Facts about Russia-Ukraine conflict: Ukrainian president, British PM discuss defensive support

BEIJING, May 1 (Xinhua) -- The following are the latest developments regarding the conflict between Russia and Ukraine:

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Saturday that Turkey is ready to provide support for the United Nations (UN) humanitarian efforts in Ukraine.

Erdogan and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres discussed the latest developments in the crisis between Russia and Ukraine over phone, Turkey's Directorate of Communications said in a statement.

The Turkish leader told Guterres that Turkey is ready to deliver all kinds of assistance to the UN-led work in Ukraine on humanitarian aid and evacuations.

According to the statement, Guterres briefed Erdogan about his latest visits to Moscow and Kiev.

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Saturday that he had discussed defensive support for Ukraine with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

The two sides talked about the situation on the battlefield and the blocked city of Mariupol in eastern Ukraine, Zelensky said on Twitter, adding necessary diplomatic efforts to achieve peace was another topic of the conversation.

Earlier in the day, the Ukrainian leader said he had discussed defense cooperation in a phone call with French President Emmanuel Macron.

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Ukraine has appropriated billions of U.S. dollars to the defense ministry amid the ongoing conflict with Russia, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said Friday.

The Ukrainian government has allocated 119 billion hryvnias (about 4 billion dollars) for the ministry, Shmyhal said on Telegram. "We are trying to provide maximum support for our fighters."

The funds will be used to pay salaries to Ukrainian troops, and supply them with equipment, fuel, food, protective devices and weapons, Shmyhal said.

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Indonesia has invited both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to the Group of 20 (G20) summit in November, Indonesian President Joko Widodo said Friday.

"Indonesia is ready to contribute to the peace effort," Widodo said in a virtual press conference. "Indonesia wants to unite the G20. Do not let there be a split. Peace and stability are the keys to the world economic development."

The G20, he said, plays a catalyst role in the recovery of the world economy, adding that he had telephone conversations with both leaders of Russia and Ukraine this week.