Ukrainian official offers plan for a Crimea without Russia
April 2, 2023 GMTKYIV, Ukraine (AP) — A top Ukrainian official on Sunday outlined a series of steps the government in Kyiv would take after the country reclaims control of Crimea, including dismantling the strategic bridge that links the seized Black Sea peninsula to Russia.
Rebounding Pope Francis marks Palm Sunday in Vatican square
April 2, 2023 GMTVATICAN CITY (AP) — Bundled in a long, white coat and battling a hoarse voice, Pope Francis presided over Mass in St. Peter's Square before tens of thousands of faithful on Palm Sunday, a day after he left a Rome hospital where he was treated for bronchitis.
Bulgaria holds 5th parliamentary election in 2 years
April 2, 2023 GMTSOFIA, Bulgaria (AP) — Bulgaria held its fifth general election in two years Sunday, which political leaders hoped would end government instability and provide a path to overcoming economic woes fueled by the war in Ukraine.
War-crimes warrant for Putin could complicate Ukraine peace
April 2, 2023 GMTTHE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — An international arrest warrant for President Vladimir Putin raises the prospect of the man whose country invaded Ukraine facing justice, but it complicates efforts to end that war in peace talks.
Ukrainian court puts an Orthodox leader under house arrest
April 1, 2023 GMTKYIV, Ukraine (AP) — A Kyiv court ordered a leading priest to be put under house arrest Saturday after Ukraine's top security agency said he was suspected of justifying Russian aggression, a criminal offense.
Chaplains made part of Ukraine’s military as war drags on
April 1, 2023 GMTKYIV, Ukraine (AP) — To the haunting chants of a church choir in Kyiv’s 11th century Saint Sophia Cathedral, the first group of chaplains to join the Ukrainian military’s command structure graduated in a ceremony Saturday.
Russia-Ukraine war: Will there be a spring counteroffensive?
April 1, 2023 GMTEurope’s biggest armed conflict since World War II is poised to enter a new phase in the coming weeks.
With no suggestion of a negotiated end to the 13 months of fighting between Russia and Ukraine, the Ukrainian defense minister said last week that a spring counteroffensive could begin as soon as April.
UN food chief: Billions needed to avert unrest, starvation
April 1, 2023 GMTUNITED NATIONS (AP) — Without billions of dollars more to feed millions of hungry people, the world will see mass migration, destabilized countries, and starving children and adults in the next 12 to 18 months, the head of the Nobel prize-winning U.N.
Russia clashes with US over tactical nukes for Belarus
March 31, 2023 GMTUNITED NATIONS (AP) — Russia and the U.S. clashed in the United Nations on Friday over Moscow’s plans to deploy tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, which neighboring Ukraine denounced as a desperate Kremlin attempt to avoid military defeat and “threaten the world with nuclear apocalypse.”
Ukraine marks grim Bucha anniversary, calls for justice
March 31, 2023 GMTBUCHA, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainians marked the anniversary of the liberation of Bucha Friday with calls for remembrance and justice after a brutal Russian occupation that left hundreds of civilians dead in the streets and in mass graves, establishing the town near Kyiv as an epicenter of the war's atrocities.
Russia might put strategic nukes in Belarus, leader says
March 31, 2023 GMTTALLINN, Estonia (AP) — Russian strategic nuclear weapons might be deployed to Belarus along with part of Russia's tactical nuclear arsenal, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said Friday, ramping up his rhetoric amid tensions with the West over the Kremlin's war in Ukraine.
Ukraine’s neighbors call on EU to address farm produce glut
March 31, 2023 GMTWARSAW, Poland (AP) — The leaders of five European Union members helping the transit of Ukrainian farm produce to third countries on Friday called for EU action over a glut that resulted from the goods not leaving for their destinations, bringing down prices in their own markets and angering farmers.
Bulgaria heads to 5th election in 2 years, but 6th may loom
March 31, 2023 GMTSOFIA, Bulgaria (AP) — Bulgarians are heading to the polls on Sunday for the country's fifth general election in two years, amid concern over the war in nearby Ukraine, political instability, and economic woes in the European Union’s poorest member.
Transcript of AP interview with Volodymyr Zelenskyy
March 30, 2023 GMTON A TRAIN FROM SUMY TO KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — AP Executive Editor Julie Pace interviewed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as Zelenskyy visited the southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia, which still faces regular shelling from Russian forces, and northern towns in the Sumy region that were liberated shortly after the war began a year ago.
NATO, US forces join Romania-led Black Sea military drills
March 30, 2023 GMTMAHMUDIA, Romania (AP) — Romania’s navy led multinational military drills in the Black Sea region Thursday that brought together U.S. and NATO troops as the 30-nation alliance looks to boost security on its southeastern flank amid Russia’s war in Ukraine.
TikTok propaganda labels fall flat in ‘huge win’ for Russia
March 30, 2023 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — A year ago, following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, TikTok started labeling accounts operated by Russian state propaganda agencies as a way to tell users they were being exposed to Kremlin disinformation.
Trump campaign leans in on made-for-social media videos
March 30, 2023 GMTNEW YORK (AP) — As Donald Trump rails against a possible indictment in New York, his team is leaning into a strategy that has quietly become a cornerstone of his 2024 presidential campaign: releasing made-for-social media videos reacting to the news and outlining his agenda for a possible second term.
Finland says Russia spy operations weakened in Nordic nation
March 30, 2023 GMTHELSINKI (AP) — Expulsions of Russian intelligence officers and visa refusals have substantially weakened Moscow’s intelligence operations in neighboring Finland in the past year, the Finnish Security and Intelligence Service said Thursday.
Ukraine by rail: Inside Zelenskyy’s efforts to buoy a nation
March 30, 2023 GMTTakeaways from AP’s interview with Ukraine’s Zelenskyy
March 30, 2023 GMTON BOARD A TRAIN FROM SUMY TO KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — A team of journalists from The Associated Press spent two days traveling by train with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as he visited the southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia, which still faces regular shelling from Russian forces, and northern towns in the Sumy region that were liberated shortly after the war began a year ago.
Milley: US has long way to go to build munitions stockpile
March 29, 2023 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. military “has a long ways to go” to beef up its munitions stockpiles and ensure the country is ready for any large-scale war, the top U.S.
UN agency warns of rising combat near Ukraine nuclear plant
March 29, 2023 GMTDNIPRO, Ukraine (AP) — The head of the U.N.’s atomic energy watchdog crossed the front line in the war in Ukraine to visit Europe's largest nuclear power plant Wednesday, and warned that it was easy to see evidence of intensified fighting in the area that poses a threat to the facility's safety.
Biden: World ‘turning the tide’ after backslide on democracy
March 29, 2023 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Wednesday offered an optimistic outlook on the health of democracy worldwide, declaring that leaders are “turning the tide” in stemming a yearslong backslide of democratic institutions.
EU slams prison term for Russian father in antiwar art case
March 29, 2023 GMTTALLINN, Estonia (AP) — Russia's prosecution of a single father whose daughter drew an antiwar sketch at school elicited outrage from the European Union on Wednesday, even as the man, who fled house arrest before the verdict was announced, remained at large.
Kyiv monks accused of Russia links refuse eviction order
March 29, 2023 GMTKYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Orthodox monks who've been ordered out of a monastery in Kyiv refused to leave on Wednesday, as a deadline to vacate the complex expired.
Ukraine’s Zelenskyy is ‘ready’ for Chinese leader to visit
March 29, 2023 GMTON A TRAIN FROM SUMY TO KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine's president invited his powerful Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, to visit his nation, saying they haven't been in contact since the war began and he is “ready to see him here.”
US backs international court for Russia’s war in Ukraine
March 29, 2023 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration is offering support for the creation of an international court to prosecute alleged crimes of aggression by Russia against Ukraine.
Ukrainian grain inflow triggers protests in Poland, Bulgaria
March 29, 2023 GMTWARSAW, Poland (AP) — Poland’s agriculture minister promised financial support from the government and the European Union and easier rules for constructing grain storage as he met Wednesday with farmers angered by falling grain prices.
Ukraine’s Zelenskyy: Any Russian victory could be perilous
March 29, 2023 GMTUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is warning that his nation must win a drawn-out battle in a key eastern city. Otherwise, he says, Russia could begin building international support for a deal that could require Ukraine to make unacceptable compromises. Zelenskyy says Russia would use a victory in Bakhmut to its political advantage. Zelenskyy spoke in an interview with The Associated Press while traveling aboard a train across Ukraine. He says that if Russia takes Bakhmut, Putin would “sell this victory to the West” as well as China and Iran. Zelenskyy also invited the leader of China to visit Ukraine. China has long been aligned with Russia and has taken a position of neutrality in the war.
Ukrainian president extends tour of war’s front-line areas
March 29, 2023 GMTOKHTYRKA, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine’s president visited the Sumy region in northern Ukraine on Tuesday, continuing his tour over recent days of areas of the country that have felt the brunt of Russia’s full-scale invasion and as the stage increasingly looks set for a Ukrainian counteroffensive.
Russia convicts father of teen who drew antiwar picture
March 28, 2023 GMTTALLINN, Estonia (AP) — A Russian court on Tuesday convicted a single father over social media posts critical of the war in Ukraine and sentenced him to two years in prison — a case brought against him after his daughter’s drawing at school opposed the invasion, according to his lawyer and activists.
IOC details advice to let Russia, Belarus athletes return
March 28, 2023 GMTGENEVA (AP) — Some Russian athletes can soon return to international sports, although their status for next year's Paris Olympics is still up in the air.
The International Olympic Committee recommended Tuesday that individual athletes from Russia and Belarus should be allowed to return to competition under a neutral status as long as they have no military links.
Why does Russia want tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus?
March 28, 2023 GMTRussian President Vladimir Putin's announcement that he intends to deploy tactical nuclear weapons on the territory of Belarus appears to be another attempt to raise the stakes in the conflict in Ukraine.
Amnesty: West’s ‘double standards’ fuel Mideast repression
March 28, 2023 GMTBEIRUT (AP) — A leading international rights group on Tuesday decried what it said were double standards by Western countries that have rallied behind a “robust response” to Russia's invasion of Ukraine but remain “lukewarm" on issues of human rights violations in the Middle East.
Hundreds of fencers protest against letting Russians compete
March 28, 2023 GMTBERLIN (AP) — More than 300 fencers, including nine medalists from the last Olympics in Tokyo, signed an open letter published Tuesday urging the sport's governing body and the International Olympic Committee not to allow Russian fencers to compete while the war in Ukraine continues.
Feel the Force: Hamill carries ‘Star Wars’ voice to Ukraine
March 28, 2023 GMTKYIV, Ukraine (AP) — “Attention. Air raid alert,” the voice says with a Jedi knight’s gravitas. “Proceed to the nearest shelter.”
It's a surreal moment in an already surreal war: the grave but calming baritone of actor Mark Hamill, Luke Skywalker of “Star Wars,” urging people to take cover whenever Russia unleashes another aerial bombardment on Ukraine.
UN Security Council won’t probe Nord Stream blasts
March 27, 2023 GMTUNITED NATIONS (AP) — The U.N. Security Council on Monday declined a Russian request to investigate the blasts on the pipelines that move natural gas from Russia to Europe under the Baltic Sea.
Zelenskyy, atomic agency chief discuss nuclear plant fears
March 27, 2023 GMTZAPORIZHZHIA, Ukraine (AP) — The U.N.'s atomic energy chief warned during a meeting Monday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that the perilous situation at Europe’s largest nuclear plant “isn’t getting any better” as relentless fighting in the area keeps the facility at risk of a disaster.
Harris pledges aid to Ghana amid security, economic concerns
March 27, 2023 GMTACCRA, Ghana (AP) — With fears of terrorism and Russian mercenaries rippling through West Africa, Vice President Kamala Harris on Monday opened her weeklong trip to the continent by vowing support for Ghana, a democratic pillar in the region that’s being squeezed by an economic crisis and security concerns.
2 police hurt, 143 people held in Vienna gas talks protest
March 27, 2023 GMTBERLIN (AP) — Two police officers were injured Monday in scuffles that broke out when protesters tried to break through a police cordon during a demonstration against a meeting of oil and gas companies in Vienna.
EU Council chief vows support, ammunition for Ukraine
March 27, 2023 GMTBUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — European Council President Charles Michel on Monday pledged to continue supporting Ukraine against Russian aggression “for as long as necessary,” adding that EU leaders will “massively ramp up” ammunition production to send to the war-torn country.
Poland, EU seek to boost munitions production
March 27, 2023 GMTWARSAW, Poland (AP) —
Officials from Poland and the European Union on Monday discussed artillery munitions manufacturing as part of a new, 2 billion euro ($2.2 billion) program to supply Ukraine in its war against invading Russian forces and to replenish Europe’s dwindling stocks.
UN expert advising IOC gives views on Russians at Olympics
March 27, 2023 GMTGENEVA (AP) — Russian athletes who have actively served in the military invasion of Ukraine should be allowed to return to international sports if they did not take part in war crimes, according to a United Nations expert advising the International Olympic Committee.
A steel plant ready for war shows hit to Ukraine’s economy
March 27, 2023 GMTZAPORIZHZHIA, Ukraine (AP) — Flak jackets are piled up at Ukraine’s Zaporizhstal steel plant, and anti-tank traps guard the entrance. Whenever air raid sirens sound — and they go off every day — most workers head to one of the 16 bomb shelters scattered across the sprawling grounds.
Kane and Ronaldo help England and Portugal stay perfect
March 26, 2023 GMTEngland and Portugal made it two wins out of two at the start of European Championship qualifying, helped by their star players continuing their record-breaking streaks.
Ukraine demands emergency UN meeting over Putin nuclear plan
March 26, 2023 GMTKYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine's government on Sunday called for an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council to “counter the Kremlin's nuclear blackmail” after Russian President Vladimir Putin revealed plans to station tactical atomic weapons in Belarus.
Tensions on the rise at revered Kyiv monastery complex
March 26, 2023 GMTKYIV, Ukraine (AP) — The courtyards of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra have been busy with more than just the usual worshippers, going to and from its churches in the sprawling monastic complex that is Ukraine’s most revered Orthodox site.
New Russian campaign tries to entice men to fight in Ukraine
March 26, 2023 GMTTALLINN, Estonia (AP) — Advertisements promise cash bonuses and enticing benefits. Recruiters are making cold calls to eligible men. Enlistment offices are working with universities and social service agencies to lure students and the unemployed.
Putin says Russia will station tactical nukes in Belarus
March 25, 2023 GMTMOSCOW (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin announced plans on Saturday to station tactical nuclear weapons in neighboring Belarus, a warning to the West as it steps up military support for Ukraine.
Russia ‘largely stalled’ in Bakhmut, shifting focus, UK says
March 25, 2023 GMTKYIV, Ukraine (AP) — The top commander of Ukraine's military said Saturday that his forces were pushing back against Russian troops in the long and grinding battle for the town of Bakhmut, and British military intelligence says Russia appears to be moving to a defensive strategy in eastern Ukraine.
New Zealand tells China its concern on lethal aid to Russia
March 25, 2023 GMTBEIJING (AP) — New Zealand Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta has expressed concern to China over any provision of lethal aid to support Russia in its war against Ukraine during a meeting with her Chinese counterpart.
UN decries torture, killing of Ukrainian and Russian POWs
March 24, 2023 GMTKYIV, Ukraine (AP) — U.N. human rights monitors have documented dozens of summary killings of Ukrainian and Russian prisoners of war, as well as other possible war crimes such as the use of torture, human shields and other abuses against POWs since Russia invaded its neighbor, according to a report released Friday.
Russian strikes in Ukraine kill 10 civilians, wound 20 more
March 24, 2023 GMTKYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Long-range Russian bombardment killed at least 10 civilians and wounded 20 others in several parts of Ukraine on Friday, officials in Kyiv said, as a Kremlin official boasted that its forces were prepared to repel an expected Ukrainian counteroffensive this spring.
Ukraine using Soviet-era choppers to pummel Russia from afar
March 24, 2023 GMTDONETSK REGION, Ukraine (AP) — Skimming the treetops, three Soviet-era attack helicopters bank and swoop down on a field after an early-morning mission to the front lines in the fight against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Prince William thanks Poland for generosity to Ukrainians
March 24, 2023 GMTWARSAW, Poland (AP) — Britain's Prince William paid tribute on Thursday to Poles who lost their lives in past wars, and expressed gratitude to the nation for what it is doing today to provide humanitarian and military support to Ukraine.
A look at the uranium-based ammo the UK will send to Ukraine
March 24, 2023 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — Russia threatened to escalate attacks in Ukraine after the British government announced it would provide to Ukraine a type of munition that Moscow falsely claims has nuclear components.
Russian officials seek another opposition activist’s arrest
March 23, 2023 GMTMOSCOW (AP) — A Russian court on Thursday issued an order to arrest an opposition activist on charges of disparaging the military, and auhorities declared other activists and bloggers “foreign agents” amid efforts to muzzle criticism of Russia's action in Ukraine.
EU leaders endorse joint ammo purchases for Ukraine
March 23, 2023 GMTBRUSSELS (AP) — European Union leaders endorsed a plan Thursday for sending Ukraine 1 million rounds of artillery ammunition within the next 12 months to help the country counter Russia’s invasion forces.
Track stymies Russian path to Olympics due to war in Ukraine
March 23, 2023 GMTTrack and field leaders signaled Thursday that it will be nearly impossible for Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete in that sport at the Paris Olympics next year if the war in Ukraine continues.
Pentagon: Budget readies US for possible China confrontation
March 23, 2023 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. military must be ready for possible confrontation with China, the Pentagon's leaders said Thursday, pushing Congress to approve the Defense Department's proposed $842 billion budget, which would modernize the force in Asia and around the world.
Ukraine president visits front-line areas as new phase nears
March 23, 2023 GMTKYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine's president on Thursday made his third visit in two days to areas that have felt the brunt of Russia’s war, with a trip to the southern Kherson region that was retaken from the Kremlin’s forces, and as a senior Kyiv commander hinted that a brewing Ukrainian counteroffensive could come “very soon.”
DeSantis walks back ‘territorial dispute’ remark on Ukraine
March 23, 2023 GMTCOLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is walking back his characterization of Russia’s war in Ukraine as a “territorial dispute,” following criticism from a number of fellow Republicans who expressed concern about the potential 2024 presidential candidate’s dismissive description of the conflict.
Ramadan starts in Mideast amid high costs, hopes for peace
March 23, 2023 GMTKHARTOUM, Sudan (AP) — Hundreds of millions of Muslims began the first daily fast of Ramadan on Thursday, as parts of the Middle East approached crucial junctures in high-stakes peace negotiations during the holy month, traditionally a time of reconciliation.
Russia’s security chief blasts West, dangles nuclear threats
March 23, 2023 GMTMOSCOW (AP) — A top Russian security official warned Thursday about the rising threat of a nuclear war and blasted a German minister for threatening Russian President Vladimir Putin with arrest, saying that such action would amount to a declaration of war and trigger a Russian strike on Germany.
Hungary would not act on Putin arrest warrant, official says
March 23, 2023 GMTBUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Authorities in Hungary would not arrest Russian President Vladimir Putin if he were to enter the country despite him being the subject of an international warrant for alleged war crimes in Ukraine, a Hungarian official said Thursday.
‘On tour in hell’: Wounded Ukrainian soldiers evacuated
March 23, 2023 GMTDONETSK REGION, Ukraine (AP) — Their hands are blackened and grimy from the fight. Some are still wearing their combat boots, small flecks of black soil from the battlefield clinging to their torsos, bare under the emergency blanket.
Japan’s winning WBC team drops in on Prime Minister Kishida
March 23, 2023 GMTTOKYO (AP) — Prime Minister Fumio Kishida might have had his most enjoyable day in office on Thursday when Japan's winning World Baseball Classic team paid a visit.
Kishida was beaming when a gold medal from the winning team was placed around his neck, and he also received a large card in a frame containing each player's signature.
Ukraine: Russia hits apartments and dorm, killing civilians
March 23, 2023 GMTKYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russia stepped up its missile and drone attacks against Ukraine on Wednesday, killing students and other civilians, in a violent follow-up to dueling high-level diplomatic missions aimed at bringing peace after 13 months of war.
Ex-New Zealand soldier who helped veterans dies in Ukraine
March 23, 2023 GMTWELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — A former New Zealand soldier who co-founded a charity to help struggling veterans has been killed in Ukraine, authorities said Thursday.
Ukrainian authorities confirmed the death of Kane Te Tai and the New Zealand embassy in Poland was trying to find out more details, New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said in a statement.
Prince William visits Poland to support ally helping Ukraine
March 23, 2023 GMTWARSAW, Poland (AP) — Prince William made a surprise visit to Poland on Wednesday that underscored Britain’s support for a nation on the front line of efforts to help refugees displaced by Russia's war in Ukraine and to assist the Ukrainian military in fighting off the invasion.
120 leaders invited to Biden’s 2nd Summit for Democracy
March 22, 2023 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration has extended invitations to 120 global leaders for next week's Summit for Democracy, including to representatives from eight countries that weren't invited to the White House's inaugural summit in 2021.
World Bank puts cost of rebuilding Ukraine at $411 billion
March 22, 2023 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — A World Bank report released Wednesday puts the cost of Ukraine's recovery and rebuilding from Russia's invasion at $411 billion over the next decade, with the cost of cleaning up the war rubble alone at $5 billion.
Holy month of Ramadan begins for Muslims across the world
March 22, 2023 GMTDUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The Muslim holy month of Ramadan began at sundown on Wednesday, as the faithful prepared for a month of dawn-to-dusk fasting intended to bring them closer to God and to remind them of the suffering of those less fortunate.
Japanese beating Americans in baseball is must-see viewing
March 22, 2023 GMTTOKYO (AP) — Japanese television stuck to its live coverage from Miami for almost two hours after Japan defeated the United States 3-2 to win the World Baseball Classic.
This was must see viewing — over and over and over.
China calls Xi’s Russia visit one of friendship, peace
March 22, 2023 GMTBEIJING (AP) — China on Wednesday said President Xi Jinping’s just-concluded visit to Russia was a “journey of friendship, cooperation and peace,” and again criticized Washington for providing military support to Ukraine.
Japan’s Kishida pledges aid for Ukraine-backing Poland
March 22, 2023 GMTWARSAW, Poland (AP) — Japan's prime minister pledged Wednesday to provide Poland with development support to help the European country assist neighboring Ukraine as it defends itself from Russia's invasion.
Ukraine, IMF agree on $15.6 billion loan package
March 22, 2023 GMTFRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — Ukraine and the International Monetary Fund have agreed on a $15.6 billion loan package aimed at shoring up government finances severely strained by Russia's invasion and leveraging even more support by reassuring allies that Ukraine is pursuing strong economic policies and fighting corruption.
Slovakia offered US helicopters for giving jets to Ukraine
March 22, 2023 GMTBRATISLAVA, Slovakia (AP) — The United States has offered Slovakia 12 new military helicopters as compensation for the MiG-29 fighter jets the European country is giving to Ukraine, Slovakia's defense minister said Wednesday.