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
US announces ban on Russian oil imports, other energy products
The United States will ban imports of Russian oil and other energy products but will not be joined in doing so by European allies, President Joe Biden announced Tuesday.
“Today, I'm announcing the United States is targeting the main artery of Russia's economy," Biden told reporters during a press conference from the White House. "We're banning all imports of Russian oil and gas and energy."
Biden said the ban means the U.S. "will deal another powerful blow" to Russian President Vladimir Putin amid his invasion of neighboring Ukraine. The move is also expected to trigger sharply higher gasoline and other energy prices in the U.S. and worldwide.
"There will be cost as well here in the United States," he added. "Republicans and Democrats understand, alike, understand that."
The decision was made in "close consultation" with U.S. allies and partners around the world, particularly in Europe, according to Biden.
"Because a united response to Putin's aggression has been my overriding focus, to keep all NATO and all the EU and our allies totally united," he said. "We're moving forward, understanding that many of our European allies and partner may not be in a position to join us."
-ABC News' Ben Gittleson and Molly Nagle
UK to phase out Russian oil by end of 2022
The United Kingdom will phase out the import of Russian oil and oil products by the end of the year, as part of its sanctions on Moscow for invading Ukraine, U.K. Buiness Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng announced Tuesday.
"Beyond Russia, the vast majority of our imports come from reliable partners such as the US, Netherlands and the Gulf. We’ll work with them this year to secure further supplies," Kwarteng said on his official Twitter account.
Kwarteng noted that while the U.K. "is not dependent" on Russian natural gas, as it only makes up 4% of the U.K's supply, he is exploring options to "end this altogether."
"The market has already begun to ostracise Russian oil, with nearly 70% of it currently unable to find a buyer," he added.
-ABC News' Joe Simonetti
Ukrainian morning show host speaks to ABC News from bomb shelter
Yegor Gordeev, host of the Ukrainian television morning show "Breaking with 1+1," said he and his coworkers have had to evacuate the studio during broadcast several times as air raid sirens ring out across Kyiv.
"I'm not in studio, I'm in bomb shelter," Gordeev told ABC News' George Stephanopoulos during an interview Tuesday on "Good Morning America."
"In Ukraine, we have no shows now, we have no TV channels now, we have only one big broadcast for controlled information to audience, for communication with audience for everything," he added.
It was a bloody day in the Ukrainian capital, according to Gordeev. He said the Ukrainian Air Force shot down a Russian aircraft in the center of Kyiv early Tuesday morning, while a Russian rocket destroyed the city's largest bakery, killing 30 people.
Gordeev said he hopes for peace in his home country but he's "not sure."
"In 21st century, it's barbarian war," he said in disbelief. "Putin is unstoppable."
Moscow claims Kyiv is 'against' evacuation of Ukrainians to Russia
The Russian Ministry of Defense claimed Tuesday that Ukrainian authorities are "categorically against" evacuating residents of Kyiv, Chernihiv, Sumy, Kharkiv and Mariupol to Russia.
"The authorities in Kyiv are continuing to categorically reject all main routes of evacuation from Kyiv, Chernihiv, Sumy, Kharkiv, and Mariupol to the territory of the Russian Federation," Mikhail Mizintsev, head of the Russian National Defense Control Center, said at a press briefing.
The Russian defense ministry alleged that the Ukrainians only confirmed one of the 10 evacuation routes Russia proposed. The confirmed route is from the city of Sumy, through Poltava and to the border with Poland, Mizintsev said.
The Russian defense ministry also claimed that more than 2.5 million Ukrainians have asked to be evacuated to Russia.
"Following the past day, 2,541,367 appeals from individual Ukrainian citizens, as well as foreigners made via various communication channels requesting to save and evacuate them from 1,917 settlements in Ukraine have already been processed in our database," Mizintsev said.
The Russian defense ministry further alleged that checkpoints in Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Moldova and Romania "were virtually ill prepared" to receive Ukrainian refugees.
"People are forced to leave their cars and walk on foot carrying their heavy bags. Lines are up to 40 kilometers long, and the crossing time is over two days," Mizintsev said.
Senate approves $1.5 trillion funding bill with supplemental aid to Ukraine
The Senate passed a $1.5 trillion government funding bill late Thursday that includes $13.6 billion in supplemental aid to Ukraine by a vote of 68-31.
The legislation will now head to President Joe Biden's desk for his signature.
In a statement, White House press secretary Jen Psaki thanked leaders for "getting this bill done" and said Biden "looks forward to signing it into law."
"With these resources, we will be able to deliver historic support for the Ukrainian people as they defend their country and democracy," she said in part.
The supplemental Ukrainian aid is split between defense and nondefense funding. The $1.5 trillion also includes funding for many of the administration's priorities as well as sizable amounts for defense spending.
-ABC News' Allie Pecorin and Justin Gomez