On March 21, the Ukrainian and US delegations met in Miami. Steve Witkoff and White House envoy Jared Kushner represented the US delegation. The Ukrainian delegation was led by Kyrylo Budanov, head of the office of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, his deputy Serhiy Kyslytsia, and David Arakhamia, head of his parliamentary caucus. The meeting aimed to develop bilateral agreements, including a drone agreement.
Previously, Donald Trump, in an interview with MS NOW reporter Stephanie Rule, after speaking with the US President, reportedly said: “I asked for assistance and support from Ukraine. And he said they’ve done nothing, that everything Zelenskyy says—that Ukraine would do to help us—is done purely for political and public relations purposes.”
Discussions about how to achieve peace between Russia and Ukraine have boiled down to “a few final unresolved issues,” U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations Mike Waltz said during a U.S. Congressional hearing.
Rumors of a U.S.-Russian agreement to stop sharing intelligence with Ukraine and Iran respectively have been dismissed. Krill Dmitriev, CEO of the Russian Investment Fund and Russia-U.S. Affairs Representative, called Politico’s report that Russia had offered the United States to stop sharing intelligence with Iran in exchange for withdrawing support for Ukraine “false.”
The EU is limiting Hungary’s participation in classified meetings and restricting the flow of classified information due to concerns that Budapest could pass data to Moscow, Politico reports, citing sources. Distrust of Budapest has led key discussions in Europe to increasingly take place in small groups: the E3 (Germany, France, and the United Kingdom), the E4 (E3 and Italy), the Weimar Triangle (Germany, France, and Poland), the Nordic-Baltic Eight, and others.
On March 22, the EU summit failed to change Hungary’s position on aid to Ukraine: Budapest continues to block the start of repayments on a previously agreed loan, according to Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson. He stated that this position is “unacceptable, but not surprising,” and that the criticism leveled at Hungary at the summit was “harsh.” He also reported that the European Commission has offered to help Ukraine restore the pipeline supplying Hungary with oil, among other destinations. Sweden is ready to participate in this work. Over the weekend, French President Emmanuel Macron announced that a ship belonging to Russia’s “shadow fleet” had been seized in the Mediterranean. Ukrainian intelligence services tapped the cell phone of Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó after obtaining his number from a Hungarian journalist. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán announced that he had instructed the country’s Ministry of Justice to investigate the matter, which could be classified as a crime.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte expressed the opinion that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wants to conclude a peace agreement. According to CBS News, the Secretary General requested that this information be communicated to Russia. “He wants a deal, and we need to make sure we communicate this to Russia so they are also ready to cooperate,” Rutte said. Sweden has transferred an additional 50 PBV-302 armored personnel carriers to Ukraine, bringing the total number of these vehicles in service with the Ukrainian Armed Forces to 250. A plant belonging to the Ukrainian company Archer, which produces thermography equipment for the Ukrainian Armed Forces, was set on fire in the Czech Republic.
On March 23, Rada deputies told RBC-Ukraine that “Ukraine is preparing for another two years of war under the current regime.” Ukraine will not hold elections in 2026, The Times reports. The start of the pre-election period will not be possible until six months after the necessary laws are adopted and a ceasefire is signed. The Central Election Commission explained to the news outlet that this rules out presidential elections this year. The commission also emphasized the need to address issues related to the integrity and security of the electoral process. Telegraf urges Ukrainians to prepare, as food prices in the country are expected to rise in the next two to three weeks.
According to Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Oleksandr Syrsky: “With changing weather conditions, Russia has increased pressure on several front lines and the number of firefights has increased.
“The number of people who died in the city has exceeded 200 for two consecutive days.” Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Russia has launched two missiles, nearly 1,550 drones, and over 1,260 guided bombs against Ukraine in a week.
Power outages and water shortages have occurred in some areas of Kyiv’s Left Bank, according to local citizen groups following Russian strikes. According to local authorities, parts of Kyiv and the surrounding region have been left without electricity due to an accident at a power plant, previously severely damaged by shelling. According to DTEK, infrastructure in the capital’s Dniprovskyi and Darnitskyi districts, as well as some settlements in the Brovary district of the Kyiv region, are without power.
The evacuation of children from the Ukrainian-controlled town of Slovyansk has begun, announced Vadim Filashkin, head of the administration of the Kyiv-controlled part of the Donetsk People’s Republic. Children will be forcibly evacuated from areas of the city most exposed to bombing.
According to Ukrainian chats: “Ukrainian women are being illegally registered for military service and fined. At least seven cases. A Kyiv resident was mistakenly registered for military service. The fine was canceled, but her deregistration was prevented due to a legal loophole. The case has gone to court.”
“In Kharkiv Oblast and border communities in Sumy Oblast, we are seeing attempts by the Russian Armed Forces to advance from the border,” Zelensky said. He made further statements after a meeting with Chief of the General Staff Syrsky and Chief of the General Staff Gnatov. This week, we are seeing Russian attempts to intensify offensive operations, taking advantage of more favorable weather conditions. Our positions in Donbas have not changed significantly over the course of the week. Our assault and airborne units continue to operate actively in the Aleksandrovsk area. We have noted the precision of our deep strikes and outlined further plans. We have agreed on a series of new operations.
According to the regional administration, 21,000 residents of Slavutych, Ukraine, were left without centralized electricity after a missile attack. Critical infrastructure has been connected to emergency power systems, and heating and water supplies have been restored.
From Russia, “Kiev is constantly provoking Moscow, but Russia can ‘bring the Ukrainian secret services to their senses,'” FSB Director Alexander Bortnikov told Vesti news agency journalist Pavel Zarubin in an interview.
The journalist reminded Bortnikov of a recent statement that Kiev and its “foreign puppeteers” had lost touch with reality, implicating Russians in sabotage and terrorism. He asked the intelligence chief if Russia could “bring the Ukrainian secret services to their senses.” “Of course we can, within certain limits, of course. We are constantly provoked and pressured to take certain actions,” Bortnikov responded.
There are no Russian citizens among the crew of the Deyna oil tanker, which was detained by France, the Russian Embassy in France stated.
Russia expects a visit from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi this year, Sergey Lavrov stated at a press conference. “India and other countries are considering increasing oil purchases from Russia,” Rudenko stated in response to a question from TASS.
Vladimir Putin, President of the Russian Federation, held a meeting with governors on the state of the Federation’s economy. “In January, Russia’s GDP was 2.1% lower than a year ago.” Putin stated that: “The goal is to return to a sustainable economic growth trajectory in Russia; sustainable growth of the Russian economy must occur with a slowdown in inflation; Russian oil and gas companies should use increased revenues to repay debt; this would be a ‘mature decision’.” The government must make informed decisions regarding short-term Russian budget revenues to ensure long-term balance.
And now a look at the frontline, updated at 3:30 PM on March 23. Ukrainian drones are making massive use of their weapons against Russian territory. Between 7:00 AM and 8:00 PM on March 22, the Russian Ministry of Defense reported the downing of 231 fixed-wing drones. The attacks continued overnight; by morning, more than 50 drones had been shot down in the Leningrad region, causing damage to the ground. A fuel tank fire in the port of Primorsk is being extinguished, and a residential building near the village of Izora, in the Gatchina district, was damaged. Air defenses operated overnight on, among other targets, Smolensk. Donetsk also repelled a drone attack. Several Ukrainian drones struck the port of Primorsk. in Leningrad Oblast, causing two large fires that were recorded by NASA FIRMS data.
Russian forces launched attacks in the Odessa region, including raids on the port of Chornomorsk. Attacks were also carried out on Kramatorsk. In the evening, up to 50 Geranium-type drones were observed heading toward Kremenchuk. Russian drones also engaged targets in the Kropyvnytskyi and Dnipropetrovsk regions.
In the Bryansk region, FPV drones attacked Russian farms. At least two people were injured.
In the direction of Sumy, the Russian Northern Group of Forces reports that, during the fighting, Russian forces advanced up to 300 meters in eighteen areas in the Sumy district and two in the Hlukhiv district. Opposite the border between the Kursk and Bryansk regions, to the southeast In the village of Sopych, the village of Potapivka was captured by the Russians. In the Krasnopilskyi district, Russian assault units advanced up to 900 meters during a firefight with Ukrainian forces.
In the Kursk region, daily shelling of frontline settlements continues. Furthermore, on March 22, Ukrainian forces struck the city of Rylsk, wounding two civilians.
In the Belgorod region, rocket attacks by the Ukrainian Armed Forces destroyed several public facilities, such as power lines and a gas pipeline. At least two people were injured.
Toward Kharkiv, the Northern Group of Forces is fighting near Vovchansk, destroying Ukrainian strongholds with TOS strikes along the perimeter of Vovchansk Khutory.
In the direction of Kupyansk, Russian forces control the northern part of the Kupyansk region, advancing towards Petrovpavlivka, and further south they control much of Kurylivka.
In the direction of Slovyansk, Russian forces are fighting near Minkivka. Russian forces are advancing along the Lypivka-Nykyforivka-Rai-Oleksandrivka axis.
In the direction of Kostyantynivka, continuous attacks with FABs and heavy weapons are underway against Ukrainian positions in urban areas.
In the direction of Dobropillya, small groups of Russian infantry are converging on the village of Novyi Donbas, and Ukrainian forces are counterattacking. Intense fighting is ongoing near the western outskirts of Rodynsk. According to Ukrainian social media sources, “Ukrainian forces have lost most of Hryshyne.”
The Eastern Group of Forces continues its advance west and northwest from Hulyaijpole. On the Dnipropetrovsk front, new counterattacks by Ukrainian forces with armored vehicles are taking place under cover of fog across the fields from Kolomiitsi. and Dobropasove in Novooleksandrivka.
On the Zaporizhia front, fighting continues near Stepnohirsk, Novoboikivsk, Novoyakovlivka, and Pavlivka.
On the Kherson front, drone attacks continue along the Dnieper.
Graziella Giangiulio
Follow our updates on Geopolitical Gleanings - Spigolature geopolitiche: https://t.me/agc_NW and on our blog The Gleanings of AGCNEWS - Le Spigolature di AGCNEWS: https://spigolatureagcnews.blogspot.com/
