Belarus President Lukashenko warns the West's sanctions are 'pushing Russia into a Third World War'

Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko tonight issued a chilling threat that the West's sanctions on Russia are pushing the Kremlin into a Third World War, after Vladimir Putin put his nuclear deterrent forces on 'alert'.

Lukashenko's comments came as Kyiv and Moscow agreed to hold peace talks at the border with Belarus - though Volodymyr Zelensky admitted he wasn't confident of a positive resolution, adding that he owed it to his people to at least try and engage.

This evening also saw the EU unveil a fresh package of sanctions against Putin's regime, closing off its airspace to all Russian planes and banning Kremlin propaganda outlets Russia Today and Sputnik. In response to the measures, Russian carrier Aeroflot said it was suspending all flights to Europe.