Russia-Ukraine updates: Putin says 'certain positive movements' in negotiations

A third round of talks between Russia and Ukraine ended without any resolution.

Russian forces are continuing their attempted push through Ukraine from multiple directions, while Ukrainians, led by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, are putting up "stiff resistance," according to U.S. officials.

The attack began Feb. 24, when Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a "special military operation."

Russian forces moving from neighboring Belarus toward Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, have advanced closer to the city center in recent days despite the resistance, coming within about 9 miles as of Friday.

Russia has been met by sanctions from the United States, Canada and countries throughout Europe, targeting the Russian economy as well as Putin himself.

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'Ukraine will never never be a victory for Putin,' Biden says

President Joe Biden declared that Putin will never conquer Ukraine on Thursday during a meeting with Colombian President Iván Duque Marquez at the White House.

"Ukraine will never never be a victory for Putin," Biden said.

Biden thanked Marquez for condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine "and the atrocities they're committing" and designated Colombia as a major non-NATO ally.

The decision will allow Colombia to be eligible for certain benefits in areas of defense trade and security cooperation, while also providing military and economic privileges.

"It’s just not just the threat to Europe and Ukraine, but it’s the threat to international peace and stability," Biden said. "And so Columbia -- Columbia's voice is making it clear that you share that view and that there's a lot more at stake than just the immediate undertaking."

Biden also announced that the U.S. will give 2 million more COVID-19 vaccine doses to Colombia to help vaccinate Colombia’s migrant population.

-ABC News' Justin Gomez


Psaki says US is 'leading the global effort to rally opposition' to Putin's actions

Following a call between President Joe Biden and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan Thursday, White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters "The U.S. is leading the global effort to rally opposition to the actions of President Putin," during a press briefing.

ABC News' MaryAlice Parks asked Psaki if there is a role for the U.S. to be playing to support a diplomatic outcome to the war in Ukraine.

“We have been engaged with the Ukrainians on a daily basis. We have provided more security assistance, more humanitarian assistance, than any country in the world. And there wouldn't be the unity of financial sanctions and actions without the leadership of the United States," Psaki said.

Psaki added, "What we're doing is we’re putting the Ukrainians in a position of increasing, hopefully, strength in their negotiations and discussions."

Asked if the U.S. has a hand in facilitating diplomatic talks like we saw today, Psaki said, "We are supporting the efforts by a range of leaders," which includes Turkey, Israel, France, "and others who are engaging directly with President Putin over this."

-ABC News' Justin Gomez and MaryAlice Parks


Mike Pence visits Ukraine

Former Vice President Mike Pence and his wife, Karen, crossed the Polish border into Ukraine to meet with refugees on Thursday, an aide told ABC News.

The Pences were in Poland on a humanitarian visit with the evangelical aid organization Samaritan's Purse, the aide said. They were in Ukrainian territory for about an hour.

When White House press secretary Jen Psaki was asked Thursday whether the Biden administration knew Pence was going to be at the Ukrainian border today, she responded that she would check.

Pence's team had not been in contact with the U.S. government regarding the trip "because he was there for humanitarian purposes," with Samaritan's Purse, the aide told ABC News.

Vice President Kamala Harris was also in Warsaw, Poland, on Thursday to demonstrate U.S. support for NATO's eastern flank allies.

-ABC News' Ben Gittleson


Around 15,000 Ukrainian civilians evacuated from various cities, none from Mariupol

Around 15,000 civilians were evacuated from Ukrainian cities Thursday through humanitarian corridors that were operational, without major ceasefire violations reported, according to Ukrainian officials. However, no civilians have been evacuated from Mariupol, nor have humanitarian supplies been delivered into the city.

From the Sumy region, more than 12,000 civilians were evacuated using 54 buses and 2,664 private vehicles, according to Ukraine's State Emergency Services.

Around 1,200 people were evacuated from Izyum on Thursday, according to Kharkiv's regional governor.

According to the Kyiv Region Police Department, 2,000 civilians were evacuated from Bucha and Irpin to Kyiv.

Irina Vereschuk, the deputy prime minister in charge of reintegration and temporarily occupied territories, said on Thursday that what's happening in Mariupol is "beyond a humanitarian disaster."

According to Vereschuk, Mariupol currently does not have power, gas or heat and there is very little communication with the outside.

Vereschuk said they had hoped it would be possible to get humanitarian supplies into and some civilians out of Mariupol, but heavy shelling and air bombardment has continued, so that has not been possible.

According to Vereschuk, there is an International Committee of the Red Cross humanitarian convoy in Zaporizhzhia that departs to Mariupol daily to deliver aid, including water, basic food supplies and medicine, but it is constantly forced to turn back.

Nearly all roads leading out of Mariupol have been destroyed, with only two remaining routes out of the city still intact and Ukrainian authorities are still trying to contact the appropriate Russian authorities to agree on a ceasefire, according to Vereschuk.

An ICRC convoy with humanitarian supplies arrived on Thursday in the southern Ukrainian city of Energodar, but a planned evacuation of residents by private transport had to be postponed to Friday morning after the shelling resumed, the city's mayor said.

-ABC News' Christine Theodorou


Blinken steps into Ukraine after meeting with foreign minister

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken crossed the border into Ukraine Saturday after meeting with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba at the Korczowa Border Crossing Point.

"The entire world stand with Ukraine," Blinken said, and Kuleba added that he hopes Ukrainians will see this as a "clear manifestation that we have friends who literally stand by us."

Blinken said the sanctions imposed so far against Russia are "producing very, very concrete results" and that the pressure will "grow" until this "war of choice is brought to an end."

When asked directly about helping Kuleba with more firepower, Blinken said, "the support for Ukraine not only has been unprecedented, not only is going to continue, it's going to increase."

Kuleba said Ukraine "appreciates" sanctions that have been announced in the last week, but that more economic and political pressure and "necessary weapons," would "save many lives in Ukraine... many sufferings will be avoided."

Kuleba also said that they are “satisfied" with already arranged supplies of anti-tank weapons and ammunition, but that “it’s no secret” they still want fighter jets and air defense systems.

He also thanked the U.S. for sending stingers, and said they were used on Saturday.

"Just today we shot down three Russian attack aircrafts, which were bombing our cities with the use of stingers but we need -- so to say -- big air defense systems to ensure the safety of our skies. If we lose the skies, there will be much, much more blood on the ground,"Kuleba said.

In response to questions about NATO’s refusal to impose a no-fly zone over Ukraine, Kuleba said it’s a "sign of weakness," but stayed optimistic that they will change their minds.

"The time will come," he said.

-ABC News' Conor Finnegan and Justin Gomez