Zelensky denounces unkept 'promises' by West

Since the start of Russia's special military operation in Ukraine on Feb. 24., more than 1.7 million Ukrainians have fled to Central Europe. The West imposed sanctions on Russia, aimed at cutting off its largest banks and preventing the country from importing critical technology.

The third round of Russian-Ukrainian talks, held in Belarus on Monday evening, failed to yield the expected results, as both Moscow and Kyiv delegates acknowledged.

After the third attempt to ease the conflicts at talks, a Ukrainian negotiator said that although small progress on agreeing on logistics for the evacuation of civilians had been made, things remained largely unchanged.

Here are all the latest updates:

Zelensky denounces unkept 'promises' by West

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday denounced what he called unkept “promises” by the West to protect Ukraine from Russian attacks, reported news agency AFP.

“It’s been 13 days we’ve been hearing promises, 13 days we’ve been told we’ll be helped in the air, that there will be planes, that they will be delivered to us,” Zelensky said on a video broadcast on Telegram.

“But the responsibility for that rests also on those who were not capable to take a decision in the West for 13 days,” Zelensky added. “On those who have not secured the Ukrainian skies from Russia."

UN refugee chief says two million people have fled Ukraine

The head of the UN’s refugee agency (UNHCR), Filippo Grandi, said that two million people have now fled Ukraine in search of safety elsewhere.

Zelensky asks Americans for help, fighter jets

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday in an interview with ABC News repeated his plea for the U.S.

"He said it would take Europe more than a year to substitute the volume of oil it gets from Russia and that it would have to pay much higher prices."If you want to reject energy supplies from Russia, go ahead"and other countries to clear the way for Soviet-era fighter aircraft to supplement his military, and to enforce a no-fly zone over his country.

The Ukrainian leader told ABC that Kyiv might have a solution to recognizing the territories of Crimea and the Republics of Donetsk & Lugansk, but Vladimir Zelensky added he's not ready for ultimatums over NATO.

Ukrainian officials say civilians being evacuated from Sumy, Irpin

Ukrainian officials say they have begun evacuating civilians from the northeastern city of Sumy and from the town of Irpin, near the capital Kyiv.

The evacuations began after Russian and Ukrainian officials agreed to establish “humanitarian corridors” to allow civilians out of some towns and cities besieged by Russian forces.

Russia announces opening of humanitarian corridors

Russian Armed Forces starting from 07:00 GMT introduced a silent regime for the evacuation of civilians from a number of Ukrainian cities, including Kyiv, the official representative of the Russian Defence Ministry, Major General Igor Konashenkov, said.

"In order to safely evacuate civilians from settlements, a ceasefire is introduced today from 10 o'clock Moscow time and humanitarian corridors from Kyiv, Chernihiv, Sumy, Kharkiv and Mariupol are opened," the general said.

Ukrainian President Zelensky to address UK House of Commons on Tuesday

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is set to make a "historic" address to the British House of Commons on Tuesday.

Zelensky will address members of parliament via video link – “the first time they have done so in the Chamber,” while formal parliamentary business will be suspended, according to a news release from the House of Commons on Monday.

Germany to host G7 meeting over food security

Germany will host a virtual meeting of agricultural ministers from G7 countries on Friday to discuss the impact of Russia’s attack on Ukraine on global food security and how to best stabilize food markets, the government said.

Russia warns West of oil at $300 if they cut energy imports 

Russia has warned that Western nations may face oil prices of more than $300 per barrel and the likely shutdown of a gas pipeline to Europe if they implement their threats to cut energy supplies from Russia.

"It is absolutely clear that a rejection of Russian oil would lead to catastrophic consequences for the global market," Russia's Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said on state television.

"The surge in prices would be unpredictable. It would be $300 per barrel if not more," Novak said.

He said it would take Europe more than a year to substitute the volume of oil it gets from Russia and that it would have to pay much higher prices.

"If you want to reject energy supplies from Russia, go ahead.

We are ready for it. We know where we could redirect the volumes to," the senior official said.

Ukraine to continue talks with Russia until acceptable solution is found

Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky on Tuesday assured that talks with Russia will continue until they reach a result in settlement.

"Today the third round of negotiations took place in Belarus, and I would like to say ‘the third and final one,’ but we are realists," he said on Telegram on Tuesday. "Therefore, we will talk, we will insist on negotiations until we find a way to tell our people, ‘this is how we will come to peace.’".

Australia sanctions Russian armed forces, 16 more Russians

Australia announced new sanctions on Russia that will affect the Russian armed forces and 16 more Russian citizens, Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne said in a statement on Tuesday.

"This new round of sanctions will impose targeted financial sanctions on the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, and targeted financial sanctions and travel bans against an additional six senior Russian military commanders responsible for implementing naval, ground and air attacks on Ukraine," the statement said.

The statement also said Australia also was imposing sanctions on "10 people of strategic interest to Russia."

"The Australian Government continues to work with digital platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Google to take action to suspend the dissemination of content generated by Russian state media," according to the statement.

Putin says Russia will not send conscripts to Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin said conscripts and reservists aren’t taking part in Russia’s military operation in Ukraine and won’t do so.

"I would like to emphasize that conscripts aren’t and won’t be taking part in hostilities, and there will be no additional call-up of reservists from the reserve," he said. "Missions are carried out only by professional troops."

The Russian president expressed confidence that "they will be steadfast in providing security and peace for the people of Russia."

Ukrainian FM announces meeting with Lavrov

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has said when he meets with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Turkey on Thursday he will propose direct talks between the Ukrainian and Russian presidents.

“We want talks between the president of Ukraine and Vladimir Putin since he is the one who makes the final decisions,” Kuleba said on Ukrainian television.

Russia says ceasefire, evacuations, to begin Tuesday morning

Russia’s UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia has said his country will carry out a ceasefire on Tuesday morning at 10 am Moscow time and open humanitarian corridors to evacuate citizens from Kyiv, Chernigov, Sumy and Mariupol.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has rejected earlier proposals to evacuate Ukrainian citizens into Russia and Belarus.

World Bank approves $723m in loans, grants for Ukraine

The World Bank has said its executive board approved a $723m package of loans and grants for Ukraine, providing government budget support.

The package includes a $350m loan supplement to a prior World Bank loan, augmented by about $139m through guarantees from the Netherlands and Sweden, the bank said in a statement.

"The sanctions also affect two organizations: the Internet Research Agency and private military company Wagner.Read all the updates from Thursday, March 7, here.ZZ/"The package also includes $134m in grants from Britain, Denmark, Latvia, Lithuania and Iceland, as well as parallel financing of $100m from Japan.

Ukrainian civilians must be allowed safe passage: UN 

Civilians stuck in areas of active hostilities in Ukraine should be allowed safe passage in any direction they choose, United Nations aid chief Martin Griffiths has said during a UN Security Council meeting.

“The parties must take constant care to spare civilians and civilian homes and infrastructure in their military operations,” Griffiths said. “This includes allowing safe passage for civilians to leave areas of active hostilities on a voluntary basis, in the direction they choose.”

Ukrainian cities under attack – including Kharkiv, Mariupol and Melitopol – desperately needed aid and medical supplies, he added.

Japan sanctions 20 more Russian businessmen, officials

Japan imposed sanctions on 20 more Russians including businessmen and officials due to the situation around Ukraine and Russia’s military operation, according to a list published on the website of the Japanese Foreign Ministry on Tuesday.

The list includes Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov, presidential administration’s First Deputy Head Sergey Kiriyenko, presidential administration’s Deputy Head Dmitry Kozak and Head of Chechnya Ramzan Kadyrov. The list also includes Russian businessmen including the Rotenberg brothers, Gennady Timchenko and Alisher Usmanov. The sanctions also affect two organizations: the Internet Research Agency and private military company Wagner.

Read all the updates from Thursday, March 7, here.

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