Russia-Ukraine updates: Putin says 'certain positive movements' in negotiations

Visa and Mastercard have suspended their operations in Russia in response to its invasion of Ukraine, the companies said Saturday.

The announcements came hours after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for a suspension of Visa and Mastercard transactions in Russia during a Zoom call with U.S. lawmakers Saturday, according to a source on the call.

Visa said in a statement it is working to end all transactions with its clients and partners in Russia "over the coming days," at which point "all transactions initiated with Visa cards issued in Russia will no longer work outside the country and any Visa cards issued by financial institutions outside of Russia will no longer work within the Russian Federation."

Mastercard said that cards issued by Russian banks "will no longer be supported by the Mastercard network," and those issued outside of the country "will not work at Russian merchants or ATMs."

Visa and Mastercard cards accounted for 74% of payment transactions in Russia in 2020, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Earlier this week, American Express announced it had halted relationships with bank partners in Russia impacted by U.S. and international sanctions.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken crossed the border into Ukraine Saturday after meeting with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba at the Korczowa Border Crossing Point.

"The entire world stand with Ukraine," Blinken said, and Kuleba added that he hopes Ukrainians will see this as a "clear manifestation that we have friends who literally stand by us."

Blinken said the sanctions imposed so far against Russia are "producing very, very concrete results" and that the pressure will "grow" until this "war of choice is brought to an end."

When asked directly about helping Kuleba with more firepower, Blinken said, "the support for Ukraine not only has been unprecedented, not only is going to continue, it's going to increase."

Kuleba said Ukraine "appreciates" sanctions that have been announced in the last week, but that more economic and political pressure and "necessary weapons," would "save many lives in Ukraine... many sufferings will be avoided."

Kuleba also said that they are “satisfied" with already arranged supplies of anti-tank weapons and ammunition, but that “it’s no secret” they still want fighter jets and air defense systems.

He also thanked the U.S. for sending stingers, and said they were used on Saturday.

"Just today we shot down three Russian attack aircrafts, which were bombing our cities with the use of stingers but we need -- so to say -- big air defense systems to ensure the safety of our skies. If we lose the skies, there will be much, much more blood on the ground,"Kuleba said.

In response to questions about NATO’s refusal to impose a no-fly zone over Ukraine, Kuleba said it’s a "sign of weakness," but stayed optimistic that they will change their minds.

"The time will come," he said.

-ABC News' Conor Finnegan and Justin Gomez

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett's office said he is meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin Saturday evening.

The two last spoke on Wednesday. Bennett's office said the White House is aware of the meeting.

The prime minister is being accompanied by several Israeli advisers including Dr. Eyal Hulata, Shimrit Meir and the prime minister’s spokesperson, Matan Sidi. Israeli Construction and Housing Minister, Zeev Elkin, is also attending the meeting and assisting with language translation.

-ABC News' Bruno Nota

Russia's Defense Ministry on Saturday claimed its troops continued to disable military infrastructure in Ukraine and took control of Ukrainian settlements.

Russia claimed its troops took control of seven Ukrainian settlements and that Russian-backed troops in Donetsk moved 7 kilometers forward, Russian Defense Ministry spokesperson Igor Konashenkov said at a briefing.

"Units of the Russian Armed forces are advancing as a wide front and have taken control over populated areas of Mala Tokmachka, Marfopil, Remivka, Novokarlivka, Orlinske, Volodine and Malynivka," Konashenkov said.

Konashenkov claimed that Luhansk's Russian-backed troops took hold of the settlements of Golikove, Nevske and Katerynivka.

Russia claimed it destroyed five radar stations and two Buk M-1 air defense systems and that it downed four Su-27 aircrafts over Zhytomyr and one Su-27 aircraft near Nizhyn, according to Konashenkov.

Konashenkov also said that Russian troops are resuming their offensive "due to the Ukrainian side's unwillingness to influence the nationalists or prolong the ceasefire," Konashenkov said.

-ABC News' Anastasia Bagaeva