to controlling the whole donetsk region, and possibly seizing bigger cities like kramatorsk and sloviansk. away from the battlefield, diplomatic efforts continue. there are reports tonight that president xi of china will go to moscow next week and also hold a virtual meeting with president zelensky of ukraine. while iran s president hosted the leader of belarus today. joining us now for more is charles kupchan, a former top official on the white house national security council, and bahman kalbasi from the bbc s persian service. if president xi does hold this meeting next week with president zelenskiy, the first since the war began, how significant would that be? it began, how significant would that be? , ., , , began, how significant would that be? , , , ., be? it is a pretty big deal. president be? it is a pretty big deal. president xi be? it is a pretty big deal. president xi has be? it is a pretty big deal. president xi has already i be? it is a pretty big deal. - president xi
as a stepping stone to seize bigger cities, like kramatorsk and sloviansk, further west. and zelensky has admitted that the situation in bakhmut is becoming more and more difficult. in another blow for ukraine, kyiv has ordered the immediate partial evacuation of the town of kupiansk in the northeast. families with children, people with disabilities and those with mobility problems must leave because of constant shelling by russian forces. the city was liberated from russian occupation last september, but russia is trying to take it back. but there is some good news for kyiv the usjust announce another military aid package for ukraine worth $400 million. together, we work lockstep
now we are increasingly seeing old people and children. give them a chance to leave the city. the city is surrounded. bakhmut is a fairly small town set in farmland. before the invasion, it had a population of around 73,000 people, but moscow sees it as a stepping stone to seize bigger cities, like kramatorsk and sloviansk, further west. zelensky has admitted that the situation in bakhmut was becoming more and more difficult. and in another blow for ukraine, kyiv has ordered the immediate partial evacuation of the town of kupiansk in the northeast. families with children, people with disabilities and those with mobility problems must leave, because of constant shelling by russian forces. the city was liberated from russian occupation
practically surrounded bakhmut, only one route out of the city remains. if earlier we were fighting against the professional army, now we are increasingly seeing old people and children. give them a chance to leave the city. the city is surrounded. bakhmut is a fairly small town set in farmland. before the invasion, it had a population of around 73,000 people. but moscow sees it as a stepping stone to seize bigger cities, like kramatorsk and sloviansk, further west. and president zelensky has admitted that the situation in bakhmut is becoming more and more difficult. in another blow for ukraine, kyiv has ordered the immediate partial evacuation of the town of kupiansk in the northeast. families with children, people with disabilities
Senior politicians and military leaders from around the world will meet in Germany on Friday, with Ukrainian officials expected to address the security conference as they try to fend off Russian missile strikes on cities and massed assaults on front lines.