Ukraine Agrees to Talks After Russian Troops Pushed Back From Kyiv — Again

Russian forces were turned back from capturing Kyiv for the third day as Russia’s military appears to have lost momentum in its attacks.

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on his Telegram channel that he had agreed to hold peace talks “without preconditions” on Ukraine’s border with Belarus. Zelensky had earlier refused to agree to hold talks in Belarus as proposed by Russian President Vladimir Putin because the invasion had originated from Belarusan territory.

Meanwhile, the war continues. Russian forces have penetrated Ukraine’s second-largest city Kharkiv, blowing up a pipeline that could lead to an “environmental catastrophe.”

And Kharkiv’s resistance is just as strong and unyielding as Kyiv’s.

Two more RU vehicles out. Kharkiv, kick ass! pic.twitter.com/jCO0aFyYPF

— olexander scherba🇺🇦 (@olex_scherba) February 27, 2022

But Russian forces in Kharkiv have made better progress than their mates in Kyiv.

New York Times:

Russian troops have escalated their assault on Ukraine’s second-largest city, Kharkiv, according to videos and photographs analyzed by The New York Times.

The imagery from Sunday shows clashes between Russian and Ukrainian troops occurring closer to the city center than was previously seen, suggesting a deeper Russian incursion into Kharkiv, in eastern Ukraine.

In several locations, it appears that these advances may have stalled. Videos show some Russian vehicles burning, and others being ransacked by Ukrainian troops.

There are multiple reports that the Russian General Staff has ordered local commanders in Ukraine to take Kyiv by Monday, no matter the cost in human lives.

Per Bellingcat, leaked telegram channels state that the Russian General Staff has ordered troops to take Kyiv by Monday, no matter the costs of human life

Please continue to provide aid and support to #Ukraine. #Russia cannot, and will not win

— Mark N. V. Temnycky (@MTemnycky) February 27, 2022

There’s probably a good reason why the Russians are in a hurry. The suspension of most Russian banks from the SWIFT money transferring network is going to crash the Russian economy.

I’m guessing this is why https://t.co/zbRyblfgeo

— TheHelptionist (@ArjHornback) February 27, 2022

Putin may be panicking. He almost certainly anticipated that NATO would threaten to suspend SWIFT but stop short of implementing it. Now, faced with catastrophe, he may be having second thoughts.

Related: The West Finally Gets Serious About Sanctioning Putin and Russia

With the Russian economy on the brink, Putin can only save face now by kicking Zelensky and his government out of Kyiv. He can then form his own puppet government and declare victory and go home. But what if Zelensky really does stay to the bitter end? The very last thing Putin wants is to put Zelensky on trial. So Zelensky will no doubt meet with an unfortunate “accident” or come down with the “Putin Flu” after he mysteriously ingests poison.

Until then, the resistance lives.

Ukraine’s defense minister posted a defiant message on Facebook, mocking the aggressors for saying they would take Kyiv in two hours.

Ukraine's defense minister posts a message on Facebook as dawn breaks in Kyiv and the city remains in Ukrainian control: "Three days that changed our country and the world forever. Where are all those who promised to capture Kyiv in 2 hours?" pic.twitter.com/26JRPllIQm

— Zach Basu (@zacharybasu) February 27, 2022

European countries had been reluctant to sell Ukraine arms even before the Russian invasion. That policy has now changed, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Several countries that had previously declined to supply Ukraine with sophisticated weapons to help offset Russia’s military advantage have changed their mind in recent days. Antitank and antiaircraft missiles already supplied to Ukraine by the U.S., the U.K., Poland and the Baltic states before the war’s breakout have already helped to redress the balance, Ukrainian officials have said.

The Ukrainians are putting up surprising, heroic resistance despite being overwhelmingly outnumbered and outgunned. Any question raised by Putin worshippers that Ukraine isn’t its own sovereign nation should be put to rest once and for all.