White House says if the European countries choose to join the US-led alliance, Washington would back their bids. White House says the United States “would support a NATO application by Finland and/or Sweden should they apply”. More than six million refugees have fled Ukraine since Russia’s invasion began, UN refugee agency data shows. Russian media report says Ukrainian shelling killed a student in a Russian village near the border. UN Human Rights Council passes a resolution to investigate alleged rights abuses committed by Russian troops in parts of Ukraine formerly under their control. Here are all the latest updates: 29 seconds ago (21:59 GMT) Zelenskyy says he is ready for talks with Putin Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said he is ready to talk with Russian President Vladimir Putin and that “we must find an agreement,” but with no ultimatum as a condition. Zelenskyy told Italian RAI state TV in an interview scheduled to be broadcast on Thursday night that Ukraine will never recognise Crimea as part of Russia. “Crimea has always had its autonomy, it has its parliament, but on the inside of Ukraine,” Zelenskyy said in excerpts of the interview that RAI released earlier on Thursday. 17 mins ago (21:43 GMT) Rocket attacks intensify on central Poltava region: Governor Rocket attacks on Ukraine’s central Poltava region have been “perhaps the most intense for the duration of the war,” the regional governor has said. “Today’s shelling of the Poltava region is perhaps the largest during the course of this full-scale war,” Dmitry Lunin wrote in a Telegram post on Thursday. “12 Russian missiles hit the infrastructure in [the city of] Kremenchuk; most of them hit an oil refinery that was not operational anyway.” “Rescuers are putting out a fire at the refinery. Luckily, no one was hurt,” Lunin added. 32 mins ago (21:27 GMT) Ukraine warns against involvement in sale of ‘stolen’ grain Ukraine’s foreign minister has said that everyone involved in the transportation and sales of grain seized by Russia in occupied areas of the country will face legal consequences. “I want to remind the participants in this deal: what is stolen has never brought happiness to anyone. Everyone involved in the sale, transportation or purchase of stolen grain is an accomplice to the crime,” ministry’s press service quoted Dmytro Kuleba as saying. Ukrainian officials said earlier this week that a Russian ship carrying seized Ukrainian grain had reached the Mediterranean Sea with Syria as it likely destination. 57 mins ago (21:03 GMT) Two civilians killed in attack near Kharkiv, says local official At least two civilians have died as a result of a shelling attack on the outskirts of Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, local authorities have said. “As a result of the shelling, two people were killed, four more were injured, two of whom are doctors. All these people are civilians,” Vyacheslav Zadorenko, the mayor of the suburban town of Derhachi, wrote in a Telegram post. He added that the attack also damaged a building housing a humanitarian aid unit, . . . read the full article here.