Russia-Ukraine updates: Putin says 'certain positive movements' in negotiations
A third round of talks between Russia and Ukraine ended without any resolution.
Russian forces are continuing their attempted push through Ukraine from multiple directions, while Ukrainians, led by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, are putting up "stiff resistance," according to U.S. officials.
The attack began Feb. 24, when Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a "special military operation."
Russian forces moving from neighboring Belarus toward Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, have advanced closer to the city center in recent days despite the resistance, coming within about 9 miles as of Friday.
Russia has been met by sanctions from the United States, Canada and countries throughout Europe, targeting the Russian economy as well as Putin himself.
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Latest headlines:
- Ukrainian air force claims Russia carried out false flag airstrike in Belarus
- UN has credible reports of Russian cluster bomb use, attacks on health care
- Putin claims 'certain positive movements' in Ukraine negotiations
- Russian general prosecutor wants Meta declared 'extremist organization'
- Putin orders Russian military to help volunteer fighters from Middle East travel to Ukraine
NATO won't fight Russian forces in Ukraine
In a joint press conference in Estonia, when British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg were asked why there isn't a no-fly zone over Ukraine, they said NATO will provide defensive military support by providing arms, but ultimately NATO is a defensive alliance and they won't fight Russian forces in Ukraine.
"When it comes to a no-fly zone... we have to accept the reality that involves shooting down Russian planes," Johnson said. "That's a very, very big step that is simply not on the agenda of any NATO country."
Estonia's Prime Minister Kaja Kallas said NATO should be prepared to defend the most vulnerable part of NATO, which is the Baltic countries, and need to move from a "forward presence to forward defense, and from air policing to air defense."
Johnson also said, "If Vladimir Putin thinks he's going to push NATO back by what he's doing, he's gravely mistaken. This will end up with a fortified and strengthened NATO on his Western flank -- you'll have more NATO, not less NATO."
-ABC News' Christine Theodorou
136 civilian deaths reported
A spokesperson for the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights said 136 civilians have been killed in Ukraine, including 13 children.
Another 400 Ukrainian civilians have been wounded, spokesperson Liz Throssell said.
'Heavy, heavy fighting' continues near Kharkiv on Day 14 of invasion, US official says
Russian forces have closed in further on Kharkiv, gaining about 20 kilometers, about 12 miles, since Tuesday, a senior U.S. defense official told reporters at a press briefing Wednesday.
"It's still heavy, heavy fighting there," the official said on Day 14 of the Russian invasion. However, the U.S. does not believe Russia has "taken the city by any means," the official added.
The U.S. has not seen any significant movement toward Kyiv or Chernihiv since Tuesday, and there is still no sign of an any immanent amphibious assault on Odessa, the official said.
In southeast Ukraine, Mariupol remains isolated. Ukrainians are putting up stiff resistance, while Russians continue to bombard the city, the official said.
Russia has about 90% of its available combat power still intact, the official said. It has now launched more than 710 missiles against Ukraine -- about half being launched from within Ukraine and half being launched from within Russia, the official said.
-ABC News' Matt Seyler