Already the human costs of Russia's "unwarranted unprovoked and unjustified war in Ukraine are staggering," US top diplomat Antony Blinken said Wednesday, more than a week after Moscow invaded its eastern European neighbour.
"In the face of this violence, the courage of the Ukrainian people is inspiring the world," Blinken said, shortly after the State Department announced he would visit Poland, Moldova and the Baltic states in a bid to reaffirm Washington's support for Ukraine.
A Russian air strike hit near Kyiv's southern rail station Wednesday where thousands of women and children are being evacuated, Ukraine's state-run railway company Ukrzaliznytsya said in a statement.
Russian forces appear to have become more aggressive in their targeting of infrastructure inside Kyiv, which has seen an increase of missile and artillery strikes, as well as throughout the country, a senior U.S. official said.
The war's toll is increasingly dealing a heavy blow to civilians, with Ukrainian authorities estimating more than 2,000 civilians killed so far as Russian strikes destroy hospitals, schools and homes.
A Ukrainian delegation has departed for a second round of talks with Russia, Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak told Reuters.
Earlier Russian news agencies reported that Russia's negotiators expect Ukrainian officials to arrive in Belarus to kick off the next round of peace negotiations on Thursday morning.
Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron said he would speak with Russian leader Vladimir Putin as long as was needed to persuade him to stop Russia's war in Ukraine.
"I have chosen to remain in contact with President Putin for as long as I can, and for as long is necessary, to unstintingly seek to convince him to renounce violence... and to prevent the contagion and spreading of the conflict," Macron said in a televised address.
"In the face of this violence, the courage of the Ukrainian people is inspiring the world," Blinken said, shortly after the State Department announced he would visit Poland, Moldova and the Baltic states in a bid to reaffirm Washington's support for Ukraine.
A Russian air strike hit near Kyiv's southern rail station Wednesday where thousands of women and children are being evacuated, Ukraine's state-run railway company Ukrzaliznytsya said in a statement.
A woman holds a baby on a platform, as people arrive at Berlin's central train station, following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, in Berlin, Germany, Wednesday.
Russian forces appear to have become more aggressive in their targeting of infrastructure inside Kyiv, which has seen an increase of missile and artillery strikes, as well as throughout the country, a senior U.S. official said.
The war's toll is increasingly dealing a heavy blow to civilians, with Ukrainian authorities estimating more than 2,000 civilians killed so far as Russian strikes destroy hospitals, schools and homes.
A Ukrainian delegation has departed for a second round of talks with Russia, Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak told Reuters.
Earlier Russian news agencies reported that Russia's negotiators expect Ukrainian officials to arrive in Belarus to kick off the next round of peace negotiations on Thursday morning.
Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron said he would speak with Russian leader Vladimir Putin as long as was needed to persuade him to stop Russia's war in Ukraine.
"I have chosen to remain in contact with President Putin for as long as I can, and for as long is necessary, to unstintingly seek to convince him to renounce violence... and to prevent the contagion and spreading of the conflict," Macron said in a televised address.