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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White House responds to Zelenskyy’s criticism

After Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told ABC News’ David Muir that he believes President Joe Biden can do more to facilitate getting Polish fighter jets to Ukraine, the Biden administration said it is ultimately up to Poland.

“This is Poland’s sovereign decision to make,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki told ABC News’ Cecilia Vega. “We have in no way opposed Poland transferring planes to Ukraine.”

Psaki said there are “practical questions” to consider, such as how the planes would be transferred and where they would depart from and land. She also noted that procuring new planes and transferring serious weapons systems often takes years -- so a speedy transfer would represent a major challenge.

Vega asked Psaki if it was just logistical issues or whether Biden was concerned that supplying planes to Poland would “exacerbate the conflict.”

The press secretary said there are logistical challenges and that they’re “looking at all of those factors.”

“But we are not certainly preventing or blocking or discouraging Poland,” Psaki said. “That is, they are a sovereign country. They make their own decisions, but it is not as easy as moving planes around.”

-ABC News’ Sarah Kolinovsky


New York City on 'ultra-high alert' for cyberattacks from Russia

New York City has gone from a "high alert" to an "ultra-high alert" for potential cybersecurity attacks on critical city infrastructure following the Russian cyber-aggression in Ukraine, a New York Police Department official said Monday.

NYPD Deputy Commissioner John Miller said during a news conference that normally the city is on "high alert" for cyberattacks, but a difference between "high" and "ultra-high" alerts is that they can attribute possible cyber threats to "state actors." When tensions rise between the United States and Russia, so does the threat for tactical and strategic cyberattacks, Miller said.

"There is no guarantee that those attacks will be limited to Ukraine," Gillibrand said. "The decision to impose sanctions on Russia puts the country at an increased risk that Russia will carry out retaliatory cyberattacks, particularly against New York state infrastructure and individuals."

When asked during the news conference if there have been any potential direct Russian cyberattacks against New York, New York City Chief Technology Officer Matthew Fraser said, “we have seen an uptick [in cyber threats], but we are not aware of any campaign that's explicitly targeting the city itself."

-ABC News' Victoria Arancio


Nearly 100% of committed Russian combat power in Ukraine: US defense official

A senior U.S. defense official said on Monday that Russian President Vladimir Putin has committed nearly "100% of his combat power" into Ukraine.

"We now assess that Mr. Putin has committed nearly 100% of his combat power into Ukraine. And by combat power, I mean that combat power that he had amassed along the border with Ukraine and in Belarus," the defense official said.

The official also said reports that Russia is attempting to recruit Syrians to sign up and fight in Ukraine appear to be accurate.

"We find that noteworthy that he (Putin) believes that he needs to rely on foreign fighters to supplement what is a very significant commitment of combat power inside Ukraine as it is," the official said.

The official said Russia has launched more than 625 missiles against Ukraine since the invasion began on Feb. 4. He said Russia has increased its use of "long-range fires" to compensate for a lack of movement in its forces on the ground.

"So, we certainly have noticed increases in what we call long-range fires -- bombardment, rocket attacks, artillery, as well as missile strikes," the official said.

-ABC News' Matthew Seyler


3rd round of Russia-Ukraine cease-fire talks end

The third round of cease-fire talks between Ukraine and Russia took place in Belarus Monday and produced incremental steps forward, according to the lead Ukrainian negotiator.

Following the meeting, the third in eight days, lead Ukrainian negotiator Mykhailo Podolyak tweeted, "There are small positive movements forward in improving the logistics of humanitarian corridors... Intensive consultations have continued on the basic political block of the regulations, along with a ceasefire and security guarantees."

Ukrainian authorities have claimed efforts to evacuate its citizens out of the country have been disrupted by Russian forces shelling the humanitarian corridors Moscow agreed to in a cease-fire.

-ABC News' Patrick Reevell


US Restricts the export of luxury goods to Russia, Belarus

The U.S. Department of Commerce announced Friday that it will restrict the export of U.S. luxury goods to Russia and Belarus, as well as "certain Russian and Belarusian oligarchs and malign actors located worldwide," as a result of their actions in Ukraine.

The Department of Commerce said it will impose restrictions on the export, reexport and transfer of luxury items including certain spirits, tobacco products, clothing items, jewelry, vehicles and antique goods.

"Putin’s war of choice in Ukraine continues to take a devastating toll on innocent civilians in Ukraine, fueling one of the worst humanitarian crises Europe has seen in decades," Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo said in a statement.

Raimondo added, "Putin and the oligarchs who fund him have gotten rich off of Putin’s rampant corruption and the exploitation of the Russian people. We will not allow Putin and his cronies to continue living in opulence while causing tremendous suffering throughout Eastern Europe. Today’s action takes away another source of comfort and reminds them that Russia is increasingly isolated."

-ABC News' Luke Barr