Live updates: Russia stops talks with Japan over sanctions

TOKYO — Japan denounced Russia on Tuesday over its decision to discontinue peace treaty talks over the disputed Kuril islands and withdraw from joint economic projects in retaliation for Tokyo’s sanctions over Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The two countries never signed a peace treaty formally ending World War II hostilities because of their dispute over the Russian-held islands north of Hokkaido, which Moscow took at the end of the war.

“The latest situation has been all caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine,” Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno told reporters Tuesday. He called Russia’s response “extremely unjustifiable and absolutely unacceptable.”

Japan has imposed a series of sanctions on Russia in recent weeks, including freezing some individual assets, banning exports of luxury goods and high-technology equipment to the country and revoking Russia’s most favored nation trade status.

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KEY DEVELOPMENTS IN THE RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR:

— AP video journalist gives riveting first-hand account of the siege of Mariupol

— Russia demands Mariupol lay down arms but Ukraine says no

— ‘No city anymore’: Mariupol survivors take train to safety

— Biden warns US companies of potential Russian cyberattacks

Go to https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine for more coverage

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OTHER DEVELOPMENTS:

KYIV, Ukraine — The Ukrainian army said it forced Russian troops out of Makariv, a strategically important Kyiv suburb, after a fierce battle. That prevents Russian forces from encircling the capital from the northwest, the Defense Ministry said.

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KYIV, Ukraine — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said late Monday he was prepared...