Japan will impose sanctions on Russian President Vladimir Putin and key government officials over Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, Prime Minister Kishida Fumio said Sunday..

Japan will freeze the financial assets of Putin and government officials and join the West in blocking the access of major Russian banks to the international payment network SWIFT.

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Japan's stance comes to light on the fourth day of Russia's invasion of Ukraine and after the US and EU announced sweeping sanctions against Moscow.

The European Union will close its airspace to Russian aircraft and ban Russian state media in the bloc, as well as step up support for Ukraine and impose sanctions on Moscow's ally Belarus, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Sunday..

The US has already imposed sanctions aimed at preventing Putin from using $630 billion of central bank foreign exchange reserves amid a collapsing ruble, in addition to cutting off major Russian banks from SWIFT..

Earlier Sunday, Putin ordered Russia's nuclear forces put on high alert, citing NATO's "