(Mariupol Peace Bell) There is only one real story from Ukraine to focus on tonight: the Russians have given the Ukrainian government an ultimatum. Surrender Mariupol and they’ll let the remaining 130,000 civilians, as well as Ukrainian forces that lay down their weapons leave. Everyone remaining will face Russian military justice I have done a …
Earlier today, a few hours before Putin told Ukraine it was planning to commit an industrial scale war crime unless Ukraine gave him what he wants, the Russians managed to launder some more disinformation and agitprop regarding “peace” negotiations through the Turks who are hosting the talks.
Meanwhile Turkey, which is mediating alongside Israel between Russia and Ukraine, claimed the two countries were converging on key aspects. Turkey’s foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said “the parties are close to agreement on fundamental issues”. “It’s not that easy to negotiate while the war is ongoing, or to agree when civilians are dying. But I want to say that there is momentum,” he said. Kyiv and its western allies fear Russian president Vladimir Putin could be buying time in peace talks to replenish Moscow’s forces and launch a broader offensive.
Turkey’s pro-government Hurriyet newspaper reported that the two countries were edging towards agreement on Kyiv declaring neutrality and abandoning its drive for Nato membership, “demilitarising” Ukraine in exchange for collective security guarantees, what Russia calls “denazification” and lifting restrictions on the use of Russian in Ukraine. Two people familiar with the discussions said it was likely a compromise would involve token concessions from Kyiv on what Russia calls “denazification”.
This, like the same statements made last week, are bullshit.
The Ukrainian officials added: The sides are actually still far away from reaching a deal, and Ukraine position remains unchanged.
— Amichai Stein (@AmichaiStein1) March 19, 2022
If the Ukrainians agreed to what the Russians have told the Turks they want, then Putin despite not actually winning on the battlefield right now, would actually wind up winning the war. If Ukraine emerges from this war formally having abandoned its constitutional directive to seek NATO membership, as well as formally neutral and demilitarized, all it does is set the stage for Putin to rebuild his military and start all over again with a new made up pretext for having to liberate Ukraine from the Ukrainians.
Here are some tweets with videos of Ukrainians in occupied cities resisting and protesting the Russian military occupiers.
Energodar:
I have no words. People in Southern Ukrainian cities and towns are unbelievably strong. With bare hands they are ready to oppose the occupants with weapons. This video is from #Energodar. Just watch it. #StandWithUkriane pic.twitter.com/dggyqtcENX
— Olya Vorozhbyt (@vorozhbyt) March 20, 2022
Kherson:
Residents of occupied Kherson block the path of a Russian military convoy and force it to turn away. Incredible. pic.twitter.com/jvT1jRXnO6
— Oleksiy Sorokin (@mrsorokaa) March 20, 2022
Khakovka:
a pro-Ukrainian demonstration in Russian-occupied Kakhovka, Kherson oblast pic.twitter.com/oOisLwsevW
— UkraineWorld (@ukraine_world) March 20, 2022
And we’ll end with this while we wait for more news from and about Mariupol!
A Ukrainian policeman and his dog, after being separated by war, get reunited.#StandWithUkraine #HumanityFirst #UkraineUnderAttack #RussiaInvadedUkraine #PutinIsaWarCriminal #StopPutin #RussianUkrainianWar #RussiaGoHome pic.twitter.com/7YL8rZNiBc
— olexander scherba?? (@olex_scherba) March 20, 2022
Open thread!