Ukraine and Russia Begin Border Talks Amid EU Crackdown
Talks between Ukraine and Russia kicked off on Sunday at 3.30pm, Anton Geraschenko, adviser to Ukraine’s Minister of Internal Affairs, told ITV News. The Ukrainian president’s office confirmed that envoys from both sides will meet on the border between Ukraine and Belarus to discuss the ongoing crisis.
EU Slams Down Tough New Sanctions on Russia and Belarus
In a fierce response, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced a historic move: for the first time, the EU will finance weapons and equipment to a country under attack — Ukraine.
She also revealed three crushing new sanction tranches, targeting Russia and its allies:
- Russian aircraft banned from EU airspace: “We are shutting down the EU airspace for Russians,” von der Leyen declared. This ban hits all Russian-owned, registered, and controlled planes, including oligarchs’ private jets, banning them from taking off, landing, or flying over the EU.
- Ban on Kremlin propaganda outlets: State-owned media like 1 Today and Sputnik, plus their subsidiaries, will be barred from spreading what the EU calls “toxic and harmful disinformation” to justify Putin’s war.
- Expanded sanctions on Belarus: Lukashenko’s regime is branded “complicit” in Russia’s assault. The EU is targeting Belarus’s key sectors and exports to punish its role.
BP Cuts Ties with Rosneft Over Ukraine Invasion
Energy giant BP is dumping its 19.75% stake in Russian oil giant Rosneft with immediate effect. CEO Bernard Looney is stepping down from Rosneft’s board, joined by fellow director Bob Dudley.
BP’s statement was clear: Russia’s invasion “caused us to fundamentally rethink BP’s position with Rosneft.”
