Liveblog Ukraine war: Turkey blocks Bosphorus and Dardanelles for all warships

The war is pushing Ukraine closer to the EU and NATO. Eight EU heads of state have spoken out in favor of to open up an immediate prospect of accession to the European Union for Ukraine. They demanded that the ex-Soviet republic, which was under attack from Russia, be granted the official status of a candidate country and that the negotiation process begin. This emerged from an open letter published by a spokesman for Czech President Milos Zeman on Monday evening.

The Ambassador of Ukraine in Germany, Andrij Melnyk, has rejected Russian demands for a possible understanding between the two warring countries. “What we have heard is unacceptable”, Melnyk said on Monday on the Welt TV station. “What is non-negotiable is our territorial integrity. That is, including with Crimea, and also with Donbass.” There will be no compromises. “We need a status quo ante 2013.”

According to the Russian UN mission, the United States has declared twelve diplomats in New York undesirable. These employees at Russia’s UN mission would have to leave the country by March 7, UN Ambassador Vasily Nebensia said in New York. The United States would be theirs “grossly violate obligations in the host country agreement.” In fact, at least some diplomats working at the United Nations in New York have special protections because the UN is an international organization to which all member countries must have access. A spokesman for the US State Department initially did not confirm the process when asked.

The European Union has already tightened the sanctions screw against Russia, but is apparently willing to follow up. This was announced by the Elysée Palace in Paris after a video conference of the heads of state and government of France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Poland, Romania, the USA, Canada and Japan as well as representatives of the EU and NATO. “More sanctions” could “in the coming days” be imposed, declared the French Presidency.

Turkey has banned the passage of warships through the Bosphorus and Dardanelles straits. Ankara have them “Neighboring countries warned against sending warships through the Black Sea”, said Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu. Turkey — like Russia and Ukraine, a Black Sea riparian — had sharply condemned Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine last week.

Hungary does not want to allow the delivery of arms to Ukraine through its territory. “We will not allow deadly weapons to be transported across Hungarian territory”, Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto wrote on Facebook. Szijjarto explained the decision was taken to ensure the security of Hungarian citizens on both sides of the border. The military transports could “easy target” the minister added. At the weekend, the EU released 450 million euros for arms deliveries to Ukraine, which was under attack from Russia.

the EU has imposed sanctions on oligarchs close to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Among other things, this freezes their assets in the EU, according to a publication in the EU Official Journal.

Great Britain did in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine all Seaports closed to ships flying the Russian flag. The ban also applies to ships registered in Russia, Russian-owned or chartered by Russians, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said on Twitter. A corresponding law is being drafted.https://twitter.com/grantshapps/status/1498324731635843074

The British media regulator Ofcom meanwhile led 15 investigations against the Russian state broadcaster RT because lack of objectivity in reporting on the Russian invasion of Ukraine. In view of the serious situation in Ukraine, the authority will complete its investigations into RT as soon as possible, the authority said. The investigations concern the hourly broadcast of the British RT broadcaster.

After Finland, Norway also wants to deliver arms to Ukraine. This was announced by Norway’s Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre on Twitter. https://twitter.com/jonasgahrstore/status/1498356274215497728

The Ukrainian soldiers from the snake island are in the Black Sea Information from Kyiv according to Russian captivity. “We are very happy to learn that our comrades-in-arms are alive and all is well with them”announced the Ukrainian fleet via Facebook. The Ukrainians surrendered after they ran out of ammunition. Russia destroyed the entire infrastructure of the island off the Danube Delta.

On Saturday, the connection to the soldiers on the island was lost. Kyiv assumed the deaths of all 13 Ukrainians. However, the Russian military later showed pictures of the prisoners upon their arrival in Sevastopol on the Crimean peninsula.

the nuclear reactors in Ukraine work according to the local authorities safe and trouble-free. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) was informed about this, the IAEA announced. According to reports from the operator, the Russian troops are operating near the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant with its six reactors, but have not yet occupied the site. In addition, the IAEA analyzed the radiation readings from the exclusion zone around the Chernobyl accident reactor north of Kyiv, which was already occupied by Russian troops. The IAEA said it considered this data to be low and unremarkable. IAEA chief Rafael Grossi emphasizes again how important it is that the fighting must not endanger the safety of the reactors. Ukraine gets about half of its electricity from 15 reactors in four locations.

Russia’s President Wladimir Putin has its citizens the Transfer of foreign currency abroad forbidden. Debts abroad should no longer be settled, according to a decree by the Russian president published on the Kremlin’s website. Money may no longer be transferred to accounts opened abroad. Foreign exchange is foreign currency. From Russia’s point of view, for example, the US dollar or the euro. The decree will come into force this Tuesday. This is apparently intended to prevent the Russian ruble from falling further.

Russian basketball teams are initially from the Euroleague and the Eurocup locked out. This was announced by the Euroleague. Affected in the Euroleague are CSKA Moscow, Zenit St. Petersburg and Unics Kazan. Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar plays in the Eurocup. The 18 Euroleague clubs had already decided on Friday not to allow any more games in the European premier class to take place in Russia for the time being. Ukrainian teams are not represented in the Basketball Euroleague.

In a statement it was further stated that the Euroleague is suspending the marketing partnership with the Russian financial institution VTB Bank for the time being.

China has before the United Nations for a peaceful resolution of the conflict pronounced in Ukraine and before a new one Cold War warned. “Ukraine should serve as a communication bridge between East and West and not as a front line of rivalry between major powers”, Chinese Ambassador to the UN Zhang Jun said at an emergency session of the General Assembly in New York. An atmosphere for direct talks would have to be created, tensions should not be exacerbated. “The Cold War ended long ago. The Cold War mentality based on bloc confrontation should be abandoned.”

The European Football Union Uefa will die as a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine Terminate cooperation with Russian sponsor Gazprom with immediate effect. This was announced by Uefa.