BEIJING: The war between Russia and Ukraine raged on Wednesday, as the European Union (EU) proposed its fifth set of sanctions against Russia.

The package, which will be considered and given final approval by EU ambassadors on Wednesday, includes prohibitions on coal imports worth 4 billion euros a year and four Russian banks, according to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

She went on to say that the European Commission is pushing for bans on Russian ships entering EU ports, Russian and Belarusian road transport operators, and Russian oil, wood, cement, seafood, and alcohol imports, among other things.

Russian President Vladimir Putin stated on Tuesday that Russia will be more cautious in its food exports this year, particularly to nations that have a hostile posture toward Russia. Meanwhile, Putin stated that "increasing production quantities enable Russia to maintain cheaper food costs than on the global market." Russia's competitive edge is food self-sufficiency, and the government must safeguard its citizens from price swings in the global food market, he said.

Josep Borrell, the EU's high representative for foreign affairs and security policy said in a statement that a number of Russian diplomats working in Brussels have been labelled "persona non grata" and told to leave the country.

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