Countries on Sunday took steps to further isolate Russia following its invasion of Ukraine.
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- The European Union is shutting down its airspace to Russia, including private jets of oligarchs: The EU is closing its airspace to Russia, said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Sunday. “We are proposing a prohibition on all Russian-owned, Russian-registered and Russian-controlled aircraft. These aircraft will no more be able to land in, take off or overfly the territory of the European Union. This will apply to any plane,” von der Leyen said. This will include the private jets of oligarchs, she added.
- EU bans Russian news outlets Russia Today and Sputnik: The EU has banned Russian news outlets Russia Today and Sputnik, according to its top diplomat Josep Borrell. Speaking in a joint news conference in Brussels on Sunday, the EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy announced that the bloc would ban the two outlets in a bid "to fight" Russian disinformation. "We are killing the snake on its neck," Borrell said.
- More than half of central bank reserves of Russia will be blocked under new EU sanctions: More than half of the central bank reserves of Russia will be blocked as part of new EU sanctions against the country, Borrell announced on Sunday. Speaking alongside von der Leyen in Brussels, Borrell said on Sunday he would provide the political endorsement of the 27 EU member states for a new package of sanctions against Russia. Under the package, "important Russian banks will be excluded from the SWIFT system," von der Leyen told the news conference.
- England joins the Czech Republic, Poland, and Sweden in refusing to play in any potential football matches against Russia: England will not play Russia in any international football matches "for the foreseeable future," English football’s governing body, the Football Association (FA), announced on Sunday.
- Ontario premier directs Canadian agencies to pull Russian products from shelves: Ontario’s premier this weekend directed agencies to withdraw products produced in Russia from store shelves in government-run Canadian liquor stores, according to a statement from the Ministry of Finance’s office.
- New York governor businesses to cease transactions with Russian entities: Gov. Kathy Hochul signed an executive order Sunday instructing state businesses to cease transactions with Russian entities. Hochul called for a review of all state purchases and said she will not permit any investments that “directly or indirectly aid Russia as it commits these human rights violations and atrocities,” according to the order. The order goes into effect immediately and will remain in effect until federal economic sanctions against Russia are removed, Hochul said.