Sergei Lavrov says Russia will not pursue the US for talks after Anthony Blinken snubbed the Kremlin’s top diplomat at the G20 summit in Indonesia. The meeting in Bali was the first time Russia’s top diplomat had met some of the country’s fiercest critics since it invaded Ukraine in February. Earlier the Kremlin warned Ukraine must strike a peace deal with Russia or face “sliding down that hill” to destruction. Andrei Kelin, Russia’s ambassador to London, issued the threat in an interview with Reuters at his London residence, where Winston Churchill used to discuss World War II strategy with his ambassador Joseph Stalin. “Of course it is difficult to predict the withdrawal of our forces from the southern part of Ukraine because we already have experience that after the withdrawal the provocations start and all the people are shot and all that,” he said. Sooner or later, Mr. Kelin said, Ukraine will have to make a decision: make a peace deal with Russia or “continue to slide down this hill” toward destruction.

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Russia will not “pursue talks with the US”, says Lavrov at G20

Sergei Lavrov says Russia will not pursue the US for talks after Anthony Blinken snubbed the Kremlin’s top diplomat at the G20 summit in Indonesia. The meeting in Bali was the first time Russia’s top diplomat had met some of the country’s fiercest critics since it invaded Ukraine in February. The G20 includes Western countries that have sanctioned Moscow over its war in Ukraine, as well as those such as China and India, which have been much more muted in their response. My colleague Shweta Sharma reports:

Russia will not “pursue talks with the US”, says Lavrov at G20

The event ended without the usual group photos or joint statements, as many Western leaders boycotted Russia Matt Mathers July 8, 2022 2:45 pm 1657287779

Germany ratifies the accession of Finland and Sweden to NATO

Germany on Friday ratified the accession of Finland and Sweden to NATO, three days after the 30 members signed the alliance’s most significant expansion on Tuesday. The parliament in Berlin as well as the Bundesrat which groups together the federal states approved the accession protocols for both Nordic countries. “This creates more security – for all NATO members and for Europe,” German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Twitter. The documents must be ratified by the parliaments of all 30 members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization before Finland and Sweden are protected by NATO’s defense clause that states an attack on one member is an attack on all. Ratification is likely to take up to a year, but in the meantime Helsinki and Stockholm can already participate in NATO meetings and have greater access to information. Moscow has repeatedly warned both countries against joining NATO. On March 12, the Russian Foreign Ministry stated that “there will be serious military and political consequences.” Matt Mathers July 8, 2022 2:42 p.m 1657286232

Moscow jailed for seven years for saying ‘Ukraine’s children were dying’ in war

Alexei Gorinov is the first person to be jailed under tough new rules imposed by Vladimir Putin. Our international editor David Harding reports:

Moscow jailed for seven years for saying ‘Ukraine’s children were dying’ in war

Alexei Gorinov is the first person to be jailed under tough new rules imposed by Vladimir Putin Matt Mathers July 8, 2022 2:17 p.m 1657284130

Ukrainians express indifference and disappointment at Johnson’s resignation

Ukrainians hit back at Boris Johnson confirming he will step down as prime minister. One woman said it would make no difference to people’s everyday lives, while a man expressed his regret, saying Mr Johnson had done a lot for this country. Ukrainians express indifference and disappointment at Johnson’s resignation Matt Mathers July 8, 2022 1:42 p.m 1657282580

Ukrainian official warns of “catastrophe” in occupied city

A Ukrainian regional official has warned of worsening living conditions in a city seized by Russian forces two weeks ago, saying Severodonetsk is without water, electricity or a functioning sewage system, while the bodies of the dead are decomposing in hot apartment buildings. Governor Serhiy Haidai said the Russians were firing indiscriminate artillery barrages as they tried to secure gains in eastern Ukraine’s Luhansk province. Moscow this week claimed full control of Luhansk, but the governor and other Ukrainian officials said their troops held a small part of the province. “Luhansk has not been fully captured, even though the Russians have committed their entire arsenal to achieving that goal,” Mr. Heidai told The Associated Press. “Fierce fighting is taking place in several villages on the border of the region. The Russians are relying on tanks and artillery to advance, leaving scorched earth.” Russian forces are “hitting any building that they think could be a fortified position,” he said. “They are not deterred by the fact that civilians are living there and dying in their homes and yards. They continue to shoot.” Matt Mathers July 8, 2022 1:16 p.m 1657280436

ICYMI: Ukrainian MP calls on Boris Johnson to ‘do more’ for Kyiv in war against Russia

A prominent Ukrainian opposition MP has called on the next UK prime minister to “do more” for Kyiv than Boris Johnson, as the British leader’s premiership looked set to end in disgrace and the appointment of a new prime minister looms. Our international correspondent Bel Trew reports:

Ukrainian MP calls on Boris Johnson to ‘do more’ for Kyiv

Lesya Vasilenko said the British prime minister had set a “high benchmark” but support from London was more vital than ever for Ukraine’s war against Russia Matt Mathers July 8, 2022 12:40 p.m 1657279236

ICYMI: Ukraine war pushes 71 million into poverty as food, oil prices rise, UN says

Since Russia invaded Ukraine, another 71 million people have been pushed into poverty by soaring food and energy prices, according to a new UN report. My colleague Joe Sommerlad reports:

Ukraine war helps ‘push 71 million into poverty’ as food and oil prices skyrocket

UN Development Program warns cost of living impact ‘almost unprecedented in a generation’ Matt Mathers July 8, 2022 12:20 p.m 1657276169

Russian forces are unlikely to leave southern Ukraine – says the ambassador

Russia will defeat Ukrainian forces in the entire eastern Donbas region and is unlikely to withdraw from a huge swath of land on Ukraine’s southern coast, Russia’s ambassador to London told Reuters. Since the February 24 invasion, Russian forces have taken control of a large swath of territory in southern Ukraine over Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014, and have been slowly pushing back Ukrainian forces from two Russian-backed rebel areas of eastern Ukraine. has recognized as independent states. When asked how the conflict might end, Russian Ambassador Andrey Kelin said that Ukrainian forces would be pushed out of all of Donbas and that it was difficult to see Russian and Russian-backed forces withdrawing from southern Ukraine. “We will liberate all of Donbas,” Kelin told Reuters in an interview at his London residence, where Winston Churchill used to discuss World War II strategy with his ambassador Joseph Stalin. “Of course it is difficult to predict the withdrawal of our forces from the southern part of Ukraine because we already have experience that after the withdrawal the provocations start and all the people are shot and all that.” Sooner or later, Kelin said, Ukraine would have to make a decision: make a peace deal with Russia or “continue to slide down this hill” to destruction. Matt Mathers July 8, 2022 11:29 am 1657274960

The Upper House of the Russian Parliament bans British diplomats

The Federation Council, the upper house of the Russian parliament, barred British diplomats, including the ambassador, from entering its building on Friday. Speaking in a live broadcast of the upper house’s rules committee meeting on Friday, Senator Grigory Karasin said the ban was in response to Britain’s decision to expel Russian diplomats from its parliament. Karasin said: “The decision is quite simple, although unpleasant, but it is required for this situation. Our country must be firm in maintaining its own positions and its honor.” Britain’s Guardian newspaper on June 20 reported that Russian diplomats were barred from visiting the country’s parliament following Russia’s deployment of tens of thousands of troops to Ukraine, citing a document signed by the speakers of the Houses of Commons and Lords. Matt Mathers July 8, 2022 11:09 am 1657273375

Russia is using only a fraction of the potential in Ukraine, the Kremlin claims

Russia used only a small part of its capabilities in its “special military operation” in Ukraine, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Friday. President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that Russia had just begun in Ukraine and dared the West to try to defeat it on the battlefield, while insisting that Moscow was still open to the idea of ​​peace talks. “Russia’s potential is so great that only a small part of it is used in the special operation,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told a conference call with reporters. Matt Mathers July 8, 2022 10:42 am