European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen speaks during a news conference with High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell, after Russia launched a massive military operation against Ukraine, in Brussels, Belgium, February 27, 2022.
Stephanie Lecocq | Reuters
The European Union on Sunday announced new actions it planned to take in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, including that the union will for the first time fund the delivery of weapons to the besieged nation.
The EU will also build on the sanctions it slapped on the Kremlin days earlier, said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, by blocking Russian aircraft from flying in EU territory.
The 27-member bloc will ban Russian state-owned media outlets Russia Today and Sputnik from its airwaves, as well. “We are developing tools to ban their toxic and harmful disinformation in Europe,” von der Leyen said.
In addition, the EU will impose new sanctions on Belarus’ controlling regime led by Alexander Lukashenko, which von der Leyen called “the other aggressor in this war.”
The latest international effort to support Kyiv as officials say the Ukrainian military is holding onto its major cities in the face of Russia’s military aggression. Russian President Vladimir Putin, meanwhile, has put his nuclear deterrence forces on high alert as he decries the intensifying foreign sanctions.
This is developing news. Please check back for updates.
