LIVE UPDATES: US 'Not Running Out of Aid' for Ukraine, Pentagon Stresses

The Russian Emergencies Ministry said it has delivered 3,900 tonnes of humanitarian aid to the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics (DPR and LPR) and liberated territories of Ukraine in the past week, whereas about 75,000 tonnes has been delivered to the area since the start of the humanitarian mission.

"Since the start of the humanitarian mission, almost 75,000 tonnes of humanitarian cargoes has been delivered to Donbass by Russian Emergencies Ministry convoys," the ministry said.

"Over the past week (since August 24), rescuers have delivered bottled water, food, medicines and essentials with a total weight of about 3,900 tonnes to the DPR, LPR and Ukraine," it said.

The nations in the NATO alliance are now moving into the third phase of their flow of military aid to Ukraine against Russia, Denmark's Minister of Defense Morten Bodskov told a meeting at the Atlantic Council.

"Security for weapons donations, training initiatives and de-mining initiatives will be on the third phase," Bodskov said on Wednesday.

The first stage of NATO military aid to Ukraine was a spontaneous and unplanned flow of military equipment and supplies from the inventories of NATO member nations, the Danish defense chief said.

The second stage was the Ramstein format which had been lead and organized by the United States and had resulted in an enormous flow of equipment, he said.

A senior US military official on Monday denied reports that US security packages for Ukraine are depleting certain American ammunition stockpiles and affecting its military readiness. The Wall Street Journal, citing US military officials, reported that certain US stockpiles of ammunition, specifically 155 mm shells for the howitzers, were running uncomfortably low because of the Ukraine aid packages and that there are concerns about US military readiness.

The suspension of the EU-Russia Visa Facilitation Agreement will result in longer issuance time, which can reach up to six months, the Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR) said on Wednesday.

Earlier in the day, the EU members reached a political agreement on suspending the EU-Russia visa facilitation agreement. During the meeting of the EU foreign ministers in Prague, the officials also agreed to prepare recommendations for the EU countries on what to do with already issued visas to Russians.

"Such a measure taken by the EU will increase the processing time for visas, require from Russians more documents for application and raise costs. The fee will grow from 35 euros ($35) to 80 euros ($80). The issuance period could take up to six months," the ATOR stated.

According to experts, there will be fewer, if any, long-stay Schengen visas issued to Russian citizens, though the worst case scenario, a complete visa ban for Russians, was avoided.

US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen on Wednesday expressed optimism about the progress the Group of Seven (G7) countries have made on imposing a price cap on Russian oil.

"I am really optimistic about the substantial progress that's been made by our teams and the entire G7 towards making the price cap a reality," Yellen said during a meeting with her British counterpart, Chancellor of the Exchequer Nadhim Zahawi.

The decision of the European Union to suspend the facilitated visa regime with Russia will not remain without consequences, Moscow can respond with both symmetrical and asymmetric measures, which are not expected in Brussels — if they decide to “shoot themselves in the foot” once again, then this is their choice, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko told Sputnik.

On Wednesday, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said that EU countries had reached a political agreement to completely suspend visa facilitation with Russia, but that certain categories of Russian citizens would still be able to obtain EU visas.

"Violation, circumvention or withdrawal of the EU from the visa facilitation agreement with Russia will not remain without consequences. We ourselves will decide whether the measures will be symmetrical, asymmetric or some other that the EU does not expect. If Brussels decided to shoot itself in the foot — it's their choice," Grushko said.

“Having stopped air and other communications with Russia in order to deprive EU citizens of the opportunity to visit our country, work for us, who are they punishing? Wildness and shame for 'enlightened Europe.' The West jumped out of their pants to include a provision on freedom of movement in the Helsinki Final Act. The 'authoritarian USSR' agreed to this. As well as to freedom of information. Now the EU is busy building fences," the senior diplomat added.

The visit of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors to the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant (NPP) was complicated by a new southern offensive of the Ukrainian military, The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday.

The plans of the IAEA mission, consisting of 14 people, were impeded by the unresolved security issues and undetermined inspection parameters, according to the newspaper, which cites Ukrainian officials.

The newspaper reported on Monday that the IAEA inspection at ZNPP would begin on Wednesday and last until Saturday. On Tuesday, Vladimir Zelensky published a video of his meeting with IAEA experts led by Director General Rafael Grossi.

The Zaporozhye NPP, located on the left bank of the Dnieper River near Energodar, is the largest nuclear power plant in Europe in terms of the number of units and output. During a military operation in Ukraine, launched by Russia on February 24, the nuclear plant and surrounding fell under control of the Russian forces. According to the Russian Defense Ministry, the city of Energodar, nearby villages and the NPP itself have recently been a target of intensive shelling by Ukrainian forces. Kiev, in turn, has blamed Russia for the shelling.

The situation around the Zaporozhye NPP raises international concerns over a possible nuclear disaster.

Luxembourg's official noted that sanctions are hurting the EU itself, referring to the energy crisis in Europe caused by the shortage of gas supplies.

The minister's statement comes at a time when the EU is discussing measures concerning visa restrictions for Russian citizens. Although some European countries have been against banning Russians from entering the EU completely, on Wednesday, the bloc's members reached a political agreement on suspending the EU-Russia visa facilitation agreement. During the meeting in Prague, the ministers also agreed to prepare recommendations for the EU countries on what to do with already issued visas to Russians.

*Azov battalion is an extremist organization banned in Russia.

Siemens has almost no capabilities to provide regular overhauls of gas pumping units for the Nord Stream pipeline, it has nowhere to carry them out, Gazprom CEO Alexey Miller said.

"Today, Siemens has almost no opportunity to provide regular overhauls of our gas pumping units. Siemens simply has nowhere to carry out these works," Miller said on the air of the Rossiya 1 broadcaster.

Nord Stream is operating at 20% of its design capacity due to anti-Russian sanctions: Western opponents issued so many sanctions documents that they created confusion and fell into own sanctions trap, Gazprom CEO Alexey Miller said.

"The Portovaya compressor station is currently 20% loaded, and the reason for this is anti-Russian sanctions. Our opponents have already issued such a large number of sanctions documents that they have created a situation that can be called sanctions confusion. They have already become confused in these documents, they themselves got entangled in these sanctions and fell into their own sanctions trap," he said on the air of the Rossiya 1 broadcaster.

Russia has added 55 citizens of Canada in its travel ban list in response to sanctions imposed by Ottawa, the Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday.

"Entry to Russia is barred to 55 high-ranking military, politicians and public figures from Canada over new sanctions imposed against Russian citizens by the ruling ‘regime’ of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, which is committed to the ‘Russophobic’ course," the ministry said in a statement.