The European Union announced new measures Sunday designed to bolster Ukraine in its fight against Russia, while imposing bans on Russian aircraft and state-owned media outlets.
"For the first time ever, the European Union will finance the purchase and delivery of weapons and other equipment to a country that is under attack," European Commission President Ursula Gertrud von der Leyen said. "This is a watershed moment."
She went on to say that "in another unprecedented step, we will ban in the EU the Kremlin's media machine," citing Russia Today and Sputnik.
In the private sector, FedEx and UPS announced they were suspending shipments to Russia, further isolating Russia's economy from the rest of the world.
The moves came as Ukraine agreed to talks with Russian officials in neighboring Belarus, after initially rejecting the idea, while Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his country's nuclear deterrent forces to be on high alert.
Fighting continued across Ukraine early Sunday, with the Russian assault appearing to be stymied by the stiffer-than-expected resistance, according to a United States defense official. The area surrounding Kyiv saw fighting and heard blasts and air-raid sirens, while Ukrainian officials claimed they had regained control of Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, from Russian forces.
Follow our in-depth coverage of the Russia-Ukraine crisis here.
U.S. citizens should consider leaving Russia immediately, State Department says
The U.S. Embassy in Moscow warned U.S. citizens Sunday that they should consider leaving the country immediately as more countries impose airspace restrictions on Russia.
"An increasing number of airlines are canceling flights into and out of Russia, and numerous countries have closed their airspace to Russian airlines," the embassy said in a statement. "U.S. citizens should consider departing Russia immediately via commercial options still available."
The embassy added that U.S. citizens should have a contingency plan "that does not rely on U.S. government assistance." Americans also should monitor local and international media, keep in contact with family and friends, stay alert to their surroundings when in public, review security plans and always carry their passports with current Russian visas, the embassy said.
Since January, the State Department has said Americans should not travel to Russia because of "ongoing tension along the border with Ukraine, the potential for harassment against U.S. citizens, the embassy's limited ability to assist U.S. citizens in Russia, COVID-19 and related entry restrictions, terrorism, harassment by Russian government security officials, and the arbitrary enforcement of local law."
E.U. approves 450 million Euros in 'lethal assistance' to Ukrainian military
The European Union will finance a large package of "lethal assistance" to held aid Ukraine in its effort to repel Russian forces, Josep Borrell, the E.U.'s foreign policy chief, said Sunday.
Borrell detailed the package to reporters after a virtual media event with other member states' foreign ministers. It is the first time the E.U. has helped finance the purchase and delivery of weapons for a country under attack.
"We have decided to use our capacities to provide arms — lethal arms, lethal assistance — to the Ukrainian army by a value of 450 million support package and 50 more millions for the non-lethal supplies, fuel protective equipment," Borrell said. "All these will be covered by our European Peace Facility and intergovernmental fund."
The total package would be more than 556 million Euros.
Poland has agreed to serve as a logistical hub, and defense ministers will meet Monday to discuss how to spend the support package, as well as how to safely transport materials to the Ukrainian front lines, Borrell said.
Zelenskyy doubts upcoming talks with Russia will lead to breakthrough
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced Sunday that a Ukrainian delegation would meet with Russian officials near the Pripyat River in Belarus but indicated that a breakthrough is unlikely.
"I emphasize, without any conditions, I will say as frankly, as always: I do not really believe in the outcome of this meeting," he said in a video shared to his Telegram channel, "but let them try so that no citizen of Ukraine would have any doubt that I, as president, did not try to stop the war when there was even a small chance."
In a phone call earlier Sunday, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko pledged that all missiles, planes and helicopters in his country would remain on the ground as Ukrainian officials travel to and from Belarus, as well as during the coming meeting, Zelenskyy said.
Ukraine has not said when the meeting would take place or who would be part of its delegation.
‘Very probable’ that Switzerland will freeze Russian assets, Swiss president says
Swiss President Ignazio Cassis said Sunday that it was "very probable" that neutral Switzerland would follow the European Union on Monday in sanctioning Russia and freezing Russian assets in the Alpine country.
Cassis, interviewed on French-language Swiss public television, said the seven-member Federal Council would meet Monday and review recommendations by the departments of finance and economy.
Asked whether Switzerland — a major financial center and commodities trading hub — would follow the E.U. in freezing Russian assets, he said: "It is very probable that the government will decide to do so tomorrow, but I cannot anticipate decisions not yet taken."
U.N. Security Council votes to call rare emergency General Assembly session on Ukraine
The U.N. Security Council voted Sunday to call a emergency special session of the General Assembly that will take place Monday, a rare move that comes as the U.S. and its allies, including the European Union, crack down on Moscow for its invasion of Ukraine.
The decision to call the session passed with 11 votes in favor. China, India and the United Arab Emirates abstained, and Russia was the lone vote against the resolution. Because it was a procedural vote, only nine votes were needed for it to pass, and Russia's veto did not apply.
"Russia cannot veto our voices. Russia cannot veto the Ukrainian people. Russia cannot veto the U.N. Charter. Russia cannot and will not veto accountability," said Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the U.S. ambassador to the U.N., calling the vote "an important step forward" toward holding Russia responsible for its actions.
Thomas-Greenfield, addressing Russia and reports that its forces have targeted civilians in Ukraine, said the "world is watching."
"Photographic and video evidence is mounting, and you will be held to account for your actions. We will not let atrocities slide," she said.
International Atomic Energy Agency says no damage after second reported missile strike on waste site
Missiles struck a nuclear waste disposal facility in the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, but there were no immediate signs of damage or radioactive release, the International Atomic Energy Agency, or IAEA, said Sunday.
The IAEA said the State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine informed the agency that the strike occurred late Saturday or early Sunday local time.
The reported strike came less than 24 hours after the Ukrainian government reported an attack on a similar disposal facility near the country’s second-largest city, Kharkiv, the IAEA said. Again, there were no immediate reports of a radioactive release.
NBC News was unable to immediately confirm the reports.
Russian forces on Thursday captured the decommissioned power plant at Chernobyl, the site of the deadly 1986 nuclear disaster.
FIFA bans Russian flag and anthem; England says it won't play against Russia
FIFA has banned the use of Russian flags or anthems and prohibited athletes from playing under Russia’s banner ahead of the Football World Cup 2022.
While Russia has not been completely banned from the tournament, no matches will be played on the Russian soil and “home” matches will be played on neutral grounds — without any spectators.
“The member association representing Russia shall participate in any competition under the name ‘Football Union of Russia (RFU)’ and not ‘Russia’,” said FIFA in a statement on Sunday.
The England Football Association also confirmed that it won’t play against Russia in any international fixture.
“This includes any potential match at any level of senior, age group or para football,” it said in a statement on Sunday. This follows a similar move by Poland, Sweden, and Czech Republic.
Both FIFA and England Football Association have condemned Russia for its unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.
FedEx, UPS suspend deliveries to Russia
FedEx and UPS have both suspended shipments to Russia, further isolating the country's economy after Russian troops invaded Ukraine.
FedEx announced Saturday that it's "temporarily suspending inbound and outbound services to Ukraine and inbound service to Russia until further notice."
Earlier, UPS said it was temporarily suspending "shipments to destination addresses in Russia." Packages to and from Ukraine have been stopped since Thursday.
The United States and European Union have imposed a series of sanctions in response to President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine. The sanctions and other punitive measures target financial institutions, air transportation and even top officials in the Russian government, including Putin.
New York governor orders review of all state investments with Russian companies
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed an executive order Sunday mandating an immediate review of any state investment or purchase from Russian companies in retaliation to Putin's invasion in Ukraine.
The state would immediately divest from any institution found in the review, Hochul, a Democrat, said.
Individual states have begun taking various actions to punish Moscow amid federal sanctions that were levied against Russian banks, Putin, and Putin's inner circle by the Biden administration in recent days.
"We are going to also continue to refrain from any future investments," Hochul said prior to signing the order. "This is a strong statement. It's a statement of our priorities. It's a statement of our values."
Pro-Ukraine demonstrators gather outside White House
Hundreds of protesters gathered outside the White House on Sunday in support of Ukraine.
Demonstrators carrying Ukrainian flags marched into Lafayette Square Park chanting "stop the war," "save Ukraine" and "USA, support Ukraine."
People also carried homemade signs condemning Putin and pleading with Western countries to do more. Some signs read "close the sky" and "no fly zone," urging NATO allies to create a no-fly zone over Ukraine, an option that has been ruled out by the West.
Other signs read: "Putin is a war criminal" and "stop SWIFT."
Law enforcement briefly shut down Lafayette Square Park, forcing protesters to move a few blocks away from the White House. The park was reopened after roughly an hour.