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
With attacks on TV towers, Russia seeks to isolate Ukrainians, UK says
Russian forces have attacked Ukrainian communications infrastructure to "reduce Ukrainian citizens' access to reliable news and information," the U.K. Ministry of Defence said on Monday.
"Russia reportedly struck a TV tower in Kharkiv yesterday, suspending broadcasting output," the Ministry’s update said.
Russian forces on March 1 struck a TV tower in Kyiv, the capital.
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
136 civilian deaths reported
A spokesperson for the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights said 136 civilians have been killed in Ukraine, including 13 children.
Another 400 Ukrainian civilians have been wounded, spokesperson Liz Throssell said.