Ukraine, Briefly

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• Russia declared Saturday that it has gained full control of the southeastern port city of Mariupol following the surrender of the last remaining Ukrainian forces there, the Wall Street Journal reported. Meanwhile, Ukraine ruled out a ceasefire or concessions to Moscow as Russia intensified an offensive in the eastern Donbas region, according to Reuters.

• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned Saturday that Russia has blocked the embattled country from exporting 22 million tons of food products, the Hill wrote. Zelenskyy urged the international community to supply Ukraine with assistance, especially military assets capable of freeing Ukrainian ports. At the same time, more than 40 countries will be represented at the second meeting Monday of the Ukraine Contact Group, formed last month to coordinate international support for Ukraine, ABC News added.

• Russia’s Gazprom cut off gas deliveries to Finland on Saturday, escalating tensions between the two nations in the aftermath of Helsinki’s bid to join NATO’s defensive alliance, Politico noted. The decision to cut Finland off from Russia’s gas supplies is also perceived as a reaction to Helsinki’s unwillingness to pay for Russian gas in rubles as the Kremlin wants.

• Russia published a list of 963 prominent Americans, including US President Joe Biden, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Hollywood actor Morgan Freeman, who have been barred from visiting the country in retaliation for similar steps by Washington since the Ukraine offensive began, according to Agence France-Presse.