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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Latest headlines:
- Ukrainian air force claims Russia carried out false flag airstrike in Belarus
- UN has credible reports of Russian cluster bomb use, attacks on health care
- Putin claims 'certain positive movements' in Ukraine negotiations
- Russian general prosecutor wants Meta declared 'extremist organization'
- Putin orders Russian military to help volunteer fighters from Middle East travel to Ukraine
Russia claims cease-fire will allow evacuations from 4 cities
Russia declared a cease-fire starting Monday morning, opening humanitarian corridors for the evacuation of civilians from Kyiv, Mariupol, Kharkiv and Sumy, the Russian interagency humanitarian response staff in Ukraine said.
"Taking into account the disastrous humanitarian situation and its severe deterioration in the cities of Kyiv, Kharkiv, Sumy, and Mariupol, and also at French President Emmanuel Macron's personal request to Russian President Vladimir Putin, the Russian Armed Forces are declaring a ceasefire and opening humanitarian corridors for reasons of humanity starting 10:00 a.m. on March 7, 2022," the staff said.
Ukrainian officials in Mariupol said Russia broke planned cease-fires on Saturday and Sunday. Russia's announcement on Monday of humanitarian corridors was "unacceptable," a Ukrainian official said, saying all of Russia's planned routes led to Russia.
3,000 Americans applied to join Ukraine’s armed forces
The Ukrainian armed forces have received approximately 3,000 applications from the U.S. to join the fight against invading Russian troops, a Ukrainian Embassy official confirmed to ABC News.
Voice of America was first to report the news this weekend.
-ABC News’ Conor Finnegan
House to vote on Ukraine aid, take up measure to ban Russian energy imports: Pelosi
In a new letter to House Democrats, Speaker Nancy Pelosi reiterated plans to approve new aid for Ukraine in a government funding measure this week.
She also said new legislation to ban the import of Russian oil and energy products would repeal normal trade relations with Russia and Belarus and deny Russia access to the World Trade Organization.
The measure would also give the administration more power to raise tariffs on Russian imports.
Pelosi said Congress and the Biden administration “remain laser-focused on bringing down the higher energy costs for American families and our partners,” noting that 60 million barrels of oil have been released from strategic reserves and allies have said they will reduce their dependence on Russian energy.
“With the West’s carefully coordinated effort to sequence sanctions on Russia and mitigate for the costs of these efforts, we are standing up for our values abroad while protecting our families at home,” Pelosi wrote in the letter.
It’s not clear when the House will take up this measure, but Congress needs to approve government funding -- which will include the Ukraine aid -- by Friday.
-ABC News’ Ben Siegel
Zelenskyy warns a planned Russian strike will mean countless civilian casualties
A planned Russian strike targeting military-industrial facilities will result in countless civilian casualties, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned in a new address.
He began his latest speech by saying that on a day recognized by Ukrainians as “Forgiveness Sunday,” there will be no forgiveness for Russia.
“We will not forgive shooting our people and destroying our infrastructure. Hundreds upon hundreds of victims, immeasurable suffering. God will not forgive this, not today, nor tomorrow, never,” Zelenskyy said.
The Russian Ministry of Defense announced on Sunday it will use high-precision weapons to destroy Ukrainian military-industrial facilities.
Zelenskyy warned those sites are in urban areas surrounded by civilian residences. “Hundreds of thousands of people live and work there,” he said. “This will be a premeditated murder, but today I haven’t heard any reaction from any world leader or any politician.”
He said Russia was openly announcing a “planned atrocity” in advance because there is no reaction from the international community.
“Well, I hope you’ll at least say something tomorrow when you’ll see it happened,” Zelenskyy said. “We know exactly how these attacks will be carried out, we know the full chain of command, we know everything, and we’ll forgive nothing.”
-ABC News’ Christine Theodorou
