碍驰滨痴鈥Here are the latest developments in the war in Ukraine:
鈥楲ast battle鈥 for Mariupol
Ukrainian forces say they are preparing for a 鈥渓ast battle鈥 for the besieged southern city of Mariupol because their ammunition is running out.
鈥淚t鈥檚 death for some of us, and captivity for the rest,鈥 the 36th marine brigade of the Ukrainian armed forces says on Facebook, saying it had been 鈥減ushed back鈥 and 鈥渟urrounded鈥 by the Russian army.
Pro-Russia rebels say they already control Mariupol鈥檚 port.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says he believes 鈥渢ens of thousands鈥 of people in the city have been killed.
Austrian leader 鈥榩essimistic鈥
Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer says he is 鈥渞ather pessimistic鈥 about the prospects for diplomacy ending the Ukraine conflict after his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Describing Putin as having 鈥渕assively entered into a logic of war鈥, Nehammer tells reporters 鈥減eace talks are always very time-intensive while military logic says: 鈥楧on鈥檛 spend too much time and go directly into battle'鈥.
The first European leader to meet Putin since the start of the Russian invasion, Nehammer says he 鈥渕entioned the serious war crimes鈥 and stressed that all those responsible have to be brought to justice,鈥 also telling Putin of the 鈥渦rgent鈥 need for humanitarian corridors.
French police arrive in Ukraine
French police officers and forensic doctors arrive in Ukraine to help investigate the discovery of scores of bodies in civilian clothing scattered in Bucha and other towns around Kyiv after Russia鈥檚 withdrawal from the region.
Ukraine says it has discovered 1,222 bodies in Bucha and other towns.
Ukraine still open to talks
Despite the allegations of atrocities, Ukraine鈥檚 Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba says he is still open to negotiating with Moscow.
鈥淚f sitting down with the Russians will help me to prevent at least one massacre like in Bucha, or at least another attack like in Kramatorsk, I have to take that opportunity,鈥 he tells US broadcaster NBC.
No EU consensus on sanctions
EU foreign ministers launch discussions on a sixth round of sanctions, but fail to find a consensus, including on sanctions on oil and gas, Josep Borrell, the bloc鈥檚 top diplomat, says.
Pointing to an anticipated massive Russian assault on the eastern Donbas region, he says the main focus now needs to be on providing more military aid to Kyiv.
Biden, Modi discuss Ukraine
US President Joe Biden and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi have a 鈥渃andid exchange of views鈥 on the Ukraine crisis at a virtual summit, a senior administration official says, but there is no indication of significant progress toward a unified stance.
Societe Generale leaves Russia
French bank Societe Generale says it is ceasing its activities in Russia and selling its majority stake in Rosbank to an investment firm founded by an oligarch close to the Kremlin.
Trade growth takes hit
The war could almost halve world trade growth this year and drag down global GDP growth, according to the World Trade Organization.
France expels six Russian diplomats
France is expelling six Russians suspected of working as spies under diplomatic cover in Paris, after the French intelligence services uncovered a clandestine operation, the foreign ministry says.
More than 4.5 million flee
More than 4.5 million Ukrainian refugees have now fled their country, the United Nations refugee agency says.
Ninety percent of those who have left are women and children.
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