Here's the latest from Ukraine:
— Ukraine is dominating the agenda at the Munich Security Conference. Vice President Harris reaffirmed the Biden administration’s commitment to supporting Kyiv and, in her address to the annual gathering of officials from across the world, accused Russia of committing “crimes against humanity” in Ukraine.
—In an interview airing Sunday with CBS’s Margaret Brennan, Secretary of State Antony Blinken again warned that China is considering providing “lethal support” to Russia, including weapons and ammunition. Blinken met with China’s top diplomat, Wang Yi, and said he cautioned Wang that there would be “serious consequences” if Beijing aids Moscow with munitions or helps the Kremlin evade sanctions.
— The West is showing Russian President Vladimir Putin that Ukraine’s allies will not “lose our nerve,” British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak told the security conference. I
More live updates.
— Ukraine is dominating the agenda at the Munich Security Conference. Vice President Harris reaffirmed the Biden administration’s commitment to supporting Kyiv and, in her address to the annual gathering of officials from across the world, accused Russia of committing “crimes against humanity” in Ukraine.
—In an interview airing Sunday with CBS’s Margaret Brennan, Secretary of State Antony Blinken again warned that China is considering providing “lethal support” to Russia, including weapons and ammunition. Blinken met with China’s top diplomat, Wang Yi, and said he cautioned Wang that there would be “serious consequences” if Beijing aids Moscow with munitions or helps the Kremlin evade sanctions.
— The West is showing Russian President Vladimir Putin that Ukraine’s allies will not “lose our nerve,” British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak told the security conference. I
More live updates.
While world leaders meet in Munich, anti-war demonstrators gather outside
MUNICH — Inside the meeting halls of the luxury Bayerische Hof hotel in Munich world leaders on Saturday pledged to step up military support for Ukraine. But on the streets outside thousands called for them to end it.
It was a reminder of the divisions that cleave Germany, where just over half the population supports arming Ukraine. Around 10,000 demonstrators gathered at the southern German city’s majestic Königsplatz — one of more than a dozen demonstrations across the city — with the crowd including a mix of far-right and far-left, peaceniks and pro-Russian citizens.
A few carried Russian flags, but most prominent on signs was the anti-NATO and anti-American sentiment that has long bubbled on Germany’s fringes and has become more prominent over the course of the war, fueled by Russian propaganda.
Read the full story here.
MUNICH — Inside the meeting halls of the luxury Bayerische Hof hotel in Munich world leaders on Saturday pledged to step up military support for Ukraine. But on the streets outside thousands called for them to end it.
It was a reminder of the divisions that cleave Germany, where just over half the population supports arming Ukraine. Around 10,000 demonstrators gathered at the southern German city’s majestic Königsplatz — one of more than a dozen demonstrations across the city — with the crowd including a mix of far-right and far-left, peaceniks and pro-Russian citizens.
A few carried Russian flags, but most prominent on signs was the anti-NATO and anti-American sentiment that has long bubbled on Germany’s fringes and has become more prominent over the course of the war, fueled by Russian propaganda.
Read the full story here.
Over 30,000 Wagner Group fighters killed or injured in Ukraine, U.S. says
More than 30,000 members of the Wagner Group, a Russian mercenary outfit, have been injured or killed in Ukraine, the White House estimates. Of those, about 9,000 were killed in action, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said at a briefing Friday.
Wagner — which was founded by tycoon Yevgeniy Prigozhin, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin — has been in the spotlight in recent months for its gains in the town of Soledar and its efforts in the pitched battle for the town of Bakhmut in Ukraine’s east. The group was designated a transnational criminal organization by the United States in January.
Of the 9,000 or so mercenaries killed, half lost their lives in the two months since mid-December, Kirby said.
Read the full story here.
More than 30,000 members of the Wagner Group, a Russian mercenary outfit, have been injured or killed in Ukraine, the White House estimates. Of those, about 9,000 were killed in action, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said at a briefing Friday.
Wagner — which was founded by tycoon Yevgeniy Prigozhin, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin — has been in the spotlight in recent months for its gains in the town of Soledar and its efforts in the pitched battle for the town of Bakhmut in Ukraine’s east. The group was designated a transnational criminal organization by the United States in January.
Of the 9,000 or so mercenaries killed, half lost their lives in the two months since mid-December, Kirby said.
Read the full story here.
Biden makes surprise trip to Ukraine ahead of Russian invasion anniversary
KYIV, Ukraine — President Biden made a dramatic, unannounced visit to Kyiv on Monday, in a display of strong American support for Ukraine just four days before the anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion.
The high-risk visit, to a Ukrainian capital that has been under threat of missile attacks, signals continued commitment from the United States, the largest financial and military backer of Ukraine’s effort to repel Russian invaders from its territory.
Biden was spotted outside St. Michael Golden-Domed Monastery with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The Ukrainian capital was in a tight security lockdown with car traffic halted and even pedestrians blocked from certain streets. Shortly afterward, an air raid siren went off in the city.
Read the full story here.
KYIV, Ukraine — President Biden made a dramatic, unannounced visit to Kyiv on Monday, in a display of strong American support for Ukraine just four days before the anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion.
The high-risk visit, to a Ukrainian capital that has been under threat of missile attacks, signals continued commitment from the United States, the largest financial and military backer of Ukraine’s effort to repel Russian invaders from its territory.
Biden was spotted outside St. Michael Golden-Domed Monastery with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The Ukrainian capital was in a tight security lockdown with car traffic halted and even pedestrians blocked from certain streets. Shortly afterward, an air raid siren went off in the city.
Read the full story here.
Here is the latest about President Biden's visit to Ukraine:
- In President Biden’s statement, released early Monday just as he was first spotted walking with Zelensky in Kyiv, he said he traveled to Ukraine’s capital to reaffirm Washington’s “unwavering and unflagging commitment to Ukraine’s democracy, sovereignty, and territorial integrity” ahead of the first anniversary of Russia’s invasion on Feb. 24.
- Biden said he will announce “another delivery of critical equipment, including artillery ammunition, anti-armor systems, and air surveillance radars” to Ukraine, as well as new U.S. sanctions against “elites and companies that are trying to evade or backfill Russia’s war machine.”
- Andriy Yermak, a top adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, said that President Biden’s visit to Kyiv was “strategic” and that during the trip, a “lot of issues are being resolved and those that have been pending will be expedited.”
Follow our live updates here.
- In President Biden’s statement, released early Monday just as he was first spotted walking with Zelensky in Kyiv, he said he traveled to Ukraine’s capital to reaffirm Washington’s “unwavering and unflagging commitment to Ukraine’s democracy, sovereignty, and territorial integrity” ahead of the first anniversary of Russia’s invasion on Feb. 24.
- Biden said he will announce “another delivery of critical equipment, including artillery ammunition, anti-armor systems, and air surveillance radars” to Ukraine, as well as new U.S. sanctions against “elites and companies that are trying to evade or backfill Russia’s war machine.”
- Andriy Yermak, a top adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, said that President Biden’s visit to Kyiv was “strategic” and that during the trip, a “lot of issues are being resolved and those that have been pending will be expedited.”
Follow our live updates here.
What we know so far about Biden’s secretive trip to Kyiv
President Biden’s Monday-morning arrival in Kyiv surprised all but a few officials and journalists who were clued in to the trip before it happened.
Journalists traveling with Biden cannot provide real-time updates of his visit because of security concerns, but they relayed what led to the Presidents Day arrival.
Here is what we know so far about how the trip unfolded, based on reports from the journalists traveling with him and statements from White House officials.
President Biden’s Monday-morning arrival in Kyiv surprised all but a few officials and journalists who were clued in to the trip before it happened.
Journalists traveling with Biden cannot provide real-time updates of his visit because of security concerns, but they relayed what led to the Presidents Day arrival.
Here is what we know so far about how the trip unfolded, based on reports from the journalists traveling with him and statements from White House officials.
Here's the latest from Ukraine:
- The new U.S. assistance to Ukraine announced in Kyiv by President Biden will comprise a $450 million military aid package to Ukraine and $10 million to support the country’s energy infrastructure, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said.
- Britain’s Defense Ministry said Russia is likely to claim that its forces captured Bakhmut “regardless of the reality on the ground” to align with the first anniversary of the invasion of Ukraine this week.
- A much-anticipated major Russian offensive in Ukraine’s eastern Luhansk region is underway, according to analysts at the Institute for the Study of War.
- Reactions at home to Biden’s surprise stop in Kyiv rippled across social media Monday. His visit drew praise among Democrats, while some Republicans criticized it, seeking to cast the trip to the war-torn country as Biden ignoring domestic problems.
More live updates here.
- The new U.S. assistance to Ukraine announced in Kyiv by President Biden will comprise a $450 million military aid package to Ukraine and $10 million to support the country’s energy infrastructure, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said.
- Britain’s Defense Ministry said Russia is likely to claim that its forces captured Bakhmut “regardless of the reality on the ground” to align with the first anniversary of the invasion of Ukraine this week.
- A much-anticipated major Russian offensive in Ukraine’s eastern Luhansk region is underway, according to analysts at the Institute for the Study of War.
- Reactions at home to Biden’s surprise stop in Kyiv rippled across social media Monday. His visit drew praise among Democrats, while some Republicans criticized it, seeking to cast the trip to the war-torn country as Biden ignoring domestic problems.
More live updates here.
Cloak-and-dagger moves allow Biden to sneak into Ukraine’s war zone
WARSAW — As President Biden stepped out of a golden-domed church during his unannounced, high-stakes trip to Kyiv — a city under regular bombardment from Russian forces — an air-raid siren abruptly went off, signaling that a Russian military jet armed with missiles had taken off from its home territory.
The plane ultimately did not pose a threat to Biden’s location; U.S. officials had tried to reduce the risks by taking the extraordinary step of informing Moscow of Biden’s planned visit ahead of time. But the shrill alarm was a reminder of the peril of an American president visiting a war-besieged capital in a region where military groups and mercenaries are not known for following the rules.
Among the striking features of the whirlwind visit was Biden’s use of a train that had been set aside for him to get in and out of Ukraine, a necessity given the dangers of traversing Ukrainian airspace.
Read the full story here.
WARSAW — As President Biden stepped out of a golden-domed church during his unannounced, high-stakes trip to Kyiv — a city under regular bombardment from Russian forces — an air-raid siren abruptly went off, signaling that a Russian military jet armed with missiles had taken off from its home territory.
The plane ultimately did not pose a threat to Biden’s location; U.S. officials had tried to reduce the risks by taking the extraordinary step of informing Moscow of Biden’s planned visit ahead of time. But the shrill alarm was a reminder of the peril of an American president visiting a war-besieged capital in a region where military groups and mercenaries are not known for following the rules.
Among the striking features of the whirlwind visit was Biden’s use of a train that had been set aside for him to get in and out of Ukraine, a necessity given the dangers of traversing Ukrainian airspace.
Read the full story here.
One-year mark of Ukraine invasion looms large over Biden’s Poland trip
WARSAW — President Biden is in Poland ahead of the anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, seeking to applaud the global coalition that has helped thwart Russia’s military ambitions and also shoring up an alliance threatened by shifting political winds and fatigue with the war effort.
Biden is scheduled to deliver remarks here Tuesday ahead of the Feb. 24 anniversary of Russia’s invasion, stressing that the United States will stand with Ukraine for “as long as it takes,” a White House spokesman said.
Biden’s speech will follow his surprise visit to Kyiv on Monday.
Read the full story here.
WARSAW — President Biden is in Poland ahead of the anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, seeking to applaud the global coalition that has helped thwart Russia’s military ambitions and also shoring up an alliance threatened by shifting political winds and fatigue with the war effort.
Biden is scheduled to deliver remarks here Tuesday ahead of the Feb. 24 anniversary of Russia’s invasion, stressing that the United States will stand with Ukraine for “as long as it takes,” a White House spokesman said.
Biden’s speech will follow his surprise visit to Kyiv on Monday.
Read the full story here.
Putin says Russia will suspend role in New START, major nuclear accord with U.S.
President Vladimir Putin announced in a state of the nation address Tuesday that Moscow is “suspending” its participation in the New START nuclear nonproliferation agreement, the last remaining nuclear arms control treaty between the United States and Russia.
Putin said Russia will not “withdraw” completely from the treaty, which has been extended to run through Feb. 4, 2026, but he said that Russia would not allow NATO countries to inspect its nuclear arsenal. He accused the alliance of helping Ukraine conduct drone strikes on Russian air bases that host strategic bombers that are part of the country’s strategic deterrence.
The 2011 treaty placed “verifiable limits” on the number of intercontinental ballistic missiles and nuclear warheads deployed by the countries.
Read the full story here.
President Vladimir Putin announced in a state of the nation address Tuesday that Moscow is “suspending” its participation in the New START nuclear nonproliferation agreement, the last remaining nuclear arms control treaty between the United States and Russia.
Putin said Russia will not “withdraw” completely from the treaty, which has been extended to run through Feb. 4, 2026, but he said that Russia would not allow NATO countries to inspect its nuclear arsenal. He accused the alliance of helping Ukraine conduct drone strikes on Russian air bases that host strategic bombers that are part of the country’s strategic deterrence.
The 2011 treaty placed “verifiable limits” on the number of intercontinental ballistic missiles and nuclear warheads deployed by the countries.
Read the full story here.
Biden, in Poland, to slam Russia’s brutality in Ukraine; Putin speech attacks West
WARSAW — President Biden will soon speak in Warsaw and will reiterate a global commitment to Ukraine as the war reaches its first anniversary.
Senior administration officials say they don’t view the remarks as a direct response to a speech that Russian President Vladimir Putin delivered early Tuesday. “It will be broader in tone and in detail,” Jake Sullivan, the national security adviser, said on a call with reporters in the morning. “We did not set this speech up as a head to head.”
Follow our live updates and watch the speech live here.
WARSAW — President Biden will soon speak in Warsaw and will reiterate a global commitment to Ukraine as the war reaches its first anniversary.
Senior administration officials say they don’t view the remarks as a direct response to a speech that Russian President Vladimir Putin delivered early Tuesday. “It will be broader in tone and in detail,” Jake Sullivan, the national security adviser, said on a call with reporters in the morning. “We did not set this speech up as a head to head.”
Follow our live updates and watch the speech live here.
What is New START and why is Russia ‘suspending’ its role in the treaty?
Russian President Vladimir Putin said Tuesday that Moscow is “suspending” its participation in New START, the only remaining nuclear arms control treaty between the United States and Russia.
“Our relations have degraded, and that’s completely and utterly the U.S.'s fault,” Putin said during his annual state of the nation address. He added: “If the U.S. conducts tests, then so will we. Nobody should have any illusions that global strategic parity can be destroyed.”
The announcement sparked alarm among Western officials, who warned about the disintegration of the global arms-control architecture.
Here’s what to know about the New START accord.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said Tuesday that Moscow is “suspending” its participation in New START, the only remaining nuclear arms control treaty between the United States and Russia.
“Our relations have degraded, and that’s completely and utterly the U.S.'s fault,” Putin said during his annual state of the nation address. He added: “If the U.S. conducts tests, then so will we. Nobody should have any illusions that global strategic parity can be destroyed.”
The announcement sparked alarm among Western officials, who warned about the disintegration of the global arms-control architecture.
Here’s what to know about the New START accord.
Here is the latest from Ukraine:
- President Biden delivered on Tuesday a wide-ranging speech in Warsaw ahead of the Feb. 24 anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. He began with a declaration of support for Ukraine: “Kyiv stands strong.”
- Putin announced Tuesday that Russia would suspend its participation in the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, known as New START, the last nuclear nonproliferation accord it has with the United States. Putin’s state of the nation address to Russia’s parliament was also an attack on the West, which Putin accused of exacerbating the conflict by providing weapons to Ukraine.
- NATO is “increasingly concerned that China may be planning to provide lethal support for Russia’s war,” the alliance’s secretary general, Jens Stoltenberg, said in an address alongside Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba and the European Union’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, in Brussels.
More live updates here.
- President Biden delivered on Tuesday a wide-ranging speech in Warsaw ahead of the Feb. 24 anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. He began with a declaration of support for Ukraine: “Kyiv stands strong.”
- Putin announced Tuesday that Russia would suspend its participation in the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, known as New START, the last nuclear nonproliferation accord it has with the United States. Putin’s state of the nation address to Russia’s parliament was also an attack on the West, which Putin accused of exacerbating the conflict by providing weapons to Ukraine.
- NATO is “increasingly concerned that China may be planning to provide lethal support for Russia’s war,” the alliance’s secretary general, Jens Stoltenberg, said in an address alongside Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba and the European Union’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, in Brussels.
More live updates here.
Putin assures Russia he will win the war, then suspends nuclear arms deal
In the last minutes of a nearly two-hour speech, Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday artfully dropped one bombshell into an otherwise lackluster state-of-the-nation address — suspending Russian participation in New START, the last remaining nuclear arms control accord between Moscow and Washington.
Putin said he was not canceling the treaty, which runs through Feb. 4, 2026, but would not accede to U.S. demands to resume the regular inspections and meetings mandated by the agreement, which limits the number intercontinental ballistic missiles.
The move seemed intended to pressure Washington to curtail its plans to provide more advanced weapons to Ukraine by reminding the United States and NATO allies of the central reason they have avoided direct involvement in the war: Putin controls the world’s largest nuclear arsenal and has created real uncertainty about his threshold for using it.
Read more about Putin's speech here.
In the last minutes of a nearly two-hour speech, Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday artfully dropped one bombshell into an otherwise lackluster state-of-the-nation address — suspending Russian participation in New START, the last remaining nuclear arms control accord between Moscow and Washington.
Putin said he was not canceling the treaty, which runs through Feb. 4, 2026, but would not accede to U.S. demands to resume the regular inspections and meetings mandated by the agreement, which limits the number intercontinental ballistic missiles.
The move seemed intended to pressure Washington to curtail its plans to provide more advanced weapons to Ukraine by reminding the United States and NATO allies of the central reason they have avoided direct involvement in the war: Putin controls the world’s largest nuclear arsenal and has created real uncertainty about his threshold for using it.
Read more about Putin's speech here.
Here is the latest from Ukraine.
- Biden is expected to meet leaders of the Bucharest Nine, a group of countries on NATO’s eastern flank, in Poland on Wednesday. Biden will also meet with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on the final day of his trip to Warsaw.
- Russia recently notified the U.S. that it would carry out an intercontinental ballistic missile test, U.S. officials said Tuesday night, but no missile appears to have been launched during Biden’s visit to Ukraine.
- Russia on Tuesday called for a special U.N. commission to investigate the explosions that blew up the Nord Stream undersea natural gas pipelines, based largely on an American journalist’s controversial allegation that it was destroyed in a secret U.S. operation. The U.S. has denied involvement.
- At least 8,000 civilians have been killed and at least 13,000 have been injured in the war over the past year, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights said Tuesday.
More live updates here.
- Biden is expected to meet leaders of the Bucharest Nine, a group of countries on NATO’s eastern flank, in Poland on Wednesday. Biden will also meet with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on the final day of his trip to Warsaw.
- Russia recently notified the U.S. that it would carry out an intercontinental ballistic missile test, U.S. officials said Tuesday night, but no missile appears to have been launched during Biden’s visit to Ukraine.
- Russia on Tuesday called for a special U.N. commission to investigate the explosions that blew up the Nord Stream undersea natural gas pipelines, based largely on an American journalist’s controversial allegation that it was destroyed in a secret U.S. operation. The U.S. has denied involvement.
- At least 8,000 civilians have been killed and at least 13,000 have been injured in the war over the past year, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights said Tuesday.
More live updates here.
A year in the trenches has hardened Ukraine’s president
Not long after Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine, a year ago this week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky found himself in a safe room beneath Kyiv’s government complex with the voice of the Belarusian president booming over the phone.
Alexander Lukashenko, one of the Kremlin’s key allies, was inviting a delegation of officials to Minsk to negotiate an end to the war that Russia had launched just three days earlier, according to the deputy head of Ukraine’s presidential office, who was in the room for the call.
Zelensky was incensed at the invitation to another negotiation — recalling talks over the conflict in Ukraine’s east, known as “Minsk 1” and “Minsk 2,” that took place in the Belarusian capital in 2014 and 2015 — in which Kyiv was forced to make concessions to the Kremlin under the threat of battlefield losses.
“There will be no Minsk,” Zelensky said, according to Sybiha. “There will be no Minsk 3.”
Read the full story here.
Not long after Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine, a year ago this week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky found himself in a safe room beneath Kyiv’s government complex with the voice of the Belarusian president booming over the phone.
Alexander Lukashenko, one of the Kremlin’s key allies, was inviting a delegation of officials to Minsk to negotiate an end to the war that Russia had launched just three days earlier, according to the deputy head of Ukraine’s presidential office, who was in the room for the call.
Zelensky was incensed at the invitation to another negotiation — recalling talks over the conflict in Ukraine’s east, known as “Minsk 1” and “Minsk 2,” that took place in the Belarusian capital in 2014 and 2015 — in which Kyiv was forced to make concessions to the Kremlin under the threat of battlefield losses.
“There will be no Minsk,” Zelensky said, according to Sybiha. “There will be no Minsk 3.”
Read the full story here.
Biden and Putin deliver dueling fiery speeches on Ukraine
The leaders of the United States and Russia delivered blistering, contradictory addresses in Eastern Europe on Tuesday, showcasing starkly opposing worldviews as they spoke on the eve of the first anniversary of a Ukraine war that has set the two superpowers increasingly at odds.
President Biden, speaking to an enthusiastic crowd outside Poland’s Royal Castle, urged the world’s nations to recommit to a unified defense of Ukraine, saying global democracy is at stake and accusing Russia of committing crimes against humanity through its “abhorrent” acts against civilians.
A few hours earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin, addressing a joint session of the Russian parliament, reiterated his attacks on what he called Ukraine’s “neo-Nazi regime” and, in a dramatic move, announced that Moscow was suspending its participation in New START, the last remaining U.S.-Russia nuclear arms agreement.
Read the full story here.
The leaders of the United States and Russia delivered blistering, contradictory addresses in Eastern Europe on Tuesday, showcasing starkly opposing worldviews as they spoke on the eve of the first anniversary of a Ukraine war that has set the two superpowers increasingly at odds.
President Biden, speaking to an enthusiastic crowd outside Poland’s Royal Castle, urged the world’s nations to recommit to a unified defense of Ukraine, saying global democracy is at stake and accusing Russia of committing crimes against humanity through its “abhorrent” acts against civilians.
A few hours earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin, addressing a joint session of the Russian parliament, reiterated his attacks on what he called Ukraine’s “neo-Nazi regime” and, in a dramatic move, announced that Moscow was suspending its participation in New START, the last remaining U.S.-Russia nuclear arms agreement.
Read the full story here.
A year later, China blames U.S. ‘hegemony’ — not Russia — for war in Ukraine
Ahead of the anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, China has launched a public diplomacy offensive to wrest control of the narrative about its role in the conflict, trying to clear itself of accusations that it has sided with Russia while accusing the U.S. of turning the conflict into a “proxy” war.
Few positions staked out by Chinese officials in speeches and documents are new, but they’ve underscored why Beijing continues to stand by Moscow even as it professes “deep concern” about the conflict: It considers the U.S. — not Russia — the progenitor of global insecurity, including in Ukraine.
Beijing insists it’s neutral in the conflict, but those claims clash with its rhetorical and diplomatic support for Russia.
That was illustrated with China’s top diplomat, Wang Yi, arriving in Moscow in a show of solidarity with Russia — especially when contrasted with Biden’s unannounced trip to Kyiv.
Read the full story here.
Ahead of the anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, China has launched a public diplomacy offensive to wrest control of the narrative about its role in the conflict, trying to clear itself of accusations that it has sided with Russia while accusing the U.S. of turning the conflict into a “proxy” war.
Few positions staked out by Chinese officials in speeches and documents are new, but they’ve underscored why Beijing continues to stand by Moscow even as it professes “deep concern” about the conflict: It considers the U.S. — not Russia — the progenitor of global insecurity, including in Ukraine.
Beijing insists it’s neutral in the conflict, but those claims clash with its rhetorical and diplomatic support for Russia.
That was illustrated with China’s top diplomat, Wang Yi, arriving in Moscow in a show of solidarity with Russia — especially when contrasted with Biden’s unannounced trip to Kyiv.
Read the full story here.
Biden seeks to bolster NATO as he wraps up foreign trip
WARSAW — President Biden sought to bolster the countries along NATO’s eastern flank as he concluded a momentous three-day trip to Ukraine and Poland, pledging full support if Russia begins targeting their countries.
Hours before he was scheduled to leave, Biden reiterated that if Russia attacks any of those Eastern European nations, the U.S. would invoke Article 5 of the NATO charter, meaning that each member of the alliance would respond as if its own territory had been attacked.
“Article 5 is a sacred commitment the United States has made,” Biden said before joining a closed-door meeting with leaders of the Bucharest Nine nations. “We will defend every inch of NATO.”
As the war in Ukraine approaches its anniversary, the meeting was meant to reassure vulnerable nations that are near Ukraine and Russia, as well as to send a stark warning to Russian President Vladimir Putin about the consequences of escalating further.
Read the full story here.
WARSAW — President Biden sought to bolster the countries along NATO’s eastern flank as he concluded a momentous three-day trip to Ukraine and Poland, pledging full support if Russia begins targeting their countries.
Hours before he was scheduled to leave, Biden reiterated that if Russia attacks any of those Eastern European nations, the U.S. would invoke Article 5 of the NATO charter, meaning that each member of the alliance would respond as if its own territory had been attacked.
“Article 5 is a sacred commitment the United States has made,” Biden said before joining a closed-door meeting with leaders of the Bucharest Nine nations. “We will defend every inch of NATO.”
As the war in Ukraine approaches its anniversary, the meeting was meant to reassure vulnerable nations that are near Ukraine and Russia, as well as to send a stark warning to Russian President Vladimir Putin about the consequences of escalating further.
Read the full story here.
Analysis: Biden in Kyiv and Warsaw is a reminder of who really leads Europe
It was a surprise visit long in the works. In the year since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, President Biden has seen a stream of his Western counterparts trot through Kyiv, Ukraine, in shows of solidarity and support. But the complex security protocols surrounding a president in an active war zone and fears over escalating conflict with the Kremlin made it difficult for Biden to make the trip — that is, until Monday.
In a week that will mark the grim anniversary of Russia’s onslaught, Biden went to Kyiv and met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. He walked the streets as air raid sirens blared in the background. He toured the city’s iconic St. Michael’s Golden-Domed Monastery and paid respect to the casualties. Biden also made more substantive gestures — touting a new half-billion dollar tranche of military aid, the latest installment in a massive outflow of U.S. support.
Read the full story here.
It was a surprise visit long in the works. In the year since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, President Biden has seen a stream of his Western counterparts trot through Kyiv, Ukraine, in shows of solidarity and support. But the complex security protocols surrounding a president in an active war zone and fears over escalating conflict with the Kremlin made it difficult for Biden to make the trip — that is, until Monday.
In a week that will mark the grim anniversary of Russia’s onslaught, Biden went to Kyiv and met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. He walked the streets as air raid sirens blared in the background. He toured the city’s iconic St. Michael’s Golden-Domed Monastery and paid respect to the casualties. Biden also made more substantive gestures — touting a new half-billion dollar tranche of military aid, the latest installment in a massive outflow of U.S. support.
Read the full story here.