China’s chief Xi Jinping claps as he listens to Russian President Vladimir Putin by way of a video hyperlink, from the Nice Corridor of the Folks in Beijing on Dec. 2, 2019. Xi will meet Putin this week on a go to to Moscow.

Noel Celis/Pool photograph by way of AP

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Noel Celis/Pool photograph by way of AP

China’s chief Xi Jinping claps as he listens to Russian President Vladimir Putin by way of a video hyperlink, from the Nice Corridor of the Folks in Beijing on Dec. 2, 2019. Xi will meet Putin this week on a go to to Moscow.

Noel Celis/Pool photograph by way of AP

This is a glance forward and a roundup of key developments from the previous week.

What to look at

Chinese language chief Xi Jinping is visiting Russia to fulfill with Russian President Vladimir Putin. There are stories Xi might also maintain a digital assembly with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Turkey is because of ratify Finland’s bid to affix NATO. Sweden continues to be ready for Turkish approval.

The Worldwide Financial Fund made a rule change that would enable a reported multibillion greenback mortgage to Ukraine, which the war-battered nation has been searching for.

What occurred final week

The Worldwide Legal Courtroom issued arrest warrants for Putin and his kids’s rights commissioner, Maria Lvova-Belova. The court docket stated the 2 are “allegedly answerable for the conflict crime of illegal deportation” and switch of kids from Ukraine to Russia.

Putin made a shock go to to Mariupol, a Russian-occupied metropolis in jap Ukraine that noticed a few of the conflict’s most intense combating final yr.

Putin additionally visited Crimea to mark the ninth anniversary of the peninsula’s annexation from Ukraine, which most governments condemned and contemplate unlawful.

A Russian warplane collided with a U.S. drone, forcing the American uncrewed plane to crash into the Black Sea, the U.S. army stated. U.S. officers stated the drone was flying in worldwide airspace when two Russian fighter jets intercepted it, one in all them clipping the drone’s propeller. Russia’s authorities denied the collision however awarded the pilots of the 2 fighter jets.

Poland and Slovakia will ship MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine, the primary NATO nations to reply Kyiv’s name for allies to share their warplanes to struggle Russian forces. The U.S. has refused Ukraine’s request for F-16s.

Russia and Ukraine prolonged the Black Sea Grain Initiative, a deal brokered by the United Nations and Turkey to securely ship Ukrainian grain and seed overseas, which was because of expire Saturday.

The Russian offensive in Ukraine has slowed, failing to realize greater than incremental territory within the first few months of the yr, the U.S.-based Institute for the Research of Warfare says. The British Protection Ministry stated a Russian ammunition scarcity has doubtless tightened the army’s rationing in lots of elements of the entrance.

Leaders of Belarus and Iran hailed their nations’ ties in conferences in Tehran. Wedged between Ukraine and Russia, Belarus is a Kremlin ally and has adopted its footsteps in warming up to China and Iran, which has equipped assault drones to Russia.

Russia now has the bottom approval ranking in America since Soviet occasions, with simply 9% of the U.S. public surveyed saying they’ve a positive view of the nation, based on Gallup.

In-depth

China’s Xi Jinping flexes his diplomatic muscle with a go to to Moscow.

The Worldwide Legal Courtroom points an arrest warrant for Putin.

An notorious Russian unit that downed a civilian aircraft in 2014 was energetic in Ukraine.

Turkey says it is going to ratify Finland’s bid to affix NATO.

Putin makes a shock go to to Mariupol and excursions an occupied metropolis destroyed by conflict.

Russia agrees to increase the Ukraine grain deal once more.

Russia awards pilots concerned in confrontation with a U.S. drone over Black Sea.

Poland will ship fighter jets to Ukraine, the primary NATO nation to take action.

The U.S. army releases footage of Black Sea drone crash with Russian jet.

Regardless of the downed drone, the U.S. says it is going to maintain flying close to Ukraine.

A take a look at one volunteer’s efforts to rescue civilians from Bakhmut, Ukraine.

A middle in Ukraine’s northeast gives troopers some badly wanted relaxation.

Are poisonous substances from the conflict contaminating Ukraine’s farmland?

Ron DeSantis says “changing into additional entangled” in Ukraine just isn’t within the U.S. curiosity.

Particular report

Russia’s conflict in Ukraine is altering the world: See our up to date report on its ripple results in all corners of the globe.

Earlier developments

You may learn previous recaps right here. For context and extra in-depth tales, you will discover extra of NPR’s protection right here. Additionally, pay attention and subscribe to NPR’s State of Ukraine podcast for updates all through the day.