Filenews 8 March 2022 - by Despina Psilou
Russia remains intransigent, insisting that in order to stop the bloodshed, Ukraine must accept its terms. At the same time, despair and fear are drowning the citizens of Ukraine as they flee to escape the horrors of war and the merciless hammering they receive. All this at the height of diplomatic contacts ahead of the third round of negotiations between Russia and Ukraine to end the war conflicts.
The images of young children, who without any escorts, cross the border of Ukraine alone to escape, are shocking. An 11-year-old boy fled to Slovakia with a backpack, a plastic bag for his few belongings, and a phone number written on his hand in pen. The boy began this journey to his relatives, while his parents had to stay behind in Ukraine.
An even younger boy is recorded walking alone on the Ukrainian border towards Slovenia, bursting into crying in his inflatable colourful coat. Civilians flock in their thousands to the train station in the city of Kharkiv, waiting for "the train to salvation." The desperate as the invasion of Ukraine continues for the 13th day.
During yesterday's, third round of talks between the Russian and Ukrainian delegations on the Polish-Belarus border, the head of the Russian side, Vladimir Medinski, said that the central theme of the discussions was the opening of humanitarian routes from the cities besieged by the Russian army. "The issue of political settlement, international humanitarian aspects and military settlement issues" were also discussed.
For her part, The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said yesterday that the measures taken so far are very painful for Putin and Russia's economy. She pointed out that the war against Ukraine is a complete "horror" and that is why "we should oppose it with all our might", he said.
However, Russia yesterday boycotted the hearings at the UN Supreme Court, during which Ukraine sought an urgent order to cease hostilities.
