.

“It is frightening how violent and humane it is,” Olga, a Kyiv refugee, said to Reuters upon crossing into Romania.

According to the United Nations, at least 596 civilians died in the conflict. The death toll could be much higher since it’s difficult to verify deaths in areas like Mariupol.

Mariupol’s city council stated that 2,187 people had died since the invasion. Reuters couldn’t verify the death toll.

Moscow has denied that it targeted civilians. Russia blames Ukraine, accusing it of failing to evacuate civilians trapped in cities. This is a charge that the West and Ukraine strongly deny.

Kharkiv is in northeastern Ukraine and has seen some of the worst bombardment. Hundreds of civilians have also been killed.

Aliev (23-year-old musician) said, “We will stitch the wounds up and the pain in our country and city.” We are not moving anywhere!”