Reuters World News Summary

Denys Shmygal also told the Ukraine Recovery Conference hosted by Switzerland that there had been over $100 billion of direct damage to Ukrainian infrastructure from Russia's invasion. Zelenskiy says Ukrainian forces undeterred; Russia hails Luhansk victory Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Monday his armed forces were undeterred in their efforts to "break" Moscow's will to pursue a nearly five-month war, while Russia's Vladimir Putin hailed his military's victory in the grueling battle of Luhansk.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Basketball-WNBA star Griner makes freedom appeal to Biden

U.S. WNBA basketball star Brittney Griner has made a direct plea to President Joe Biden to stand up for her in an emotional letter sent to the White House on Monday as she remains detained in Russia on drug charges. Griner, who was held at a Moscow airport on Feb. 17 when a search of her luggage allegedly revealed multiple cannabis oil vape cartridges, went on trial on Friday and could face up to 10 years in a Russian jail.

Analysis-Russia hails capture of Luhansk region, but big Ukraine battles lie ahead

Though Russia can claim a prize with its capture of Ukraine's eastern Luhansk region, it is far from Moscow's ambitious early war aims and does not deal Kyiv a decisive military blow. The Russian assault will now switch its focus to the rest of the Donbas industrial heartland, but Kyiv will find it easier to defend fortified positions in Donetsk region and the battles that will shape the war's course still lie ahead, military analysts said.

Argentina's farm leaders worry about new economy chief

Argentina's farm sector leaders said on Monday they were worried about the naming of an economy minister who has close ties to Vice President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner who pushed higher export taxes on agricultural goods when she was president from 2007-2015. Former Economy Minister Martin Guzman announced his shock resignation on Saturday, muddying the ailing economic outlook with inflation raging and massive debt obligations.

Exclusive-Pope Francis denies he is planning to resign soon

Pope Francis has dismissed reports that he plans to resign in the near future, saying he is on track to visit Canada this month and hopes to be able to go to Moscow and Kyiv as soon as possible after that. In an exclusive interview in his Vatican residence, Francis also denied rumours that he had cancer, joking that his doctors "didn't tell me anything about it", and for the first time gave details of the knee condition that has prevented him carrying out some duties.

British Foreign Secretary says Russians must be accountable for Ukraine war

Russia needs to help pay for the damage it has inflicted on Ukraine during its "appalling war" while Kyiv also needed help to revive its battered economy, British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss told Reuters on Monday. "Russia needs to be held to account for this appalling war," Truss said on the sidelines of the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Lugano. "We are looking at options for the deployment of Russian assets."

Copenhagen shooting suspect held in psych ward, authorities rule out terrorism

The man accused of killing three people in a shooting in a Danish shopping mall was ordered on Monday to be held in a closed psychiatric ward, and authorities said they did not suspect the crime to be an act of terrorism. The 22-year-old Danish male, accused of opening fire on Sunday afternoon on shoppers in the Field's mall a few kilometres south of downtown Copenhagen, was arrested and charged with manslaughter and intent to kill.

Al Jazeera reporter likely killed by unintentional gunfire from Israeli positions, U.S. says

Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh was likely to have been killed by gunfire from Israeli positions but it was probably unintentional, the U.S. State Department said on Monday. Independent investigators could not reach a definitive conclusion about the origin of the bullet that struck her, it said.

Ukraine needs $750 billion for recovery plan, prime minister says

Ukraine needs $750 billion for a three-stage recovery plan in the wake of Russia's invasion, its prime minister said on Monday. Denys Shmygal also told the Ukraine Recovery Conference hosted by Switzerland that there had been over $100 billion of direct damage to Ukrainian infrastructure from Russia's invasion.

Zelenskiy says Ukrainian forces undeterred; Russia hails Luhansk victory

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Monday his armed forces were undeterred in their efforts to "break" Moscow's will to pursue a nearly five-month war, while Russia's Vladimir Putin hailed his military's victory in the grueling battle of Luhansk. Russia captured the city of Lysychansk in eastern Ukraine on Sunday, bringing an end to one of the biggest battles in Europe in generations and completing its conquest of Luhansk province, one of two regions it has demanded Ukraine cede to separatists in the Donbas region.

Israel, Poland to restore relations strained by Holocaust restitution row

Israel and Poland have agreed to improve relations that had deteriorated after Warsaw introduced a law last year limiting the ability of Jews to recover World War Two properties, saying on Monday they would mutually restore ambassadors. The move marked a shift for new Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid, who as foreign minister had denounced as "anti-Semitic and immoral" the bill affecting property seized by Nazi German occupiers and retained by Poland's post-war communist rulers.

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