Putin, czar with no empire, needs military victory for his own survival
MOSCOW — President Vladimir Putin likes to portray himself as a new czar like Peter the Great or Ivan III, the 15th-century grand prince known as the “gatherer of the Russian lands.” But Putin’s year-long war in Ukraine has failed so far to secure the lands he aims to seize, and in Russia, there is fear that he is leading his nation into a dark period of strife and stagnation — or worse.
Some in the elite also say the Russian leader now desperately needs a military victory to ensure his own survival.
Putin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began with hubris and a zeal to reshape the world order. But even as he suffered repeated military defeats, Putin has tightened his authoritarian grip at home, using the war to destroy any opposition and to engineer a closed, paranoid society hostile to liberals, hipsters, LGBTQ people, and, especially, Western-style freedom and democracy.
Read the full story here.
MOSCOW — President Vladimir Putin likes to portray himself as a new czar like Peter the Great or Ivan III, the 15th-century grand prince known as the “gatherer of the Russian lands.” But Putin’s year-long war in Ukraine has failed so far to secure the lands he aims to seize, and in Russia, there is fear that he is leading his nation into a dark period of strife and stagnation — or worse.
Some in the elite also say the Russian leader now desperately needs a military victory to ensure his own survival.
Putin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began with hubris and a zeal to reshape the world order. But even as he suffered repeated military defeats, Putin has tightened his authoritarian grip at home, using the war to destroy any opposition and to engineer a closed, paranoid society hostile to liberals, hipsters, LGBTQ people, and, especially, Western-style freedom and democracy.
Read the full story here.
Poland was once an outcast in Europe. Then Russia invaded Ukraine.
President Biden is in the midst of his 10th foreign trip since taking office, making a surprise stop in Ukraine before a two-day visit to Poland.
This is a return visit to Warsaw for Biden — his second trip to Poland in just 11 months — while he has yet to pop up to Canada as president.
The timing and staging of Biden’s visit highlight how a year of war has transformed Poland’s place in the world, recasting its relationship with the United States and its role in Europe.
Read the full story here.
President Biden is in the midst of his 10th foreign trip since taking office, making a surprise stop in Ukraine before a two-day visit to Poland.
This is a return visit to Warsaw for Biden — his second trip to Poland in just 11 months — while he has yet to pop up to Canada as president.
The timing and staging of Biden’s visit highlight how a year of war has transformed Poland’s place in the world, recasting its relationship with the United States and its role in Europe.
Read the full story here.
Here is the latest from Ukraine.
- The U.N. General Assembly voted overwhelmingly in favor of a resolution calling on Russia to leave Ukraine on Thursday. The vote came after Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba urged members during a special session to vote for preserving his country’s sovereignty ahead of the first anniversary of Russia’s invasion Friday.
- President Biden and G-7 leaders will meet virtually on Friday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to coordinate efforts in support of Ukraine, according to a White House statement.
- Russia’s U.N. ambassador criticized the peace resolution. “Moscow is ready for a solution,” Vasily Nebenzya said.
- Though Russia lost the vote, it did pick up a new supporter at the U.N. Mali voted with Russia for the first time, the latest sign of partnership between the West African nation and Moscow.
More live updates here.
- The U.N. General Assembly voted overwhelmingly in favor of a resolution calling on Russia to leave Ukraine on Thursday. The vote came after Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba urged members during a special session to vote for preserving his country’s sovereignty ahead of the first anniversary of Russia’s invasion Friday.
- President Biden and G-7 leaders will meet virtually on Friday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to coordinate efforts in support of Ukraine, according to a White House statement.
- Russia’s U.N. ambassador criticized the peace resolution. “Moscow is ready for a solution,” Vasily Nebenzya said.
- Though Russia lost the vote, it did pick up a new supporter at the U.N. Mali voted with Russia for the first time, the latest sign of partnership between the West African nation and Moscow.
More live updates here.
Oral history: Leaders recall dismay, fury on first day of war in Ukraine
Shortly after 4 a.m. local time on Feb. 24, 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine. This oral history describes the first day of the war as recalled by Ukrainian, American and European leaders and senior political, military and intelligence officials.
Fears about Russian President Vladimir Putin’s intentions had been mounting for months, and by the day before the war began, alarms were sounding loudly in Kyiv and Western capitals.
Read all the accounts here.
Shortly after 4 a.m. local time on Feb. 24, 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine. This oral history describes the first day of the war as recalled by Ukrainian, American and European leaders and senior political, military and intelligence officials.
Fears about Russian President Vladimir Putin’s intentions had been mounting for months, and by the day before the war began, alarms were sounding loudly in Kyiv and Western capitals.
Read all the accounts here.
China calls for end of sanctions against Russia, and ceasefire in Ukraine
China on Friday called for an end to unilateral sanctions and other economic “weapons” targeting Russia, as part of a new diplomatic push to defend Beijing’s position on the war in Ukraine.
The 12-point proposal about how to end the conflict was issued by the Chinese Foreign Ministry on the first anniversary of Russia’s invasion and mostly rehashed long-standing positions. But it reflects a newly proactive stance as Chinese diplomats try to show that they are working toward a political settlement and rebuff concern that they may soon provide direct support for Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war effort.
The document reflected China’s belief that the United States and European allies need to ease pressure on Russia to “prevent the crisis from deteriorating further” and create conditions for negotiations to resume.
Read the full story here.
China on Friday called for an end to unilateral sanctions and other economic “weapons” targeting Russia, as part of a new diplomatic push to defend Beijing’s position on the war in Ukraine.
The 12-point proposal about how to end the conflict was issued by the Chinese Foreign Ministry on the first anniversary of Russia’s invasion and mostly rehashed long-standing positions. But it reflects a newly proactive stance as Chinese diplomats try to show that they are working toward a political settlement and rebuff concern that they may soon provide direct support for Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war effort.
The document reflected China’s belief that the United States and European allies need to ease pressure on Russia to “prevent the crisis from deteriorating further” and create conditions for negotiations to resume.
Read the full story here.
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U.N. resolution to end Ukraine war: How countries voted and who abstained
The U.N. General Assembly voted overwhelmingly on Thursday, the eve of the first anniversary of Russia’s invasion, in favor of a resolution calling for an end to the war and demanding that Russia leave Ukrainian territory. The nonbinding resolution advocates for peace, reaffirms support to Ukraine’s sovereignty and highlights the need for accountability for war crimes.
A large majority — 141 countries — voted in favor of the resolution, while 32 countries, including Asian heavyweights China and India, abstained from voting. Seven countries, including Russia, voted against the resolution.
Nearly a year ago, in March 2022, a similar resolution was adopted by the United Nations. The number of supporters of an end to the war was the same, at 141. However, 35 abstained and five backed Russia.
Read the full story here.
The U.N. General Assembly voted overwhelmingly on Thursday, the eve of the first anniversary of Russia’s invasion, in favor of a resolution calling for an end to the war and demanding that Russia leave Ukrainian territory. The nonbinding resolution advocates for peace, reaffirms support to Ukraine’s sovereignty and highlights the need for accountability for war crimes.
A large majority — 141 countries — voted in favor of the resolution, while 32 countries, including Asian heavyweights China and India, abstained from voting. Seven countries, including Russia, voted against the resolution.
Nearly a year ago, in March 2022, a similar resolution was adopted by the United Nations. The number of supporters of an end to the war was the same, at 141. However, 35 abstained and five backed Russia.
Read the full story here.
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Ukraine remembers ‘hardest day’ as U.S. announces $2 billion in assistance
KYIV, Ukraine — Ukraine is marking one year since Russia launched a full-scale attack that violently ended decades of relative stability in Europe.
At a press conference in Kyiv, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke about disappointments and mistakes. Zelensky described the invasion as “the hardest day of our modern history,” adding: “We woke up early and haven’t fallen asleep since.” He has framed the conflict as a morally charged battle, pledging that Ukrainian forces will fight on with the help of Western arms. The United States announced Friday another $2 billion package for Ukraine, including anti-armor Switchblade drones and laser-guided rocket systems.
In Russia, Friday was a quiet holiday, with scant official mention of the anniversary, though some antiwar memorials sprang up in support of Ukraine, and police mounted a large presence in major cities to prevent any potential unrest.
More live updates here.
KYIV, Ukraine — Ukraine is marking one year since Russia launched a full-scale attack that violently ended decades of relative stability in Europe.
At a press conference in Kyiv, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke about disappointments and mistakes. Zelensky described the invasion as “the hardest day of our modern history,” adding: “We woke up early and haven’t fallen asleep since.” He has framed the conflict as a morally charged battle, pledging that Ukrainian forces will fight on with the help of Western arms. The United States announced Friday another $2 billion package for Ukraine, including anti-armor Switchblade drones and laser-guided rocket systems.
In Russia, Friday was a quiet holiday, with scant official mention of the anniversary, though some antiwar memorials sprang up in support of Ukraine, and police mounted a large presence in major cities to prevent any potential unrest.
More live updates here.
Protests in Russia denounce Ukraine invasion; antiwar rallies held worldwide
RIGA, Latvia — As politicians and people worldwide marked the first anniversary of Russia’s invasion of its neighbor on Friday, small sporadic protests broke out across Russia, where it is illegal to criticize the military or the conflict.
Antiwar memorials sprung up in support of Ukraine in Moscow and elsewhere, as police mounted a large presence in major cities to preempt unrest.
In Moscow, people brought flowers to the statue of a famed Ukrainian writer, Lesya Ukrainka, which became a makeshift memorial to Ukrainian victims of Russia’s invasion following a missile strike on a residential building in Dnipro in January that killed at least 46 people.
In St. Petersburg, Russia’s second-largest city, police detained several people as they tried to lay flowers near the statue of a 19th century Ukrainian poet, Taras Shevchenko, local media reported.
Read the full story here.
RIGA, Latvia — As politicians and people worldwide marked the first anniversary of Russia’s invasion of its neighbor on Friday, small sporadic protests broke out across Russia, where it is illegal to criticize the military or the conflict.
Antiwar memorials sprung up in support of Ukraine in Moscow and elsewhere, as police mounted a large presence in major cities to preempt unrest.
In Moscow, people brought flowers to the statue of a famed Ukrainian writer, Lesya Ukrainka, which became a makeshift memorial to Ukrainian victims of Russia’s invasion following a missile strike on a residential building in Dnipro in January that killed at least 46 people.
In St. Petersburg, Russia’s second-largest city, police detained several people as they tried to lay flowers near the statue of a 19th century Ukrainian poet, Taras Shevchenko, local media reported.
Read the full story here.
Ukraine, Western backers pledge resolve on anniversary of Russia’s invasion
KYIV, Ukraine — Ukrainians vowed Friday to fight on as the world marked the first anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion, which violently ended decades of European stability and unleashed a charged battle between autocracy and freedom.
A year after the first missiles rained down on Kyiv and other cities in the early hours of Feb. 24, 2022, Ukraine’s Western backers pledged indefinite support, promising to continue the supply of weapons that helped Ukrainian forces foil President Vladimir Putin’s neo-imperialist plan to subjugate his neighbor.
The war, which has killed tens of thousands on each side and displaced millions of Ukrainians, has galvanized Western powers around defending a vulnerable democracy on Europe’s eastern edge, injected the NATO military alliance with a new sense of purpose, and spurred the European Union to designate Ukraine as an official candidate for membership.
Read the full story here.
KYIV, Ukraine — Ukrainians vowed Friday to fight on as the world marked the first anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion, which violently ended decades of European stability and unleashed a charged battle between autocracy and freedom.
A year after the first missiles rained down on Kyiv and other cities in the early hours of Feb. 24, 2022, Ukraine’s Western backers pledged indefinite support, promising to continue the supply of weapons that helped Ukrainian forces foil President Vladimir Putin’s neo-imperialist plan to subjugate his neighbor.
The war, which has killed tens of thousands on each side and displaced millions of Ukrainians, has galvanized Western powers around defending a vulnerable democracy on Europe’s eastern edge, injected the NATO military alliance with a new sense of purpose, and spurred the European Union to designate Ukraine as an official candidate for membership.
Read the full story here.
China considers sending Russia artillery shells, U.S. officials say
China is considering sending Russia lethal military aid in the form of artillery shells as President Vladimir Putin’s army rapidly depletes its supply of ammunition a year into his invasion of Ukraine, U.S. officials said, a prospect that has alarmed those in the Biden administration who believe Beijing has the ability to transform the war’s trajectory.
There is no evidence that any weapons transfers have occurred, these officials said, speaking on the condition of anonymity. But if China does move ahead, it would mark the first time Beijing has provided lethal aid in the conflict despite repeated warnings by the United States not to provide such support. It would also violate the spirit of a peace plan Chinese leaders proposed Friday.
The aid being contemplated consists of 122-millimeter and 152-millimeter rounds, which Russia has in dwindling supply as it prosecutes a war largely fought with artillery.
Read the full story here.
China is considering sending Russia lethal military aid in the form of artillery shells as President Vladimir Putin’s army rapidly depletes its supply of ammunition a year into his invasion of Ukraine, U.S. officials said, a prospect that has alarmed those in the Biden administration who believe Beijing has the ability to transform the war’s trajectory.
There is no evidence that any weapons transfers have occurred, these officials said, speaking on the condition of anonymity. But if China does move ahead, it would mark the first time Beijing has provided lethal aid in the conflict despite repeated warnings by the United States not to provide such support. It would also violate the spirit of a peace plan Chinese leaders proposed Friday.
The aid being contemplated consists of 122-millimeter and 152-millimeter rounds, which Russia has in dwindling supply as it prosecutes a war largely fought with artillery.
Read the full story here.
Looking back: One year of Russia's war in Ukraine. Follow our live updates here.
Portraits of Ukraine: Every Ukrainian’s life has changed in ways big and small. They've learned to survive and support each other in bomb shelters, hospitals and ruined marketplaces. Scroll through portraits of Ukrainians reflecting on a year of loss, resilience and fear.
Battle of attrition: The war has gone from a multi-front invasion to a conflict of attrition largely concentrated along an expanse of territory in the east and south. Follow the 600-mile front line between Ukrainian and Russian forces.
A year of living apart: The invasion has forced agonizing decisions for millions of families about how to balance safety, duty and love. Lives that were once intertwined have become unrecognizable.
Zelensky's rise: President Zelensky has emerged as a far fiercer foe than Moscow expected. As each side gears up for fighting in the spring, he’s hardened into a more uncompromising leader strained by the demands of war.
Portraits of Ukraine: Every Ukrainian’s life has changed in ways big and small. They've learned to survive and support each other in bomb shelters, hospitals and ruined marketplaces. Scroll through portraits of Ukrainians reflecting on a year of loss, resilience and fear.
Battle of attrition: The war has gone from a multi-front invasion to a conflict of attrition largely concentrated along an expanse of territory in the east and south. Follow the 600-mile front line between Ukrainian and Russian forces.
A year of living apart: The invasion has forced agonizing decisions for millions of families about how to balance safety, duty and love. Lives that were once intertwined have become unrecognizable.
Zelensky's rise: President Zelensky has emerged as a far fiercer foe than Moscow expected. As each side gears up for fighting in the spring, he’s hardened into a more uncompromising leader strained by the demands of war.
Here's the latest from Ukraine:
—President Biden said he has “for now” ruled out sending F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, saying that the U.S. military has deemed other support more crucial at the current stage.
—Poland delivered four Leopard 2 battle tanks to Ukraine on Friday, officials said, which Ukrainians troops have begun training on in Germany. Western officials say the tanks will help Ukraine fight back against a spring offensive by Russia.
—U.S. officials say China is considering sending Russia 122-millimeter and 152-millimeter artillery shells. However, there is no evidence weapons transfer has occurred, according to the officials. The Russian military has rapidly depleted much of its ammunition supply and some in the Biden administration believe lethal aid from Beijing could change the trajectory of the war.
More updates here.
—President Biden said he has “for now” ruled out sending F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, saying that the U.S. military has deemed other support more crucial at the current stage.
—Poland delivered four Leopard 2 battle tanks to Ukraine on Friday, officials said, which Ukrainians troops have begun training on in Germany. Western officials say the tanks will help Ukraine fight back against a spring offensive by Russia.
—U.S. officials say China is considering sending Russia 122-millimeter and 152-millimeter artillery shells. However, there is no evidence weapons transfer has occurred, according to the officials. The Russian military has rapidly depleted much of its ammunition supply and some in the Biden administration believe lethal aid from Beijing could change the trajectory of the war.
More updates here.
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Follow the 600-mile front line between Ukrainian and Russian forces
The war in Ukraine has morphed from a multi-front invasion that included Kyiv in the north to a conflict of attrition largely concentrated along a 600-mile stretch in the east and south.
Ukrainian troops pushed the Russians back from Kyiv last spring. Russian President Vladimir Putin shifted the focus of his military’s fighting to what is now the front line, while still launching airstrikes across the country. Analysts note that Moscow’s capabilities appear to be declining — though it now has more than 320,000 troops in Ukraine, according to Ukrainian and Western intelligence, roughly double the number at the start of the invasion.
“The Russian military will be throwing poorly trained ... poorly equipped forces forward,” said Max Bergmann, director of the Europe, Russia, and Eurasia Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. “It is doubtful they [can] conduct complex offensive maneuvers.”
Read the full story here.
The war in Ukraine has morphed from a multi-front invasion that included Kyiv in the north to a conflict of attrition largely concentrated along a 600-mile stretch in the east and south.
Ukrainian troops pushed the Russians back from Kyiv last spring. Russian President Vladimir Putin shifted the focus of his military’s fighting to what is now the front line, while still launching airstrikes across the country. Analysts note that Moscow’s capabilities appear to be declining — though it now has more than 320,000 troops in Ukraine, according to Ukrainian and Western intelligence, roughly double the number at the start of the invasion.
“The Russian military will be throwing poorly trained ... poorly equipped forces forward,” said Max Bergmann, director of the Europe, Russia, and Eurasia Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. “It is doubtful they [can] conduct complex offensive maneuvers.”
Read the full story here.
Analysis: The GOP’s Ukraine supporters begin to summon their voice
A noisy minority can be powerful in politics. And rarely has that been the case as much as with the GOP, post-tea party. But Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) had a message during a visit to Munich last week: A noisy GOP minority is still a minority.
“There’s ... too much attention given to a very few people who seem not to be invested in Ukraine’s success,” he said. McConnell added that he would step up in making a case that he has long made: that the war is the most important worldwide priority.
He added in a Fox News interview: “Don’t look at Twitter. Look at people in power.”
McConnell has a point. But his argument misses a key fact: It’s not just that his party’s critics of funding Ukraine have been noisy; it’s that unlike McConnell, GOP supporters have been quiet, allowing critics to dominate the public debate.
But on the anniversary of the invasion, that appears to have begun to change.
Read the full story here.
A noisy minority can be powerful in politics. And rarely has that been the case as much as with the GOP, post-tea party. But Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) had a message during a visit to Munich last week: A noisy GOP minority is still a minority.
“There’s ... too much attention given to a very few people who seem not to be invested in Ukraine’s success,” he said. McConnell added that he would step up in making a case that he has long made: that the war is the most important worldwide priority.
He added in a Fox News interview: “Don’t look at Twitter. Look at people in power.”
McConnell has a point. But his argument misses a key fact: It’s not just that his party’s critics of funding Ukraine have been noisy; it’s that unlike McConnell, GOP supporters have been quiet, allowing critics to dominate the public debate.
But on the anniversary of the invasion, that appears to have begun to change.
Read the full story here.
While Ukrainians train on Leopard tanks, West is still short on pledges
MUNSTER, Germany — Inside unassuming green containers on an army base in northwestern Germany, battles are being waged. Ukrainian tank gunners lock on to enemy targets that pop up on their monitors, quickly destroying them.
Those fights are just simulations, but the Ukrainians will soon train on real Leopard 2A6 tanks. And at the end of March, they will be back on the front line, facing off against Russian forces and trained on new equipment.
The training at a German military base near Munster is part of an effort across Europe to get Ukrainian forces acquainted with the tanks and infantry fighting vehicles they have been promised. But while Berlin had hoped to pull together two Leopard 2 battalions — totaling about 70 tanks — for Ukraine ahead of an anticipated Russian offensive this spring, the West is still short on contributions.
Read the full story here.
MUNSTER, Germany — Inside unassuming green containers on an army base in northwestern Germany, battles are being waged. Ukrainian tank gunners lock on to enemy targets that pop up on their monitors, quickly destroying them.
Those fights are just simulations, but the Ukrainians will soon train on real Leopard 2A6 tanks. And at the end of March, they will be back on the front line, facing off against Russian forces and trained on new equipment.
The training at a German military base near Munster is part of an effort across Europe to get Ukrainian forces acquainted with the tanks and infantry fighting vehicles they have been promised. But while Berlin had hoped to pull together two Leopard 2 battalions — totaling about 70 tanks — for Ukraine ahead of an anticipated Russian offensive this spring, the West is still short on contributions.
Read the full story here.
Analysis: Biden rallies the West, but what about the rest?
For this week, the geopolitical West can pat itself on the back. As the one-year mark of Russia’s Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine nears, President Biden journeyed to Warsaw from Kyiv and delivered a speech exulting in Ukraine’s defiance and the transatlantic consensus that has sustained it.
“One year ago, the world was bracing for the fall of Kyiv,” Biden told a crowd of thousands, waving American, Polish and Ukrainian flags outside the Royal Castle in Warsaw. “Well, I’ve just come from a visit to Kyiv and I can report, Kyiv stands strong. Kyiv stands proud. It stands tall. And most important, it stands free.”
Read the full story here.
For this week, the geopolitical West can pat itself on the back. As the one-year mark of Russia’s Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine nears, President Biden journeyed to Warsaw from Kyiv and delivered a speech exulting in Ukraine’s defiance and the transatlantic consensus that has sustained it.
“One year ago, the world was bracing for the fall of Kyiv,” Biden told a crowd of thousands, waving American, Polish and Ukrainian flags outside the Royal Castle in Warsaw. “Well, I’ve just come from a visit to Kyiv and I can report, Kyiv stands strong. Kyiv stands proud. It stands tall. And most important, it stands free.”
Read the full story here.
What are Articles 4 and 5 of NATO’s founding treaty and why do they matter?
Nearly a year into Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Eastern European countries remain worried about their own security, while allies have warned Moscow that attacking NATO members would trigger a broader, global conflict.
The U.S. made a “sacred commitment” to Article 5 of NATO’s founding treaty, President Biden told leaders of countries on the alliance’s eastern flank, who gathered Wednesday in Warsaw to discuss concerns about Russian aggression.
The treaty article means that if Russian forces were to attack Poland, for instance, that move should be treated as an attack on the United States as well. Article 4 lays out another bedrock principle of the alliance: consultation among members if one of them is under threat.
Here’s what to know about Articles 4 and 5 of the NATO charter.
Nearly a year into Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Eastern European countries remain worried about their own security, while allies have warned Moscow that attacking NATO members would trigger a broader, global conflict.
The U.S. made a “sacred commitment” to Article 5 of NATO’s founding treaty, President Biden told leaders of countries on the alliance’s eastern flank, who gathered Wednesday in Warsaw to discuss concerns about Russian aggression.
The treaty article means that if Russian forces were to attack Poland, for instance, that move should be treated as an attack on the United States as well. Article 4 lays out another bedrock principle of the alliance: consultation among members if one of them is under threat.
Here’s what to know about Articles 4 and 5 of the NATO charter.
Mitch McConnell tells U.S. to ‘wake up’ to threat of Russia on Ukraine war anniversary
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Friday urged the U.S. and its allies to renew their resolve to help Ukraine as it stands up to Russian “thuggery,” tacitly pushing back against members of his own party who’ve become loudly skeptical of Ukraine’s fight as the conflict passes the one-year mark.
“America and our friends need to finish waking up from our holiday from history, welcome Finland and Sweden into NATO ... and make significant investments in military modernization and our defense-industrial capacities that are commensurate with the major challenges we face,” McConnell said in a statement, shortly before appearing alongside President Sauli Niinisto in Helsinki to support Finland’s bid to join NATO.
The message marked a stark contrast to the one pushed by former president Donald Trump and some congressional Republicans, who have called for ending or slowing aid to Ukraine.
Read the full story here.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Friday urged the U.S. and its allies to renew their resolve to help Ukraine as it stands up to Russian “thuggery,” tacitly pushing back against members of his own party who’ve become loudly skeptical of Ukraine’s fight as the conflict passes the one-year mark.
“America and our friends need to finish waking up from our holiday from history, welcome Finland and Sweden into NATO ... and make significant investments in military modernization and our defense-industrial capacities that are commensurate with the major challenges we face,” McConnell said in a statement, shortly before appearing alongside President Sauli Niinisto in Helsinki to support Finland’s bid to join NATO.
The message marked a stark contrast to the one pushed by former president Donald Trump and some congressional Republicans, who have called for ending or slowing aid to Ukraine.
Read the full story here.
With Russia’s Viagra supply cut off, authorities look to generics as backup
Russia’s Industry and Trade Ministry said that it had taken steps to establish domestic production of generic forms of Viagra, the erectile dysfunction remedy, after the U.S. manufacturer of the drug halted supplies.
Medicines and medical equipment are not subject to the sweeping economic sanctions levied against Russia by the United States, Britain, the European Union and other backers of Ukraine following Russia’s invasion.
However, Western pharmaceutical companies have warned that supplies of their products to Russia could still be disrupted as a result of the sanctions that have severed Russian banks from the international financial system and have pushed major shipping companies to suspend their operations in Russia.
The U.S. pharmaceutical company Viatris, which manufactures Viagra, had informed the Russian government last year that it would stop selling the drug in tablet form.
Read the full story here.
Russia’s Industry and Trade Ministry said that it had taken steps to establish domestic production of generic forms of Viagra, the erectile dysfunction remedy, after the U.S. manufacturer of the drug halted supplies.
Medicines and medical equipment are not subject to the sweeping economic sanctions levied against Russia by the United States, Britain, the European Union and other backers of Ukraine following Russia’s invasion.
However, Western pharmaceutical companies have warned that supplies of their products to Russia could still be disrupted as a result of the sanctions that have severed Russian banks from the international financial system and have pushed major shipping companies to suspend their operations in Russia.
The U.S. pharmaceutical company Viatris, which manufactures Viagra, had informed the Russian government last year that it would stop selling the drug in tablet form.
Read the full story here.