Berit Reiss-Andersen, chair of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, said the judges wanted to honor ”three outstanding champions of human rights, democracy and peaceful coexistence in the neighbor countries Belarus, Russia and Ukraine.”
Putin, who marks his 70th birthday on Friday, has warned he would use all means necessary, including Russia's nuclear arsenal, to protect Russian soil, which he now says includes four Ukrainian regions.
Ukraine's Ambassador to Israel Yevgen Korniychuk says that although Israel has so far refrained from providing Ukraine with military equipment, it might soon change its policy.
Hundreds of thousands have fled to countries such as Kazakhstan, Georgia and Finland. Many more remain in Russia and are hiding from military recruiters, praying they won't be summoned or hoping for exemptions from service.
Officials meet to discuss supporting Israeli companies and their collaboration in ventures with European funding and signing a data roaming agreement that will dramatically reduce communications costs, among other things.
Government approves 90-million-shekel budget as thousands are expected to arrive to Israel.
Russia withdraws troops after Ukraine encircles key city in east, day after Putin announces annexation.
“America and its allies are not going to be intimidated by Putin and his reckless words and threats," President Joe Biden tells reporters.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters Thursday that four regions of Ukraine – Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia – would be folded into Russia during a Kremlin ceremony.
Zelenskyy warns that Russia's "sham referendums" and attempts to annex Ukrainian territory rule out any talks with Moscow as long as Putin remains president, and calls for Russia's "complete isolation" and tough new global sanctions.