Switzerland adopts EU sanctions

Geneva: The Swiss president says Russia’s attack on Ukraine is “unacceptable” and Switzerland will adopt European Union sanctions, including asset freezes, targeting Russians — all but depriving well-heeled Russians of access to one of their favourite havens to park their money. Ignazio Cassis told a news conference Monday that Russia’s invasion was intolerable on moral and political grounds. AP

US halts operations at embassy in Belarus

Washington: Operations at the US embassy in Minsk have been suspended and non-emergency employees and family members are authorised to voluntarily depart the US embassy in Moscow, Secretary of State Blinken said in a statement on Monday. “We took these steps due to security and safety issues stemming from the unprovoked and unjustified attack by Russian military forces in Ukraine,” Blinken said. Reuters

Norway to send weapons to Ukraine

Oslo: The Norwegian government will send weapons to Ukraine, it said in a statement on Monday, the latest European nation to do so following Russia’s invasion. The decision overturns a Norwegian policy in place since the 1950s of not sending arms to non-NATO countries that are at war or at risk of armed conflict. Reuters

Media mogul uses UK paper for anti-war plea

London: Russia-born media mogul Evgeny Lebedev has used the UK newspaper he owns to implore Russian President to end the Ukraine invasion. London’s Evening Standard features a front-page statement by Lebedev headlined “President Putin, please stop this war”. AP