February 21, 2023 08:51 GMT
Wang Yi Expected to Offer Fresh Peace Proposal Today, After Putin Speech at 0900 GMT
RUSSIA
- China’s State Councilor Wang Yi is expected to arrive in Moscow for talks on Tuesday afternoon, Tass reports, where he is expected to propose a fresh peace deal. European officials familiar with the plan said it is expected to include calls for a cease-fire and for a halt to arms deliveries to Ukraine, Bloomberg write. They said the US and its allies think Putin may make similar points during the speech today, and potentially offer a draft United Nations resolution on the Feb 24 one-year mark to compete with one backed by Ukraine supporters demanding that Russia withdraw troops and end hostilities.
- President Vladimir Putin is expected to deliver an address to lawmakers in the Federal Assembly today at 0900 GMT, his first such address since the launching of the invasion of Ukraine in 2022. It is unclear whether Putin will announce any significant mobilisation initiatives or if he will stick to a more conventional script of bashing Kyiv and its western backers.
- Russia's seaborne crude exports jumped last week, just days before the planned 500,000 barrel a day cut in March. Bloomberg report that the country exported 3.6 million barrels a day from its ports in the seven days through Friday - a 26% hike in what are noisy weekly data. Today, minister Novak clarified that the planned oil cut is for March only, for now.
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