POLITICO Live blog: War in Ukraine Conflict heads into a fifth day as Western leaders to try to put pressure on Russia.

 POLITICO

Live blog: War in Ukraine

Conflict heads into a fifth day as Western leaders to try to put pressure on Russia.

LIVE BLOG UKRAINE

POLITICO Photo Illustration/Source Images by Getty

BY POLITICO

February 22, 2022 12:41 am

Russia’s assault on Ukraine continues into a fifth day, including on the capital Kyiv, in an attack that threatens to descend into Europe’s biggest war since World War II.

A Ukrainian delegation has arrived this morning in Belarus after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy agreed to peace talks with Russia without preconditions. 

That comes after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his nuclear forces on high alert Sunday, with NATO branding the threat “dangerous and irresponsible.”

The Russian central bank banned sales of local securities by foreigners on Monday and hiked its key rate to 20 percent after the West imposed financial sanctions.

Follow POLITICO’s live blog coverage below for the latest developments and analysis.

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FEBRUARY 28, 202210:18 AM

Shawn Pogatchnik

IRELAND: EU MAY EXPEL RUSSIAN ‘OPERATIVES’ FROM EMBASSIES

The European Union is actively considering a “targeted” expulsion of spies — but not ambassadors — from Russia’s embassies across the EU, Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney said.

He was responding to widespread political calls, including from within his own Fine Gael party, to issue marching orders to Russia’s ambassador to Ireland, Yury Filatov.

Coveney said EU capitals needed to keep Russia’s top diplomats in place to maintain communication channels with Moscow. But he said foreign ministers today would discuss the best options for pruning lower-level officials, including security “operatives,” from those embassies.

Russia’s embassy in Dublin has about 20 staff, including a Russian army colonel. Its oversize deployment here is seen as evidence of Russian interest in surveilling the operations of U.S. multinationals — including social media giants, data centers and drugmakers — concentrated on Irish soil.

FEBRUARY 28, 202210:07 AM

Camille Gijs

EU DEFENSE MINISTERS CONVENE TODAY

European defense ministers will meet today, foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell said in a tweet.

“I am convening today the EU defence ministers, to discuss the latest situation on the ground in ukraine in view of Russia’s unprovoked assault,” Borrell wrote on Monday morning.

Ministers will “discuss further urgent needs & coordinate our assistance, with help of the clearing house managed by the EU Military Staff.”

FEBRUARY 28, 20229:58 AM

Camille Gijs

BORRELL: NUCLEAR THREAT SHOWS PUTIN'S TRUE CHARACTER

EU top diplomat Josep Borrell said Monday on the BBC that the Russian President Vladimir Putin's nuclear threat “shows the kind of people whom we are facing.”

On the proposed RT and Sputnik ban, Borrell said that the EU will do “whetever we can” to stamp out “massive disinformation.”

“If you start telling lies all the time, if you create an atmosphere of hate, this has to be forbidden,” he added.

FEBRUARY 28, 20229:53 AM

Camille Gijs

CEASEFIRE TALKS: UKRAINIAN DELEGATION ARRIVES, TALKS ABOUT TO START

The Ukrainian delegation arrived in the area of the Ukraine-Belarus border to take part in talks with Russian representatives, the office of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced in a statement.

“The delegation included Head of the Servant of the People faction Davyd Arakhamia, Minister of Defense of Ukraine Oleksiy Reznikov, Adviser to the Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Mykhailo Podoliak, First Deputy Head of the Ukrainian Delegation to the TCG Andriy Kostin, MP Rustem Umerov and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Mykola Tochytskyi,” the statement reads.

“The key issue of the talks is an immediate cease-fire and the withdrawal of all troops from Ukraine,” the statement concludes.

FEBRUARY 28, 20229:45 AM

Camille Gijs

EU TO SUPPORT UKRAINIANS WHO ARE FLEEING, SAYS BORRELL

The EU will support member countries which border Ukraine in welcoming refugees displaced by the war, EU top diplomat Josep Borrell said on Monday.

These remarks come a day after EU interior ministers met to discuss the worsening humanitarian situation at the EU's border. The justice and home affairs' ministers will consider Thursday a proposal to that would give protection to Ukrainians to stay in the EU for one year — instead of the current 90 days — which could then be renewed twice for six months.

FEBRUARY 28, 20229:41 AM

Jules Darmanin

BRETON PRAISES BERLIN FOR 'FINALLY TAKING ON DEBT'

In his interview with LCI, Thierry Breton, who is also commissioner in charge of defense, praised Germany for its turnaround on defense spending — with a hint of snark directed at its previous policy.

“Germany finally decides to take on debt to participate in the European effort up to what if rightfully owes. It was time, it's right to do so,” Breton said, adding: “We had to have a new chancellor, Olaf Scholz, to finally do it.”

FEBRUARY 28, 20229:19 AM

Camille Gijs

EUROPEAN DEFENSE IS A 'REALITY,' SAYS CHARLES MICHEL

European Council President Charles Michel said on Monday that, “This weekend, the Europe of defense has become a very tangible reality.”

“We have been talking about the European defense for a long time, often with frustration,” he said, but following the European Council on Thursday, the EU has rapidly “activated with the high representative the mobilization of the Member States.”

“At the moment, there are about 20 European states which, in addition to the means decided within the EU, on a bilateral level, are going to dedicate military means, rockets, ammunition, anti-tank weapons, anti-missile weapons, air defense, in order to support the Ukrainians who are a sort of bulwark, a bulwark that we must support and protect,” he added.

Michel warned of the “major economic impact” that the sanctions against Russia will have for Europe. “This aggression that is being carried out today by Vladimir Putin has and will have an impact in Europe,” he said, adding that the EU is actively working on minimizing consequences such as by attempting to diversify the gas supply.

FEBRUARY 28, 20229:08 AM

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Douglas Busvine

UKRAINE PEACE TALKS TO START SOON, RUSSIA SAYS

Peace talks between Russian and Ukrainian delegations are due to start at midday Russian time (10 a.m. CET), a member of the Russian delegation said on Monday.

Former Culture Minister Vladimir Medinsky said the Russian delegation had arrived on Sunday night for the talks on the Ukraine-Belarus border. The Ukrainian side was due to arrive soon.

“We have just heard that they will arrive in about an hour. Then we will sit down at the negotiating table,” Medinsky said in comments carried by RIA Novosti.

FEBRUARY 28, 20229:07 AM

Jules Darmanin

BRETON TO PUT PRESSURE ON NETFLIX OVER RUSSIA PROPAGANDA PUSH

EU Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton announced this morning he would talk to Netflix CEO Reid Hastings to discuss the streaming giant’s upcoming Russian regulation, which forces it to release Kremlin propaganda.

“I’m going to have a conversation with Netflix’s president to ask him to not comply with Russia’s demands,” Breton said on French television LCI.

On March 1, Netflix will face new obligations to broadcast content from outlets close to the Kremlin as it has been added to a register of “audiovisual services” overseen by the country’s communications regulator, Roskomnadzor.

If Netflix does not refuse to comply with Moscow’s new requirements, “we will ask them to stop broadcasting in Russia,” Breton said.

FEBRUARY 28, 20229:01 AM

Douglas Busvine

RUSSIAN FINANCE MINISTRY REQUIRES EXPORTERS TO SELL 80 PERCENT OF HARD CURRENCY PROCEEDS

The Russian finance ministry is requiring exporters to sell 80 percent of hard currency proceeds for rubles, in a bid to stave off a collapse in the Russian currency.

The central bank earlier hiked interest rates to 20 percent, banned asset sales by non-residents and said most financial markets would remain closed in response to Western financial sanctions imposed following President Vladimir Putin’s order to invade Ukraine.

FEBRUARY 28, 20228:46 AM

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Camille Gijs

UK DEFENSE SECRETARY: PUTIN'S NUCLEAR TALK IS 'DISTRACTION'

U.K. Defense Secretary Ben Wallace said that the nuclear deterrence alert by Russian President Vladimir Putin is “about distracting the world and the public from what he's actually doing in Ukraine.”

Asked whether the U.K. would increase its nuclear deterrence alert, Wallace told Sky News that the U.K. government is constantly reviewing the situation and that the U.K.'s nuclear readiness is kept “very high.”

On the humanitarian situation, Wallace said that the U.K. government is looking “at all the different range of options we can apply to, to welcome Ukrainians in need. The first step is to make sure that Ukrainians who have family here — either settled or dual nationals — that they can come and join them.

“But the second step we will look at about what we do with the refugee flows across the board.”

FEBRUARY 28, 20228:20 AM

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Camille Gijs

LATEST CASUALTY UPDATE FROM UKRAINE’S ARMED FORCES

In an update disseminated by Ukraine’s armed forces on Monday, the total estimated losses by Russia from February 24 until February 2 28 at 6 a.m. are as follows: Aircraft 29; Helicopters 29; Tanks 191; Armored combat vehicles 816; Cannons 74; BUK 1; Hail 21; Automotive 291; Tanks 60: UAV OTR 3; Ships/boats 2; Air defenses 5

The update also says there are “approximately” 5,300 casualties on the Russian side.

FEBRUARY 28, 20228:01 AM

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Camille Gijs

‘WE DON’T HAVE A BORDER IN THE WEST’: UKRAINIAN DEFENSE MINISTER

Ukraine’s Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov welcomed the EU’s move to increase defense capabilities and send lethal weapons to a third country, as backed by EU foreign ministers late last night.

In a Facebook post in the early hours of this morning, he said: “Half of Europe is already collecting, packing, and carrying weapons and armor” for Ukraine.

“The circle of states that provide real help has increased significantly. The scale has increased.”

And while EU interior ministers met on Sunday to discuss the worsening humanitarian situation on the Union’s border, Reznikov noted that “Europe has already provided a temporary shelter to tens of thousands of those we want to save the most — our little ones and their mothers. Without any formalities.”

He added: “We really don’t have a border in the west now.”

FEBRUARY 28, 20227:55 AM

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Douglas Busvine

RUSSIAN CENTRAL BANK BANS SALES OF SECURITIES BY FOREIGNERS, JACKS UP KEY RATE TO 20 PERCENT

The Russian central bank banned sales of local securities by foreigners on Monday after the West imposed financial sanctions in response to Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.

The central bank said it had also decided to more than double its key interest rate to 20 percent from 9.5 percent following a “cardinal change in external conditions.”

“An increase in the key rate will make it possible to ensure an increase in deposit rates to the levels necessary to compensate for the increased devaluation and inflation risks,” the central bank said.

“This will help maintain financial and price stability and protect citizens’ savings from depreciation.”

Trading on the forex market was due to open at 10 a.m. local time (8 a.m. Brussels time) while other financial markets will remain shut.

On the interbank market, the ruble was trading down around 30 percent at a new record low.

“The decision to open or not to open trading will be announced by the Bank of Russia at 13:00 Moscow time. In case of a positive decision, the auction will open at 15:00 Moscow time,” the Bank of Russia said in a statement.

Respected former central banker and economist Sergei Alaksashenko said on Sunday the Western financial sanctions would hit Russia like a “financial nuclear bomb.”

The measures deprive the central bank of access to most of its $630 billion in international reserves.

FEBRUARY 28, 20227:51 AM

Camille Gijs

PEACE TALKS IN BELARUS

A Ukrainian delegation has arrived this morning in Belarus after Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy agreed on Sunday to peace talks with Russia without preconditions.

They will meet near the Pripyat River in Belarus.

But even as tentative talks were announced, there was no immediate ceasefire declaration while the fierce fighting continued over the weekend.