EU condemns Russian invasion, announces new sanctions

The European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell on Monday confirmed a fourth economic sanctions package against the Kremlin. Members will limit Russian trade, market access, and membership in international financial institutions. They’ll also sanction Russian exports of luxury goods and will target its steel, coal, and energy sectors.  Despite the new sanctions, the EU will continue to purchase Russian oil. Borrell condemned Russia’s “barbaric aggression” against Ukrainian civilians and hospitals in what he called “Putin’s war.”

What diplomatic options are there? Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett held calls with Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Monday and announced plans to install a field hospital for refugees in western Ukraine. Israel is one of the few countries on good terms with both Ukraine and Russia, though it has been more outspoken against the invasion in recent days. Zelenskyy was slated to address the Council of Europe on Monday but canceled due to “urgent, unforeseen circumstances.” The Russian delegation suspended its participation in the group. A fourth round of peace talks continued Monday via videoconference. High level officials said the talks, which have not led to any agreements yet, were on “technical pause” until Tuesday.

Dig deeper: Keep up with WORLD’s latest coverage of the war in Ukraine.