WAR IN UKRAINE; July 8, 2023
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS: Day 500
Today marks the 500-day mark since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The event was marked by prayers for Ukraine in places like London. The United Nations has confirmed the deaths of 9,177 civilians in Ukraine as a result of the invasion.
President Volodymyr Zelensky was in Turkey to meet with his counterpart, with the Black Sea Grain Initiative high on the agenda. According to the Anadolu news outlet, Erdogan and Zelensky were to discuss relations between the two countries, regional and international issues, the latest developments in Russia's war against Ukraine.
Ukraine deserves to have NATO membership, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said, following talks with Zelensky that Russia said it was closely watching. “Without a doubt, Ukraine deserves to be in NATO,” Erdogan said. Zelensky said he was “happy to hear” that Turkey supports Ukraine’s bid to join during a joint press conference - CNN
US President Joe Biden has defended his "very difficult decision" to give Ukraine cluster bombs, which have a record of killing civilians. The president said it had taken him "a while to be convinced to do it", but he had acted because "the Ukrainians are running out of ammunition". Ukraine's leader hailed the "timely" move, but human rights groups and some Democrats criticised the decision. Mr Biden told CNN in an interview on Friday that he had spoken to allies about the decision, which comes ahead of a Nato summit in Lithuania next week. Cluster bombs are banned by more than 120 countries, but have been used by both Russia and Ukraine during the war - BBC
National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan told Friday's daily White House briefing that officials "recognise the cluster munitions create a risk of civilian harm" from unexploded bombs. "This is why we've deferred the decision for as long as we could." Mr Sullivan said Ukraine was running out of artillery and needed "a bridge of supplies" while the US ramps up domestic production. "We will not leave Ukraine defenceless at any point in this conflict period," he said - BBC
Speaking to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation Friday, I said the following: “day. “As a former UNICEF spokesperson I can’t say I’m too thrilled about it. These bombs drop little bomblets, sometimes mistaken as toys & picked up by children with devastating consequences. There’s got to be other ways to push back the Russians…this one shouldn’t be at the top of the list.” See the full interview above.
Russian forces targeted the Ukrainian city of Kryviy Rih in an overnight drone attack, wounding at least one person and damaging several buildings and vehicles, local officials said early on July 8. A 26-year-old man was hospitalized “with moderate injuries,” Oleksandr Vilkul, the head of the city's Defense Council, wrote on Telegram.
Next week's NATO summit will not yet result in Ukraine's admission to the alliance, a White House official said. Allies will, however, discuss key issues facing Kyiv, including the Black Sea grain deal - CNN