EU prepares new Russia sanctions as Zelenskyy visits UK for diplomatic talks

The European Commission is preparing its 21st package of sanctions against Russia, expected this week. These measures will reportedly target financial institutions in third countries, particularly in Central Asia, suspected of assisting Russian banks in evading existing restrictions. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in the United Kingdom for diplomatic meetings. His itinerary includes bilateral discussions with Prime Minister Keir Starmer and an "E3 plus Ukraine" summit with French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. This visit follows reports that President Zelenskyy had previously invited Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich to Kyiv to convey a message to President Vladimir Putin about a potential direct meeting. Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha asserted that Putin "wasted an opportunity to exit a failing war" by rejecting Zelenskyy's peace negotiation proposal.

Sources: Громадське, Радіо Свобода, Суспільне Новини, Українська правда