Ukraine and Russia: What you need to know right now

* Ukraine hoisted its main interest rate to 25% from 10% to tackle double-digit inflation and protect the hryvnia as some business activity returns. DIPLOMACY * The European Union gave its final approval to new sanctions on Russian oil and top bank Sberbank, after much wrangling with Hungary. * President Volodymyr Zelenskiy called on the West to step up its weapons supplies.

Ukraine expects to receive more weapons from allies after a fresh U.S. pledge, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said, as the battle for Ukraine's east raged 100 days into Russia's invasion. FIGHTING AND WEAPONS

* After 100 days of the war, Ukraine is fighting for time, trying to hold out against overwhelming Russian fire on its eastern front long enough for Western weapons to arrive and give it a badly needed edge. * Ukrainian forces have had some success fighting Russians in the city of Sievierodonetsk but the overall military situation in the Donbas region has not changed, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said.

* Russian forces in Ukraine's east are attempting to advance south towards the key Ukrainian-held cities of Kramatorsk and Sloviansk, the Donetsk region governor said. * Washington plans to sell Ukraine four drones that can be armed with Hellfire missiles, sources said. The Kremlin said they would have no impact on its military operation.

ECONOMY * The United States issued new sanctions, with targets including several yachts linked to Russian President Vladimir Putin and an oligarch who heads a major steel producer.

* Russia described as "self-destructive" European Union's decision to largely phase out imports of Russian oil. * Ukraine hoisted its main interest rate to 25% from 10% to tackle double-digit inflation and protect the hryvnia as some business activity returns.

DIPLOMACY * The European Union gave its final approval to new sanctions on Russian oil and top bank Sberbank, after much wrangling with Hungary.

* President Volodymyr Zelenskiy called on the West to step up its weapons supplies. * Russia said it did not rule out a meeting between Putin and Zelenskiy.

* Ukraine is working with international partners to create a U.N-backed mission to restore Black Sea shipping routes, its foreign ministry said. * Kremlin says Russia has no plan to close "the window" to Europe that Tsar Peter the Great sought to open 300 years ago despite heavy sanctions.

QUOTES "Ukraine needs weapons to liberate Ukrainian territory that Russia has temporarily occupied. We are not fighting on Russian territory," said Andriy Yermak, Zelenskiy's chief of staff.