Russia’s foreign ministry has announced it is sanctioning an additional 121 Australian citizens in response to what it calls a “Russophobic agenda”.

ABC’s chair Ita Buttrose is on the list, along with journalists from the broadcaster and many working for The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald and Sky News.

Defence chief Angus Campbell is also on the blacklist, as is News Corp columnist Andrew Bolt and South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas.

Russia announced a similar move against dozens of British journalists on Tuesday.

• See the full list here

The sanctions mean those people are barred from entering Russia.

“These persons are barred from entering the Russian Federation indefinitely,” the Kremlin said.

“Taking into account that the official Canberra does not seem inclined to abandon its anti-Russia policy line, and continues to produce new sanctions, Russia will continue updating its stop list.”

Tweet from @PMalinauskasMP

Meanwhile, the leaders of Germany, France and Italy have visited Kyiv and offered the hope of European Union membership to Ukraine.

After holding talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, the leaders signalled the country should be granted EU candidate status, a symbolic gesture that would draw Ukraine closer to the bloc.

Mr Scholz said Germany had taken in 800,000 Ukrainian refugees who had fled the conflict and would continue to support Ukraine as long as it needs.

“Ukraine belongs to the European family,” he said.

On the battlefield, Ukrainian officials said their troops were still holding out against massive Russian bombardment in the eastern city of Sievierodonetsk and described new progress in a counteroffensive in the south.

But they said battles on both main fronts depended on receiving more foreign aid, especially artillery to counter Russia’s big advantage in firepower.

“We appreciate the support already provided by partners, we expect new deliveries, primarily heavy weapons, modern rocket artillery, anti-missile defence systems,” Mr Zelenskiy said after the talks with his European counterparts.

“There is a direct correlation: the more powerful weapons we get, the faster we can liberate our people, our land.”

Mr Macron said France would step up arms deliveries to Ukraine while NATO defence ministers meeting in Brussels were also expected to promise more weapons.

While European leaders attempted a show of solidarity for Ukraine, the continent’s dependency on Russia for much of its energy supplies was laid bare with gas deliveries through a major pipeline falling in recent days.

Read more: EU leaders give Ukraine hope

-with AAP