Back home, Boris Johnson has warned that the use of Russian oil and gas cannot be cut off overnight, as he pledged to unveil a new energy strategy in days. 

Speaking at a Downing Street press conference alongside the Canadian and Dutch prime ministers, Justin Trudeau and Mark Rutte, Mr Johnson suggested the UK must increase its self-reliance – potentially through the use of “more of our own” oil and gas supplies. 

Germany ruled out a boycott of Russian gas and oil, while energy experts said coping without it would demand an effort “akin to reorganising the economy for total war” by Britain and Europe. In other developments:

Refugee red tape

Moments after the Prime Minister’s press conference, Home Secretary Priti Patel appeared in the Commons to present the Economic Crime Bill aimed at ridding the UK of “hidden dirty money” belonging to “Putin’s cronies”. 

She insisted the first “quality-assured figures” on the Ukrainian Families Scheme will be published this evening, disputing the claim that only “around 50” visas have been granted to those fleeing the conflict. 

Lawyers helping refugees revealed families were struggling to provide the necessary documents – all of which had to be translated into English – to support their visa applications. 

Read this guide to the UK’s visa red tape, compared to the EU’s rules. 

The need for safe passage is made very clear in this piece by Henry Bodkin in Medyka, Poland, where police and volunteers have warned that sex traffickers are taking advantage of young women and unaccompanied children fleeing the war in Ukraine.

‘Z’ symbol

The International Gymnastics Federation said it will open disciplinary proceedings against a Russian artistic gymnast for his “shocking behaviour” in displaying a symbol of support for Russia’s invasion during an event. 

Ivan Kuliak, 20, finished third in the parallel bars final at the Apparatus World Cup in Doha over the weekend and displayed the letter “Z” on the front of his outfit as he stood on the podium next to Ukrainian rival Illia Kovtun, who won the gold. 

Russian forces have used the letter Z as an identifying symbol on their vehicles in Ukraine and some supporters of the invasion have also been displaying it, including during a stunt involving sick children at a hospice. 

Yet voices of opposition remain, with a Russian priest arrested over a sermon condemning the Kremlin’s war amid an unprecedented crackdown on civil society.

Invasion of Ukraine: Comment and analysis

Monday big-read

How Ukraine’s First Lady became its secret weapon