April 4, 2023 - Russia-Ukraine news

Follow the latest news on Russia’s war in Ukraine here and read more about today’s developments in the posts below.

A Ukrainian soldier guides an Alaska State Sno-X Lions volunteer to a part of Chasiv Yar, where civilians remain in order to attempt to persuade them to evacuate, in the eastern region of Donetsk, Ukraine, on April 2.

A Ukrainian soldier who has been serving in the Bakhmut area for many weeks has told CNN that the town of Chasiv Yar – on high ground to the west of the city – is firmly in Ukrainian hands.

The soldier, with whom CNN has spoken in the past, is with the 46th separate airmobile brigade.

He said that Chasiv Yar, a town of several thousand inhabitants before the war, “is the dominant height above the area around it. This means an advantage for conducting fire, especially with artillery. Therefore, the city is of particular importance to either side.”

He said that Russian forces were unable to break through Ukrainian defenses to the south-east of Chasiv Yar (around Ivanivske).

“The orcs [Russians] had a chance about a month ago, when they were standing almost a few hundred meters from the road,” the soldier told CNN. “But they did not have enough reserves and were thrown back, now they are two kilometers from the road.”

The road runs west from Bakhmut through lower ground.

The soldier said the Russians now had no way to advance to Chasiv Yar because the area of the road around Ivanivske “is quite strongly defended.”

They would also be vulnerable to an attack on their flanks if they tried to reach Chasiv Yar.

“So Chasiv Yar is a long story for Russians,” the soldier told CNN. “But if we leave Bakhmut, Chasiv Yar will be the next target” for the Russians.

The Wall Street Journal said that its reporter Evan Gershkovich has been able to meet with his lawyers Tuesday.

In a statement, the Journal said:

The Journal’s statement, from Editor-in-Chief Emma Tucker and Almar Latour, the CEO of Dow Jones, which publishes the Journal, said that Gershkovich “was doing what journalists do – asking questions and providing an eyewitness account in the region to help keep the world well informed.”

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen speaks at the European Policy Center in Brussels, on March 30, 2023.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said she held a telephone conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky Tuesday ahead of her visit to China on Wednesday.  

Ukraine will be an “important topic” of her meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang, von der Leyen said in a tweet.  

China’s stance on Russia’s war in Ukraine will be a “determining factor” for European Union’s relations with Beijing going forward, von der Leyen said last week. 

“How China continues to interact with (Russian President Vladimir) Putin’s war will be a determining factor for EU-China relations going forward,” she said in Brussels.  

The EU chief will accompany French President Emmanuel Macron to China on Wednesday.  

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky speaks to the press in the village of Yagidne, north of Kyiv, on Monday, April 3.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has indicated that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has been invited to the alliance’s summit taking place in the Lithuanian capital of Vilnius in July. 

He made the remark in Brussels on Tuesday, following a meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Commission – the body responsible for the relationship between Ukraine and the alliance. 

Training for Ukrainians on US M1-A1 Abrams tanks has not yet started, but will begin “relatively soon,” a senior defense official told reporters Tuesday.

“Abrams training has not yet begun…We are still working on the equipment procurement so we haven’t we have not yet begun the training, but I would expect that that will happen relatively soon,” the official said during a background briefing.

In total, the official said the US has trained more than 7,000 Ukrainian troops since the beginning of Russia’s invasion more than a year ago. The US plans to send 31 M1-A1 tanks to Ukraine — the size of a Ukrainian tank battalion.

The US agreed to send the tanks in January after a sudden reversal on its stated policy that Abrams were too complex and difficult to maintain for Ukrainian forces in the middle of a war.

The Biden administration relented under pressure from Germany, which said that it would only approve the transfer of its Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine if the US agreed to send Abrams tanks as well.

But the US cautioned that delivering tanks to Ukraine would take time. “We just don’t have these tanks available in excess in our US stocks,” said Pentagon press secretary Sabrina Singh shortly after the US announcement.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, right, speaks with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken at NATO headquarters in Brussels, on Tuesday, April 4.

Turkey on Tuesday welcomed Finland as a new NATO member as Ankara continues to block Helsinki’s Scandinavian neighbor Stockholm from joining the transatlantic military alliance. 

“I would like to welcome Finland as a new ally. With Finland, now our alliance is much more stronger,” Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said in Brussels, speaking alongside US Secretary of State Antony Blinken earlier today as the minister handed ratification document to the American diplomat.

The Turkish Parliament voted unanimously in favor of Finland’s membership on Thursday, clearing the last hurdle in the accession process. 

Both Finland and Sweden requested to join the military alliance in May last year following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.  

Ukrainian soldiers prepare to fire an artillery shell on the frontline area in Donetsk Oblast, Bakhmut, Ukraine on Monday, April 03.

The Ukrainian military says it continues to repel Russian attacks in several places along the front lines in Donetsk region, with more than 45 assaults in the past day focused on the Bakhmut area, as well as around Avdiivka and Mariinka near Donetsk city, and Lyman near the border with Luhansk.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces said that about 20 of those attacks had been around Bakhmut. It gave no indication that Ukrainian units had lost ground. 

Separately, Valerii Zaluzhnyi, commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian armed forces, said that he had spoken with Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley. “Attention was paid to the weapons and ammunition supplies issue. We emphasized the importance of the Ukrainian AD [air defense] system augmentation. We discussed further steps of the AF [armed forces] in order to de-occupy our territories,” Zaluzhyni tweeted.

The conversation came after further drone attacks by Russian forces.

The General Staff confirmed that over the past day, the Russians launched 17 Shahed-136 drones against Ukraine. As it has been the case for several weeks, Russian forces continued offensive actions in the Avdiivka and Mariinka areas, “but did not succeed,” according to the General Staff.

Oleksii Dmytrashkivskyi, the military spokesperson for that area, said there had been 35 combat engagements near Avdiivka and Mariinka in the past day. “The towns of Orikhiv and Preobrazhenka were hit by air strikes,” he said, but Ukrainian units had hit Russian forces with artillery.

He said that around Vuhledar, Russian forces were making fewer attempts to conduct assaults compared to the first three months of the year.

“The occupiers are hiding in fox-holes,” Dmytrashkivskyi said – but were still being targeted. 

Further south, in the Zaporizhzhia sector, he said the Russians are actively mining the area and arranging anti-tank barriers – in anticipation of a Ukrainian counter-offensive in that region. The Russians were also moving ammunition and equipment depots from Mariupol, Dmytrashkivskyi said.

The General Staff claimed that in parts of occupied territory, the Russians were appropriating private homes. “For example, in the city of Starobilsk, Luhansk region, the so-called occupation ‘authorities’ use representatives of public utilities to move servicemen of the Russian occupation forces into apartments and houses temporarily abandoned by Ukrainian citizens.”

Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto attends the NATO foreign ministers' meeting at NATO headquarters in Brussels, on Tuesday, April 04.

Finish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto took part in country’s first NATO round table meeting in Brussels Tuesday, following Finland’s accession ceremony earlier in the day.

Haavisto was seen smiling and shaking hands with other NATO leaders, before taking a seat next in between Estonia and France.

The alliance’s chief Jens Stoltenberg opened the meeting by saying, “Let me start by welcoming Finland as the newest member of our alliance.”

Stoltenberg’s comments were met by a long round of applause, with Haavisto smiling and mouthing the words, “Thank you.”

“Mr Haavisto you have attended many meetings, but this is the first time you sit down there between France and Estonia. It is really a great privilege to have you now as a full-fledged member,” Stoltenberg said, adding, “and as we stated so clearly outside, soon we will also have Sweden as a full-fledged member of our alliance.”

Sweden has congratulated Finland on its accession to NATO on Tuesday, as Stockholm still awaits the ratification of its own bid.

Both Finland and Sweden requested to join the transatlantic military alliance in May last year following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. However, Sweden’s accession is being stalled by Turkey and Hungary, both of which are holding back support.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has previously said Turkey would not approve Sweden’s NATO membership unless the country extradites “terrorists” upon Turkish request. 

Sweden has made clear this won’t happen, and for now, the process is stuck. But the US and European officials remain hopeful that Sweden will be able to join the alliance in the coming months. 

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, left, and European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell speak to the press ahead of an EU-US Energy Council ministerial meeting in Brussels on Tuesday, April 4.

The United States and the European Union pledged on Tuesday to “directly confront” any attempts to weaponize energy and destabilize global energy markets as Russia’s war in Ukraine continues. 

“The two sides reiterated their strong commitment to directly confront, with adequate measures, all efforts to further destabilize the global energy situation and to circumvent sanctions,” they said in a joint statement released after an EU-US Energy Council meeting in Brussels. 

Western leaders have warned Russian President Vladimir Putin against weaponizing its energy exports since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine last year. 

The council also discussed ways to bolster energy security in Ukraine and Moldova. 

“Following the successful synchronization of Ukraine and Moldova with the EU electricity grid, the Council intends to continue to support Ukraine’s rapid recovery and reconstruction, and support both Ukraine and Moldova by assisting with their long-term economic and clean energy transition,” the statement said. 

The US and the EU also vowed to continue coordinating bilateral and multilateral responses to keep the global energy markets stable.   

US President Joe Biden’s administration announced an additional package of military aid to Ukraine totaling $2.6 billion on Tuesday.

The package includes $500 million in drawdown equipment, such as ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) and additional munitions for the Patriot missile system, artillery and mortar rounds, heavy fuel tankers, and tactical recovery vehicles. It is the 35th drawdown of US equipment for Ukraine since August 2021.

The administration is also allocating $2.1 billion in Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative funds, which intend to produce a “significant package of air defense capabilities” including air surveillance radars and counter-unmanned aerial system 30mm gun trucks, as well as Javelin anti-armor systems and 23 million rounds of small arms munition.

The Pentagon’s release announcing the aid on Tuesday reiterated that the US would continue to work with its allies to “provide Ukraine with capabilities to meet its immediate battlefield needs and longer-term security assistance requirements.”

Daria Trepova is escorted inside the Basmanny district court for her hearing in Moscow, on Tuesday, April 4.

The pre-trial detention hearing for a woman detained in connection with an explosion that killed a prominent Russian military blogger at a cafe in St. Petersburg is taking place in Moscow.

Video showed the woman, 26-year-old Daria Trepova, being escorted through a Moscow airport and later taken into the court. Th official Russian news agency RIA Novosti reported that the court, at the request of an investigator, agreed to a closed session. The investigator said that a public hearing could violate privacy, according to RIA.

At the hearing, the judge said Trepova, who was formally placed under arrest, should be held for one month and 30 days, until June 2.

In a statement, the court said it had “granted the investigator’s petition to take a preventive measure in the form of detention against Daria Evgenievna Trepova, who is accused of committing a crime under paragraph b, part 3, article 205, part 4, article 222.1 Criminal Code of the Russian Federation until June 2, 2023.” Article 205 deals with terrorist offenses.

“The petition of the defense party to choose another measure, not related to detention, was denied,” the court said.

The Russian Foreign Ministry issued a scathing condemnation of Finland’s accession to NATO, saying the Nordic country will not “influence any decisions.”

“By joining NATO, Finland has given up on its unique identity and lost its independence, which for decades gave it a special status in international affairs. … Finland became a minor NATO member without the possibility to influence any decisions. It has lost its ability to have a say in international affairs,” it said in a statement.

The accession will have a “negative effect” on Russia and Finland’s bilateral relations, the ministry added.

Earlier, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov warned that the move will force Moscow to “take counter-measures to ensure our own security, both tactically and strategically.”

Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov has welcomed the donation of Soviet-era MiG-29s but again called for “modern Western aviation platforms.”

“Soviet-style aircraft are suitable for us as a quick response that will give results in a short time,” he said.

“We are grateful to our Slovak partners for the MiG-29s that have already been delivered. We are very much counting on combat aircraft from Poland…The MiGs from Poland will significantly strengthen our defense, make our skies safer,” Reznikov said on Facebook.

“I am confident that the decision to provide Ukraine with Western aircraft will certainly be made. This is the last item in my Christmas wish list to Santa,” Reznikov added.

To date, no Western country has pledged to provide combat aircraft to Ukraine while the conflict against Russia is ongoing.

Reactions from world leaders are pouring in after Finland officially joined NATO on Tuesday. Here are some highlights:

US President Joe Biden: “Seventy-four years ago today — as the United States and 11 other nations came together to form the North Atlantic Treaty Organization —President Truman said, ‘if there is anything inevitable in the future, it is the will of the people of the world for freedom and for peace,’” Biden wrote in a statement. “Today, that will is stronger than ever with the addition of Finland to NATO.”

He also said he looked “forward” to welcoming Sweden to NATO “as soon as possible.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky congratulated Finland and its President Sauli Niinistö in a tweet. “NATO became the only effective security guarantee in the region amid Russian aggression. We expect #NATOSummit in Vilnius will bring Ukraine closer to our Euro-Atlantic goal,” he added. 

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg: The chief of the US-led military alliance said Russian President Vladimir Putin had “failed” in his attempt to “slam NATO’s door shut” amid his invasion of Ukraine. “President Putin wanted to slam NATO’s door shut. Today, we show the world that he failed, that aggression and intimidation do not work. Instead of less NATO, he has achieved the opposite — more NATO — and our door remains firmly open,” Stoltenberg told a news conference in Brussels alongside Niinistö.  

Finland now has the “strongest friends and allies in the world,” Stoltenberg declared as he welcomed the country into the alliance. 

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak: “Finland, welcome to NATO,” he tweeted.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz: “This is good news and a victory for transatlantic security,” he tweeted. “With #Finland, our defense alliance has gained a strong friend.” Scholz also gave his backing to Sweden’s bid to join the military alliance. “Sweden’s pending accession has our full support!”

Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković: “Congratulations and warm welcome to Finland as our new @NATO ally! It is a historic day that makes our Alliance stronger. We hope we will soon be able to welcome Sweden as a new alliance member as well,” he tweeted. 

Prime Minister of the Czech Republic Petr Fiala: “Congratulations to Finland on joining the North Atlantic Alliance, for which it will be a great asset. This is a historic moment for Europe and for its security. I hope that Hungary and Turkey will ratify Sweden’s accession and that it, as well, will soon become a member of NATO,” Fiala said in a tweet.

The European Union’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell: “I warmly welcome the accession of #Finland to @NATO. This historic step will strengthen the Alliance, reinforce European & Transatlantic security and contribute to further fostering our #EU-NATO strategic partnership,” he said in response to Niinistö.  

Hungarian President Katalin Novák tweeted: “As from today, #Finland is officially a member of #NATO. I welcome the people of Finland to our defence alliance. Today we grew stronger!” 

Georgia’s President Salome Zourabichvili said in a tweet: “History made as #Finland becomes the 31st member of #NATO. Congratulations (Finland)! This is a strong encouragement, and (Georgia) will faithfully continue its Euro-Atlantic integration path #FinlandinNATO.” 

Finland's President Sauli Niinistö, left, and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg give a news conference at the NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, on April 4, 2023.

Finnish President Sauli Niinistö said Tuesday is a “great day for Finland, as the country officially becomes a NATO member.”

He emphasized the importance of Sweden’s bid for membership — which is still pending due to Turkey and Hungary’s objections — saying the allies will all work for Swedish membership very hard.

“We are doing that together with them, together with you and that will continue,” Niinistö said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko will hold talks in Moscow on Wednesday, the Kremlin said.

Lukashenko will make a working visit to Russia on April 5-6, where he will take part in a meeting of the Supreme State Council of the Union State and meet with Putin, according to Belarus state news agency BELTA.

According to the Kremlin, on Wednesday, the heads of state will discuss topical bilateral and international issues. 

On Thursday, Moscow will host a meeting of the Supreme State Council of the Union State, which will be attended by Putin and Lukashenko.

After a months-long push by Finland and many of its close allies, Turkey was the final country to ratify Finland’s move to join NATO. But Turkey and Hungary are holding back support for Sweden which also declared its desire to join the military alliance almost a year ago — at the same time as Finland.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has previously said Turkey would not approve Sweden’s NATO membership unless the country extradites “terrorists” upon Turkish request. 

Sweden has made clear this won’t happen, and for now, the process is stuck. But the US and European officials remain hopeful that Sweden will be able to join the alliance in the coming months. 

Finland has officially been named the 31st member of NATO, marking a major shift in the security landscape in northeastern Europe that adds some 1,300 kilometers (830 miles) to the alliance’s frontier with Russia.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg were on hand at NATO’s Brussels headquarters as Finland’s Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto deposited the country’s instrument of accession.

Finland’s flag will be raised outside NATO headquarters on Tuesday afternoon in a ceremony attended by NATO foreign ministers, including Blinken. For all future NATO meetings, Finland participates as an Ally — seated at the table between Estonia and France.

Finland’s acceptance into the US-led security alliance presents a blow to Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has long sought to undermine NATO, and before invading Ukraine, demanded the bloc refrain from further expansion.

The invasion instead drove non-aligned Finland and Sweden to abandon their neutrality and seek protection within NATO, though Sweden’s attempt to join the bloc has been stalled by alliance members Turkey and Hungary.

CNN’s Kylie Atwood contributed reporting to this post.

Finland’s acceptance into the US-led security alliance presents a blow to Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has long sought to undermine NATO — and before invading Ukraine — demanded the bloc refrain from further expansion.

Here’s what you need to know about Finland’s membership of NATO and other headlines from Russia’s war in Ukraine:

Reporter for US newspaper The Wall Street Journal Evan Gershkovich appears in an undated handout image.

The Biden administration is preparing to officially declare Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich as wrongfully detained, which will trigger US government resources to work towards his release, according to two US officials.

The designation will follow an ongoing internal review of the circumstances surrounding his arrest and is expected in the coming days, officials said. US officials from the State Department’s office of hostage affairs will then lead US efforts to get Gershkovich home.

Last week, State Department principal deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel said he did not want to get ahead of the process, but he did not believe there was any truth of the charge against the journalist. Russia charged Gershkovich, who is based in Moscow, with espionage. John Kirby, National Security Council coordinator for Strategic Communications, called the charge “nonsense.”

Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke over the weekend with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and called for Gershkovich’s “immediate release.” But even before that conversation the Biden administration delivered clear messages to Russia regarding Gershkovich’s arrest. On Thursday, the State Department summoned Russian Ambassador to the US Anatoly Antonov who met with Under Secretary for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland, according to two US officials. Antonov had no response and he read the Russian public statement, one of the US officials said.

Prisoner swaps have led to the release the last two Americans who were wrongfully detained in Russia. As US officials begin to consider ways to secure Gershkovich’s release, some are concerned about a prisoner swap in this case, incentivizing the taking of American journalists, one US official said. 

Wall Street Journal editor-in-chief Emma Tucker said over the weekend that she hoped the US would swiftly label Gershkovich as wrongfully detained. She said that it would be an official recognition that the charges against the reporter are “entirely bogus.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, center, inspects a facility of Tulazheldormash (Tula Railway Engineering Plant), in Tula, Russia, on April 4.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Tuesday that inflation in Russia is decreasing and that Moscow is implementing programs to strengthen the economy and domestic companies.  

Inflation is “on a downward trend” and is expected to drop below 4% in March, Putin said while at a railway engineering plant in the city of Tula.

“Yes, prices are growing and salaries are not. Yes, I understand, it’s a key question for the whole country, for any working person,” Putin said, answering a question from one of the employees. 

“Solving this problem is a key task for the state. It is the number one task so that Russian families’ incomes are in step with modern requirements.”

Putin added that the Russian economy has proven to be resilient in the past despite sceptics’ expectations, referencing the wave of sanctions Russia faced in 2014.

Putin didn’t mention the sanctions Russia is facing over its war against Ukraine. However, several days earlier the president conceded that Western sanctions designed to starve the Kremlin of funds for its invasion could deal a blow to Russia’s economy.

Tula is a major hub of machine building in Russia. The Tulazheldormash plant that Putin visited is one of Russia’s largest producers of machinery and equipment for railway construction and maintenance, and “on the list of backbone organizations of the Russian economy,” the Kremin said in a statement Tuesday. 

CNN’s Hanna Ziady contributed reporting.

NATO officials have put the onus on China to urge its ally Russia to withdraw forces from Ukraine.

Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly, who represented NATO member Canada while speaking at a press conference at the military alliance’s headquarters on Tuesday, said that if China “wants peace” then Beijing needs to “say to Russia to get out of Ukraine.”

She echoed earlier remarks made by European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell that China has a “moral duty” to contribute to peace during the conflict between Russia and Ukraine and “cannot be siding with the aggressor.”

Last month, Chinese leader Xi Jinping made a high-profile state visit to Russia to “play a constructive role in promoting peace talks,” Beijing said at the time. But Xi stopped short of condemning Moscow’s invasion.

The war in Ukraine has ruptured diplomatic ties between Russia and Western allies of Kyiv, with Finland abandoning decades of neutrality to join NATO at a ceremony in Brussels on Tuesday.

Joly said if Russian President Vladimir Putin “really wants peace” he “needs to get out of Ukraine.”

She added: “When Putin decided to invade Ukraine, he thought that he would be dividing us. He was wrong. Today’s a historic day. Finland is joining NATO, and NATO is stronger than ever.”

Moscow has accused NATO of threatening Russia’s “security and national interests” by officially welcoming Finland into the alliance at a ceremony in Brussels later Tuesday.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists that Finland’s accession is an “aggravation of the situation,” referring to Moscow’s claims that the military alliance is planning to encroach on Russia’s borders.

Finland shares an 800-mile (1,300-kilometer) border with Russia, but NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told reporters earlier that the alliance’s troops would only be stationed in Finland with the country’s consent. 

The move, Peskov warned, will force Moscow to “take counter-measures to ensure our own security, both tactically and strategically.”

He said Moscow would “keep monitoring the situation and the deployment of NATO infrastructure and weapons on the territory of Finland,” adding the “response measures will be taken accordingly.”

While Russia’s premise for its invasion of Ukraine was in part to fend off NATO from expanding close to its borders, Peskov rejected claims that Finland’s accession, a direct response to the war, was a geopolitical defeat for Russian President Vladimir Putin, claiming it is “fundamentally different” from the situation with Ukraine.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, right, and Ukrainian Foreign Affairs Minister Dmytro Kuleba give joint statements on the sidelines of a NATO meeting, at the NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, on April 4.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has said he’s happy with Finland’s accession to NATO, but added the best way to guarantee security in Europe is to have Ukraine join the alliance as well.

“We are all happy for Finland today,” Kuleba said as he was welcomed to the NATO headquarters by Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Tuesday.

Finland reneged on decades of neutrality when it announced its intention to apply for NATO membership just over a year ago, after Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. It is set to join the alliance on Tuesday.

Ahead of talks with the NATO chief, Kuleba went on to say discussions would focus on ensuring sustainability of support for Ukraine, as well as speeding up deliveries of equipment that had already been pledged.

“I came here to NATO to speed up deliveries of what has already been pledged to Ukraine, primarily artillery ammunition, armored infantry vehicles, armored personnel carriers, everything that Ukraine needs for a successful counter-offensive.”

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu has claimed that Belarusian aircraft have been upgraded to be able to carry out nuclear strikes, in response to NATO’s imminent expansion.

“Part of the Belarusian attack aircraft acquired the ability to strike at enemy targets with nuclear weapons,” Shoigu said on Tuesday. “In addition, the Iskander-M operational-tactical missile system was handed over to the Armed Forces of Belarus. It can use missiles, both conventional and nuclear.”

Shoigu went on to say Belarusian forces were being trained on the Iskander system in Russia.

The Russian defense minister claimed the decision to give Belarus the nuclear capable systems was a response to NATO’s expansion toward Russia’s border, with Finland set to join the alliance on Tuesday.

Though the Nordic state shares an 800-mile (1,300 kilometer) border with Russia, Stoltenberg told reporters earlier that NATO troops would only be stationed in Finland with the country’s consent. 

However, Shoigu said that “retaliatory measures” were necessary in “defending the security of the Union State.”

“NATO is carrying out a set of measures to increase the combat readiness of the Joint Armed Forces, intensifying combat training and reconnaissance activities near the borders of Russia and Belarus. In the near future, Finland will become a member of the alliance,” he said.

The defense minister’s remarks follow Russian President Vladimir Putin’s announcement that Moscow would complete the construction of a storage facility for tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus before July.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg reiterated on Tuesday the alliance had not seen any change on Russia’s nuclear posture that would force it to adjust its own stance.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg delivers a statement during the NATO foreign ministers' meeting at the Alliance's headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, on April 4.

Finland is set to join NATO on Tuesday in a “truly historic” moment for the military alliance, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said, adding that the move was a direct result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. 

The Nordic nation ditched decades of neutrality when it announced its intention to join NATO last year, after Moscow launched its war in Ukraine.

“Putin had declared [the] goal of the invasion of Ukraine [was] to get less NATO, he wanted less NATO along his borders, he wanted to close NATO’s door,” Stoltenberg said. “He is getting exactly the opposite.”

Although the Nordic state shares an 808-mile (1,300-kilometer) border with Russia, Stoltenberg told reporters that NATO troops would only be stationed in Finland with the country’s consent. 

“By becoming a full-fledged member we are removing the room for miscalculation in Moscow about NATO’s readiness to protect Finland, and that makes Finland safer and NATO stronger and all of us safer.”

Stoltenberg also told reporters he anticipated that Sweden, which announced its intention to join the alliance at the same time as Finland, would become a member “soon.”

NATO has an open-door policy, which means any country can be invited to join the alliance. But under accession rules, any member state can veto a new country from joining. Turkey and Hungary are both stalling Sweden’s membership.

Russian Foreign Intelligence Service SVR RF Chief Sergei Naryshkin pictured during the opening ceremony of the commemorative plaque to Soviet spies Morris Cohen and Lona Cohen on January 11, in Moscow, Russia.

A top Russian spy chief has claimed the West is pushing Georgia, which borders Russia, into a conflict with Moscow to open a “second front,” as the war in Ukraine is not developing “in favor” of Kyiv.

“We see persistent attempts by Washington, Brussels and London to convince the Georgian leadership of the need to open a so-called second front,” the head of Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service Sergei Naryshkin told reporters on Tuesday while visiting Belarus, according to Belarusian state news agency BelTA.

“They see that the current situation on the battlefield is not in favor of Ukraine, and are forcing Georgia to enter into conflict with the Russian Federation,” Naryshkin claimed, according to BelTa.

He also held a meeting with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko on Tuesday, during which the Belarusian leader told Naryshkin that the two countries were facing “serious” threats.

“Taking into consideration various developments going on in the world, and not the last factor here is fight against terrorism, we see that the special military operation of the Russian Federation prompted us to have a scrupulous look at law enforcement, military and security agencies,” Lukashenko said, according to BelTa. 

The chairman of the Belarusian KGB Ivan Tertel also attended the meeting with Lukashenko, and will have a separate meeting with  Naryshkin, according to BelTa. 

Some context: Lukashenko is a key autocratic ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Belarus helped Russia launch its invasion in February 2022, allowing Moscow’s troops to enter the country through its shared border with Ukraine.

Last month, protests erupted in Georgia after the country’s parliament passed the first reading of a draft law that would require some organizations receiving foreign funding to register as “foreign agents.” The ruling party later announced it would scrap the controversial bill over fears it would drive a wedge between the Caucasian nation and Europe.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, met with former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Monday, as the US reaffirms its support for Kyiv amid Russia's invasion.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met with former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Monday, as the US reaffirms its support for Kyiv amid Russia’s invasion.

The pair met alongside a delegation of American politicians, businessmen and representatives of charitable organizations, Zelensky’s office announced in a statement Tuesday.

“Glad to see that you came with your friends. Comprehensive American support is extremely important for us,” Zelensky told Pompeo, according to his office.

The group discussed Ukraine’s “movement towards NATO,” sanctions on Russia and investment opportunities in Ukraine, according to Zelensky’s office.

The US has emerged as a staunch ally of Kyiv since Russia began its invasion in February 2022, having sent billions of dollars’ worth of critical military aid to Ukraine.

United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken addresses the media prior to the EU-US Energy Council Ministerial meeting at the European Council building in Brussels, Belgium, on April 4.

The United States, European Union and international partners will continue to work “in lockstep” to ensure Ukraine can defend itself amid Russia’s grueling invasion, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Tuesday.

He added that the stakes for cooperation between the White House and its allies “cannot be higher” and reaffirmed their support for Kyiv in a conflict that has posed diplomatic challenges for Western leaders, as they weigh up the cost of sending weaponry to Ukraine without provoking Moscow.

“The US and the EU continue to work in lockstep together with a broad coalition of partners around the world to ensure that Ukraine can defend itself, its people, its territory, the right to choose its own path,” Blinken added, speaking alongside EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell.

Upcoming discussions between the US and EU will focus on ways to further reduce Europe’s dependence on Russian energy and boost clean energy production, Blinken said. 

“US-EU relations have never been stronger or more important for advancing our shared interests,” Blinken added.

Member country flags with one empty mast ahead of a flag-raising ceremony for Finland's accession to NATO, in the Cour d'Honneur of the NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, on April 4.

Finland is set to become the 31st NATO member on Tuesday, in a historic expansion that will see the military alliance’s border with Russia double.

The country’s accession will be completed during a formal ceremony at NATO headquarters in Brussels later Tuesday, marking a major shift in the security landscape in northeastern Europe that adds about 1,300 kilometers (830 miles) to the alliance’s frontier with Russia.

Prior to Tuesday, Russia shared about 1,215 kilometers (755 miles) of land border with five NATO members. 

The accession ends months of diplomatic hurdles and marks a turning point for the Nordic nation, which abandoned decades of neutrality when it announced its intention to join the alliance just over a year ago.

Finland and Sweden both re-evaluated their stance after Russian President Vladimir Putin sent his troops into Ukraine in February 2022.

However, Turkey continues to block Sweden’s application. NATO has an open-door policy, which means any country can be invited to join the alliance. But under accession rules, any member state can veto a new country from joining.

Finnish President Sauli Niinisto said his country is “now ready to join NATO,” following a unanimous vote in Turkey’s parliament to approve Finland’s NATO accession last week.

“All 30 NATO members have now ratified Finland’s membership. I want to thank every one of them for their trust and support,” he also said. “Finland will be a strong and capable ally, committed to the security of the Alliance.”

“We look forward to welcoming Sweden to join us as soon as possible,” the Finnish president added.

CNN’s Ivana Kottasová and Tara John contributed reporting.

Volodymyr Zelensky speaks during a visit in the village of Yagidne, north of Kyiv, on April 3.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met a Republican congressional delegation from the US on Monday and thanked them for their support for Ukraine, the president’s office said in a statement on Tuesday. 

The delegation to the Ukrainian capital Kyiv was led by Chairman of the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence Rep. Mike Turner.

Zelensky updated the delegation on the situation at the frontline and “outlined the forecast for its development in the coming months,” his office said. 

The Ukrainian President also called for additional military support and for the swift delivery of weapons and other equipment from the US that has already been promised. 

Ukrainian armed forces claimed to have shot down 14 out of 17 drones launched by Russia overnight. 

It was not immediately clear if the remaining drones hit any targets. 

Most of the drones were shot down by Ukrainian air defenses over the Odesa region, while at least one was brought down over Mykolaiv, the armed forces said.

According to the armed forces, the drones were launched from southeastern Ukraine, near the Sea of Azov. The drones were believed to be Iranian-made.

An image taken from video released by the Russian Investigative Committee on April 3, shows Darya Trepova, walking escorted by officers inside the building of Russian Investigative Committee, in St. Petersburg, Russia.

After the St. Petersburg cafe explosion that killed a prominent Russian blogger on Sunday, Russia’s interior ministry added 26-year-old Daria Trepova to a wanted list – with her arrest announced shortly after by the Investigative Committee of Russia.

Russian state media reports suggest that the blogger, Vladlen Tatarsky, may have been killed by a device hidden in a figurine presented to him by a woman before the blast. No evidence has yet been presented about who carried out the bombing.

The ministry then released a video of the suspect in custody, identified by Russian authorities as Trepova. In the video, a male voice asks the woman if she understands why she has been detained. She replies in the affirmative, and said she was detained for being at the scene of Tatarsky’s murder.

A male interrogator then asks Trepova what she did at the cafe. She replies that she brought the figurine, but declined to answer who gave it to her.

The video was selectively released by the Russian authorities and it’s unclear if she was speaking under duress.

Confessions in Russia: Human-rights advocates and international observers say Russian police routinely use torture and ill treatment to extract confessions, and Russia’s security service uses coercion and entrapment to recruit informants among Russia’s opposition groups.

Trepova’s husband, Dmitry Rylov, told an independent Russian publication that he is convinced his wife was framed.

Read more here.

This screen grab captured from CCTV shows the moment of the blast in St. Petersburg on Sunday April 2.

Newly published videos show the moments leading up to an explosion that killed Russian ultranationalist military blogger Vladlen Tatarsky in a St. Petersburg cafe on Sunday.

Tatarsky died when a blast tore through the cafe where he was appearing as a guest of a pro-war group. Russian state media reports suggest that Tatarsky may have been killed by a device hidden in a figurine presented to him by a woman before the blast.

Daria Trepova, 26, has since been arrested in connection with the explosion, according to the Investigative Committee of Russia. Russian state media TASS reported that “preliminarily, it was Trepova who handed Tatarsky a figurine with explosives” at the cafe.

A hearing for Trepova is set to take place on Tuesday at the Basmanny District Court in Moscow, according to Russian state news agency Vesti.

Interaction before the blast: A witness said Trepova gave the statuette to the event’s host, before moving to a different part of the room. The video itself does not show her handing the statue to the host and CNN is not able to independently verify the claims.

Another clip appears to show an interaction between Trepova and Tatarsky before the blast.

At one point Tatarsky calls her Nastya – not her real name. After the statuette is presented, she turns to return to her seat toward the back of the hall, but Tatarsky calls her to sit near the front, which she does.

“Sit here or here. Sit over on the chair,” Tatarsky said to her.

“I’ll sit over there. I am too shy,” she replied.

At least 32 people were injured in the blast, with 10 people in serious condition, state media Ria Novosti reported, citing the Russian Ministry of Health.

Security cameras recording outside caught the explosion tearing through the building, blowing out the cafe’s windows and frontage.

Read the full story here.

Vasily Nebenzya, Russia’s ambassador to the United Nations, dismissed concerns about Russia taking on the role of president of the Security Council in April, as the war in Ukraine drags on.

Russia took over presidency on Saturday of the UN’s top security body, a position that rotates every month.

Nebenzya claimed there were no complaints in February 2022 when Russia was last president of the council, the same month it invaded Ukraine. He also pointed out that the United States was president of the council in 2003 — the year the US invaded Iraq.

The ambassador said as long as world order was maintained, there will not be any change in UN procedures that might lead to a change in Russia’s status. 

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This undated picture shows Daria Trepova.

The preventive detention hearing for Daria Trepova, who was detained in connection with the explosion at a cafe in St. Petersburg, Russia, will take place on Tuesday at Basmanny District Court in Moscow, according to Russian state news agency Vesti.

Russian authorities detained Trepova, 26, claiming she was involved in the blast that killed well-known military blogger Vladlen Tatarsky at the cafe in St. Petersburg on Sunday.

Vasily Nebenzya addresses the United Nations Security Council meeting in New York on February 24.

Russian ambassador to the United Nations Vasily Nebenzya on Monday scoffed at concerns that his country could fairly be the president of the Security Council for April during the war in Ukraine.

Nebenzya pointed out that the US was president of the council in 2003 — the year Iraq was invaded. 

He said there were no complaints in February 2022 when Russia was last president of the council, while Russia invaded. 

The ambassador said as long as world order is maintained, there will not be any change in UN procedures that might lead to a change in Russia’s status. 

Russia took over presidency on Saturday of the UN’s top security body, which rotates every month.

Ukraine has received the first tranche of $2.7 billion from a new International Monetary Fund (IMF) program, Ukrainian Finance Minister Sergii Marchenko said in a tweet Monday.  

The IMF, which regularly makes emergency loans to countries in crisis, on Friday approved a new four-year extended arrangement under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) of around $15.6 billion as part of a $115 billion total support package for Ukraine.  

The program also helps Ukraine to carry out “more ambitious structural reforms,” it said.

The Extended Fund Facility (EFF) loan is the first major conventional financing program approved by the IMF for a country involved in a large-scale war, Reuters reported.

The risks to the arrangement are “exceptionally high,” said Gita Gopinath, first deputy managing director of the global lender.  

“The success of the program depends on the size, composition, and timing of external financing on concessional terms to help close fiscal and external financing gaps and restore debt sustainability on a forward-looking basis under the baseline and downside scenarios,” she added.  

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg spoke during a news conference to present the next North Atlantic Council (NAC) Ministers of Foreign Affairs meeting at the NATO headquarters in Brussels on April 3.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said Monday that the alliance has not seen any changes in Russia’s nuclear posture since Russian President Vladimir Putin announced late last month Moscow’s plans to station tactical nuclear weapons in neighboring Belarus.   

Stoltenberg described Putin’s announcement as a “pattern of dangerous, reckless nuclear rhetoric.”  

“President Putin tries to use nuclear weapons as a way to prevent us from supporting Ukraine… intimidation, coercion to stop NATO Allies and partners for supporting Ukraine in their right to defend their own country,” he said.   

Jens Stoltenberg holds a press conference on April 3.

NATO’s chief Jens Stoltenberg said on Monday that Western allies have delivered more than $70 billion in military aid to Ukraine over the last year since the Russian invasion started.  

Stoltenberg added that allies have delivered 65 billion euros (around $70.7 billion) in military aid, and said he welcomed the recent arrival of modern battle tanks and other armored vehicles in Ukraine.  

The NATO head affirmed that the alliance’s support is for the “long haul” and said, “we will discuss how we can step up our support, including by continuing to strengthen Ukraine’s armed forces and supporting the transition from Soviet-era to NATO equipment and doctrine.”   

Stoltenberg also said allies must address other threats and challenges, citing instability, terrorism, and the growing influence of Iran, Russia, and China. He urged allies to invest more in defense to tackle all these wide range of issues.