{"id":1912,"date":"2022-02-28T11:05:54","date_gmt":"2022-02-28T16:05:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gynesisradio.com\/tpsquare\/2022\/02\/28\/ukraine-russia-talks-begin-as-u-s-imposes-fresh-sanctions-on-moscow\/"},"modified":"2022-02-28T11:06:25","modified_gmt":"2022-02-28T16:06:25","slug":"ukraine-russia-talks-begin-as-u-s-imposes-fresh-sanctions-on-moscow","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gynesisradio.com\/tpsquare\/2022\/02\/28\/ukraine-russia-talks-begin-as-u-s-imposes-fresh-sanctions-on-moscow\/","title":{"rendered":"Ukraine-Russia talks begin as U.S. imposes fresh sanctions on Moscow"},"content":{"rendered":"

This is CNBC\u2019s live blog tracking Monday\u2019s developments in Russia\u2019s attack on Ukraine. See below for the latest updates.<\/em><\/p>

A Ukrainian delegation has arrived near the border with Belarus to hold talks with Russian officials.<\/p>

Ukraine\u2019s armed forces continue to hold off Russian troops, defending and retaining control of key cities, and slowing Russia\u2019s advance on Kyiv.<\/p>

Meanwhile, the central bank of Russia more than doubled its key interest rate on Monday, as the ruble plummeted after heavy sanctions were imposed on Moscow by the West.31 MIN AGO<\/p>

U.S. lawmakers to receive classified briefings on Ukraine as conflict intensifies<\/h2>

The statue of Grief and History at the Peace Monument is seen in front of the U.S. Capitol dome.Jonathan Ernst | Reuters<\/p>

U.S. lawmakers will receive a classified briefing from Biden administration officials on the ongoing conflict in Ukraine on Monday evening.<\/p>

The House briefing is slated to begin at 5:15 p.m. ET followed by the Senate at 7:15 p.m. ET, according to NBC News.<\/p>

Both chambers will be briefed by Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley, Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo, Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas, Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm, Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo and Isobel Coleman, deputy administrator for the U.S. Agency for International Development.<\/p>

 \u2014 Amanda Macias<\/em>42 MIN AGO<\/p>

Switzerland imposes sanctions on Russia<\/h2>

The Swiss government has announced it will adopt the sanctions imposed on Russia by the EU with immediate effect.<\/p>

This will include taking action to freeze the assets of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.<\/p>

Switzerland will also deliver relief supplies to people who have fled Ukraine and are now in Poland.<\/p>

\u201cSwitzerland is responding to the serious violations of international law for which these individuals are responsible,\u201d the Swiss government said in a statement on Monday. \u201cThe ban on imports, exports and investments concerning Crimea and Sevastopol, which has been in place since 2014, has been extended to the Ukrainian regions of Donetsk and Luhansk, which are no longer under the control of the Ukrainian government.\u201d<\/p>

Swiss airspace will also be closed to all flights from Russia.<\/p>

\u2014 Chloe Taylor<\/em>1 HOUR AGO<\/p>

Airbnb says it will offer free short-term housing for up to 100,000 Ukrainian refugees<\/h2>

Airbnb announced Monday that it will offer free short-term housing for up to 100,000 refugees fleeing Ukraine.<\/p>

The company had sent letters to the leaders of Poland, Germany, Hungary and Romania to offer support in welcoming refugees, Airbnb said in a statement. The company said it would work closely with governments to address country-specific needs such as providing longer-term stays.<\/p>

U.N. Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi said Monday that more than 500,000 refugees have now fled Ukraine into neighboring countries.  <\/p>

\u2014 Chloe Taylor<\/em>2 HOURS AGO<\/p>

U.S. expands sanctions against Russia, targets central bank and ministry of finance<\/h2>

Russian President Vladimir Putin enters a hall before a meeting with members of the Security Council via a video link in Moscow, Russia February 25, 2022.Alexey Nikolsky | Sputnik | Reuters<\/p>

The Biden administration announced sanctions against Russia\u2019s central bank, the National Wealth Fund of the Russian Federation and Russia\u2019s Ministry of Finance, moves that effectively prohibit Americans from doing any business with the entities.<\/p>

The action will also freeze any assets within the United States.<\/p>

\u201cWe wanted to put these actions in place before our markets open because what we learned over the course of the weekend from our allies and partners was the Russian Central Bank was attempting to move assets and there would be a great deal of asset flight starting on Monday morning from institutions around the world,\u201d explained a senior Biden administration official on a call with reporters.<\/p>

The official said that the U.S. expects its allies to take similar steps in the coming days.<\/p>

\u2014 Amanda Macias<\/em>2 HOURS AGO<\/p>

UN to consider whether Russia has committed war crimes in Ukraine<\/h2>

An urgent U.N. session will be held on Thursday to consider whether Russia has committed war crimes in Ukraine, according to Reuters<\/a>.<\/p>

It will involve three independent experts looking into alleged violations of international law in Crimea and eastern Ukraine since 2014, and in the rest of Ukraine since Russia invaded the country last week, the news agency reported on Monday.<\/p>

Ukraine\u2019s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said Kyiv submitted documents to the U.N. last week<\/a> in which it accused Russia of carrying out atrocities that amounted to war crimes.<\/p>

Yevheniia Filipenko, Ukrainian ambassador to the U.N. in Geneva, told a U.N. Human Rights Council meeting on Monday that Russian forces had attempted to \u201csow panic among [Ukraine\u2019s] population by specifically targeting kindergartens and orphanages, hospitals and mobile medical aid brigades, thus committing acts that may amount to war crimes.\u201d<\/p>

\u2014 Chloe Taylor<\/em>3 HOURS AGO<\/p>

U.S. closes Minsk embassy, scales back personnel in Moscow<\/h2>

The U.S. embassy in Moscow, Russia.Invizbk | Istock Unreleased | Getty Images<\/p>

The U.S. is suspending its operations at its embassy in Minsk, the capital of Belarus, and authorized the departure of non-emergency personnel at its embassy in Moscow, Russia.<\/p>

In a statement on Monday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the steps had been taken due to security and safety issues stemming from the Russian attack on Ukraine.<\/p>

\u201cThe Department of State continually adjusts its posture at embassies and consulates throughout the world in line with its mission, the local security environment, and the health situation,\u201d Blinken said. \u201cWe ultimately have no higher priority than the safety and security of U.S. citizens, and that includes our U.S. government personnel and their dependents serving around the world.\u201d<\/p>

\u2014 Chloe Taylor<\/em>3 HOURS AGO<\/p>

ECB ready to act to prevent market dislocation over Ukraine, official says<\/h2>

A euro currency symbol sits on display in the visitor centre at the European Central Bank (ECB) building in Frankfurt, Germany.Alex Kraus | Bloomberg | Getty Images<\/p>

The European Central Bank must act prudently while uncertainty around the crisis in Ukraine persists, ECB board member Fabio Panetta said in a speech Monday.<\/p>

\u201cThe dramatic conflict in Ukraine is now weighing negatively on both supply and demand conditions, making uncertainty more acute and exacerbating risks to the medium-term inflation outlook on both sides,\u201d he said.<\/p>

Panetta added that the \u201cunjustifiable\u201d invasion of Ukraine had made the need for caution at the ECB even greater, noting: \u201cThe world has become darker, and our steps should be smaller still.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cIn this environment, it would be unwise to pre-commit on future policy steps until the fallout from the current crisis becomes clearer,\u201d Panetta said.<\/p>

But he added that the ECB stands ready to act to avoid any dislocation in financial markets that could stem from the war in Ukraine \u2014 and that if measures did prove necessary, the ECB \u201cshould intervene with equal determination, using all our instruments.\u201d<\/p>

\u2014 Chloe Taylor<\/em>3 HOURS AGO<\/p>

German soccer team Schalke 04 cuts ties with Russia\u2019s Gazprom<\/h2>

Schalke has decided to remove the logo of its main sponsor, Gazprom, from its jerseys. Instead the lettering \u2018Schalke 04\u2019 will appear on the players\u2019 chests.Thomas Niedermueller | Getty Images Sport | Getty Images<\/p>

German soccer club Schalke 04 has ended its sponsorship deal with Russian state-owned energy firm Gazprom.<\/p>

In a statement on Monday, Schalke 04 said it was in talks with Gazprom representatives after the soccer team\u2019s managing and supervisory boards had decided to end the partnership prematurely.<\/p>

\u2014 Chloe Taylor<\/em>3 HOURS AGO<\/p>

NATO chief: We have no intentions of moving into Ukraine<\/h2>

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg speaks during a press conference on the second day of a NATO Defence Ministers meeting at the NATO headquarters in Brussels, on February 17, 2022.Kenzo Tribouillard | AFP | Getty Images<\/p>

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg reiterated that the Western military alliance has \u201cno intentions of moving into Ukraine neither on the ground or in the airspace,\u201d in an interview with NBC News on Monday morning.<\/p>

Stoltenberg said he had spoken to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Monday morning. In their conversation, Stoltenberg said he had \u201creiterated the strong support from NATO allies and also informed him that we are stepping up, so allies are providing more anti-tank air defense missiles, military aid, financial support, because we stand with Ukraine.\u201d<\/p>

However, Stoltenberg stressed that NATO would not get caught up in the conflict by sending troops in on the ground to Ukraine.<\/p>

\u2014 Vicky McKeever<\/em>4 HOURS AGO<\/p>

Putin \u2018rather indifferent\u2019 to sanctions, Kremlin says<\/h2>
\"\"
Sergey Guneev | Sputnik | Reuters<\/figcaption><\/figure>

Russian President Vladimir Putin visits the construction site of the National Space Agency on the premises of the Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Centre, in Moscow, Russia February 27, 2022.Sergey Guneev | Sputnik | Reuters<\/p>

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Monday that Russian President Vladimir Putin was \u201crather indifferent\u201d to the West\u2019s sanctions.<\/p>

In a press briefing, Peskov said the sanctions included \u201crather absurd provisions\u201d on Putin personally.<\/p>

He added that \u201cRussia\u2019s economic reality had changed but there is no reason to doubt the effectiveness and reliability of the central bank.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cThe Russian Federation was preparing for the possible sanctions in advance. Even to the harshest sanctions,\u201d he also told reporters.<\/p>

\u2014 Chloe Taylor<\/em>4 HOURS AGO<\/p>

Russian stock market remains closed<\/h2>

Russia\u2019s stock market and derivatives market will remain closed on Monday.<\/p>

\u201cDue to the current situation, the Bank of Russia has decided not to open a stock market section and a derivatives market section on the Moscow Exchange today,\u201d the Central Bank of Russia said in a statement translated by NBC News.<\/p>

\u201cThe operating hours of the Moscow Exchange on March 1, 2022 will be announced on the official website of the Bank of Russia before 09:00 Moscow time on March 1, 2022.\u201d<\/p>

\u2014 Chloe Taylor<\/em>4 HOURS AGO<\/p>

Japan joins further coordinated sanctions against Russia<\/h2>
\"\"<\/figure>

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida speaks to press members at Prime Minister\u2019s official residence in Tokyo, Japan after a session on December 21, 2021.<\/p>

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on Monday that Tokyo will impose \u201ceven stronger\u201d sanctions against Russia.<\/p>

These will include freezing the assets of Russian President Vladimir Putin and other Russian government officials and participating in the exclusion of Russian banks from the SWIFT network, Kishida said on Twitter<\/a>.<\/p>

Kishida said Russia\u2019s invasion of Ukraine was \u201can attempt to unilaterally change the status quo by force\u201d and a \u201cclear violation of international law [that] cannot be forgiven by any means.\u201d<\/p>

In addition to the $100 million already loaned to Kyiv, Japan will provide $100 million in emergency humanitarian assistance, he added.<\/p>

Kishida\u2019s announcement came after he spoke to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to discuss Japan\u2019s response to the escalating conflict.<\/p>

\u2014 Chloe Taylor<\/em>4 HOURS AGO<\/p>

UN records at least 406 civilian casualties in Ukraine<\/h2>

There have been at least 406 civilian casualties in Ukraine since Thursday, according to the U.N.\u2019s Human Rights Office.<\/p>

Speaking at the organization\u2019s 49th<\/sup> Human Rights Council meeting on Monday, Michelle Bachelet, U.N. Commissioner for Human Rights, said the U.N. had recorded 102 civilian deaths, including seven children, in Ukraine between Thursday morning and Sunday night.<\/p>

Meanwhile, 304 civilians had been injured in the conflict.<\/p>

\u201cThe military attack on Ukraine is putting at risk countless lives,\u201d Bachelet said. \u201cMost of these civilians were killed by explosive weapons with a wide impact area, including shelling from heavy artillery and multi-launch rocket systems, and air strikes.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cThe real figures are, I fear, considerably higher,\u201d she added.<\/p>

\u2014 Chloe Taylor<\/em>4 HOURS AGO<\/p>

NATO chief says alliance ready to increase Baltic presence<\/h2>
\"\"<\/figure>

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg speaks as he holds a news conference following an extraordinary meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Commission, in Brussels, Belgium, February 22, 2022.Yves Herman | Reuters<\/p>

In a tweet on Monday, NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said the military alliance stands ready to do more to enhance its defensive presence in the Baltic region.<\/p>

\n

Spoke with President @GitanasNauseda<\/a> of #Lithuania<\/a> about the consequences of #Russia<\/a>\u2019s reckless invasion of #Ukraine<\/a>. #NATO<\/a> has already enhanced our defensive presence in the Baltic region & stands ready to do more. We will defend every Ally and every inch of Allied territory.<\/p>— Jens Stoltenberg (@jensstoltenberg) February 28, 2022<\/a><\/blockquote>