Here are the latest developments in the war in Ukraine:
– Some 100 evacuated from steel plant –
An initial group of around 100 civilians have been evacuated from the besieged Azovstal steel plant in the southern port city of Mariupol, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says.
Moscow says some civilians were handed over to the UN and the Red Cross.
– ‘Don’t be bullied’ says Pelosi –
US Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi has urged Ukraine not to back down in the face of “bullies” like Russia following a surprise weekend visit to Kyiv.
“Do not be bullied by bullies. If they are making threats, you cannot back down. That’s my view of it,” she tells a news conference in the Polish city of Rzeszow, a day after talks in the Ukrainian capital with President Zelensky.
“We are here for the fight and you cannot fold to a bully,” Pelosi says.
– EU wants to phase out Russian oil –
The EU will propose a phased out ban on Russian oil imports as part of its fresh round of sanctions against Russia for its invasion of Ukraine, sources say.
The European Commission, which draws up sanctions for the EU’s 27 countries, is currently preparing the text, which could be put to the member states as early as Wednesday, diplomats say.
Several diplomats say the ban on oil was made possible after a policy U-turn by Germany, which had resisted the measure, seeing it as too disruptive and potentially harmful to its economy.
– Scholz defends Ukraine policies –
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has defended his decisions on Ukraine, rejecting criticisms that he has been acting too slowly and not doing enough on Russia’s invasion.
Scholz has come under fire over recent weeks for not taking rapid action or doing enough to provide desperately sought armaments to Ukraine.
“I make my decisions quickly and in coordination with our allies,” he tells Bild on Sunday.
But “I am suspicious of hasty action and Germany going it alone”, the chancellor says.
– One hurt in Russian military site fire –
A fire has broken out at a Russian defence ministry site in Belgorod, close to the border with Ukraine, the region’s governor says, slightly injuring one person.
– Denmark, Sweden demand answers on airspace breaches –
Denmark and Sweden are summoning Russia’s ambassadors after a Russian spyplane violated the air space of both countries, their governments say.
Officials said the plane entered Danish airspace on Friday evening east of the Danish Baltic island of Bornholm before flying into Swedish airspace.
– Russia could seize assets –
Moscow suggests it could seize the Russia-based assets of countries it deems hostile in retaliation for a US proposal to sell off Russian oligarchs’ assets and pay the proceeds to Ukraine.
“As far as companies based in Russian territory are concerned whose owners are citizens of hostile countries and where the decision has been taken” to seize Russian assets, “it is fair to take reciprocal measures and confiscate assets,” says the speaker of Russia’s lower house of parliament, Vyacheslav Volodin.
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