Russia wants to 'break us down' with missile attacks, says Ukraine

"Another night in Ukraine, another barrage of Russian missiles raining down on peaceful Ukrainian cities," said Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba.

He accused Russia of wanting to "break us down with their missile terrorism" as air raid sirens sounded in cities across the country and attacks were reported near Kyiv, the capital; in Cherkasy and Dnipro in central Ukraine; and in Zaporizhzhia in the southeast.

Missile strikes continue across Ukraine as Russia tries to hinder Ukrainian resupply efforts, UK says

The UK's Ministry of Defence said that even though Russian ground operations were focussing on eastern Ukraine, "missile strikes continue across the country as Russia attempts to hamper Ukrainian resupply efforts."

The defence ministry added in its latest defence intelligence update that strikes continued to hit non-military targets "indicating Russia’s willingness to target civilian infrastructure in an attempt to weaken Ukrainian resolve."

The UK said that they continued to pursue key cities which would give them full control of the Black Sea and enable them to "control Ukraine's sea lines of communication, negatively impacting their economy."

EU eyes sanctions for Russian Orthodox Church head

The European Union plans to sanction the head of the Russian Orthodox Church in its next round of measures to punish Russia's invasion of Ukraine, EU diplomats said on Wednesday, opening a new religious front in Europe’s sanctions regime.

The proposal, which must be approved by the 27-member bloc, drew immediate criticism from the Russian Orthodox Church, which also lashed out Wednesday at Pope Francis for his recent comments about Patriarch Kirill.

Kirill, the head of one of the largest and most influential churches in Eastern Orthodoxy, has justified Russia’s invasion on spiritual grounds, describing it as a “metaphysical” battle against the West and its “gay parades.”

Three EU diplomats with direct knowledge of the discussions said negotiations to add Kirill’s name to the EU list of sanctioned individuals were continuing on Wednesday. If approved by EU members, Kirill would face travel bans and a freeze of assets, joining 1,093 individuals, including Putin and oligarchs, as well as 80 entities already subject to the punishing measures.

In a statement Wednesday, the Russian Orthodox Church vowed the sanctions would never intimidate Kirill and would just prolong the conflict.

(AP)

Zelenskyy calls on UN chief to help injured at Mariupol steel plant

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to rescue the injured at the Azovstal steelworks plant in Mariupol, which was besieged by Russian forces.

"The lives of the people who remain there are in danger. Everyone is important to us. We ask for your help in saving them," Zelenskyy said, according to a statement on his website.

Zelenskyy also thanked the Secretary-General for his efforts to evacuate Ukrainians from the plant. The UN and International Committee of the Red Cross aided in evacuation efforts on Sunday in Mariupol.

"The whole world has learned about the role of the UN and the ICRC in this. This has shown that international organisations can be effective," Zelenskyy said, according to a press statement.

Russia announces ceasefire at steelworks factory in Mariupol to evacuate civilians

Russia announced on Wednesday that its forces would ceasefire on the steel plant in the port city of Mariupol and open a humanitarian corridor for three days from Thursday to evacuate civilians.

The armed forces said they would open a humanitarian corridor from 8:00 to 18:00 Moscow time on May 5, 6, and 7 from the Azovstal steel plant to evacuate civilians.

(AFP)
 

Some 600 died in Mariupol theatre bombing, AP estimates

An AP investigation has estimated that around 600 people died in the Mariupol theatre bombing on March 16.

The estimate is based on accounts from survivors of the bombing, rescuers, as well as floor plans, experts, photos and video.

The Ukrainian government estimated early on that about 300 people died.

AP journalists arrived at a much higher number through the reconstruction of a 3D model of the building's floorplan reviewed repeatedly by direct witnesses, most from within the theatre, who described in detail where people were sheltering.

Air raid sirens, missile fire in Ukraine

Air raid sirens sounded in cities across Ukraine on Wednesday night and missile fire followed shortly after in the cities of Cherkasy, Dnipro and Zaporizhzhia.

In Dnipro, Mayor Borys Filatov said one strike hit the centre of the city. The strikes in Dnipro also hit a railroad facility, authorities initially said, without elaborating. Ukrainian Railways said none of its staff were injured in the Dnipro attack.

Complaining that the West is “stuffing Ukraine with weapons,” Russia bombarded railroad stations and other supply-line points across the country. Meanwhile, the European Union moved to further punish Moscow for the war by proposing a ban on oil imports, a crucial source of revenue for Russia.

(AP)

Discussions around EU ban on Russian oil turning fraught

Ambassadors of EU countries are currently discussing the European Commission’s proposal to impose a gradual and “orderly” EU-wide ban on Russian oil imports.

Commission President Ursula von der Leyen unveiled the long-awaited measure on Wednesday morning and said member states will have six months to phase out crude oil and until the end of the year to stop buying refined oil products from Russia.

But the proposal, the most radical yet since the Ukraine war broke out, is becoming a source of great friction among national representatives. The main point of contention is the timeline envisioned by the Commission. Initially, Hungary and Slovakia, two countries highly dependent on Russian oil, were supposed to be granted an extra year, until the end of 2023, to complete the phase-out.

But Hungary has said it cannot support the ban in its current form because the country won’t be able to secure alternative suppliers to fill the gap left by Russian pipeline oil. According to diplomatic sources consulted by Euronews, Slovakia is now pushing for a December 2024 deadline to complete the phase-out, two years later than what von der Leyen announced.

Bulgaria, which last month saw how Gazprom cut off its gas supplies, has also raised concerns and is asking for a similar exemption.

Meanwhile, a group of coastal states, including Cyprus, Malta, Greece, the Netherlands and Belgium, are asking the Commission to come up with a cost-benefit analysis to determine how much economic damage their local shipping industries could sustain as a result of the EU ban. Most Russian oil is traded via ships from Russia to Europe and other regions.

Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo called on Wednesday for “collective compensation” and stressed the need for European unity.

The discussions between EU Ambassadors are shaping up to be the most consequential, lengthy and fraught since the start of the conflict. Sanctions require the unanimous approval of all 27 member states.

Finnish PM hopes possible future NATO ratification process is 'as short as possible'

Finland's prime minister said she hopes that the NATO ratification process is "as short as possible" if her country decides to apply to the military alliance.

"If Finland, and Sweden would decide to apply for NATO membership, the key issue is to keep the process, the ratification process as short as possible," said Sanna Marin on Wednesday.

"I think it's (in) everybody's interest, that different countries will move as fast as possible. That would be the best security guarantee that we could have."

She added that there were discussions with NATO member states on "what kind of security guarantees or security issues" they could have if they choose to apply.

EU countries refusing embargo on Russian oil 'accomplices' in war crimes, says Ukrainian minister

European Union member states that are refusing to put in place an embargo on Russian oil will be "accomplices" in war crimes, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said on Wednesday.

“If a country in Europe continues to oppose an embargo on Russian oil, then there will be good grounds to say that this country is complicit in the crimes committed by Russia on Ukrainian territory,” Kuleba said in a live video on Twitter.

Earlier on Wednesday, Hungary rejected the EU's proposal to embargo Russian oil "in its current form".

(AFP)

No deal without Russian withdrawal, says Zelenskyy

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says his country could not accept a deal with Moscow that would allow Russian troops to remain in occupied territory.

Speaking Wednesday to participants in the Wall Street Journal CEO Council Summit, Zelenskyy said Ukrainian forces had halted the Russian offensive in what he described as the first stage of the conflict. In the second stage, he said, Ukraine would expel Russian troops from its territory and in the third, would move to fully restore its territorial integrity.

Zelenskyy said he would not accept a cease-fire deal that would allow Russian forces to remain in their current positions ‒ insisting that “we will not accept a frozen conflict” ‒ but gave no further details. He warned that Ukraine would be drawn into a “diplomatic quagmire” like the peace agreement for eastern Ukraine that was brokered by France and Germany in 2015.

In 2014, Russia annexed Ukraine’s Crimean peninsula and cast its support behind a separatist rebellion in Ukraine’s eastern industrial heartland called the Donbas. Russian President Vladimir Putin has named Ukraine’s recognition of the Russian sovereignty over Crimea and its acknowledgement of the separatist regions’ independence as key conditions for halting hostilities.

Zelensky emphasised that Putin must agree to meet him to negotiate any deal to end the fighting.

He said it was important to continue peace talks, but noted that “until the Russian president signs it or makes an official statement I don’t see the point in such agreements.”

(AP)

Hungary rejects EU proposal on Russian oil embargo 'in its current form'

Hungary on Wednesday rejected the proposal for a gradual European embargo on Russian oil "in its current form", judging that such a measure would "completely destroy the energy security" of the country.

The Brussels project "cannot be supported in its current form. With all responsibility, we cannot vote for it," said foreign minister Peter Szijjarto said in a video message posted on his Facebook page.

A government spokesman had said earlier in the day that they did not "see any plans or guarantees on how a transition could be managed based on the current proposals, and how HU's energy security would be guaranteed."

(Euronews with AFP)

Russian helicopter breaches Finnish airspace ahead of NATO decision

A Russian state aircraft violated Finnish airspace, Finland's ministry of defence said in a statement, as the country is set to decide on a possible NATO candidacy.

The ministry said the breach was on its eastern border near Russia. A spokesman told AFP that the aircraft was a Mi-17 helicopter.

It is the second time in a month that Finland has said a Russian aircraft entered its airspace. On April 8, a civilian transport aircraft belonging to the Russian army also briefly entered Finnish airspace.

Experts have warned that Russian intimidation is to be expected against Finland and Sweden, as the two countries consider joining NATO to better protect themselves from Moscow.

Four Russian fighter planes had violated Swedish space in early March. On Friday evening, a Russian reconnaissance plane also crossed the air border near a naval base in the south of the country.

(Euronews with AFP)

Russia bars entry to 63 Japanese, including prime minister

Russia's foreign ministry announced sanctions against 63 Japanese officials, journalists and professors for engaging in what it called "unacceptable rhetoric" against Moscow.

The list includes the prime minister Fumio Kishida as well as the Japanese foreign and defence ministers and will ban the individuals from travelling to Russia.

(Reuters)

Satellite images show fighting at Mariupol steel mill

New satellite images analysed by The Associated Press show fighting ongoing at a besieged steel mill in Ukraine's port city of Mariupol.

An image shot by Planet Labs PBC at dawn Wednesday showed black smoke rising at one side of the plant near a canal.

Buildings at the steelworks, including one under which hundreds of fighters and civilians are likely hiding, showed large, gaping holes in their roofs.

Debris littered the grounds.

Meanwhile, another photo showed a recent Russian missile attack tore a hole in a key bridge near Odesa.

Russia has attacked the bridge three times. Though it is still standing, a chunk of the bridge is missing toward its south end, the image shows. (AP)

'Contact lost' with last Ukrainian fighters in Mariupol steel plant — mayor

The mayor of Mariupol said there was heavy fighting on Wednesday at the Azovstal steel works where the city's last defenders and some civilians are holding out.

Mayor Vadym Boichenko said on national television that contact had been lost with the Ukrainian fighters still in the sprawling steel works and that more than 30 children were among those awaiting evacuation from the plant.

(Reuters)

Russia 'planning Victory Parade in Mariupol' — Ukraine intelligence

Russia is preparing a military parade in the long-beleaguered port of Mariupol for May 9, the day Moscow celebrates the victory over Nazi Germany, Ukrainian intelligence said Wednesday.

According to Ukrainian military intelligence (GUR), deputy head of the Russian presidential administration Sergei Kirienko arrived in Mariupol to prepare for the parade.

"The main mission of Mr Putin's official is to prepare the May 9 ceremonies," reads a GUR statement on Telegram.

Mariupol, a port city in southeastern Ukraine, "will become a centre of celebrations," the statement added. "The main avenues of the city are being cleared urgently, debris and bodies of the dead removed, as well as unexploded ordnance," the statement said.

Russian viewers will see reports on the "joy" of Mariupol residents at the arrival of Russians in their city, it added. The 9 May holiday is the occasion for a large military parade in Moscow on Red Square every year. 

According to the GUR, "a large-scale propaganda campaign is underway" among the city's population, now estimated by the Ukrainian authorities at between 100,000 and 120,000 people, compared with nearly half a million before the war.

Asked about preparations for May 9, Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu did not explicitly mention the possibility of such a parade in Mariupol.

Mariupol is almost entirely under the control of the Russian army, with the exception of the huge Azovstal steel plant, where the last Ukrainian fighters and civilians are entrenched.

(AFP with Euronews)

Germany welcomes EU's Russian oil sanctions but forecasts disruption

Germany could face "disruptions" in its oil supplies, the German economy minister warned on Wednesday, although he welcomed the European Commission's proposal to phase out EU imports of Russian oil.

"We cannot guarantee in this situation that there will be no disruptions" to oil supplies in Germany, Robert Habeck told a press conference in Meseberg, north of Berlin.

He said that the PCK refinery in Schwedt, in the eastern state of Brandenburg, which belongs to the Russian conglomerate Rosneft, could be particularly affected. It supplies about 90% of the oil consumed in Berlin and the surrounding region, including Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER).

However, Mr Habeck, who is also vice-chancellor, assured that Germany would be able "to withstand the oil embargo as a nation" as the country has drastically reduced its oil dependence on Russia in recent weeks.

The dependence of Europe's largest economy on Russian oil imports has fallen in recent weeks to 12%, down from 35%.

However, the Economy Minister warned that as a result, prices could "also rise significantly over a period of 180 days".

Berlin already announced several weeks ago that it wanted to do without Russian oil and coal completely by the end of the year. 

(AFP)

Western arms shipments are legitimate targets, says Russia

The Russian defence minister has warned that Moscow will see any Western transports carrying weapons into Ukraine as legitimate targets.

Sergei Shoigu’s statement Wednesday comes as the US and other Western allies have increased shipments of weapons to Ukraine. Speaking at a meeting with top military officials, Shoigu denounced the West for “stuffing Ukraine with weapons.”

“Any NATO transports carrying weapons or resources for the Ukrainian military that arrives in the country’s territory will be seen by us as a legitimate target to be destroyed,” he said.

The Russian military has repeatedly reported strikes on Ukrainian depots containing Western weapons. Striking Western transports delivering them would mark a significant escalation in the conflict.

In Tuesday's phone call with France's President Macron, Vladimir Putin called on the West to stop arming Ukraine.

Such a call is likely to fall on deaf ears given Western resolve to help Ukraine defend itself against the Russian military's campaign to bulldoze its way across the country, destroying towns and cities and killing and terrorising civilians in the process.

(AP with Euronews)

Kremlin denies assault of Mariupol steel mill, saying Putin 'called it off'

The Kremlin has said it is not assaulting the Azovstal steelworks in the strategic port city, reaffirming that Russia's president gave orders to "call it off" in April. 

On Wednesday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said “the order was given (April 21) publicly by the commander-in-chief (Vladimir Putin) to call off any assault."

He added that Russian forces were besieging the site, which is the last pocket of resistance in the city, and only intervening to "very quickly halt attempts" by Ukrainian fighters to reach "firing positions."

Ukrainian authorities said Tuesday Russia's army was carrying out a "powerful assault" on Azovstal territory, with tanks and infantry.

Civilians have been trapped in the sprawling Soviet-era complex for weeks, as Ukrainian fighters continue to hold out against Russia, which now largely controls the city. 

'This is one big mass grave' - dead counted from Mariupol theatre airstrike 

Several hundred people died in the Russian airstrike on the Mariupol theatre in March, evidence from an AP investigation suggests. 

Drawing on the accounts of survivors, rescuers and people familiar with the shelter, the Associated Press estimated that 600 people died in the attack - nearly double the figure put forward by the city's government. 

“All the people are still under the rubble, because the rubble is still there — no one dug them up,” said Oksana Syomina, who survived the attack. “This is one big mass grave.”

The theatre strike on March 16 is the deadliest single attack on civilians in the Ukraine war to date. 

Many men, women and children were sheltering in the building, which served as the city's main bomb shelter when Russian missiles rained down.

(AP) 

Mariupol evacuees: 'You can’t imagine how scary it is'

Civilians evacuated from the bombed-out steel plant in Mariupol have been telling of the horror under constant Russian attack.

President Zelenskyy said on Tuesday that 156 civilians evacuated from the city had arrived in Zaporizhzhia.

More on their testimony in our article and video report here:

'You can’t imagine how scary it is': Evacuees on life in Mariupol

Civilians taken to Ukrainian-controlled Zaporizhzhia have been telling of life in the bunkers of a large Mariupol steel works as it came under Russian assault.

Hungary 'regrets' no energy security guarantee in EU sanctions plan

The proposal for a gradual EU embargo on Russian oil does not offer any "guarantees" for Hungary's energy security. That was the reaction from Budapest on Wednesday after Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's announcement.

"We do not see a plan on how to make a successful transition on the basis of the current proposals and what would guarantee Hungary's energy security," the government press service told AFP.

The Commission's proposed embargo envisages a gradual phasing-out of all Russian oil imports over the next few months.

During consultations, Hungary and Slovakia raised concerns about the ban's negative consequences for their national economies.

The two countries, which are highly dependent on Russian oil, have pushed to be granted an extra year to complete the phase-out.

(Euronews with AFP)

'Israeli mercenaries' fighting with Azov Regiment, says Russia

"Israeli mercenaries" are fighting in Ukraine alongside the Azov regiment, which Moscow calls "Nazi", Russian diplomats said on Wednesday, after an outburst about Hitler's alleged "Jewish blood" sparked a fierce row.

"I'm going to say something that Israeli politicians probably don't want to hear, but maybe they will be interested. In Ukraine, Israeli mercenaries are alongside Azov militants," Russian diplomatic spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in an interview with Radio Sputnik.

Founded in 2014 by far-right militants before being integrated into the regular forces, the Ukrainian Azov regiment has emerged as one of the fiercest opponents of the Russian forces that have been conducting a military offensive against Ukraine since February 24.

Its members, along with other Ukrainian fighters, have refused to lay down their arms in the besieged port of Mariupol (south-east), where the last defenders of the city are entrenched in the Azovstal metallurgical factory, which Moscow's forces launched an assault on Tuesday.

Many Ukrainians see the Azovstal members as heroes, but Russia portrays them as "fascists" and "Nazis" committing abuses.

By claiming that Israelis are fighting on its side, Moscow continues to fuel a controversy that arose after the head of Russian diplomacy, Sergei Lavrov, said Sunday that Adolf Hitler had "Jewish blood", a theory denied by historians.

The comments drew the ire of Israel, which called them "scandalous, unforgivable" and a "horrible historical error".

On Tuesday evening, the Russian foreign ministry fanned the flames of the row by accusing Israel of "supporting the neo-Nazi regime in Kyiv".

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is Jewish.

(AFP)

More civilians leave Mariupol as evacuations continue

A convoy of buses left Mariupol on Wednesday in a new attempt by Ukraine, the U.N. and the International Committee of the Red Cross to evacuate civilians from the southern Ukrainian city, the regional governor said.

The convoy was heading for the Ukrainian-controlled city of Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk Governor Pavlo Kyrylenko said.

He did not say how many buses were in the convoy or whether any more civilians had been evacuated from a vast steel works in Mariupol where the city's last defenders are holding out against Russian forces that have occupied Mariupol.

(Reuters)

'Scores of civilians killed and wounded' in eastern attacks 

Ukrainian authorities say that scores of civilians have been killed and wounded in the latest attacks in the country’s east.

Donetsk regional Gov. Pavlo Kyrylenko said that 21 civilians were killed and another 27 were wounded in Russian attacks Tuesday.

He said in a statement on a messaging app early Wednesday that it marked the highest number of civilian victims in the region since April 8 when a Russian missile attack on a railway station in the city of Kramatorsk killed at least 59 people.

In the neighboring Luhansk region, Gov. Serhiy Haidai said at least two civilians were killed in Russian shelling during the last 24 hours and two others were wounded.

The Russian military has intensified attacks in eastern Ukraine as part of its offensive in the region. (AP)

Von der Leyen unveils proposal for EU ban on Russian oil imports

Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, has today unveiled a proposal to impose an EU-wide ban on Russian oil imports, one of Moscow's main sources of revenue.

She did so in a speech this morning to the European Parliament. READ THE FULL STORY HERE:

Brussels proposes to stop Russian oil imports by the end of the year

EU chief Ursula Von der Leyen has unveiled a proposal that would give EU countries until the end of the year to phase out imports of Russian oil. #EuropeNews

Russia 'to push for Kramatorsk and Severodonetsk' — UK intelligence

The British military believes Russia will make a push to try to seize the cities of Kramatorsk and Severodonetsk in eastern Ukraine.

It its daily briefing posted on Twitter, the defence ministry said Russia had some 22 battalion tactical groups near Izium in its attempt to advance in the area.

Biden says Ukrainians 'making fools of Russian military'

Joe Biden on Tuesday credited the assembly line workers at a Javelin missile plant for doing life-saving work in building the antitank weapons that are being sent to Ukraine to stifle Russia’s invasion.

The US president made a pitch for Congress to approve $33 billion so the US can continueto supply aid to the front lines.

“You’re allowing the Ukrainians to defend themselves,” Biden told the workers, his podium flanked by Javelin missile launchers and shipping containers. “And, quite frankly, they’re making fools of the Russian military in many instances.”

The U.S. has provided at least 7,000 Javelins, including some transferred during the Trump administration, or about one-third of its stockpile, to Ukraine in recent years, according to analysts.

The Biden administration says it has committed to sending 5,500 Javelins to Ukraine since the Feb. 24 invasion. Analysts also estimate that the United States has sent about one-quarter of its stockpile of shoulder-fired Stinger missiles to Ukraine.

The president’s visit to the Lockheed Martin factory in Alabama drew attention to a growing concern as the war drags on: whether the US can continue to supply Ukraine while maintaining a health stockpile of weapons. 

(Euronews with AP)

Russian strikes target Ukraine's railways

Ukrainian officials say the Russian military has struck railway infrastructure across the country.

Oleksandr Kamyshin, the head of the Ukrainian railways, said the Russian strikes on Tuesday hit six railway stations in the country’s central and western regions, inflicting heavy damage.

Kamyshin said at least 14 trains were delayed because of the attacks.

Dnipro region Gov. Valentyn Reznichenko said Russian missiles struck railway infrastructure in the area, leaving one person wounded and disrupting train movement.

The Ukrainian military also reported strikes on railways in the Kirovohrad region, saying there were unspecified casualties.

Ukraine’s railways have played an important role in moving people, goods and military supplies during the war as roads and bridges have been damaged. (AP)

Just how dependent is the EU on Russian oil?

 The European Commission is on the cusp of proposing a new raft of sanctions against Russia, including on oil.

But the EU is Russia's top oil client, putting the bloc in an extremely awkward position as the Kremlin continues its military aggression in Ukraine. 

Watch our video explainer here from Euronews Brussels Bureau:

Explained: Just how dependent is the EU on Russian oil?

The bloc gets over 25% of its oil from Russia through a vast network of ports and pipelines. #EuropeDecoded

Russian strikes target Lviv in western Ukraine

The strikes happened in multiple directions just before 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday — about about an hour and a half after air raid sirens sounded in the city and reportedly went off across the entire country. At least four distinct explosions could be heard from downtown Lviv.

Mayor Andriy Sadovyi said the strikes damaged three power substations, knocking electricity off in parts of Lviv. Two pump stations were also without power, affecting water supply in the city. Two people were injured in the attack, according to the mayor.

Sadovyi wrote on a social message app that those in the city should take shelter. Trains coming out of Lviv stopped service. Car alarms went off after the blasts, and emergency sirens could be heard.

The mayor on Monday had a news conference with the country’s top U.S. diplomat, discussing how America planned to reopen its diplomatic presence in the city located near the Polish border.

The last major attack targeting the city came April 18, which killed at least seven people. Lviv has become a haven for those fleeing the war’s front line in the east. (AP)

New EU sanctions plan expected to target Russian oil imports

The European Union’s top diplomat says the bloc’s executive branch is on the cusp of proposing a new raft of sanctions against Russia, including on oil.

EU policy commissioners have been discussing the new sanctions and are set to send their proposals later Tuesday to the 27 member countries for debate.

The union’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said in a tweet that the executive is “working on the 6th package of sanctions which aims to de-swift more banks, list disinformation actors and tackle oil imports.” Swift is the most widely used international system for bank transfers.

Member countries have been involved in drawing up the proposals, but they routinely take days to endorse them. The sanctions can only enter force once they are published in the EU’s Official Journal. Hungary and Slovakia have already expressed reservations about signing on.

EU ambassadors are scheduled to meet on Wednesday. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is also likely to explain the proposals early Wednesday at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France.  (AP)

Good morning, this is Alasdair Sandford kicking off Wednesday's latest updates on the war in Ukraine following Russia's invasion.