Europe live: Russia ‘does not deserve’ lifting of sanctions, Zelenskyy says, after deadly overnight strikes in Ukraine

Ukrainian president says nearly 700 Russian drones and 19 ballistic missiles mostly targeted Kyiv, Odesa and Dnipro

Responding to Zelenskyy’s comments on sanctions (10:06), the European Commission said that “giving any relief in terms of sanctions … vis a vis Russia is not helpful in maintaining the pressure” on Moscow to end its aggression against Ukraine.

“It should be ironic that Russia is actually benefiting from the war in the Middle East,” the commission’s chief spokesperson Paula Pinho told reporters.