Ukraine negotiations: US plans sensitive sanctions against Russia

Created: 2022-03-26Updated: 2022-03-26 05:16

By: Tobias Utz, Stefan Krieger, Christian Stör, Alina Schröder

NATO decides new sanctions against Russia because of the Ukraine war.

The USA want to take additional measures – the news ticker on Saturday.

• At the NATO* summit, the member countries discuss further measures to find a solution to the Ukraine conflict*.

• In addition to NATO, the EU* and G7 in Brussels are also dealing with the Ukraine war*.

  New aid for Ukraine* and further sanctions against Russia* will be decided.

• US President Joe Biden* sees a united NATO.

  However, the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj* is critical.

  Instead of sanctions against Vladimir Putin*, Selenskyj calls for weapons for Ukraine.

>>> Update news ticker <<<

Update from Saturday, March 26th, 2022, 5:00 a.m.:

According to reports, the USA is planning to issue new sanctions against companies that supply the Russian army.

The Wall Street Journal reports – and relies on information from high officials.

A list of companies was drawn up for this purpose, including the equipment manufacturer Sertal and Serniya Engineering.

US President Joe Biden during a speech in Brussels.

© Zheng Huansong/Imago Images

+++ 10:20 p.m .:

France is planning a humanitarian action with Turkey and Greece to evacuate people from the hard-fought eastern Ukrainian port of Mariupol at short notice.

This was announced by President Emmanuel Macron on Friday evening (March 25, 2022) after the EU summit in Brussels.

There are already concrete talks with the mayor of Mariupol and an agreement with the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

An agreement is also necessary with Russia, whose troops have been besieging the city for weeks.

According to the Élysée Palace, France is currently in contact with the Ukrainian authorities, the Greeks, the Turks and the relevant international organizations in order to specify the needs to be responded to.

The basis for this is that France is demanding that Russia lift the siege of the city.

In addition, it must be possible to provide appropriate humanitarian aid based on basic needs under the conditions of international humanitarian law.

Macron had already discussed the humanitarian action in Mariupol with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Brussels the day before.

The action should start in the next few days, it said from Paris.

Ukraine talks: is Kyiv deliberately dragging out talks?

+++ 7.30 p.m .:

Russia has accused Ukraine of intentionally dragging out negotiations on an end to the war.

"They are in no hurry, they believe that time is on their side," Russian delegation head Vladimir Medinsky said on Friday, according to TASS agency.

Moreover, the Ukrainian side does not act independently, Medinski claimed.

"Therefore, the current state of affairs is not optimistic." Moscow accuses Kyiv of acting on instructions from Washington.

+++ 4.40 p.m .:

According to the Russian chief negotiator, no progress can be seen in the negotiations between Russia and Ukraine on the central issues.

“The positions agree on secondary points.

But we are not making any progress on the main political issues," said Vladimir Medinsky, according to Russian news agencies.

Moscow insists on signing a "full agreement" that includes its demands for neutrality, demilitarization and "denazification" of Ukraine, recognition of Russian sovereignty in Russian-occupied Crimea and independence of the two pro-Russian "republics" in eastern Ukraine. Medinski continued.

Kyiv is primarily concerned with "obtaining security guarantees from third parties if Ukraine cannot become a member of NATO," said Medinski.

This attitude is "completely understandable".

"The negotiation process is very difficult," said Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba.

The Ukrainian delegation "takes a strong position and does not give up its demands," said Kuleba.

"First of all, we insist on a ceasefire, security guarantees and territorial integrity of Ukraine," added the Ukrainian Foreign Minister.

Ukraine negotiations: Orban lets Zelenskyj run up

+++ 4 p.m .:

Viktor Orban, Prime Minister of Hungary, has again rejected calls from neighboring Ukraine for a transit permit for arms deliveries and an extension of sanctions against Russia.

Both demands would contradict Hungarian interests, said Orban's spokesman Bertalan Havasi, according to the Hungarian state news agency MTI on Friday (March 25, 2022).

The previous evening, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy specifically addressed Orban in a video address at the EU summit.

He urged the Hungarian to take a clear position in the war between Russia and Ukraine.

Ukraine negotiations: Lavrov speaks of "total war" - Erdogan appeals to Putin

+++ 12.30 p.m .:

Sergei Lavrov, Russia’s Foreign Minister, has accused Ukraine of a “hybrid war”.

"Today they declared us a real hybrid war, total war," Lavrov said on Friday, according to the state news agency TASS.

"This term, which was used in Hitler's Germany, is now used by European politicians when they talk about what they want to do with the Russian Federation," Lavrov said at a meeting of a diplomatic foundation.

+++ 12.00 p.m .:

Turkish President Erdogan has given his assessment of the negotiations between Ukraine and Russia.

Accordingly, the two states could agree on four out of six questions.

According to Erdogan, however, the question of territorial claims will remain controversial.

This is reported by several Turkish media unanimously.

Erdogan made the statement on the return journey from the NATO summit on Thursday.

Erdogan also called on Russian President Putin to herald an "honorable withdrawal".

"We must now say, 'Now you must be the architect of the step that must be taken towards peace,'" Erdogan said.

The Turkish President again denied sanctions against Russia.

The economic dependency is too great.

Update from Friday, March 25th, 2022, 10.30 a.m .:

On the sidelines of the NATO summit, the USA and Europe agreed on an increased delivery of liquid gas to Europe.

This year, an additional 15 billion cubic meters are to be delivered, according to a statement published in Brussels on Friday.

The USA and the EU also agreed to set up a European-American working group to further reduce the EU's dependence on Russian gas supplies.

The EU Commission wants to work with the member states towards the goal of obtaining an additional 50 billion cubic meters of liquid gas from the USA by at least 2030.

At the same time, the demand for gas should be reduced.

"This can be achieved through energy efficiency, such as modern thermostats and heat pumps," the statement said.

First report from Friday, March 25th, 2022, 6:15 a.m .:

In relation to the Ukraine war, NATO sent a clear warning to China* after the summit in Brussels.

In a joint statement, the leaders called on China to "respect the international order," which would include "the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity as set out in the UN Charter."

(cs/tu/skr with dpa/AFP)