Putin Declares a Nuclear Alert, and Biden Seeks De-escalation  —  When the Russian leader ordered his nuclear forces into “special combat readiness,” the U.S. could have gone on high alert.  Instead, the administration tried not to inflame him.  —  WASHINGTON — When Vladimir V. Putin declared Sunday …

Belarus preparing to join Russian invasion of Ukraine, U.S. official says … Belarus is preparing to send soldiers into Ukraine in support of the Russian invasion in a deployment that could begin as soon as Monday, a U.S. administration official said Sunday evening.

POLITICO Playbook: A presidency transformed  —  DRIVING THE DAY  —  DAY FIVE — The latest on the ground in Ukraine, via the NYT's blog-style running updates: “With a three-mile-long convoy of Russian military vehicles pressing down on Kyiv, a Ukrainian delegation arrived at the border …

Historic sanctions on Russia had roots in emotional appeal from Zelensky … As the leaders of the European Union gathered for an emergency summit on Thursday night, momentum was already moving toward imposing tough new sanctions on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.

Russia's Economy Staggers Under Pressure  —  A Ukrainian delegation arrived at the Belarus border for talks with Russia, but President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed little optimism that they would end the fighting.  Russia showed little sign of de-escalating even as its economy staggered under sanctions, sending the ruble plummeting.

Putin Finds Himself Isolated, Out of Touch as Invasion of Ukraine Sputters  —  Russia's leader is peddling an alternative narrative to suit his needs, and his behavior is making his inner circle appear uncomfortable  —  With much of the world moving against him, economic sanctions piling …

Russian forces appear to shift to siege warfare in Ukraine- U.S. official … Russia, frustrated by early battlefield setbacks in Ukraine, could be shifting its strategy to siege warfare just as President Vladimir Putin raises the risk of a catastrophic miscalculation by putting nuclear forces …

Ruble plummets as sanctions bite, sending Russians to banks  —  MOSCOW (AP) — Ordinary Russians faced the prospect of higher prices and crimped foreign travel as Western sanctions over the invasion of Ukraine sent the ruble plummeting, leading uneasy people to line up at banks and ATMs …