There will be no more live updates to this story. The Post’s coverage of the Ukraine-Russia conflict continues here . Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky requested EU membership for his besieged country on Monday, while his forces fought against the invading Russian military for a fifth day. Pledges of support from most of the world’s most economically powerful countries continued to pour in, and Switzerland broke with its standard position of international neutrality with a statement that it would adopt all the sanctions already imposed by the EU. Talks between a delegation of Ukrainian officials and Russian authorities at a meeting along the Belarus border concluded, and the two sides had returned to their capitals for further deliberations, according to the Ukrainian government . The delegation, which included Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov and presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak, is expected to focus on securing a ceasefire and the withdrawal of Russian forces. Read on for more updates. Russians step up bombing during talks, Zelensky says Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russian troops have intensified their bombing, calling it an effort to force his government into making concessions during talks held on Monday. In a video address late on Monday, Zelensky said “the talks were taking place against the backdrop of bombing and shelling of our territory, our cities. Synchronising of the shelling with the negotiating process was obvious. I believe Russia is trying to put pressure (on Ukraine) with this simple method.” He gave no details about the hours-long talks themselves. But he says Ukraine is not prepared to make concessions “when one side is hitting each other with rocket artillery.” He said Kyiv, the capital, remains “a key goal” for the Russians and that the city of Kharkiv had also been shelled with rocket artillery. Associated Press Ukraine says Russia used prohibited ‘vacuum bomb’ Russia exploded a vacuum bomb in Ukraine on Monday, said the Ukrainian ambassador to the United States, Oksana Markarova. “They used the vacuum bomb today, which is actually prohibited by the Geneva Convention,” Markarova said after briefing members of the US Congress. “The devastation that Russia is trying to inflict on Ukraine is large.” A vacuum bomb uses oxygen from the surrounding air to generate a high-temperature explosion, typically producing a blast wave of a significantly longer duration than that of a conventional explosive. Reuters G7, EU, Poland, Romania, Nato discuss refugees The office of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the leaders of the G7, EU, Nato, Romania and Poland discussed the Ukrainians’ “valiant resistance to the Russian invasion” as well as continued weapons shipments and support for the country’s neighbours trying to manage an outflow of people trying to escape the war. “The prime minister stressed the need for countries to continue supporting the Ukrainian government, including with the provision of defensive weapons,” a Downing Street spokesman said. “He also underlined the need for an international response to the emerging humanitarian crisis, including through supporting Ukraine’s neighbours to deal with large numbers of Ukrainians escaping violence in the country.” EU aims to synchronise power grid with Ukraine European commissioner for energy Kadri Simson said she was working to connect Ukraine with the EU’s power grid, a project that was in the testing phase before Russia invaded last week. Energy minister Herman Galushchenko “has informed me that in the current situation, they have decided not to reconnect their grid back to Russia”, Simson said. “As a result, Ukraine is asking for emergency synchronisation with the European grid as soon as possible.” “This is technically challenging but, as Europe, this is something tangible we can do for our partners,” she said. “I have asked the [EU] ministers for their support as well. There was a broad agreement around the table. “Based on this, we will move forward ... to connect Ukraine’s electricity system as quickly as possible. This step would also link Moldova to the EU grid – another country that wants to be able to choose its energy future.” Zelensky requests EU membership for Ukraine Ukrainian President Vlodomyr Zelensky signed an application requesting EU membership for Ukraine, telling reporters on Monday: “I am sure it is fair. I am sure we deserve this.” Such applications can take years, though Zelensky said he was requesting “immediate accession under a new special procedure”. While requests to join the bloc are subject to the unanimous approval of member states, EU leadership appears strongly in favour of Kyiv’s accession, with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen telling Euronews on Sunday: “They belong to us. They are one of us, and we want them in.” The request will require Ukraine to bring its laws, judiciary and economic policies in line with EU standards. Switzerland to adopt EU’s Russia sanctions Traditionally neutral Switzerland will adopt all the sanctions already imposed by the EU on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, including against President Vladimir Putin , Bern said on Monday. “This is a big step for Switzerland,” Swiss President Ignazio Cassis said after the country had for days hesitated over whether to join the international move to sanction Moscow. As the European Union last week imposed biting sanctions on Russia after its invasion of Ukraine, Bern said only that it would ensure that those penalties could not be circumvented via Switzerland. But after a government meeting on Monday, Switzerland announced it was now fully onboard with the sanctions. White House confirms US sought China’s help The US warned China that Russia was planning to invade Ukraine and sought Beijing’s help to dissuade Moscow from that path, the White House’s top Asia official has confirmed. “We engaged China in advance. We explained to them what we thought were the risks associated with a reckless invasion, and that President Putin was increasingly isolated, isolated, alone leader, making decisions with [the hope] that very effective feedback, China could play a critical role in encouraging them to reconsider some of their options,” Kurt Campbell said during a panel discussion with his EU counterpart Gunnar Wiegand. But China chose “not to weigh in”, Campbell, the White House’s Asia coordinator, said. The New York Times and the South China Morning Post reported that China passed the intelligence to Russia. Campbell said China’s desire to “sustain their deep and fundamental relationship with Russia” leaves it “occupying an awkward nexus”. “I don’t think we know how this will fundamentally play out in decision-making corridors in Beijing. … It’s clear from our perspective that the association that is so public and so deep between Russia and China is quite uncomfortable right now,” he said. Wiegand, the European Union’s managing director for Asia Pacific, said he was encouraged by China’s abstention in the UN Security Council votes on Russia’s invasion, saying that “China does uphold a number of key principles in the UN Charter, in a way that is quite different from the way Russia interprets” them. US warns Americans to leave Russia American citizens in Russia should consider departing “immediately”, the US State Department warned, as it suspended operations at its embassy in Belarus, and authorised the departure of non-emergency personnel and family members at its embassy in Moscow. “Due to Russia’s further invasion of Ukraine, an increasing number of airlines are cancelling flights into and out of Russia, and numerous countries have closed their airspace to Russian airlines,” the State Department said in a travel advisory. Due to security and safety issues resulting from the unprovoked and unjustified attack by Russian military forces in Ukraine, the @statedept decided today to make changes to Embassy Minsk operations status and Embassy Moscow personnel status. https://t.co/jlvHVwAew5 — Ned Price (@StateDeptSpox) February 28, 2022 The US government’s ability to provide routine or emergency services to American citizens in Russia is severely limited, particularly in areas far from the US embassy in Moscow due to Russian government limitations on US staffing and travel, the State Department said. China warns US over sanctions China has demanded the US refrain from damaging Chinese interests when dealing with the issue of Ukraine and its ties with Russia. “We demand that the US to not harm the legitimate interests of China and other parties when dealing with the Ukraine issue and relations with Russia,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said at a press conference on Monday. He repeated China’s opposition to sanctions against Russia, which he described as not grounded in international law. Wang was responding to a question whether Chinese firms, such as Huawei Technologies Co and Xiaomi, should abide by American sanctions and stop selling products to Russia. China has faced difficulties evacuating its citizens, after its plans to send chartered flights were postponed because of growing safety concerns in Ukraine. The country has also abstained from voting on a resolution that called for a rare emergency UN General Assembly session to discuss the Ukraine war. The resolution was passed 11-1 in the Security Council because Russia could not exercise its veto power for the procedural vote. China previously also abstained from voting on a UN Security Council resolution vetoed by Russia that demanded Moscow to withdraw its troops. Dozens reportedly killed in rocket attack Dozens were reportedly killed and hundreds wounded in a rocket attack in the eastern city of Kharkiv on Monday, according to Ukraine’s interior ministry. “Kharkiv has just been mass shot,” interior ministry adviser Anton Herashchenko said in a Facebook post. “Dozens dead and hundreds wounded! This horror should be seen by the whole world!” Oil soars past US$100 a barrel Oil prices rose above US$100 a barrel for the second time in less than a week on Monday as concerns over sanctions against Russia sent commodity prices higher. The price of Brent crude had not topped US$100 a barrel since 2014 until last week, as traders feared about potential supply issues. Western nations have imposed stiff sanctions on Russia over the Ukraine invasion, including taking the unusual step of freezing the personal assets of Russian President Vladimir Putin. More than 500,000 refugees have now fled from Ukraine into neighbouring countries. — Filippo Grandi (@FilippoGrandi) February 28, 2022 More than 500,000 have fled Ukraine: UN More than a half a million people have fled Ukraine to neighbouring countries in the five days since the Russian incursion began, according to a tweet by Filippo Grandi, the United Nations high commissioner for refugees. That is an increase from 368,000 reported by the UN refugee agency on Sunday. The update came as the US Embassy in Kyiv said some Ukrainians had to wait more than a day to cross into Poland and Moldova, which border Ukraine. US bans Russian central bank transactions The US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (Ofac) said it would ban American persons and businesses from engaging in transactions with Russia’s central bank, sovereign wealth fund and Ministry of Finance. Ofac said the action “effectively immobilises” assets held by Russia’s central bank in the US. The action was taken in conjunction with similar moves by the UK and EU. “The unprecedented action we are taking today will significantly limit Russia’s ability to use assets to finance its destabilising activities, and target the funds Putin and his inner circle depend on to enable his invasion of Ukraine,” Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said in a statement . Zelensky plea led to EU sanctions on Putin When Zelensky spoke by video conference with leaders of the 27 EU member states last Thursday night, he told them it might be the last time they ever see him. He was Russia’s number one target, he told the leaders, and his family’s safety was also under threat as Russian missiles rained down on Kyiv. Zelensky’s address that helped toughen the bloc’s resolve and led to the unprecedented raft of sanctions announced on Sunday evening, according to a senior EU official who attended the meeting. “It focused minds and in my humble opinion, it was a historic moment – a decisive moment, which gave the political green light to the very significant sanctions package,” they added. The next day, as a direct result of Zelensky’s intervention, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister were added to the sanctions list, in the company of the leadership of North Korea, Syria and Belarus. Zelensky – a former TV actor and comedian – has become a figurehead for the fierce resistance Ukraine has displayed since the invasion was launched last Thursday. During a video call with Charles Michel, the president of the European Council, Zelensky had to cut him short. “Charles, Charles, Charles, I’ve got to stop we’re under fire,” he shouted, before heading for cover, the official said. Russian billionaire wants to broker peace Russian-Israeli billionaire Roman Abramovich has agreed to a request by Ukraine to try to help negotiate an end to the fighting between Ukraine and Russia, Reuters reported, citing his spokeswoman. Abramovich, who owns the English Premier League football club Chelsea, has faced sharp criticism and calls to freeze his assets by some UK politicians following Russia’s actions in Ukraine. On Sunday, Abramovich said he would put Chelsea in “stewardship” of the trustees of the football club’s charitable foundation, but would remain the teams owner. Australia to provide weapons to Ukraine Australia will supply lethal weapons to Ukraine, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Monday, joining the US, Germany and other nations in offering military support to Kyiv. “Australia will work with Nato and our other partners to provide lethal as well as non-lethal military equipment, medical supplies, and financial aid to support the people of Ukraine,” Morrison said on Monday. The Australian pledge followed the US agreeing to provide US$350 million in additional military aid on Saturday and Germany reversing its long-standing principle of not providing or selling weapons to conflict areas. Ukraine to form legion of foreign fighters Ukraine said it would create an “international legion” to allow foreigners to join the fight against Russia. “We already have thousands of applications from foreign citizens who wish to join the resistance against the Russian occupiers and protect the world from the Putin regime,” Hanna Maliar, Ukraine’s deputy defence minister, wrote in a Facebook post. Zelensky separately said that prisoners with “real combat experience” also would be released to help resist Russia’s incursion. The announcement came a day after UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss told the BBC that she would support Britons who want to join the fighting against Russia in Ukraine. EU to add Ukraine, Moldova to electric grid EU energy ministers are expected to announce later today that Ukraine and Moldova will both be added its electricity grid, according to a senior EU official. Officials on both sides spent the weekend discussing the plan, with Ukrainian engineers running tests to see how feasible it was to disconnect from the Russian grid and connect to Brussels’ instead. It will be “hugely important in bolstering the resilience of Ukraine and Moldova”, the official said. Separately, the EU is expecting an “imminent” application from Ukraine to become its 28th member, in what would be the beginning of a lengthy procedure of accession. US suspends operation of Minsk embassy The US State Department suspended operations at its embassy in Minsk, Belarus, and authorised the voluntary departure of non-emergency employees and family members at its embassy in Moscow. “We took these steps due to security and safety issues stemming from the unprovoked and unjustified attack by Russian military forces in Ukraine,” US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement . Russia bans aircraft from 36 countries Russia banned aircraft from 36 countries, including the EU, from flying through its airspace in the latest response to similar restrictions enacted in response to its actions in Ukraine. The move restricts a key aviation route for airlines flying between Asia and Europe. It comes just days after the UK became the first country to restrict flights by Aeroflot and other Russian carriers, a move followed by the EU over the weekend. Newspaper owner calls for withdrawal The Russian-British owner of the Evening Standard and The Independent newspapers called for Putin to withdraw from Ukraine on Monday. Evgeny Lebedev, who is also a British citizen and a member of the UK House of Lords, said Europe stands on the }brink of another world war”, and the world on the “brink of a possible nuclear disaster”. “As a British citizen I ask you to save Europe from war,” he said in an open letter published on Monday. “As a Russian patriot I plead that you prevent any more young Russian soldiers from dying needlessly.” “As a citizen of the world I ask you to save the world from annihilation,” he added. Additional reporting by Associated Press, Reuters, Bloomberg, Agence France-Presse and Kyodo.