Russia-Ukraine updates: Putin says 'certain positive movements' in negotiations

A third round of talks between Russia and Ukraine ended without any resolution.

Russian forces are continuing their attempted push through Ukraine from multiple directions, while Ukrainians, led by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, are putting up "stiff resistance," according to U.S. officials.

The attack began Feb. 24, when Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a "special military operation."

Russian forces moving from neighboring Belarus toward Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, have advanced closer to the city center in recent days despite the resistance, coming within about 9 miles as of Friday.

Russia has been met by sanctions from the United States, Canada and countries throughout Europe, targeting the Russian economy as well as Putin himself.

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Two Men at War

A look at the two leaders at the center of the war in Ukraine and how they both rose to power, the difference in their leadership and what led to this moment in history.

Mar 10, 2022, 3:28 PM EST

Psaki says US is 'leading the global effort to rally opposition' to Putin's actions

Following a call between President Joe Biden and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan Thursday, White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters "The U.S. is leading the global effort to rally opposition to the actions of President Putin," during a press briefing.

ABC News' MaryAlice Parks asked Psaki if there is a role for the U.S. to be playing to support a diplomatic outcome to the war in Ukraine.

“We have been engaged with the Ukrainians on a daily basis. We have provided more security assistance, more humanitarian assistance, than any country in the world. And there wouldn't be the unity of financial sanctions and actions without the leadership of the United States," Psaki said.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki speaks during a press briefing at the White House, March 10, 2022, in Washington, D.C.
Patrick Semansky/AP

Psaki added, "What we're doing is we’re putting the Ukrainians in a position of increasing, hopefully, strength in their negotiations and discussions."

Asked if the U.S. has a hand in facilitating diplomatic talks like we saw today, Psaki said, "We are supporting the efforts by a range of leaders," which includes Turkey, Israel, France, "and others who are engaging directly with President Putin over this."

-ABC News' Justin Gomez and MaryAlice Parks

Mar 10, 2022, 3:07 PM EST

Mike Pence visits Ukraine

Former Vice President Mike Pence and his wife, Karen, crossed the Polish border into Ukraine to meet with refugees on Thursday, an aide told ABC News.

The Pences were in Poland on a humanitarian visit with the evangelical aid organization Samaritan's Purse, the aide said. They were in Ukrainian territory for about an hour.

When White House press secretary Jen Psaki was asked Thursday whether the Biden administration knew Pence was going to be at the Ukrainian border today, she responded that she would check.

Pence's team had not been in contact with the U.S. government regarding the trip "because he was there for humanitarian purposes," with Samaritan's Purse, the aide told ABC News.

Vice President Kamala Harris was also in Warsaw, Poland, on Thursday to demonstrate U.S. support for NATO's eastern flank allies.

-ABC News' Ben Gittleson

Mar 10, 2022, 3:06 PM EST

Around 15,000 Ukrainian civilians evacuated from various cities, none from Mariupol

Around 15,000 civilians were evacuated from Ukrainian cities Thursday through humanitarian corridors that were operational, without major ceasefire violations reported, according to Ukrainian officials. However, no civilians have been evacuated from Mariupol, nor have humanitarian supplies been delivered into the city.

Members of the Ukrainian military help the residents evacuated from Irpin to get out of the truck after arriving at the area from where they can flee from the frontline town of Irpin, Kyiv region, Ukraine, March 10, 2022.
ROMAN PILIPEY/EPA-EFE/Shuttersto

From the Sumy region, more than 12,000 civilians were evacuated using 54 buses and 2,664 private vehicles, according to Ukraine's State Emergency Services.

Around 1,200 people were evacuated from Izyum on Thursday, according to Kharkiv's regional governor.

According to the Kyiv Region Police Department, 2,000 civilians were evacuated from Bucha and Irpin to Kyiv.

PHOTO: Residents coming from Bucha town, currently controlled by the Russian military, walk with luggage towards the Ukrainian checkpoint at the frontline in Irpin, Ukraine, 1March 10, 2022.
Residents coming from Bucha town, currently controlled by the Russian military, walk with luggage towards the Ukrainian checkpoint at the frontline in Irpin, Ukraine, March 10, 2022. Thousands of residents are feeling Irpin and Bucha, as well as other settlements near Kyiv which were most affected by the Russian invasion.
Roman Pilipey/EPA via Shutterstock

Irina Vereschuk, the deputy prime minister in charge of reintegration and temporarily occupied territories, said on Thursday that what's happening in Mariupol is "beyond a humanitarian disaster."

According to Vereschuk, Mariupol currently does not have power, gas or heat and there is very little communication with the outside.

Vereschuk said they had hoped it would be possible to get humanitarian supplies into and some civilians out of Mariupol, but heavy shelling and air bombardment has continued, so that has not been possible.

According to Vereschuk, there is an International Committee of the Red Cross humanitarian convoy in Zaporizhzhia that departs to Mariupol daily to deliver aid, including water, basic food supplies and medicine, but it is constantly forced to turn back.

Nearly all roads leading out of Mariupol have been destroyed, with only two remaining routes out of the city still intact and Ukrainian authorities are still trying to contact the appropriate Russian authorities to agree on a ceasefire, according to Vereschuk.

An ICRC convoy with humanitarian supplies arrived on Thursday in the southern Ukrainian city of Energodar, but a planned evacuation of residents by private transport had to be postponed to Friday morning after the shelling resumed, the city's mayor said.

-ABC News' Christine Theodorou

Mar 10, 2022, 2:54 PM EST

Inflation will be higher in coming months because of Russian invasion, Psaki says

Inflation rates in coming months will be higher than they would have been had Russia not invaded Ukraine, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Thursday.

When asked by ABC News White House correspondent Mary Bruce how high the Biden Administration expects inflation rates to climb, Psaki said the energy and fuel prices will go up, but the increase will be "temporary and long-lasting."

While inflation rates are expected to decrease by the end of the year, "There is also no question that inflation may be higher for the next few months than it would have been without the Russia," Psaki said.

"What our focus is on now is doing everything we can to mitigate and reduce those prices and ensure there isn't a longer-term impact," Psaki said. "So I can't make new projections for you from here other than to convey that, yes, it is accurate that the invasion by President Putin into Ukraine has impacted global inflation, inflation in the United States, because of the impact it's had on energy prices -- and that is a significant contributor to inflation."

-ABC News' Molly Nagle

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