Situation in Donbas region ‘very difficult,’ Zelenskyy says; civilization may not survive Putin’s war, Soros warns

Situation in Donbas region ‘very difficult,’ Zelenskyy says; civilization may not survive Putin’s war, Soros warns


Civilization may not survive Putin’s war in Ukraine, George Soros says

Liberal billionaire George Soros has said Russia’s invasion of Ukraine could be looked back on as the starting point of World War III.

At his annual dinner amid the World Economic Forum on Tuesday evening, Soros said the course of history had changed dramatically since the last event was held in Davos, Switzerland.

“Russia invaded Ukraine. This has shaken Europe to its core,” he told the audience.

“The European Union was established to prevent such a thing from happening. Even when the fighting stops, as it eventually must, the situation will never revert to the status quo ante. Indeed, the Russian invasion may turn out to be the beginning of World War III, and our civilization may not survive it.”

Read the full story here: Soros says civilization may not survive Putin’s war in Ukraine, warns of global depression

— Matt Clinch

Zelenskyy says Russia is putting everything it has into Donbas fight

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks at a joint news conference, as Russia’s attack on Ukraine continues, in Kyiv, Ukraine April 28, 2022.

Valentyn Ogirenko | Reuters

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia is using everything at its disposal in the fight for four cities in the eastern Donbas region.

“The situation in the Donbas now is very difficult,” Zelenskyy said in his nightly address to the nation. “Practically the full might of the Russian army, whatever they have left, is being thrown at the offensive there. Liman, Popasna, Sievierodonetsk, Slaviansk – the occupiers want to destroy everything there.”

Zelenskyy said the Ukrainian army is fighting back, but “it will take time and a lot more effort by our people to overcome their advantage in the amount of equipment and weapons.”

He told Ukrainians they should be proud of having held off Russia for three months in a war that many in Russia and the West expected to last three days.

— Associated Press

NATO chief warns Russia that an attack on one ally ‘will trigger the full response from the whole alliance’

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg speaks during a press conference ahead of the alliance’s Defence Ministers’ meeting at the NATO headquarters in Brussels on March 15, 2022.

Kenzo Tribouillard | AFP | Getty Images

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said that while the 30-member military alliance has not put troops into Ukraine, a Russian attack “on one NATO ally will trigger the full response from the whole alliance.”

“This is deterrence. The purpose is not to provoke conflict but to prevent conflict and preserve peace,” Stoltenberg said at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

Since Russia invaded Ukraine in late February, NATO has increased its military presence in eastern parts of the alliance, Stoltenberg said.

“Now we have 40,000 troops in the NATO command. We have more naval, the air capabilities, especially in the eastern part of the alliance and we have 100,000 troops on heightened alert,” he said. He added: “This is to send a very clear message to Moscow and leave no room for miscalculation or misunderstanding.”

— Amanda Macias

Read CNBC’s previous live coverage:



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