What's happening in Ukraine today and how are countries around the world responding? Read live updates on Vladimir Putin and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.BERLIN -- The International Energy Agency says its members agreed Friday to release further oil from their emergency reserves in response to the market turmoil caused by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Zelenskyy appealed to Macron to continue diplomatic efforts to get Russia to agree to conditions for evacuation and aid, according to Macron's office. That includes a durable ceasefire announced far enough in advance to be able to organize help. A statement from Recep Tayyip Erdogan's office said he and Putin also discussed the negotiations between Ukraine and Russia that were held in Istanbul earlier in the week.
Earlier on Friday, Erdogan said Zelenskyy was willing to participate in a leaders' meeting to be hosted by Turkey.MILAN -- Italy's foreign minister was visiting Azerbaijan on Friday as part of Italy's efforts to diversify its natural gas supply following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. IAEA director-general Rafael Mariano Grossi says he will head a support mission to Chornobyl, the site of the 1986 nuclear disaster, and that further nuclear safety missions to Ukraine will follow.
President Vladimir Putin said Thursday that Russia would start accepting ruble payments Friday and gas supplies would be cut off if buyers don't agree to the new conditions. In the southeast of the country the Russians are trying to seize the cities of Popasna, Rubizhne and Mariupol in order to expand the territory of separatist republics of Donetsk and Luhansk, according to the Ukrainian military.LVIV, Ukraine -- Authorities in Mariupol say it is not possible to enter the besieged Ukrainian city and that it is dangerous for people to try and leave it on their own.
A convoy of about 2,000 refugees, escorted by the Red Cross, on Friday afternoon was heading to the city of Zaporizhzhia, which is under Ukrainian control. Kuleba told a news conference in Warsaw that the Russian government had exposed its soldiers to radiation, endangering their health.ROME -- Venice is preparing special material to send to Lviv's National Art Gallery and other museums in the Ukrainian city so artworks can be better protected during the war.
Erdogan made the comments on Friday hours before he was scheduled to hold a telephone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin. During the call, he was expected to renew an offer to host a leaders' meeting.