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Dec 13 (Reuters) – Russia and Ukraine pounded each other’s forces in heavy fighting in the eastern region of Donetsk on Tuesday as Kyiv’s allies met in Paris to provide urgent aid to help Ukrainians survive freezing winter temperatures.
DIPLOMACY
* Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy told Ukraine’s allies gathered in Paris on Tuesday he needed at least 800 million euros ($840 million) in urgent winter energy aid as Russian forces target civilian infrastructure across the country.
* Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping will hold talks to discuss the events of 2022 in late December, the Russian business daily Vedomosti reported on Tuesday.
* The Group of Seven (G7) economic powers said they would keep working together to bolster Ukraine’s military capabilities, with an immediate focus on air defence systems, according to a leaders’ statement released by Britain.
* Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said on Tuesday that the European Union must remain united in helping Ukraine resist Russian aggression, while stepping up efforts to promote a ceasefire.
* Russia on Tuesday dismissed a reported three-step peace proposal from Zelenskiy, saying Kyiv needed to accept new “realities”.
CONFLICT
* Ukraine’s General Staff said Russian artillery had hammered nearly 20 front-line settlements around the eastern city of Bakhmut, which Moscow seeks to capture but which is now largely in ruins due to incessant bombardment.
* At least two people were killed and five wounded in the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson after what the regional governor said was “massive shelling” by Russian forces.
* Reuters could not independently verify the reports of the attacks or deaths.
* The head of the Norwegian Refugee Council said he expected another wave of refugees from Ukraine in Europe over the winter, because of “unliveable” conditions.
* Belarus, a close ally of Russia, has launched a snap inspection of its troops’ combat readiness following an order from President Alexander Lukashenko, the defence ministry said on Tuesday.
Compiled by Nick Macfie
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
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