EU Warns China Not to Interfere With Sanctions in Ukraine

Ukraine today

 Diplomats from Ukraine and Russia spoke via video link on Friday, despite the fact that earlier negotiations had failed to reach an agreement on even a temporary cease-fire. Sergei Lavrov, Russia's foreign minister, said Moscow is formulating a response to Ukraine's cease-fire offers.

The situation in Ukraine is "very regretful," according to Chinese President Xi Jinping. On Friday, Xi had a virtual summit with European Union leaders, who stated that they want Beijing to at the very least not interfere with Russia's sanctions.

Two Ukrainian helicopters crossed the border into Russia and struck an oil tank site near Belgorod, Russia reported. Kyiv did not respond to our request for confirmation. Ukraine's troops claimed to have retaken many villages in the southern Kherson area.

The Russian withdrawal from Chernobyl has been completed, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency (7:44 p.m.)

The Foreign Atomic Energy Agency said on Twitter that all Russian military have left the Chernobyl nuclear plant in Ukraine, the site of the fatal 1986 meltdown, and international monitors are prepared to enter.

"As soon as possible," IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi "intends to lead an IAEA help and support mission" to the plant, according to the agency.