Ukraine is “grateful” for New Zealand’s new Russia sanctions law, though the Government has not yet laid sanctions and has not been invited to join a US-led “Russian oligarch taskforce”.

Three weeks into Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the country’s ambassador Kateryna Zelenko gave a briefing on the war to Parliament’s foreign affairs and trade select committee. She said 3 million people had now fled the country, and more than 100 children had been killed.

“We live in a strange world where the countries which are close neighbours with a shared history and culture appear to be a ruthless enemy, and the nations which are so far away, with different historical backgrounds, appear to be a real friend,” Zelenko said.

“We are grateful to New Zealand for important steps taken by your country ... We also highly value the unanimous adoption of the historic Russia Sanctions Act on the ninth of March, which allows Putin even stronger pressure on the Russian Federation.”

The Government has not yet laid any sanctions against Russia under the new law. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Thursday that Cabinet had not received advice from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade on the first tranche of sanctions.

Ardern said this advice was expected “soon”.

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On Thursday, a “multilateral Russian oligarch taskforce” led by the United States and including European Union, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia, was launched, in an effort to co-ordinate sanctions against the Russian elite tied to the war in Ukraine.

New Zealand was not on the list of countries on the taskforce, which was first announced before its sanctions law was passed.

A US Embassy spokeswoman said the US did not request that New Zealand join the effort, which was “one of many measures being used to support Ukraine”.

“New Zealand has a strong independent foreign policy and the United States respects that ... That said, we always appreciate working with our Kiwi partners and we are absolutely open to conversation if New Zealand wishes to join this taskforce – or any other.”

Ardern said New Zealand would work with many countries when laying sanctions.

“We have been engaging with others, with those we have traditional diplomatic connections with, in order to assess all of the intelligence over who our sanctions regime should apply to,” Ardern said, when asked about the new taskforce on Thursday morning.

Zelenko, who is Singapore-based but has responsibility for Ukraine’s relationship with New Zealand, told MPs at the parliamentary heading that “putting pressure on a country is only one side to the coin”.

“The utmost importance for us is to save lives of people. Every Ukrainian is now targeted by the Russian troops and in this vein we would very much appreciate if New Zealand continues humanitarian assistance and other types of aid aimed at supporting people on the ground,” Zelenko said.

Russia’s attacks on Ukraine were getting more ruthless, as it struggled to gain ground in the country, she said. Ukraine continued to negotiate with Russia for both ceasefires to allow civilians to flee, and for an end to the conflict.

“At the same time ... there are lines which can never be crossed for Ukraine, if it comes to the territorial integrity, to the state sovereignty, and independence of our country.”

European Union Ambassador Nina Obermaier​, who also spoke to the committee’s MPs on Thursday, said the EU was looking forward to the Government laying sanctions.

“I would like to congratulate New Zealand on the rapid adoption of the targeted sanctions regime and very much aware that this was a significant, if not historic, step,” she said.

The conflict had not changed the EU’s perspective on the New Zealand-EU free trade negotiations, which were taking place on Thursday, as concluding the agreement was “top of our list”.