Image source, Reuters

United Nations' Secretary General Antonio Guterres and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov have now finished their press conference following their meeting in Moscow today. But what did we learn from their statements?

Lavrov complained that Western involvement in Ukraine had been used as a foothold to limit, control and aggravate Russia.

He also blamed the current conflict on the "infringement" of the West into Russia's "geopolitical space", side-lining Russian influence in Ukraine.

Lavrov repeated the Kremlin's baseless claim that the residents of the eastern Ukraine region of Donbas needed liberating from "Nazis".

But he also said Russia would work with the UN to protect civilians.

Guterres said he had held "frank discussions" with Lavrov and repeated the UN's view that the war was a violation of the integrity of Ukraine's territory and against the UN charter.

He said that despite the difference in position about the cause of the war, it was in everyone's interests for an end to hostilities and called for safe corridors for civilian evacuations.

Guterres finished his statement by calling for international laws to be respected and a return to co-operation in order to overcome the challenges of climate change and epidemics.

Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says Russia has dismissed Ukraine's proposal to stage talks in Mariupol.

The besieged Ukrainian port city has been shelled heavily throughout the war in Ukraine.

As we've been reporting, Russia has claimed control of the city but Ukrainian troops and civilians are still sheltering at the Azovstal steel plant - the last Ukrainian stronghold in the city.

The head of the UN's atomic agency has told reporters Russia's weeks-long occupation of the the former Chernobyl nuclear power station was "very, very dangerous".

But as an International Atomic Energy Agency mission arrived at the site, director general Rafael Grossi says radiation levels are "at normal".

The disused power station was the site of history's worst nuclear disaster in 1986 and is still used to contain nuclear waste,

This post has been corrected, as the original AFP news agency report had quoted Grossi as saying radiation levels were "abnormal". AFP later corrected the quote to clarify he actually said "at normal".

A moment of plain speaking from UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, when he tells reporters: "There is one thing that is true and obvious and that no arguments can change: We have no Ukrainian troops in the territory of the Russian Federation, but we have Russian troops in the territory of Ukraine."

Russian Foreign Minister Segei Lavrov agrees.

"That is true, I confirm that," he says.

Sergei Lavrov says it is too early to talk about mediation in peace talks between Russia and Ukraine.

But he says that Moscow is committed to a diplomatic solution through talks with the government in Kyiv.

Asked about reports of alleged war crimes by Moscow, Antonio Guterres says he is concerned.

The UN chief says they require "independent investigation".

He goes on to say he accepts Russia has "grievances" but adds the UN is there to help address such issues.

The two men are now taking questions at the news conference in Moscow.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov - seemingly with today's meeting of EU and Nato countries in Germany in mind - says talks being hosted by Western states, which exclude Russia, are alarming.

He says it's "an alarm bell for the UN".

Lavrov emphasises a need for multilateralism and says Russia has to remind the world of the equal sovereignty of different member states.

Antonio Guterres acknowledges there is a "crisis" in Mariupol, adding the UN is "ready to mobilise" its logistical resources in the city.

He says this would enable the safe evacuation of civilians who want to leave the city "in any direction they chose" and the delivery of the humanitarian aid required.

"It is my deep conviction that the sooner we end this war the better for the people of Ukraine, for the people of the Russian Federation and those far beyond," the UN chief says.

Guterres now turns to the potential establishment of humanitarian corridors in Ukraine to allow civilians to escape.

He says he has proposed the establishment of a contact group with officials from the UN, Russia and Ukraine to look at the opportunities for creating safe corridors.

This would involve the cessation of hostilities and guarantee that the escape routes are effective.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres is now giving a statement to the media in Moscow, following his talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

He says he came to Moscow as a "messenger of peace" to "save lives and reduce suffering".

Guterres adds frank discussions took place and it is clear there are two different positions of what is happening in Ukraine.

Lavrov says the UN was created to ensure the sovereignty of member states and he welcomes the secretary general's visit to Moscow.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov tells the news conference he looks forward to working together with the UN and Red Cross to facilitate a humanitarian response in Ukraine.

He says during their talks he and Guterres talked about the future of the UN in general and potential partnerships.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has been meeting Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow, where he's been pushing for a diplomatic end to the war in Ukraine.

The talks were also expected to focus on humanitarian corridors for the shattered port city of Mariupol.

The two men are holding a news conference - we'll bring you the latest here.

If you're just joining us, here's a quick recap of the latest developments today:

• UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has told Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov that everything possible must be done to end the war in Ukraine. He's been meeting Lavrov on a visit to Moscow during which he'll also hold talks with President Vladimir Putin
• Earlier Lavrov warned Nato against supplying weapons to Ukraine, saying there was a risk of the conflict escalating into World War Three
• In response, UK Armed Forces Minister James Heappey said it was "utter nonsense" to suggest the West was provoking a wider conflict. He also said it was "entirely legitimate" that Ukrainian forces should target supply lines in Russian territory - following reports of strikes on oil facilities across the border
• Defence ministers from Nato and European Union countries are in Germany to discuss further military assistance for Ukraine. In opening comments, US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said everyone at the meeting believed Ukraine could win the war

• Germany is expected to increase its military support to Kyiv, sending mobile anti-aircraft guns in what would be the first direct delivery of a German heavy weapon to Ukraine
• A series of blasts in the breakaway Moldovan region of Transnistria over the last two days has prompted the country to hold a security meeting. Russia said it was following events closely

Image source, Reuters

The UN refugee agency has increased its estimate of the number of people it expects to leave Ukraine this year due to the war, to 8.3 million.

A previous projection at the beginning of March suggested four million refugees would leave, but that estimate has already been surpassed.

Since Russia invaded two months ago, more than five million people have fled according to the UN, external, with an additional 7.7 million people displaced within the country.

One person has died after two Russian missiles hit a factory in the south-eastern city of Zaporizhzhia, the local authorities have said.

Another person was injured in the incident, the first such attack on the city.

The BBC has not been able to independently verify this report.

According to the local regional administration, a third Russian missile "exploded in the air".

The city, which is a major industrial centre, has been the first stopping off point for many civilians fleeing fighting in the southern port city of Mariupol.

Earlier, Ukraine's state nuclear company, Energoatom, reported seeing two cruise missiles flying at low altitude over its Zaporizhzhia plant.

It is not known whether the same missiles were responsible for the strikes in the city.

The plant - the largest nuclear site in Europe - was captured by the Russian military in early March.

Energoatom said in a statement: "In the 36 years since the Chernobyl tragedy, Russia has exposed the whole world to the danger of a repeat of the nuclear catastrophe."

Image source, Getty Images

We have been reporting that there will be a meeting between defence ministers of Nato and European Union countries today to discuss further military assistance for Ukraine - but what is Nato?

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization is a military alliance formed in the aftermath of World War Two in 1949 by 12 countries including the UK and US.

Its 30 current members agree to come to one another's aid in the event of an armed attack against any individual member state.

Ukraine is not a Nato member - so the alliance isn't obliged to come to the country's defence.

But Nato countries have nevertheless been supporting Ukraine - which borders several members, including Poland and Romania - with financial military aid and equipment.

Nato has rejected calls from Ukraine to impose a no-fly zone over the country and send troops there, saying it doesn't want the war to escalate into a wider conflict that goes beyond Ukraine's borders.

Russia has repeatedly said Ukraine should never be allowed to join Nato, as this would bring the alliance into its backyard.

Read more on our explainer about Nato and its response to Russia's invasion.

Finland and Sweden are set to announce simultaneous bids to join Nato next month, local media has reported.

Finnish newspaper Iltalehti said the two countries' leaders could meet in the week of 16 May to announce the bid to join the Western security alliance.

Stockholm and Helsinki have long pursued policies of military neutrality to avoid conflict with regional powers.

But during a visit to Sweden earlier this month, Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin said "everything had changed" when Russia attacked Ukraine and told reporters that Helsinki must be "prepared for all kinds of actions from Russia".

Swedish outlet Aftonbladet added that the US and UK have agreed to provide security support during the application process, citing government officials.

The UK and US support would reportedly include an increased number of troops in the Nordic nations, further intelligence co-operation, assistance in combatting cyber threats and an increased presence of Nato warships in the Baltic sea.

Read more about this story here.

UK minister's remarks reflect Nato's deepening involvement in warpublished at 11:21 British Summer Time 26 April 2022

11:21 BST 26 April 2022

James Landale
Diplomatic correspondent

Ukraine is fighting an existential war with Russia, so it is unsurprising Ukrainian forces should target supply lines over the Russian border.

It is equally unsurprising Western powers are relaxed that some of their weaponry are used such strikes.

What is interesting about James Heappey’s remarks is their frankness. In other conflicts, such as in Yemen, British ministers tend to be coy about the use of British weapons.

On one level, the defence minister is just revealing his usual candour. He often speaks more as a former soldier than a politician. But on another level, his remarks reflect Nato’s deepening involvement in this conflict.

The weapons provided by western powers are getting bigger and more powerful. It is one thing to give Ukraine short-range anti-tank bazookas. It is another to provide them with drones and artillery that can cross borders.

The line between defending Ukraine and attacking Russia is increasingly blurred.

Earlier, we reported on UK defence minister James Heappey's reaction to Russia warning Nato members against supplying weapons to Ukraine.

Heappey maintained the West had been careful about sending military aid.

He also told BBC Radio 4's Today programme it was "entirely legitimate" for Ukraine to carry out strikes within Russia using weapons supplied by Britain.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has accused Nato of being “engaged in a war with Russia”.

Here's how Heappey explained the UK's stance on Today.