Ukraine agrees to meet with Russia Belarus could join Russian invasion

While Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his country’s nuclear weapons on high alert, more support poured in for Ukraine in its ongoing effort to fend off Russian forces, which on Sunday reached the second-largest Ukrainian city of Kharkiv.

The European Union announced unprecedented new actions against Russia, outlining plans to close its airspace to Russian airlines, fund a weapons purchase to assist Ukraine and ban some pro-Kremlin media outlets, while the Associated Press reported the United States approved the delivery of anti-aircraft Stinger missiles to Ukraine.

Western powers in support of Ukraine could soon be joined by Switzerland, an oftentimes neutral country that on Monday is set to review potential sanctions and asset freezes against Russia, said President Ignazio Cassis via Reuters. Cassis said it was “very probable” the country would follow suit, the outlet reported.

The office of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Sunday said a delegation would meet with Russian officials for talks near the Belarus border. The discussion was expected to happen Monday morning local time, according to Ukraine’s Deputy Interior Minister Evgeny Yenin via CNN.

Also Monday, both the 193-member U.N. General Assembly and the smaller, 15-member Security Council plan to hold emergency meetings on Russia’s invasion. 

Meanwhile, Putin’s order to make his nuclear weapons more ready for launch – made Sunday in response to “aggressive statements” by leading NATO powers and economic sanctions by the West – represents an unnecessary and dangerous move, according to the Pentagon.

A senior Defense Department official said Russia is under no threat from the United States and its NATO allies. The Pentagon is confident it can protect the U.S. and its allies, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss intelligence matters.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is heading towards a fifth day of fighting. According to the Associated Press, Russian troops entered Kharkiv on Sunday, where videos posted on Ukrainian media and social networks showed Russian vehicles moving across the city and a vehicle burning on the street. Residents were urged to stay inside.

The troops in Kharkiv arrived after Russia unleashed a wave of attacks on Ukraine, targeting airfields and fuel facilities. Two large explosions rocked an area south of the capital just before 1 a.m. local time. Zelenskyy’s office said one of the blasts was near the Zhuliany airport and the other blast hit an oil depot about 25 miles south of the capital, according to the mayor of Vasylkiv via the AP. Russian forces also blew up a gas pipeline in Kharkiv, according to the Ukrainian president's office.

SHARE