RUSSIAN & Ukrainian officials will meet to hold peace talks on the border of Belarus, both sides have today confirmed.
A statement on the Telegram messaging app said the two sides would meet at an unspecified location on the Belarusian border and did not give a precise time for the meeting.
The announcement came hours after Russia announced that its delegation had flown to Belarus to await talks.
Ukrainian officials initially rejected the move, saying any talks should take place elsewhere than Belarus, where Russia has placed a large contingent of troops.
Follow our Russia-Ukraine live blog below for up to the minute updates…
- Joseph Gamp
EU shutting down airspace for Russian planes
The President of the European Commission, Ursula von Der Leyen: "First, we are shutting down the EU airspace for Russian-owned, Russian registered or Russian-controlled aircraft.
"They won’t be able to land in, take off or overfly the territory of the EU. Including the private jets of oligarchs.
"Second, we will ban the Kremlin’s media machine in the EU.
"The state-owned Russia Today and Sputnik, and their subsidiaries, will no longer be able to spread their lies to justify Putin’s war.
"We are developing tools to ban their toxic and harmful disinformation in Europe."
- Joseph Gamp
Missiles launched into Ukraine from Belarus, according to reports
Missiles launched into Ukraine from Belarus – reports
Reports from the Ukrainian interior ministry have claimed that short-range missiles were launched from Belarus to Ukraine at 3pm this afternoon.These Iskander ballistics were reportedly fired as Ukraine and Russia prepare to hold peace talks on the border of Belarus.
- Joseph Gamp
Pope calls for guns to ‘fall silent’ in Ukraine
Pope Francis has called for an end to fighting in Ukraine on the fourth day of a Russian invasion of the country.
“Let the weapons fall silent,” he said. “God is with those who seek peace, not those resorting to violence.”
“I am thinking of the elderly, of all those at the moment seeking refuge, of mothers fleeing with their children,” he said.
“They are brothers and sisters for whom it is urgent to open up humanitarian corridors and who must be welcomed.”
- Joseph Gamp
Russia gives Ukraine deadline for decision on talks
Russia has given Ukrainian officials a deadline of 3 p.m. local time today to decide whether to meet for talks in the Belarusian city of Gomel.
Vladimir Medinsky, the head of the Russian delegation and aide to President Vladimir Putin, told state news agency RIA Novosti they would stay until the allocated time and wait for a response.
“As soon as we receive this confirmation, we shall immediately set off to meet our counterparts in the negotiations,” Medinsky said.
“We stand for peace.”
- Joseph Gamp
Putin orders military to put nuclear deterrent forces on 'high alert'
Vladimir Putin has this afternoon ordered Russian nuclear deterrent forces on high alert amid tensions with the West over his invasion of Ukraine.
Mr Putin said leading NATO powers had made "aggressive statements" after he sent thousands of Russian troops into Ukraine on Thursday.
The West has also imposed hard-hitting financial sanctions against Russia, with some targeting the president himself.
Today, Mr Putin ordered the Russian defence minister and the chief of the military's general staff to put the nuclear deterrent forces in a "special regime of combat duty".
- Joseph Gamp
Ukraine and Russia to hold talks today
the office of Ukraine's president said a delegation will meet with Russian officials as Moscow's troops draw closer to Kyiv.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's office said on the Telegram messaging app that the two sides would meet at an unspecified location on the Belarusian border and did not give a precise time for the meeting.
- Joseph Gamp
At least 300k Ukrainian refugees have entered EU so far
At least 300,000 Ukrainian refugees have entered EU territory so far, and the bloc needs to prepare for even larger numbers of arrivals, EU Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson said on Sunday.
"I am proud of how the European citizens at the borders are showing concrete solidarity with Ukrainians fleeing this terrible, aggressive war," she told reporters on her arrival for a special meeting of EU interior ministers in Brussels to discuss the fallout of the war in Ukraine.
She said she would announce a solidarity platform at the meeting to support the Ukrainians fleeing their country and the EU countries most affected by refugees arrivals at the moment.
- Joseph Gamp
EU needs to prepare for millions of refugees from Ukraine
The European Union needs to prepare for millions of Ukrainian refugees arriving in the bloc, EU Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson said on Sunday.
"I think we need to prepare for millions," she told reporters in Brussels, adding she was in favour of activating the EU's temporary protection directive to provide shelter for those people coming to the EU.
In 2001, the directive was the EU's response to the mass influx of displaced people during the wars in Yugoslavia and Kosovo. Under its rules, displaced people from non-EU countries are granted immediate and temporary protection.
- Joseph Gamp
Spain closes airspace to Russian carriers
Spain said Sunday it was closing its airspace to Russian carriers, following similar moves by several European nations over Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.
"Spain will proceed to close its airspace to Russian airlines," the transport ministry said on Twitter.
It added that it was following the "cooperation guidelines set by the European Union".
- Joseph Gamp
EU ministers to discuss helping Ukraine with weapons
EU foreign ministers will look at helping Ukraine against the Russian offensive by discussing the funding of “lethal material” and supplies such as fuel, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said today.
“Today’s discussion by EU Foreign Ministers will pave the way for the swift adoption of all necessary legal acts,” said a statement from Borrell’s office.
Borrell “will propose to provide a measure composed of lethal equipment, such as ammunition, and a measure for non-lethal equipment and supplies to the Ukrainian army, such as fuel and urgent medical supplies,” it said.
Their emergency meeting, by video link, will also examine additional EU sanctions announced overnight by European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen.
- Milica Cosic
Latest in Ukraine
- Ukrainian troops have destroyed a convoy of Russian special forces made up of Chechen fighters
- Fierce fighting has been taking place in Kharkiv where Ukrainian commanders say they are in "full control"
- A blitz from Russian forces to hold a crucial road junction five miles west of Kyiv city centre was beaten off
- Soldiers thought to have been killed after telling Russians to "go f**k yourselves" may still be alive
- Missiles rained down on the country in the fourth night of war
- Western allies agreed to boot Russian banks out of the Swift system
- Roman Abramovich gave up control of Chelsea football club
- Freedom fighters from around the world were invited to join Ukraine’s army today and take on Putin's troops.
- A former Miss Ukraine "has taken up arms" to fight against the Russian invasion
Russia and Ukraine WILL meet for talks
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has confirmed that negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow will now be held at the Belarusian-Ukrainian border.
A statement from Mr Zelenskyy's office said the two delegations will meet "without preconditions" near the Pripyat River.
"Alexander Lukashenko has taken responsibility for ensuring that all planes, helicopters and missiles stationed on Belarusian territory remain on the ground during the Ukrainian delegation's travel, talks and return," the statement said.
Earlier, Mr Zelenskyy had refused for Ukraine to meet with a Russian delegation in Belarus.
Protests in Moscow erupt
Protests against Russia's invasion of Ukraine erupt in Moscow and other Russian cities amid ominous Kremlin threats.
Pictured below, police officers detain a man during a protest against Russia's invasion of Ukraine in central Moscow today.
Smoke from old oil depot allegedly targeted overnight
A video shows an old oil depot continuing to billow smoke, long after it was allegedly targeted overnight by Russian forces.
The alleged attack happened in the Ukrainian city of Vasylkiv.
Video shows Zelensky saying Ukraine is willing to hold talks with Russia
A video posted on Twitter shows President Volodymyr Zelensky saying that Ukraine is willing to hold talks with Russia.
However, it rejected convening them in neighbouring Belarus as it was being used as a launchpad for Moscow's invasion.
- Milica Cosic
Putin puts Russia's nuclear deterrent forces on alert
President Vladimir Putin has ordered Russian nuclear deterrent forces put on high alert amid tensions with the West over his invasion of Ukraine.
Speaking at a meeting with his top officials today, Putin ordered the Russian defense minister and the chief of the militarys General Staff to put the nuclear deterrent forces in a special regime of combat duty.
His order raised the threat that the tensions with the West over the invasion in Ukraine could lead to the use of nuclear weapons.
- Milica Cosic
France closes its airspace to Russia
France has become the latest country to close its airspace to Russian flights, the transport minister said in a tweet today.
“France is shutting its airspace to all Russian aircraft and airlines from this evening on”, Jean-Baptiste Djebbari said.
- Milica Cosic
Liz Truss warns Britain of 'economic hit'
"It is right that we are prepared to take an economic hit," Liz Truss says.
Sanctions imposed on Russia in retaliation for the invasion of Ukraine will make the domestic cost-of-living crisis worse, a cabinet minister has admitted.
Liz Truss said Britain must be prepared to take an “economic hit”.
- Milica Cosic
France call for Russia to be thrown out of 2022 World Cup
Russia should be expelled from the 2022 World Cup after invading Ukraine, French Football Federation president Noel Le Graet told Le Parisien newspaper today.
France were crowned world champions in 2018 after beating Croatia in the final in Moscow.
"The world of sport, and especially football, cannot remain neutral. I certainly would not oppose the expulsion of Russia," said Le Graet.
We reported this morning that Poland, Sweden and the Czech Republic have all refused to play Russia in the World Cup play-offs.
- Milica Cosic
EU ministers to discuss helping Ukraine with weapons
EU foreign ministers will look at helping Ukraine against the Russian offensive by discussing the funding of "lethal material" and supplies such as fuel, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said today.
"Today's discussion by EU Foreign Ministers will pave the way for the swift adoption of all necessary legal acts," said a statement from Borrell's office.
Borrell "will propose to provide a measure composed of lethal equipment, such as ammunition, and a measure for non-lethal equipment and supplies to the Ukrainian army, such as fuel and urgent medical supplies," it said.
Their emergency meeting, by video link, will also examine additional EU sanctions announced overnight by European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen.
- Milica Cosic
Pictured: Family members hug as they reunite
Family members hug as they reunite, after fleeing conflict in Ukraine, at the Medyka border crossing, in Poland, today.
Since Russia launched its offensive on Ukraine, more than 200,000 people have been forced to flee the country to bordering nations like Romania, Poland, Hungary, Moldova, and the Czech Republic — in what the U.N. refugee agency, UNHCR, said will have "devastating humanitarian consequences" on civilians.
Credit: AP Credit: AP
- Milica Cosic
G7 says West to cut some Russian banks from SWIFT
G7 leaders have said today that western allies have decided to cut off "certain Russian banks" from the worldwide interbanking communication system – SWIFT.
The statement, in a joint declaration published by the French presidency, did not specify which Russian banks would be affected.
It added a transatlantic task force will soon be put in place to coordinate sanctions against Russia.
- Milica Cosic
Israel has offered to mediate peace
The Kremlin says Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett has offered to help broker an end to fighting in Ukraine.
The Kremlin said Bennett told Russian President Vladimir Putin in a call today that Israel is ready to play mediator.
However, it didn't say whether the Russian leader accepted the offer.
- Milica Cosic
Latest estimates of Ukrainians to leave country
Some 368,000 people have fled abroad from the fighting in Ukraine, the UN’s refugee agency has said, citing data provided by national authorities.
It follows an estimate of at least 200,000 just hours earlier.
- Milica Cosic
BREAKING: Kharkiv back under Ukrainian control
Ukrainian forces have regained control of the key city of Kharkiv, the regional governor has said.
In a post on Telegram, Oleh Synyehubov said: "Control over Kharkiv is completely ours!
"The armed forces, the police, and the defence forces are working, and the city is being completely cleansed of the enemy."
Russian troops were able to enter the city, Ukraine's second largest, overnight.
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