Anadolu Agency's Morning Briefing – April 13, 2022

ANKARA (AA) - Anadolu Agency is here with a rundown of the latest developments around the world.

US President Joe Biden on Tuesday labeled Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine a "genocide" for the first time after calling Russian President Vladimir Putin a "dictator.”

Biden was delivering a speech in Menlo, Iowa, on his administration’s efforts to lower gas prices, which have been increasing due to the war, and address rising inflation.

Ukraine's president proposed early Wednesday the exchange of Russian President Vladimir Putin's close friend Viktor Medvedchuk for Ukrainians in Russian captivity.

“I offer the Russian Federation to exchange this guy of yours for our boys and our girls who are now in Russian captivity,” said Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a video posted on Telegram.

On Tuesday, Zelenskyy announced that Ukraine in a special operation captured the fugitive oligarch.

More than 720 civilians have been killed in Russian attacks in the Kyiv region of Ukraine, said a Ukrainian official.

Ukraine has not changed its position and negotiations on a security guarantee agreement continue online, the head of the Ukrainian delegation said.

"Despite statements by the Russian Foreign Minister, the Ukrainian side adheres to the Istanbul Communique and hasn't changed its position," David Arakhamia, faction leader of the ruling Servant of the People's Party, who also led the March 29 peace talks in Istanbul, wrote on the Telegram messaging application.

Ukraine has turned down German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier’s request to visit the capital Kyiv this week, further complicating relations between the two countries.

Meanwhile, the US Defense Department will convene a meeting with America's eight prime defense contractors "in order to ensure long-term readiness to meet" Ukraine's weapons needs in the face of Russia’s war, a defense official said Tuesday.

The World Bank is preparing to deliver nearly $1.5 billion in aid to Ukraine which is hit by the Russian war, the World Bank’s president said Tuesday.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson apologized Tuesday after receiving a fine from the police for attending his own birthday party in 2020 in breach of coronavirus lockdown rules at the time.

In sports news, Real Madrid advanced to the UEFA Champions League semifinal with a 5-4 aggregate win against Chelsea on Tuesday.

Chelsea scored the opener in the 15th minute with a close-range finish from Mason Mount at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.