The end of the Russian-Ukrainian round of talks near the Belarusian border

International

28-02-2022, 17:28

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Baghdad-INA

Ukrainian and Russian delegations are meeting at the Belarusian border for their first direct talks since Russia's invasion began on Thursday. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s office said it would demand an immediate cease-fire.

The U.S. announced new sanctions against the Russian Central Bank, looking to limit the financial options for President Vladimir Putin, whose economy has been crippled by global sanctions.

And in an extraordinary move, Switzerland – which has maintained neutrality for hundreds of years – joined the EU in imposing sanctions against Russia, including Putin.

Putin put his nuclear forces on increased alert on Sunday in a major escalation of tensions with the West. On Monday, Russia noted personnel have been added to nuclear command posts. Russia’s conventional military assault on Ukraine entered its fourth day with fighting in the streets of the country’s second-largest city, Kharkiv, and troops moving closer to the capital Kyiv.