Putin approves China's "peace plan", US speeds up aid deliveries to Ukraine: highlights of the day

Cooperation between China and Russia

Russia and China have issued a joint statement following talks between Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin in Moscow. In it, the countries call for reducing "the risk of nuclear war" and express "serious concern" about the intentions of the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia to begin building nuclear submarines.

Also China and Russia:

• demand that the United States "provide an explanation" regarding "military-biological activities";
• state that the United States and Japan must complete the process of destroying chemical weapons;
• call on the United States to "stop undermining international and regional security" by creating a global missile defense system and deploying its elements in different regions of the world;
• protest against the strengthening of NATO's ties with Asia-Pacific countries on military and security issues.

In addition, Putin said that "many of the provisions of the 'peace plan' put forward by China are in line with Russian approaches" and that they "can be taken as a basis for a peaceful settlement."

Aid to Ukraine

According to CNN, the United States will send Patriot systems sooner than planned, and they will be deployed in Ukraine in the coming weeks. According to the media, in the coming days a group of Ukrainian soldiers will complete training on these systems at the Fort Sill military base in Oklahoma. The troops will then travel to Europe for additional training.

The US Department of Defense has also confirmed that it is transferring an older version of its main battle tank, the Abrams, to Ukraine. This will allow the Ukrainian military to receive the necessary equipment faster.

The UK Ministry of Defense has confirmed that it will provide Ukraine with depleted uranium ammunition for Challenger 2 tanks. Such shells are highly effective in destroying modern tanks and armored vehicles. In response, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Russia "will be forced to respond."

Busy day in politics

At a meeting on March 21, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted a number of important decisions, including:

• appointed Alexander Kamyshin as Minister of Strategic Industries, Oksen Lisovyi as Minister of Education, and Mykhailo Fedorov as Vice Prime Minister for Innovation, Education, Science and Technology, and Minister of Digital Transformation of Ukraine;
• adopted a law on exams on the Constitution, history and language for obtaining Ukrainian citizenship;
• increased state budget expenditures by 537 billion hryvnias ($14.5 billion) — most of these funds will be spent on defense;
• passed a law introducing a mandatory probationary period of up to six months for citizens who first signed a contract for military service;
• passed a bill that prohibits naming geographical objects with names associated with Russia;
• supported a bill on the storage of reproductive cells of the service members.

Meanwhile, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a law on transparent procurement in the Defense Ministry.

The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine decided to transform the state concern Ukroboronprom into the Ukrainian Defense Industry joint-stock company and appointed a new head of Ukrzaliznytsia.

Visit of the Japanese delegation

On March 21, Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio arrived in Ukraine for an unannounced visit. He was the only leader among the G7 countries who had not yet visited Kyiv.

At a meeting in Kyiv, President Zelenskyy and the Japanese Prime Minister signed a Joint Statement on a Special Global Partnership between the two countries, discussed Ukraine's urgent security needs, sanctions pressure on Russia, support for the Ukrainian peace formula, the creation of a special tribunal for the crime of Russian aggression against Ukraine, and Japan's participation in Ukraine's recovery.

"Today I suggested that Japan focus on supporting our medical institutions and restoring certain sectors of the economy. These are the automotive industry, green transformation, in particular the production of hydrogen equipment and lithium batteries, where Japan is one of the technological leaders," Zelenskyy said.

Explosions in Crimea

The occupation authorities of the temporarily occupied Crimea announced a drone attack in Dzhankoy, which was carried out by the Ukrainian side. A municipal-level state of emergency was introduced there.

The Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine said that the explosion in Dzhankoy destroyed Russian NK-caliber cruise missiles during their transportation by rail. The head of the Joint Press Center of the Southern Defense Forces, Natalia Gumenyuk, said that the recent explosions in occupied Dzhankoy are a signal to the invaders that they should leave Crimea.

Other news:

• Occupiers continue to attack on the Bakhmut axis, but are losing offensive potential, says Ukraine's General Staff.
• The cartoon about Mavka became the highest-grossing Ukrainian motion picture since independence.
• 15 children with their mothers and guardians are returned to Ukraine.
• Ukraine received another €1.5 billion in EU aid.
• The Ukrainian Orthodox Church - Moscow Patriarchate says it has been denied access to the caves of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra. A commission has been set up to determine the level of preservation of cultural property.