Ukraine has agreed to hold talks in the coming days with a russian delegation without preconditions on the border with neighbouring belarus. in another major development president putin has ordered russian military commanders to put the country s strategic nuclear forces on special alert, their highest level. he says it s in response to nato aggression. the move has been condemned by the white house and nato says putin s threat is aggressive and irresponsible.’ in the last couple of hours, the european union has announced that it will begin shipping arms to ukraine, the first time in its history that it has taken such a step. it s also introducing more sanctions, the closure of airspace to all russian planes, and a ban on pro kremlin media. but italy s prime minister, mario draghi, is urging the eu to go further and to react with utmost determination as he describes the russian invasion as barbaric . british based multinational bp says it s exiting the nearly 20% stake
Their taking unfriendly steps against their country in the economic dimension but the top officials of leading dimension but the top officials of leading nato countries also make aggressive statements with regards to our aggressive statements with regards to our country. the european union pledges to ship arms to ukraine calling the move a watershed moment for the bloc. 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. bp breaks with rosneft the british based multinational will offload its stake in the russian oil giant. and searching for a safe haven poland says at least 200,000 refugees have now crossed from ukraine since the invasion began. hello and welcome to bbc world news.
To deter the west from doing further measures to take down the russian economy. measures to take down the russian econom . g , measures to take down the russian econom ., , ., ., , ., ., economy. just on that question of sanctions. economy. just on that question of sanctions, there economy. just on that question of sanctions, there have economy. just on that question of sanctions, there have been - economy. just on that question of. sanctions, there have been grumbles in washington last week, not least in washington last week, not least in the us congress, some sense that perhaps europe wasn t going far enough and fast enough. do you think the latest announcements from the european union might please people in washington in that regard? i know it leases in washington in that regard? i know it pleases me! in washington in that regard? i know it pleases me! and in washington in that regard? i know it pleases me! and i in washington in that regard? i know it pleases me! and i
Ukrainian seeking refugees katya adler. without asking them to apply for asylum. adler. without asking them to apply forasylum. i adler. without asking them to apply for asylum. i should say european interior ministers. what do you make of that? in the context, like britain has had a certain amount of reluctance to embrace refugees, seeking to escape war zones, is that a significant move? a significant move? yes, very significant- a significant move? yes, very significant. i a significant move? yes, very significant. i think a significant move? yes, very significant. i think it - a significant move? yes, very significant. i think it reflects i a significant move? yes, very i significant. i think it reflects the view of the united nations a day or two ago. you might see as many as 5 million people trying to escape from ukraine. that would be more than 10% of the population. and this isn t somewhere where you can argue, well, we can stop them in turkey or in jordan, ukraine is r
Between russia and western europe in the future. ., ~ , ., a between russia and western europe in the future. ., ~ i. a ., , the future. thank you. nick thorpe re ”ortin the future. thank you. nick thorpe reporting there- shell has announced plans to gradually end its involvement in all russian oil, gas and petroleum. the british firm said it would immediately stop all spot purchases of russian crude oil, and would shut its service stations in the country. live now to our business editor, simonjack, in london. first, tell us more about shell s announcement. the decision to buy a consignment of russian oil, in the spot market, the immediate cash market last week got immediate cash market last week got immediate condemnation, social media outrage and comments from when ukraine tainted that russian oil not smell of ukrainian blood? they apologise for doing that today and said they would not make any more purchases of discounted russian oil as other people have been shunning it. they w