Guterres visits kyiv, while Wagner claims control of eastern Bakhmut

These are two contrasting statements. From kyiv, António Guterres, reiterated the need to prolong the treaty between Ukraine and Russia on grain exports. While further east, the Wagner militia group claimed control of the entire eastern city of Bakhmut. Two disparate facts that mark the panorama of the war in Ukraine this Wednesday, March 8.

On a visit to the Ukrainian capital, the Secretary General of the United Nations (UN), António Guterres, once again showed his support for Ukraine by meeting with President Volodímir Zelenski. A meeting that tried to evaluate solutions for a “just peace”.

“Ukraine’s sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity must be maintained within its internationally recognized borders (…) our ultimate goal is equally clear: a just peace based on the UN Charter, international law and the recent resolution of the General Assembly marking one year since the beginning of the war”, he stated before the meeting with Zelensky.

In what is already his third trip to Kiev since the start of the war, the UN leader pointed out that while the conflict lasts, the objective of the United Nations will be to try to mitigate the impact on the Ukrainian population and its repercussions throughout the world. .

In this sense, he stressed the importance of the agreement for the export of grains through the Black Sea, which the UN hopes to extend.

With it, according to Guterres, 23 million tons of cereal have already been exported, reducing the world price of food. A relief that has been “crucial” for some regions of the world where serious famines were predicted.

Zelensky warned about the danger of a takeover in Bakhmut

“It is very important that we talk in Kiev about how to restore peace, international security and the full force of the UN Charter, norms that are equally important for all nations on the planet,” Volodimir Zelensky said on his Telegram channel. after the meeting.

The Ukrainian president also spoke to the US network , where he warned of the danger posed by the capture of Bakhmut by the Russian Army. According to the president, Moscow would have the “open road” to capture other cities. That is why he defended his decision to continue defending the city.

“It’s a tactical question for us,” Zelenski said, explaining that Bakhmut would only be the first conquest.

“They could go to Kramatorsk, they could go to Sloviansk, it would be an open road for the Russians,” the president warned.

Wagner assures that he controls eastern Bakhmut and NATO foresees a “possible capture”

The head of this company, Yevgueni Prigozhin, assured today that his troops have taken control of the eastern part of the city. “youEverything east of the Bakhmutka River is under the control of the Wagner private military company.”, he said in a message broadcast by his own press service.

For his part, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg spoke on Wednesday about this city that has become the epicenter of the war. Stoltenberg warned of a possible capture by Russia in the coming days, but lowered his tone regarding its strategic importance.

“We cannot rule out that Bakhmut may ultimately fall in the coming days. Therefore, it is also important to stress that this does not necessarily reflect a turning point in the war and only highlights that we should not underestimate Russia,” he said in Stockholm. , where he joined the meeting of defense ministers of the European Union.

Stoltenberg once again stressed the need for Ukraine’s allies to increase arms production to help Kiev, for which NATO plans to agree “new guidelines, new requirements for ammunition reserves.”

At the same time, he recalled “the great losses” that the Kremlin is suffering in the battle for Bakhmut, many of them belonging to the Wagner militia group, which is being the Russian spearhead at this point in the conflict.

A “pro-Ukrainian” sabotage of the Nord Stream?

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius also spoke from Stockholm. The official spoke for the German newspaper ‘Die Zeit’ and the public broadcasters ARD and SWR, also for the American newspaper ‘The New York Times’. In these interviews he highlighted a possible “pro-Ukrainian” responsibility for the sabotage of NordStream.

“We need to clearly differentiate whether it was a Ukrainian group that acted on Ukraine’s orders or without the government’s knowledge,” Pistorius said, urging caution. At the same time, he noted: “We are not going to consider the possible repercussions in our relations with Ukraine based on these investigations.”

The Government of Ukraine, for the moment, has already denied any relationship with the events. According to several anonymous officials, quoted by German media, five men and one woman used a yacht rented by a Ukrainian-owned company in Poland to carry out the attack.

While the German federal prosecutor’s office itself, in January, a ship was registered that allegedly would have transported the explosive material.

For his part, ‘The New York Times’ notes that US intelligence sources also point to a pro-Ukrainian group. Details remain opaque. The newspaper did not disclose the identities of the perpetrators or who gave the order for the action.

With EFE, AP and local media.