Talks signals and new sanctions: the diplomatic picture on 11 March 2022
A look back at a day of tentative signs on negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow, alongside tighter Western sanctions and Russian countermeasures.
What did diplomacy look like on 11 March 2022, the day after the highest-level talks between Russia and Ukraine since the invasion began? The picture was mixed: cautious signals about a possible presidential meeting, and a further tightening of economic pressure on Moscow.
Signals on a Zelenskyy–Putin meeting
On 10 March, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba met in Ankara, Turkey. No ceasefire was reached, but the possibility of a meeting between President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin was discussed.
On 11 March, both sides spoke publicly about such a meeting. Kremlin Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov said Putin was open to meeting Zelenskyy. Igor Zhovkva, deputy head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, said Zelenskyy was ready to talk to Putin whenever Putin was ready. In a meeting with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, Putin spoke of "positive shifts" and progress in talks with Ukraine.
Markets responded to Putin's remarks. Stock prices rose in the United States and other global markets, and the Dow gained 300 points.
Sanctions
U.S. President Joe Biden announced that he would revoke Russia's most favoured nation trade status, in coordination with the European Union and the Group of Seven. The United States would also ban imports of Russian seafood, alcohol and diamonds, forbid new investment in Russia by American citizens, and criminalise the export of U.S. banknotes to Russia.
A day earlier, Putin had acknowledged that sanctions had created problems for Russia. He called them illegitimate and warned the West that Russia would emerge stronger and solve the problems.
Asset seizures in Kyiv
On 10 March, the Ukrainian parliament began debating a law that would allow forced seizure of all assets belonging to Russian citizens, as well as Ukrainians deemed by the courts or the National Security and Defense Council to be Russian collaborators. The previous week, a bill had been approved allowing the seizure of assets owned by the Russian government and Russian companies.
Meta, Instagram and volunteers
On 10 March, Facebook and Instagram began allowing users in Eastern Europe, the Baltics and the Caucasus to promote violence against Russians and Russian soldiers in the context of the war, according to internal emails. A Meta spokesperson described this as a temporary allowance for forms of political expression that would normally break its rules. Calls for violence against Russian prisoners of war and credible calls for violence against Russian civilians remained prohibited, while death threats against Putin and Lukashenko were permitted.
On 11 March, Russia blocked access to Instagram, responding to Meta's allowing calls to violence toward Russian soldiers and death threats toward Putin.
The same day, Russia said it would allow foreign volunteers to join its armed forces. Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said he had received around 16,000 applications, mostly from people in the Middle East.
On 10 March, Ukrainian Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov had said Ukraine was willing to accept Russia's surrender "with understanding".
