Facts about Russia-Ukraine conflict: Putin holds phone talks with Bennett, Scholz to discuss Ukraine crisis

BEIJING, March 24 (Xinhua) -- The Russia-Ukraine conflict continues on Thursday as relevant parties are working to broker a peaceful solution. Following are the latest developments of the situation:

Russian President Vladimir Putin held a telephone conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett on Wednesday to discuss the Ukrainian situation.

Bennett voiced his assessments of the situation regarding Ukraine and the ongoing negotiation process between Russian and Ukrainian delegations, the Kremlin said in a brief statement.

Putin shared his views on the Moscow-Kiev peace talks and the development of Russia's special military operation in Ukraine, it added.

Earlier in the day, Putin had a telephone conversation with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to discuss the same issue.

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday addressed the French National Assembly via video link, asking France to support Ukraine with military equipment and aircraft.

Zelensky thanked the French government for discussions and negotiations, and called on France to add sanctions against Russia.

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The 15-member United Nations Security Council on Wednesday failed to adopt a resolution on the humanitarian situation in Ukraine.

Two members voted in favor of the text submitted by Russia, and 13 others abstained. A Security Council resolution needs at least nine votes in favor and no vetoes by Russia, China, Britain, France or the United States to be adopted.

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The United States would not like to see a rapid completion of the Moscow-Kiev peace talks but hopes that Russia is mired in prolonged hostilities, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Wednesday.

"It is unprofitable for Americans that this (negotiation) process will be completed quickly. They want to continue to send weapons to Ukraine," Lavrov said during a meeting with students and teachers of Russia's MGIMO University.

"Apparently, they (Americans) want to keep us in a state of hostilities for as long as possible," he said.

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Ukrainian representatives are seeking to establish new humanitarian corridors in four regions in negotiations with Russia, the presidential press service said Wednesday.

Quoting Zelensky, the press service said that Ukraine seeks to establish new routes for evacuation of civilians in the Kiev region in central Ukraine, Kharkiv and Lugansk in eastern Ukraine and Zaporizhzhia in the southern part of the country.