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Western sanctions against Russia could be eventually eased if the step ensures security and justice for Ukraine, top Ukrainian sanctions official Vladyslav Vlasiuk told Politico in an interview published on March 17.
"A peace treaty may provide for unarmed observers in Ukraine, a civilian mission to monitor the implementation of certain aspects of the agreement, or guarantee mechanisms," Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko said.
Ukrainian air defenses shot down 90 of the 174 attack and decoy drones launched by Russia overnight, the Air Force reported. Seventy other decoy drones reportedly disappeared from radars without causing damage.
"Overnight, the Ukrainian Armed Forces again attempted a massive drone attack on facilities located in the region, including a fuel and energy complex," Astrakhan Oblast Igor Babushkin claimed on March 17.
The Hague-based International Center for the Prosecution of the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine is a judicial hub supporting national investigations into the crime of aggression committed by the Russian leadership, including President Vladimir Putin, and Moscow's allies against Ukraine.
"There is a nuclear reactor that supplies quite a bit of electricity to the country of Ukraine. That’s got to be dealt with," Steve Witkoff, Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East, said on March 16.
Turkey has positioned itself as a potential mediator in Russia's war against Ukraine, now in its fourth year, by maintaining diplomatic and economic ties with both nations while supporting Ukraine's sovereignty.
Speaking on CBS’s "Face the Nation" on March 16, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized that the primary goal is to secure a ceasefire before moving forward with broader negotiations for a permanent resolution.
"The Russian army is advancing on all fronts, and under these circumstances, the ceasefire could be viewed as a way to allow Ukraine to strengthen its position," Yuri Ushakov, a close adviser to Vladimir Putin, told media on March 16.
"We are preparing for Brussels," Zelensky said. According to the president, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov is currently organizing the next meeting of the Ukrainian Defense Contact Group (UDCG).
Newly elected Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney discussed increasing pressure on Moscow, particularly by imposing additional sanctions against Russia's banking sector and its so-called "shadow fleet" of oil tankers.
"It is not reasonable to demand that, for example, Zaporizhzhia or Kherson be fully handed over — that sounds like a f*** off to us," a high-level Ukrainian official said.
"Ukraine is sovereign – if it requests allied forces to be on its territory, it is not up to Russia to accept or reject it," French President Emmanuel Macron said in an interview with Le Parisien.
The proposed contingent would include around 10,000 troops, mostly provided by the U.K. and France, U.K. military sources told the Sunday Times. Thirty-five countries would assist with weapons, logistics, and intelligence support.
Serhii Shalaiev, the man detained and charged with the killing of Ukrainian activist Demyan Hanul, pled guilty to the murder in a closed court hearing on March 16.
Hnatov, who was formerly appointed as the deputy chief of the General Staff in February, will be replacing Anatolii Barhylevych, who took the role in February 2024.
Russian troops attacked Ukraine with 90 drones, targeting Kyiv, Kharkiv, Poltava, Sumy, Cherkasy, Zhytomyr, Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, and Odesa oblasts, according to the Air Force's report.
“I expect that there will be a call with both presidents this week, and we’re also continuing to engage and have a conversation with the Ukrainians,” Witkoff told CNN after meeting Putin in Moscow on March 13, as cited by Reuters.
The Kyiv Independent’s Anna Belokur covers the top stories impacting Ukraine this week. First in everyone’s concerns is the ongoing ceasefire negotiations and the latest developments in Ukraine’s Kursk operation.