European Commission to unveil new Russia sanctions as Zelenskyy visits UK

The European Commission is preparing to introduce its 21st package of sanctions against Russia this week. These measures are expected to target financial institutions in third countries, particularly in Central Asia, suspected of facilitating the circumvention of existing restrictions by Russian banks. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in the United Kingdom on Sunday for diplomatic engagements. His itinerary includes bilateral discussions with Prime Minister Keir Starmer and an "E3 plus Ukraine" meeting alongside French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. This visit follows reports that President Zelenskyy had invited Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich to Kyiv last month to convey a message to Russian President Vladimir Putin regarding a potential direct meeting. Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha stated that Putin "wasted an opportunity to exit a failing war" by declining Zelenskyy's proposal for direct peace negotiations. Sources: Громадське, Радіо Свобода, Суспільне Новини, Українська правда