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Finland to be inducted into NATO and Russia pushes back on UNSC presidency concerns. Here's the latest
From CNN staff
Vasily Nebenzya, Russia's ambassador to the United Nations, dismissed concerns about Russia taking on the role of president of the Security Council in April, as the war in Ukraine drags on.
Russia took over presidency on Saturday of the UN's top security body, a position that rotates every month.
Nebenzya claimed there were no complaints in February 2022 when Russia was last president of the council, the same month it invaded Ukraine. He also pointed out that the United States was president of the council in 2003 — the year the US invaded Iraq.
The ambassador said as long as world order was maintained, there will not be any change in UN procedures that might lead to a change in Russia's status.
Here are the latest headlines:
- Videos of St. Petersburg explosion: The videos show the moments running up to an explosion that killed Russian military journalist Vladlen Tatarsky in a St. Petersburg café on Sunday. Tatarsky is seen putting a statuette given to him at the event into a box then covers it with what appears to be paper wrapping. As he presses down the paper, there is an explosion. Another video shows an interaction between Tatarsky and a woman, purportedly 26-year-old Daria Trepova, who was later arrested in connection with the explosion.
- Finland's official accession to NATO: NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said it will be historic when the military alliance raises the Finnish flag for the first time at its headquarters on Tuesday after it was announced that Finland was joining the alliance. “This is a historic week. Tomorrow we will welcome Finland as the 31st member of NATO, making Finland safer and our alliance stronger. We will raise the Finnish flag for the first time here at NATO Headquarters,” Stoltenberg said, speaking in Brussels Monday.
- More than 500 children killed in Ukraine: At least 501 children have been killed in Ukraine since February 2022, when Russia launched its full-scale invasion, said Catherine Russell, executive director of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). “Another tragic milestone for Ukraine's children and families," Russell tweeted on Monday. Russell warned the real figure is “likely far higher” than the numbers verified by the agency.
- Ukraine receives IMF financing: Ukraine has received the first tranche of $2.7 billion from a new International Monetary Fund (IMF) program, Ukrainian Finance Minister Sergii Marchenko tweeted Monday. The IMF regularly makes emergency loans to countries in crisis. On Friday, the IMF approved a new four-year extended arrangement under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) of around $15.6 billion as part of a $115 billion total support package for Ukraine.
- Billions of dollars in damage to cultural sites: The war in Ukraine has cost an estimated $2.6 billion of damage to heritage and cultural sites in the country, the UN cultural body UNESCO said in a recently published report. The report, which covers one year of war in Ukraine between February 24, 2022, and February 24, 2023, was a joint assessment conducted by the Ukrainian government, the World Bank, the European Commission and the UN.
- Dozens of Russian attacks repelled: The Ukrainian military has reported little change to the front lines but heavy fire from Russian forces at various parts of the front line in the Donetsk region. The General Staff said that more than 45 enemy attacks had been repelled over the past day, with the focus on Lyman, Bakhmut, Avdiivka and Mariinka. It said there were 17 air strikes and more than 20 strikes by multiple launch rocket systems.
Hearing for cafe explosion suspect will take place Tuesday, Russian state media says
From CNN's Tim Lister
The preventive detention hearing for Daria Trepova, who was detained in connection with the explosion at a cafe in St. Petersburg, Russia, will take place on Tuesday at Basmanny District Court in Moscow, according to Russian state news agency Vesti.
Russian authorities detained Trepova, 26, claiming she was involved in the blast that killed well-known military blogger Vladlen Tatarsky at the cafe in St. Petersburg on Sunday.
Russia's UN ambassador derides suggestion country cannot hold UNSC presidency during Ukraine war
From CNN's Richard Roth in New York
Vasily Nebenzya addresses the United Nations Security Council meeting in New York on February 24. (Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images)Russian ambassador to the United Nations Vasily Nebenzya on Monday scoffed at concerns that his country could fairly be the president of the Security Council for April during the war in Ukraine.
Nebenzya pointed out that the US was president of the council in 2003 — the year Iraq was invaded.
He said there were no complaints in February 2022 when Russia was last president of the council, while Russia invaded.
The ambassador said as long as world order is maintained, there will not be any change in UN procedures that might lead to a change in Russia's status.
Russia took over presidency on Saturday of the UN's top security body, which rotates every month.
Ukraine receives first tranche of $2.7 billion from new IMF program, finance minister says
From CNN’s Sugam Pokharel in London
Ukraine has received the first tranche of $2.7 billion from a new International Monetary Fund (IMF) program, Ukrainian Finance Minister Sergii Marchenko said in a tweet Monday.
The IMF, which regularly makes emergency loans to countries in crisis, on Friday approved a new four-year extended arrangement under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) of around $15.6 billion as part of a $115 billion total support package for Ukraine.
The program also helps Ukraine to carry out "more ambitious structural reforms," it said.
The Extended Fund Facility (EFF) loan is the first major conventional financing program approved by the IMF for a country involved in a large-scale war, Reuters reported.
The risks to the arrangement are “exceptionally high,” said Gita Gopinath, first deputy managing director of the global lender.
“The success of the program depends on the size, composition, and timing of external financing on concessional terms to help close fiscal and external financing gaps and restore debt sustainability on a forward-looking basis under the baseline and downside scenarios,” she added.
NATO says it has not seen any changes in Russia's nuclear posture since Belarus announcement
From CNN's Jessie Gretener in London
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg spoke during a news conference to present the next North Atlantic Council (NAC) Ministers of Foreign Affairs meeting at the NATO headquarters in Brussels on April 3. (Kenzo Tribouillard/AFP/Getty Images)NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said Monday that the alliance has not seen any changes in Russia’s nuclear posture since Russian President Vladimir Putin announced late last month Moscow’s plans to station tactical nuclear weapons in neighboring Belarus.
Stoltenberg described Putin’s announcement as a “pattern of dangerous, reckless nuclear rhetoric.”
“President Putin tries to use nuclear weapons as a way to prevent us from supporting Ukraine… intimidation, coercion to stop NATO Allies and partners for supporting Ukraine in their right to defend their own country,” he said.
“We will not be intimidated. We will continue to support Ukraine,” Stoltenberg continued.
Western allies have delivered more than $70 billion in military aid to Ukraine, NATO chief says
From CNN's Jessie Gretener in London
Jens Stoltenberg holds a press conference on April 3. (Dursun Aydemir/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)NATO’s chief Jens Stoltenberg said on Monday that Western allies have delivered more than $70 billion in military aid to Ukraine over the last year since the Russian invasion started.
“There are no signs that President Putin is preparing for peace. He is preparing for more war,” Stoltenberg warned, speaking at a news conference in Brussels.
Stoltenberg added that allies have delivered 65 billion euros (around $70.7 billion) in military aid, and said he welcomed the recent arrival of modern battle tanks and other armored vehicles in Ukraine.
The NATO head affirmed that the alliance’s support is for the “long haul” and said, “we will discuss how we can step up our support, including by continuing to strengthen Ukraine’s armed forces and supporting the transition from Soviet-era to NATO equipment and doctrine.”
Stoltenberg also said allies must address other threats and challenges, citing instability, terrorism, and the growing influence of Iran, Russia, and China. He urged allies to invest more in defense to tackle all these wide range of issues.
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