Live blog: Zelenskyy discusses aid, Russia sanctions with EU chief

Sunday, September 4, 2022

Zelenskyy discusses aid, Russia sanctions with EU chief

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called on the EU to urgently allocate its next round of aid to Ukraine and pressed for a new wave of sanctions on Russia in a phone call with European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen.

"Discussed the allocation of the next tranche of #EU macro-(financial) aid ASAP. Emphasized the need to prepare the 8th package of (Western) sanctions (on Russia), including a ban on issuing visas to Russian citizens," he said on Twitter on Sunday.

Zelenskyy, who has warned Europeans to expect a difficult winter due to Russian oil and gas exports cuts, also said he and Von Der Leyen coordinated "steps to limit Russia's excess profits from the sale of oil and gas".

EU to disburse $4.9B in aid to Kiev this week - Ukrainian PM

Ukraine expects to receive $4.98 billion (5 billion euros) in macro-financial aid from the European Union this coming week to support the economy and army, and to prepare for the looming winter, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said.

"This will help to ensure the stability of our economy, support of the army and the... heating season", Shmyhal said in a statement on Telegram.

Russia's offensive in Ukraine is sapping the country's resources and Kiev has repeatedly sought financial aid from the EU, the United States and international lenders.

Russia sanctions not working - Italy far-right leader

The leader of Italy's far-right League party, Matteo Salvini, has sparked debate by saying that the unprecedented sanctions the West had imposed on Russia over the Ukraine conflict weren't working.

"Several months have passed and people are paying two, three, even four times more for their bills," he told Rtl radio. "And after seven months, the war continues and Russian Federation coffers are filling with money."

"Are the sanctions working? No. Today, those who have been sanctioned are winners and those who put the sanctions in place are on their knees," he tweeted the day earlier.

Ukrainian port city, Kharkiv comes under Russian shelling

Russian shelling has hit the southern Ukraine port city of Mykolaiv during the night, damaging a medical treatment facility, the city's mayor said.

On Sunday, Mykolaiv city mayor Oleksandr Senkevych did not specify whether there were any injuries in the overnight attack, which he said also damaged some residences. 

Meanwhile, in Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, Russian shelling late on Saturday set a large wooden restaurant complex on fire, according to the region's emergency service. One person was killed and two injured in shelling in the region, governor Oleh Syniehubov said.

Türkiye: 12 more grain ships leave Ukraine under Istanbul deal

Under the landmark Istanbul grain export deal, 12 more vessels have departed from Ukrainian ports, the Turkish National Defence Ministry said.

In a statement it released, the ministry did not disclose either its point of departure or destination. The grain shipment from the Ukrainian ports continues under the control of the Joint Coordination Centre in Istanbul, it said.

Türkiye, the UN, Russia and Ukraine signed an agreement in Istanbul on July 22 to resume grain exports from three Ukrainian Black Sea ports, which paused after the Russia-Ukraine conflict that began in February.

EU markets brace for price surge after latest Russia gas cut

European gas buyers already grappling with record-high prices face further pain when the markets open on Monday after Russia said one of its main supply pipelines to Europe would remain shut indefinitely, sparking fears over energy rationing.

Lower gas flows from Russia ahead of and following its February offensive in Ukraine have already pushed up European prices by nearly 400 percent over the past year, sending electricity costs soaring.

Europe has accused Russia of weaponising energy supplies in what Moscow has called an "economic war" with the West over the fallout from the Ukraine conflict, while Moscow blames Western sanctions and technical issues for supply disruptions.

China's top legislator to visit Russia next week

China's top legislator Li Zhanshu will visit Russia next week, state media has reported, becoming the highest-ranking Communist Party politician to travel to the country since Moscow's attack on Ukraine.

Li, who ranks third in the Chinese government hierarchy, will pay official visits to Russia, Mongolia, Nepal and South Korea from Wednesday until September 17, according to the official Xinhua news agency.

He will attend the Eastern Economic Forum due to be held over four days from Monday in Russia's far eastern city of Vladivostok, Xinhua reported.

For live updates from Saturday (September 3), click here