Vox Sentences - What to do about Ukraine

The US and Russia entered high-level talks to prevent another Russian invasion of Ukraine; Uganda ends the world’s largest pandemic-related school closures.

Tonight's Sentences was written by Jariel Arvin.

The US and Russia meet to avert an invasion of Ukraine

Sergei Supinsky/AFP via Getty Images

• Officials from the US and Russia met for high-level talks in Geneva on Monday in the hope of preventing a Russian invasion of Ukraine, but left with little breakthrough after eight hours. [Axios / Zachary Basu and Dave Lawler]
• The US and its allies want to see Russia remove roughly 100,000 troops assembled near the Ukrainian border, but Russian officials have insisted there are no plans to attack Ukraine.  [NPR / A Martinez, Greg Myre, and Jenna McLaughlin]
• Russia, meanwhile, wants a guarantee that Ukraine will not join NATO; it sees Ukrainian NATO membership as a security threat. The US and NATO have called this request and several others “non-starters.” [BBC / James Landale]
• The US is prepared to offer concessions on American missiles and military exercises in Europe, but Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman said, “We will not allow anyone to slam closed NATO’s open-door policy, which has always been central to the NATO alliance.” [Washington Post / Isabelle Khurshudyan, Missy Ryan, and Paul Sonne]
• Although US and Russian officials described Monday’s talks as “useful” and “very professional,” they achieved little progress in solving major disagreements. On Wednesday, all NATO members and the Russia Council will continue talks in Brussels. [Guardian / Julian Borger and Andrew Roth]

Uganda schools reopen, ending the world's longest Covid-19 shutdown

• Uganda’s schools reopened on Monday, ending the world’s longest pandemic-related school closures. [NYT / Musinguzi Blanshe and Abdi Latif Dahir]
• Partial and full lockdowns have been in effect for 83 weeks, disrupting the education of more than 10 million students. Schools briefly reopened in February 2021, but closed again amid a surge in June. [AP /Rodney Muhumuza] 
• Many students in the capital city of Kampala expressed joy while returning to class. “I am excited that I am going back to school. It has not been easy for me to keep safe at home for this long but I thank God, who has kept me safe,” 16-year-old Rachael Nalwanga told Reuters. [Reuters / Elias Biryabarema]
• But not all students will return. According to local authorities, at least 30 percent of students may never return to the classroom, having entered the workforce or started families early. [Al Jazeera]
• It’s not just schools. Once home to some of the continent’s strictest anti-Covid measures, Uganda is now moving to fully reopen its economy despite a surge in cases due to the omicron variant. [BBC / Patience Atuhaire]

Bob Saget, beloved TV dad on Full House, has died at 65. [CNN]

• World Tennis No. 1 Novak Djokovic made it to the Australian Open practice courts Monday after winning an appeal to remain in Australia. [Reuters / Sonali Paul and Ian Ransom]
• The Norwegian military has ordered recruits to return their underwear, bras, and socks  after service for reuse by future troops due to pandemic-related supply shortages. [AP]
• Treasury Department officials predicted a “frustrating” tax filing season Monday, warning that challenges could delay tax refunds  and other services from the IRS. [Washington Post / Jeff Stein]

"But to make actual progress, it’s very hard to see that happening when there’s an ongoing escalation, when Russia has a gun to the head of Ukraine, with 100,000 troops near its borders."

[US Secretary of State Antony Blinken describes escalating tensions on the Ukraine border to ABC News]

Russia has kept its military at Ukraine’s doorstep for almost a decade. But a recent escalation on the border is creating fears of a full-blown invasion. [Spotify]

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