Today's episode starts immediately after a live press conference by European leaders wrapping up their huge conference in Strasbourg, France. French President Macron, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola, and EU President Ursula von der Leyen talked about a message of unity regarding Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine, especially in terms of how they're implementing sanctions against Russia. They also touched on Ukraine's long-standing goal to become part of the EU. CNN's Nick Robertson begins our in-depth analysis of the press conference.  Also in today's show: Vladimir Putin's former chief economic adviser joins us, plus breaking news from Sri Lanka.To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Zelensky says the bombardment of the Mariupol steel plant is now nonstop. Global financial markets are swimming in a turbulent sea of red. But one bright spot: the US added more jobs in April than expected.To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Those heartbreaking words are from a Ukrainian official as heavy shelling continues at the steel plant in Mariupol. CNN received new images revealing what hundreds of civilians have endured for weeks and months: relentless bombardment by Russian forces. President Zelensky says more than 340 people were evacuated from Mariupol to Zaporizhzhia Wednesday. He called for a ceasefire to allow more civilians to escape. Meanwhile, in the Luhansk and Donetsk region the Ukrainian military says Russia has had no success penetrating front lines in the past 24 hours. First Move's coverage today begins with a live report from Scott McLean in Lviv.To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

“Putin must pay a price, a high price, for his brutal aggression,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told the European Parliament as she announced a sixth round of sanctions against Russia. The EU is now proposing a ban on Russian oil imports and the removal of Russia's biggest bank from the SWIFT payment network. Meanwhile in Ukraine, heavy battles are being fought at the Mariupol steel plant according to that city's mayor. He says contact has been lost with the last Ukrainian defenders there. First Move's coverage today begins with an in-depth look at the latest EU sanctions proposal with CNN's Clare Sebastian.To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This episode of First Move begins just after we'd received word that 106 evacuees from the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol were on buses making their way to Zaporizhzhia. After waiting all morning for confirmation, we did indeed receive video evidence of those buses arriving and people getting off those buses. CNN's Nick Paton Walsh was there to greet them.To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

An attempt to evacuate people from the embattled Ukrainian city of Mariupol is underway. Over the weekend more than 100 civilians were ferried to safety from the besieged Azovstal steel plant, some seeing sunight for the first time in weeks or even months. The plant came under fire again Saturday night, according to Ukrainian forces. Meanwhile, two explosions were reported in Russia's Belgorod region overnight, just a few hours after a large fire broke out at military installation in the area. Russia has accused Ukraine of cross-border attacks on fuel depots and military facilities. Today's coverage begins with CNN's Nick Paton Walsh.To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Only hours after Ukraine said that it would try again to get civilians out of a steel plant in Mariupol, an official there says Russian forces blocked off a potential escape route. An operation to evacuate the plant had been scheduled for today. Hundreds of people are thought to be sheltering inside the plant, which has become symbolic of Ukraine's resistance. Meanwhile, there have been heavy strikes and counter strikes in the Donetsk region. We have it all covered, beginning with CNN's Nick Paton Walsh.To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today's show begins as a clearly emotional UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is seeing for himself the horrors in Ukraine ahead of a meeting with President Zelensky. Guterres told CNN the war will continue unless "Russia decides to end it. And it won't be decided by meetings." Meanwhile, as Russian shelling intensifies across eastern Ukraine, civilians trapped in the region continue to rely on police officers determined to bring them the bare essentials. CNN's Sam Kiley was on the ground with them and brings us their story.To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As we came on the air today the White House had just confirmed the release of former US Marine Trevor Reed, who'd been detained in Russia since 2019. Reed, who was freed in a prisoner swap, was sentenced to nine years in prison in July 2020 for endangering the "life and health" of Russian police officers in an altercation. Reed and his family have denied the charges against him. Today's show begins with an emotional exchange with Reed's parents.  Also in today's episode: The latest on Russia's invasion of Ukraine, including an update on Moscow cutting off natural gas supplies to Poland and Bulgaria.To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

There is no new episode of the First Move showcast. If you haven’t already, please check out CNN’s other podcasts and showcasts at cnn.com/audio.To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices