Former British PM says military aid for Ukraine is crucial for longterm western security
Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he believes military aid to Ukraine will help the country win the war against Russia — a feat he says “will be of decisive importance for western security.”
He called on countries to provide Ukraine with more tanks, planes and long-range artillery. Specifically, he said US President Joe Biden should give Ukraine F-16 jets and called on his country to do the same, making the case that had planes been sent a year ago, “we would be that much further” in ending the war.
The former prime minister also praised and congratulated Biden for his surprise visit to Ukraine ahead of the first anniversary of Russia’s invasion.
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China’s top diplomat meets with Russia’s head of Security Council
From CNN’s Wayne Chang in Hong Kong
Chinese foreign affairs Minister Wang Yi speaks during the 2023 Munich Security Conference (MSC) on February 18, in Munich, Germany.
(Johannes Simon/Getty Images)
China’s top diplomat Wang Yi met with Nikolai Patrushev, the head of Russia’s Security Council, in Moscow on Tuesday, according to a statement from China’s Foreign Ministry.
The two officials agreed to oppose “the Cold War mentality, bloc confrontation and ideological opposition,” as well as “strengthen cooperation” multilaterally to improve global governance, the ministry said.
Wang and Patrushev also discussed the situation in Ukraine, the statement added, without providing additional details.
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US believes Russia had failed intercontinental ballistic missile test around when Biden was in Ukraine
From CNN's Oren Liebermann and Natasha Bertrand
Russia carried out a test of an intercontinental ballistic missile that appears to have failed around the time President Joe Biden was in Ukraine on Monday, according to two US officials familiar with the matter.
Russia notified the United States in advance of the launch through deconfliction lines, one official said. Another official said that the test did not pose a risk to the United States and that the US did not view the test as an anomaly or an escalation.
The test of the heavy SARMAT missile – nicknamed the Satan II in the West and capable of delivering multiple nuclear warheads – appears to have failed, officials said. It has been successfully tested before and had this one worked, US officials believe Russian President Vladimir Putin would have highlighted the test in his State of the Nation address on Tuesday.
Instead, Putin made no mention of the launch in the speech that lasted an hour and 45 minutes. He did, however, formally declare that Russia will be suspending his country’s participation in the New START nuclear arms reduction treaty with the United States, imperiling the last remaining pact that regulates the world’s two largest nuclear arsenals.
CNN initially reported the apparent test occurred while Biden was in Ukraine, based on information from sources. After this story was first published, one of the officials said the test occurred just before Biden was in the country. The second source had told CNN that the test was on Monday without providing any more specific timing.
The timing of the test suggests that the US and Russia were communicating through several different channels earlier this week for deconfliction purposes — US officials also notified the Russians on Sunday night, hours before Biden’s visit to Kyiv, that the president would be making the trip to the Ukrainian capital, National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said on Monday.
CNN has asked Russia’s embassy in Washington for comment.
Correction: This post has been updated to better reflect the timing of the apparent failed intercontinental ballistic missile test.
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UK hopes Putin will reconsider decision to suspend Russia's participation in nuclear agreement
From CNN’s Jorge Engels and Radina Gigova in London
The United Kingdom hopes President Vladimir Putin will “reconsider his rash decision to suspend Russia’s participation in the New START Treaty,” a spokesperson for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said Tuesday.
Sunak’s spokesperson added that arms control is vital to global security and “this is another example of Putin jeopardizing global security for political gain,” a government press officer told CNN.
Russia’s Foreign Ministry said Tuesday the decision to suspend participation in the New START nuclear arms reduction treaty – announced by Putin during a speech Tuesday – is “reversible,” and that despite its decision, Moscow will respect the nuclear weapons cap established under the treaty.
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Zelensky says he has not seen any official peace plan from China
From CNN’s Philip Wang
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he has not seen any official peace plan from China. He said he is counting on international support for Ukraine’s own peace formula.
During a joint press conference with Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Zelensky said Ukraine is interested in all countries being involved in ending the war.
On Monday, China said it is willing to work with other countries to achieve an early ceasefire and lasting peace in Ukraine, the country’s top diplomat Wang Yi told state news agency Xinhua. Wang arrived in Moscow on Tuesday.
Earlier on Tuesday, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said Wang shared with him key points of China’s peace plan, but Ukraine’s peace formula purposed by Zelensky remains the priority.
“We look forward to receiving the text, as this is not a place where you can jump to conclusions just by hearing what the plan is about. We need to find out all the details. Once we receive the document, we will carefully study it and draw conclusions, ” Kuleba said.
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First lady Jill Biden says she found out about the president's trip to Ukraine "right before he left"
From CNN's Maegan Vazquez
First Lady Jill Biden speaks as she hosts a conversation on women's empowerment at the US Ambassadors' house in Mexico City, on January 9.
(Rodrigo Oropeza/AFP/Getty Images)
First lady Jill Biden told reporters on Tuesday she found out about President Joe Biden’s visit to Ukraine “right before he left,” adding that she expressed some concerns about Monday’s covert trip.
Asked if she had concerns about him going to Ukraine, she said, “Of course I did!” Biden said she didn’t remember whether the president informed her about the Ukraine visit during their recent weekend dinner date in Washington.
Biden also said she’s spoken to the president a few times during his ongoing trip to Ukraine and Poland.
“He felt it went well and he was glad that he went,” the first lady said, later adding that she hasn’t seen coverage of his recent speech in Warsaw because she was teaching.
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Ukrainian victories on battlefield are the only way to peace talks, source says
From CNN’s Matthew Chance
The only path to “real peace talks” involves more Ukrainian victories on the battlefield, a source close to the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told CNN on Tuesday.
Following Russian President Vladimir Putin’s uncompromising address to his country on Tuesday, the source said Ukraine needs more military assistance to end the war.
Some background: Putin’s speech came on the same day United States President Joe Biden reaffirmed his commitment to Ukraine during an address in Poland Tuesday.
On Monday, during a surprise visit to Kyiv, Biden announced half-billion dollars in new assistance, saying the package would include more military equipment, such as artillery ammunition, more javelins and Howitzers. He also said new sanctions would be imposed on Moscow later this week.
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China should steer clear of providing weapons to Russia, deputy mayor of Lviv says
China should steer clear of getting involved in the Ukraine war, said Serhiy Kiral, deputy mayor of Lviv, when asked about reports Beijing was weighing providing lethal weapons to Russia.
The US and Western allies have already made clear that “any escalation by supplying lethal weapons to Russia will lead to crossing the redlines and really unpredictable consequences for the Chinese economy and the Chinese future,” he added.
Some context: Though China has claimed impartiality in the conflict and no advance knowledge of Russia’s intent to invade Ukraine, it has refused to condemn Moscow and parroted Kremlin lines blaming NATO for provoking the conflict. And while Beijing’s pro-Russian rhetoric appears to have softened in recent months, its support for Moscow – when measured by its annual trade, diplomatic engagements and schedule of joint military exercises – has bolstered over the past year.
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Poland to deliver 14 Leopard 2 tanks to Kyiv in next few weeks, foreign ministry says
From CNN’s Isa Soares, Eleanor Pickston and Jorge Engels
Poland will deliver 14 Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine in the “next two or three weeks” once the training of the Ukrainian troops is complete, the country’s foreign ministry said Tuesday.
Łukasz Jasina, the spokesperson for Poland’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that Warsaw supported sending fighter jets to Kyiv but that there was still some way to go in achieving a consensus among NATO countries.
“But we are a member of NATO, and we want to reach agreement in all such issues to participate in this together because the alliance is stronger when we are together,” the spokesman said.
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Czech president-elect calls Biden visit to Ukraine and Poland an "extremely strong signal"
From CNN's Jorge Engels in London
Czech President-elect Petr Pavel seen at his campaign headquarter in Prague, Czech Republic on January 28.
Czech President-elect Petr Pavel on Tuesday called US President Joe Biden’s visit to Kyiv and Warsaw an “extremely strong signal” of Washington’s commitment to Ukraine and its European allies.
The former Czech army chief, who was elected as the country’s new leader in January, warned against negotiating with Russia, saying eastern European countries that were part of the Soviet Union-era Warsaw Pact defense treaty were highly aware of Russia’s capabilities.
“We have no idealistic ideas about where Russia is heading, about the possibility of negotiation with Russia. We all know that Russia understands power,” Pavel told CNN. “For us, power comes from unity. That’s why we are very clear on a united approach of all EU and NATO countries against Russian aggression.”
He said the Russians had suffered several “fatal mistakes” in Ukraine but cautioned Moscow shouldn’t be underestimated.
Pavel gave a note of caution on the question of supplying Ukraine with military aircraft, given it takes at least half a year to train pilots and ground and support crews. “It’s much easier to train crews for tanks and artillery.”
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Russia says it'll respect weapons caps under nuclear arms treaty, despite suspending participation
From CNN's Radina Gigova
The Russian Foreign Ministry said Tuesday that Moscow will respect the nuclear weapons caps established under the New START nuclear arms reduction treaty after President Vladimir Putin announced the country was suspending participation in it.
The ministry also said in a statement published on its website that the decision to suspend participation in thetreaty is “reversible,” just hours after Putin’s announcement.
“In addition, the Russian side will continue to participate in the exchange of notifications with the American side on launches of ICBMs and SLBMs on the basis of the relevant agreement between the USSR and the USA in 1988,” it said.
About the nuclear arms treaty: The treaty puts limits on the number of deployed intercontinental-range nuclear weapons that both the US and Russia can have. It was last extended in early 2021 for five years, meaning the two sides would soon need to begin negotiating on another arms control agreement.
Under the treaty, both the United States and Russia are permitted to conduct inspections of each other’s weapons sites, though inspections had been halted since 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
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Biden meets with Moldovan president after US expressed concerns about effects of Russia's war
From CNN's Allie Malloy
Moldovan President Maia Sandu in Paris, France, in November 2022.
(Sarah Meyssonnier/Reuters)
US President Joe Biden met with Moldovan President Maia Sandu in Warsaw Tuesday.
It comes a few days after Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the US has “deep concern” about Russia’s efforts to destabilize Moldova’s government. Sandu also said last week that Russia was plotting a coup in Moldova.
Some context: Moldova, situated between Ukraine and Romania, was previously part of the Soviet Union at the end of World War II. When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, a handful of “frozen conflict” zones in eastern Europe emerged, including a slither of land along Moldova’s border with Ukraine known as Transnistria.
The territory declared itself a Soviet republic in 1990, opposing any attempt by Moldova to become an independent state or to merge with Romania. When Moldova became independent the following year, Russia quickly inserted itself as a so-called “peacekeeping force” in Transnistria, sending troops in to back pro-Moscow separatists there.
In the context of the war today, the Russian-backed separatist enclave at the southwestern edge of the country could now present a potential bookend to any Russian assault westwards from Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region.
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Analysis: Putin's speech was nothing new as he continues to dig in to war in Ukraine
Analysis from CNN's Nathan Hodge
In his state of the nation speech, Russian President Vladimir Putin recycled the same lines about his rationale for invading Ukraine nearly one year ago, and he outlined no vision of how the war he launched might end.
Suspending the treaty in some ways continues an uneasy status quo. Under the agreement, the US and Russia are permitted to conduct inspections of each other’s weapons sites to verify compliance, but those inspections had been on hold since 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Putin’s speech, then, was nothing new. In his rambling, one-hour-and-45-minute address, he offered some warmed-over options from a menu of complaints about the West and rehashed the same justifications for his full-scale war on Ukraine.
His address, in fact, was reminiscent of the television speech that aired on February 24, 2022, announcing the start of the invasion of Ukraine, Russia’s so-called “special military operation.” Putin repeated the same baseless claim that Moscow had no choice but to use force against Ukraine. And he doubled down on blaming the West for the conflict.
Such remarks seem intended for a domestic audience that in many ways has seen their sense of normalcy upended. So Putin also played the reassuring wartime leader, holding a moment of silence for soldiers killed in Ukraine, and promising that Russia will set up a special fund to offer assistance to families of veterans and soldiers killed in Ukraine and bolster social benefits for them.
The Russian president also indirectly addressed some of the discontent in the ranks that has filtered back to the Kremlin following a partial mobilization last fall. Mobilization has been beset by morale-sapping logistical difficulties, supply problems and general disorganization, causing major outrage in Russian society. Putin pledged that rotations in Ukraine would be more predictable, and that soldiers would be given much-needed leave.
That statement can be interpreted another way: Russians need to settle in for a long war, so soldiers should expect some R&R.
Biden condemns Putin and pledges support for Ukraine in speech in Poland. Here's the latest news
From CNN staff
US President Joe Biden stands amid children cheering with US, Polish and Ukrainian flags after he delivered a speech in front the Royal Warsaw Castle Gardens in Warsaw, Poland on February 21.
(Wojtek Radwanski/AFP/Getty Images)
US President Joe Biden said Tuesday that “Ukraine will never be a victory for Russia,” as he addressed a large crowd in Warsaw, Poland, marking the one-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
“For free people refuse to live in a world of hopelessness and you know, this has been an extraordinary year in every sense,” Biden said. “Extraordinary brutality of Russian forces and mercenaries. They have committed depravities, crimes against humanity without shame or compunction.”
In pointed terms, the president accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of atrocities and said his attempt to subjugate a sovereign nation wouldn’t succeed.
“President Putin’s craven lust for land and power will fail,” he said, one of the 10 separate times he singled out the Russian leader by name in his address.
His remarks came a day after he made a surprise trip to the Ukrainian capital.
Here are the latest headlines:
Biden announces the US will host NATO 2024 summit: Biden announced Tuesday that the United States will host next year’s NATO Summit, a high-stakes gathering of world leaders that comes amid an uncertain, but likely violent, future for Russia’s offensive in Ukraine.
Russia suspends participation in nuclear weapons treaty: Moscow is not withdrawing from the agreement, but is suspending its participation, Putin said in his state of the nation address. Under the key nuclear arms control treaty, both the United States and Russia are permitted to conduct inspections of each other’s weapons sites, but inspections have been halted since 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. However, the New START agreement is still in force after a previous agreement between Moscow and Washington extended it through February 4, 2026.
Wagner mercenary group leader Prigozhin accuses Russia’s defense ministry of “treason”: Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin accused the leadership of the Russian defense ministry of “treason” for an alleged attempt to destroy his private military company. “The Chief of the General Staff and the Minister of Defense are handing out commands right and left, that the Wagner PMC should not receive ammunition, they are also not helping with air transport,” Prigozhin claimed in an audio recording published Tuesday by his press service on Telegram.
Developing partnership with China is a priority, Kremlin official says: The secretary of Russia’s Security Council, Nikolai Patrushev, spoke with China’s top diplomat Wang Yi during Wang’s trip to Moscow on Tuesday, according to Russian state news agencies TASS and RIA Novosti. Patrushev said the deepening of Russian-Chinese coordination in the international arena was particularly important, according to RIA. The Russian official said developing a strategic partnership with China is an “unconditional priority” for Russian foreign policy. China has refused to condemn Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
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Biden named Putin 10 times in his speech in Poland
From CNN's Kevin Liptak
US President Joe Biden delivers a speech on Tuesday in Warsaw.
(Evan Vucci/AP)
US President Joe Biden singled out Russian President Vladimir Putin by name 10 times in his speech from Warsaw, going after the Russian leader directly as he rallied the world behind Ukraine.
By contrast, Putin didn’t name Biden once in his lengthy and belligerent address from Moscow earlier in the day.
Biden said Putin had unleashed a “murderous assault,” ordered tanks into Ukraine and attempted to starve the world.
“President Putin’s craven lust for land and power will fail, and the Ukrainians’ love for their country will prevail,” he said.
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US assessment of Russia's nuclear program remains unchanged, officials say
From CNN's Kylie Atwood
While Russian President Vladimir Putin has declared that Russia is suspending participation in the New START arms reduction treaty, the US assessment of Russia’s nuclear program remains unchanged, two senior administration officials told CNN.
There remains some uncertainty among US officials as to what Russia plans to do now that it has halted participation in the agreement, the officials said.
But officials in President Joe Biden’s administration remain confident that the US will know if Russia begins to build out its nuclear program.
The official would not detail the tools the US has in its arsenal. Historically, the US has relied on intelligence gathering to monitor Russia’s nuclear program in addition to the information that is gathered as a part of New START.
The Biden administration’s confidence in monitoring Russia’s nuclear program mirrors the comments from State Department spokesperson Ned Price earlier.
“We haven’t seen any reason to change our nuclear posture, our strategic posture just yet, but this is something we monitor every day,” Price said on “CNN This Morning.”
About the nuclear arms treaty: The treaty limits each the US and Russia to no more than 1,550 deployed nuclear warheads and 700 deployed missiles and bombers. It also requires on-site inspections as part of compliance checks.Russia has not been in compliance with the treaty for months, because it hasn’t allowed inspections that are part of it. The inspections have now not occurred since 2020, because they were halted due to Covid-19 and never resumed.
As Russia continues with its invasion of Ukraine, Putin is doubling down on his commitment to the war. US officials are wary to say that those efforts would handicap Russia’s ability to build its nuclear program, but some see it as unlikely that they would engage in those efforts while the war in ongoing.
“I wouldn’t want to offer an assessment as whether that has overstretched them to the point that they would be precluded from some way in some way from taking steps to develop their nuclear arsenal but … they’ve got a lot of problems on their hands,” an official said. “I think they’re going to be careful not to not to bite off more than they can chew.”
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Zelensky meets with US congressional delegation in Kyiv
From CNN's Radina Gigova and Mariya Knight
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met with a delegation from the US House of Representatives led by Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs Michael McCaul on Tuesday, Zelensky’s office said in a statement.
Zelensky and the US delegation discussed the situation on the frontline and the “crimes committed by Russian invaders,” his office said. “I have just been informed that Kherson was shelled once again. People died again. We need weapons to stop these crimes,” he said.
Zelensky also reiterated his gratitude for the strong support from both chambers and parties of Congress, the US President and the American people.
“We are grateful for all the steps that have been taken, which have been endorsed by the President of the United States and the Congress. For the aid packages for our army, our military on the battlefield. And, of course, for the financial support to overcome all the challenges that have arisen as a result of Russian aggression,” he said.
Earlier this month, McCaul spoke to CNN about bipartisan support for Ukraine and was asked if he believes the US is considering sending F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, McCaul replied, “I hope so,” and reiterated his concern over a drawn-out conflict between Russia and Ukraine while noting, “I think the momentum is building for this to happen.”
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Biden announces the US will host NATO 2024 summit
From CNN's Betsy Klein
US President Joe Biden holds a speech in Warsaw on Tuesday.
(Michal Dyjuk/AP)
US President Joe Biden announced Tuesday that the United States will host next year’s NATO Summit, a high-stakes gathering of world leaders that comes amid an uncertain, but likely violent, future for Russia’s offensive in Ukraine.
He reiterated US support for NATO and Article 5, the group’s founding principle that an attack on one member is an attack on all.
“Let there be no doubt: commitment of the United States to our alliance and Article 5 is rock solid. And every member of NATO knows it and Russia knows it as well: an attack against one is an attack against all. It’s a sacred oath,” he said.
He vowed that the US and its allies and partners “are going to continue to have Ukraine’s back as it defends itself.”
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Biden praises Poland for its warm reception of Ukrainian refugees since Russia's war began
US President Joe Biden stood in solidarity with millions of Ukrainians who fled the country at the start of Russia’s invasion and lauded the efforts of Poland and Polish people for receiving them.
“We stand with the millions of refugees of this war who found a welcome in Europe and the United States, particularly here in Poland,” he said in a speech in Warsaw. “Polish businesses, civil society, cultural leaders, including the first lady of Poland — who is here tonight — have led with the heart and determination, showcasing all that’s good about the human spirit.”
He recounted his visit to Poland last year to meet the refugees, saying he will never forget it.
“Seeing their faces, exhausted and afraid, holding their children so close, worrying they may never see their fathers or husbands or brothers or sisters again. In that darkest moment through their lives, you the people of Poland offered them safety and light. You embraced them, you literally embraced them.”
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Polish president: Thanks to Ukrainian heroism and support of allies, Kyiv has not fallen
From CNN's Jonny Hallam
Polish President Andrzej Duda holds a speech at the Royal Castle after meeting US President Joe Biden in Warsaw on Tuesday.
(Michal Dyjuk/AP)
Polish President Andrzej Duda on Tuesday gave thanks to US President Joe Biden, the United States and US Congress for supporting Ukraine in a speech outside the Royal Castle in Warsaw, Poland.
“As the full-scale Russian invasion started, everybody thought that Ukraine would fall within 72 hours, within three days,” he said, thanking “the heroism of the defenders of Ukraine” and “the support given to Ukraine by the free world.”
Duda was speaking to a large crowd after talks with Biden in the Polish capital, as the US leader continues his tour of the region ahead of the one-year anniversary of Russia’s brutal and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.
“We stand in solidarity with Ukraine, and we will stand in solidarity with Ukraine,” he said.
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"Hard and bitter days" are ahead as Ukraine continues to defend itself from Russia, Biden says
As the war approaches its one-year mark, the months ahead will continue to be difficult for Ukrainians as they defend their country, US President Joe Biden said, looking at what is to come in the conflict.
Biden said in an address in Poland Tuesday that there is “much for us to be proud of,” but he also urged allies to be “honest and clear-eyed as we look at the year ahead.”
The president said fighting for freedom is something that will always be difficult, but at the same time, “always important.”
Biden added the United States and its western allies will continue to support Ukraine as well as “hold accountable those responsible for this war.”
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Biden speaks to Russian people: The West "was not plotting to attack Russia as Putin said today"
US President Joe Biden rebutted claims President Vladimir Putin made on Tuesday, saying the West was not seeking to control Russia.
Biden, speaking in Poland, addressed the people of Russia.
He added, “This war is never a necessity. It’s a tragedy. President Putin chose this war.”
Biden reiterated that Ukraine has to defend itself while Putin chooses to continue the war, whereas Putin has the choice to end the war whenever he decides.
Remember: Earlier this morning, Putin gave a speech claiming that the West had “ambitions” of seizing “historically Russian lands.”
“The elite of the West does not conceal their ambitions, which is to strategically defeat Russia. What does that mean? It means to finish yourself once and for all,” Putin said. “They do that by making local conflicts into much wider and bigger ones.”
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"Ukraine will never be a victory for Russia," Biden says
US President Joe Biden holds a speech at the Royal Castle after meeting with Polish President Andrzej Duda in Warsaw on Tuesday.
(Michal Dyjuk/AP)
US President Joe Biden said Tuesday that “Ukraine will never be a victory for Russia,” as he addressed a large crowd in Warsaw, Poland, marking the one-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
“For free people refuse to live in a world of hopelessness and you know, this has been an extraordinary year in every sense,” Biden said. “Extraordinary brutality of Russian forces and mercenaries. They have committed depravities, crimes against humanity without shame or compunction.”
Biden continued to lay out actions taken by Russia’s military in Ukraine since the war began.
“They have targeted civilians with death and destruction,” he said. “Used rape as a weapon of war. Stolen Ukrainian children in an attempt to steal Ukraine’s bombed train station, maternity hospitals, schools, orphanages. No one, no one can turn away their eyes from the atrocities that Russia is committing. It is abhorrent. It is abhorrent. But extraordinarily, as well, has been the response of the Ukrainian people and the world.”
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"We will not tire" in support of Ukraine, Biden says
US President Joe Biden speaks at the Royal Castle Gardens in Warsaw on Tuesday.
(Evan Vucci/AP)
US President Joe Biden said Russian President Vladimir Putin still doubts the conviction and continued support of NATO allies for Ukraine, nearly one year into the war.
“There should be no doubt. Our support for Ukraine will not waver, NATO will not be divided and we will not tire,” Biden said in Warsaw.
Biden said freedom is at stake in the war.
“We are seeing again today what the people of Poland and the people across Europe saw for decades, appetites of the autocrat cannot be appeased — they must be opposed. Autocrats only understand one word: no. No, no. No, you will not take my country. No, you will not take my freedom. No, you will not take my future,” Biden said.
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Biden: Putin "thought we would roll over. He was wrong"
US President Joe Biden to arrives to deliver a speech on Tuesday in Warsaw.
(Evan Vucci/AP)
When Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the tanks to roll in Ukraine last year, “he thought we would roll over. He was wrong,” US President Joe Biden said on Tuesday.
“The Ukrainian people are too brave. America, Europe, a coalition of nations from the Atlantic to the Pacific — we were too unified. Democracy was too strong. Instead of an easy victory he perceived and predicted, Putin left with burnt out tanks and Russia’s forces in disarray,” he said during a speech in Warsaw, Poland.
“He thought NATO would fracture and divide. Instead, NATO is more united and more unified more than ever before. He thought that he could weaponize energy, crack Europe’s resolve, and instead, we are working to end Europe’s dependence from Russian fossil fuels,” Biden added.
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Biden: "Kyiv stands strong" in face of yearlong war
US President Joe Biden speaks in Warsaw on Tuesday.
(Alastair Grant/AP)
US President Joe Biden began his remarks in Poland by declaring that “Kyiv stands strong” nearly one year after Russia’s invasion.
“One year ago, the world was bracing for the fall of Kyiv. Well, I have just come from a visit to Kyiv and I can report that Kyiv stands strong,” Biden said in Warsaw.
“It stands tall. And most importantly, it stands free,” he said.
Biden also said Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war on Ukraine tested all democratic countries.
“When Russia invaded, it was not just Ukraine being tested. The whole world faced a test for the ages. Europe was being tested. America was being tested. NATO was being tested. All democracies were being tested,” he said.
Biden said that allies stood strong against Russia’s aggression.
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NOW: President Biden delivers speech in Poland to mark anniversary of Russian invasion of Ukraine
President Joe Biden speaks from the Royal Castle in Warsaw.
(Pool)
US President Joe Biden is speaking from the Royal Castle in Warsaw, Poland, to mark this week’s anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Russian official calls Biden's visit to Kyiv a "performance"
From CNN's Uliana Pavlova ad Radina Gigova
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov described US President Joe Biden’s visit to Kyiv and the military aid package the US has promised Ukraine as a “performance.”
“What’s new in this? You know, the performance is on. And so it continues,” Lavrov told Russian state news agency RIA Novosti on Tuesday.
“Everything works in this vein, from the point of view of our former Western colleagues, and from the point of view of saving the Nazi regime. Attempts are futile,” Lavrov claimed.
Biden announced a half-billion dollars of additional assistance to Ukraine during his surprise visit to Ukraine on Monday.
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IMF chief praises Ukraine's economic management on a visit to Kyiv and pledges continuing support
From CNN's Gayle Harrington
The Head of the International Monetary Fund has praised Ukraine’s leadership for “their impressive economic management through exceptionally difficult circumstances, adapting their policies to navigate large and complex shocks” in a statement following a visit to the country.
Kristalina Georgieva, arrived in Kyiv on Monday, the same day US President Joe Biden made a surprise visit to the city. Georgieva met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as well as the prime minister, Ukraine’s finance minister and the Central Bank president.
In her concluding remarks, she described “an economy that is functioning, despite the tremendous challenges.” She went on to say “the economy is adjusting, and a gradual economic recovery is expected over the course of this year.”
Georgieva also reiterated the IMF’s commitment to Ukraine. “The international community will continue to have a vital role in supporting Ukraine, including to help address the large financing needs in 2023 and beyond.”
Some context: The visit comes a few days after IMF staff and Ukrainian authorities reached an agreement to begin discussions for a full loan program that would support Ukraine’s economy, subject to approval from IMF management. In a statement, the IMF said that in 2022, Ukraine’s economy contracted by 30%, a less severe contraction than previously expected but also described how the near-term outlook has deteriorated, partly due to attacks on critical infrastructure.
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Schools in Ukraine advised to operate in remote mode around war anniversary
From CNN's Radina Gigova and Maria Kostenko
Ukrainian schools have been advised to hold classes online “as a precautionary measure” around the first anniversary of Russia’s invasion of the country, Ukraine’s Education Minister Serhiy Shkarlet said in a statement Tuesday.
“For the purpose of saving the lives and health of all those involved in the educational process, and as a precautionary measure, on the eve of the beginning of Russia’s war on Ukraine, I have approached heads of regional military administrations and educational facilities with a guidance note to facilitate the learning process in a remote mode during February 22-24,” Shkarlet said.
Neither the ministry nor Shkarlet elaborated on any specific possible threats.
As of Tuesday, 3,128 educational facilities have been damaged “as a result of Russian aggression,” 441 of which have been completely destroyed, Shkarlet said.
Nearly 1,000 children have been killed or injured as a result of the war, according to the United Nations.
Here’s how different regions are handling the anniversary:
Kyiv
Schools in the city of Kyiv will be operating in a mixed learning format from February 22 to 24, according to the city’s administration.
Over 400 schools have had remote learning as an option since the beginning of the school year, the administration said on its Telegram account.
A specific security protocol has been developed for all educational facilities in the capital, the administration said. All staff have been instructed on how to respond to air raid alerts and all 404 schools operating in full-time mode are provided with shelters that can accommodate all students and staff, it said.
Kyiv region
Schools in the larger Kyiv region will be operating in a remote mode from February 22 to 24, the Kyiv region military administration said in a statement on Tuesday.
The decision was made “due to the increased threat of enemy shelling and potential provocative actions on the eve of the one-year anniversary of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine,” the administration said.
Kindergartens in the region are advised to operate in an on-call group mode, the regional administration said.
Odesa region
From February 22 to 24, educational facilities in the Odesa region are advised to operate in remote mode, the regional administration said in a statement on Tuesday.
“We recommend that the educational process be carried out using distance learning technologies,” the administration said.
“We believe in the Armed Forces, let’s take care of each other and bring victory closer together,” it added.
Volyn and Rivne regions
Schools in Ukraine’s western Rivne and Volyn regions will also operate in remote learning mode, according to regional authorities.
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Developing partnership with China is a Russian foreign policy priority, Kremlin official says
From CNN's Mariya Knight
Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev seen during the military parade at Red Square, on May 9, 2021, in Moscow, Russia.
(Mikhail Svetlov/Getty Images)
The secretary of Russia’s Security Council, Nikolai Patrushev, spoke with China’s top diplomat Wang Yi during Wang’s trip to Moscow on Tuesday, according to Russian state news agencies TASS and RIA Novosti.
Patrushev said the deepening of Russian-Chinese coordination in the international arena was particularly important, according to RIA. The Russian official said developing a strategic partnership with China is an “unconditional priority” for Russian foreign policy.
“Relations between the Russian Federation and China are valuable in themselves and are not subject to external conjuncture,” TASS cited Patrushev as saying.
China’s top diplomat will meet with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Moscow on Wednesday, according to TASS, citing the Russian foreign ministry on Tuesday. It’s the first visit to the country from China’s top diplomat since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
China has refused to condemn Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
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Polish diplomat calls Putin's decision to pull back from nuclear arms treaty "an unfortunate step back"
From CNN's Aditi Sangal
Polish Consul General Adrian Kubicki called Russian President Vladimir Putin’s decision to suspend participation from New START — the only remaining major nuclear arms control treaty with the US — “an unfortunate step back.”
It’s a symbolic move by Putin, Kubicki told CNN, adding that Polish intelligence will monitor to see if Russia increases its nuclear capabilities.
Kubicki also said that US President Joe Biden and Polish President Andrzej Duda are expected to discuss the establishment of a permanent NATO base in Poland, especially given the upcoming NATO summit.
Calling it an important step to enhance eastern European security given Russia’s threat, Kubicki said such a base would be something that “Putin will have to take into account” if he decides to escalate the conflict.
He said establishing a base would also enhance security in eastern Europe, which has become a more pivotal part of NATO given its proximity to the war in Ukraine.
“We’re a well-oiled machine in terms of collaboration,” he said. “Putin decided to invade to prove that [the] West is at its weakest given our internal discussions, but we have proved he is wrong.”
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Wagner mercenary group leader Prigozhin accuses Russia's defense ministry of "treason"
From Uliana Pavlova and Radina Gigova
Graves of Russian Wagner mercenary group fighters are seen in a cemetery near the village of Bakinskaya in the Krasnodar region, Russia, on January 22.
(Reuters)
Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin accused the leadership of the Russian Defense Ministry of what he called “treason” for an alleged attempt to destroy his private military company, in an audio recording published Tuesday by his press service on Telegram.
“The Chief of the General Staff and the Minister of Defense are handing out commands right and left, that the Wagner PMC should not receive ammunition, they are also not helping with air transport,” Prigozhin claimed in the recording.
In the audio recording, a seemingly frustrated Prigozhin also complained about the high number of deaths within Wagner, citing a consistent lack of supplies.
“Wagner PMCs do not have ammunition. Why do the rest of the units also have a constant shortage of ammunition? A handful of military functionaries decided that this is their country, their people, who decided that these people would die when it suits them,” he said.
CNN cannot independently verify Prigozhin’s claims about the Defense Ministry and an ammunition storage.
Some key background: Tuesday’s comments echo comments that Prigozhin made on Monday, when he claimed twice as many fighters of Wagner and other military units are dying every day “due to total shell hunger when we’re not allowed to use what there is in warehouses.”
The Wagner leader, who has no official position, has been unusually public in his criticism of some of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s generals. He has been in a long-standing feud with the Ministry of Defense, publicly blaming the current leadership for heavy losses and defeats in Ukraine.
While he once operated mostly in the shadows, his profile has grown in recent months as leveled scathing public criticism at Russian military officials for their failures in Ukraine while supplying thousands of Wagner forces – many recruited from prisons – to wage war in the country’s east.
The US government estimates that the Wagner group has suffered more than 30,000 causalities, including roughly 9,000 dead in the battle for the city of Bakhmut. About half of those 9,000 have been killed since mid-December, US National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said last week. And about 90% of those killed in December were recruited from Russian prisons, he said.
CNN’s Sam Fossum contributed reporting to this post.
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Poland's president thanks Biden for surprise trip to Ukraine
From CNN's Jonny Hallam
Polish President Andrzej Duda, center, meets with President Joe Biden, on February 21, in Warsaw, Poland.
(Evan Vucci/AP)
Polish President Andrzej Duda thanked US President Joe Biden for his visit to Ukraine on Monday in remarks made at the start of a meeting between the two leaders in Warsaw on Tuesday.
Duda said the “extraordinary gesture” not only boosted morale of the Ukrainians fighting Russia’s yearlong invasion of their country, but was also a “significant sign that the free world has not forgotten them, that a free world and its biggest leader, the President of the United States, stands by them.”
The Polish president also said Biden’s visit sent a signal to Moscow as Russia continues to violate international rules and attack Ukrainian residences and infrastructure.
Duda expressed his gratitude as well on behalf of his country’s citizens, “because I believe that the Polish people see it also as an appreciation of the contribution that we have made in the construction of a security in our part of Europe,” Duda said.
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US: "We remain ready to meet with Russia" to discuss nuclear arms treaty
From CNN's Kevin Liptak
A National Security Council spokesperson said the US “remain[s] ready to meet with Russia” on New START after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced his country was suspending its participation in the nuclear arms treaty.
“We remain ready to meet with Russia to discuss the Treaty and nuclear stability issues, as our recent P5 meeting on risk reduction illustrates. As we have said before, no matter what else is happening in the world, the United States is ready to pursue critical arms control measures,” according to a statement from an NSC spokesperson.
“We remain ready to talk about strategic arms limitations at any time with Russia, irrespective of anything else going on, in the world or in our relationship. I think it matters that we continue to act responsibly in this area,” he added.
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Biden thanks Poland for "unwavering" support in Ukraine
From CNN's Allie Malloy
US President Joe Biden and Polish President Andrzej Duda participate in a bilateral meeting to discuss collective efforts to support Ukraine and bolster NATO's deterrence at the Presidential Palace in Warsaw, Poland, on February 21.
(Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters)
US President Joe Biden thanked Polish President Andrzej Duda for his country’s commitment to supporting the people of Ukraine calling the relationship between the two nations “critical, critical, critical.”
Biden said he believes Ukraine is in a “better position than we’ve ever been” and called on NATO countries to “keep our head and our focus.”
“I made it clear that the commitment of the United States is real and that a year later I would argue NATO is stronger than it’s ever been,” Biden said.
“I can proudly say that our support for Ukraine remains unwavering.”
Biden called Poland’s support for Ukraine “truly extraordinary” and thanked the country for welcoming over one million Ukrainians.
“A lot of challenges we have to face but I’m confident we can do it together,” Biden said.
More on Poland: Poland has been at the vanguard of galvanizing NATO action to give Ukraine modern battlefield tanks and is now leading the way in training. Earlier this month, CNN reported on Ukrainian soldiers training in western Poland on new Leopard 2 tanks that NATO allies spent months debating before finally agreeing in January to give Ukraine.
CNN’s Nic Robertson and Antonia Mortensen contributed to this post.
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Top US diplomat says Russia's decision on New START is "deeply unfortunate and irresponsible"
From CNN's Andrea Cambron
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken talks to the press in Athens, Greece, on February 21.
The Biden administration remains ready to talk about the nuclear arms treaty “at any time with Russia, irrespective of anything else going on in the world,” he said.
“I think it matters that we continue to act responsibly in this area, it’s also something the rest of the world expect of us,” Blinken said.
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Russian shelling kills 6 in city of Kherson, Ukrainian military says
From CNN's Mariya Knight in Atlanta and Olga Voitovych in Kyiv
A bus station damaged after a shelling in Kherson, Ukraine, on February 21.
(Lisi Niesner/Reuters)
Russian shelling has killed at least six people in Ukraine’s southern city of Kherson on Tuesday, the Ukrainian military’s Operational Command South said in a Facebook post.
“A local market and a public transport stop were shelled. Civilians of Kherson were injured and killed right in the middle of the street, in their own homes and workplaces,” according to the post. “As of now, there are about 6 dead and 12 wounded.”
In the city, Russian shelling hit residential areas, infrastructure, a kindergarten and a hospital, according to the military.
According to Operational Command, the port infrastructure of the city of Ochakiv was also hit with multiple rocket launchers, injuring one person.
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China's top diplomat arrives in Moscow for meeting with Russian foreign minister
From CNN's Beijing bureau, Anna Chernova and Uliana Pavlova
Chinese foreign affairs Minister Wang Yi speaks during the 2023 Munich Security Conference (MSC) in Munich, Germany, on February 18.
(Alexandra Baier MSC/UPI/Shutterstock)
China’s top diplomat Wang Yi has arrived in Moscow and will meet with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Moscow on Wednesday, according to Russian state news agency TASS, citing the Russian foreign ministry on Tuesday.
This would be the first visit to the country from China’s top diplomat since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Wang, who was named Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s top foreign policy adviser last month, is making the visit during an eight-day international tour.
Neither Russia nor China has specified whether Wang would meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin. However, on Monday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said “we do not exclude a meeting” between Wang and Putin.
China’s Foreign Ministry said the visit to Moscow will provide an opportunity for China and Russia to continue to develop their strategic partnership and “exchange views” on “international and regional hotspot issues of shared interest.”
For context: Though China claimed impartiality in the Ukraine conflict and no advance knowledge of Russia’s intent, it has refused to condemn Moscow and parroted Kremlin lines blaming NATO for provoking the conflict.
And while Beijing’s pro-Russian rhetoric appears to have softened in recent months, its support for Moscow – when measured by its annual trade, diplomatic engagements and schedule of joint military exercises – has bolstered over the past year.
Wang said Saturday at the Munich Security Conference that China is ready to present its peace proposition for Ukraine in a rare remark that referred to the Ukraine conflict as “warfare.” But European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen told CNN on Saturday that “we need more proof that China isn’t working with Russia, and we aren’t seeing that now.”
Correction: A previous version of this post incorrectly stated that the visit is the first of any Chinese official to Russia since the start of the war in Ukraine. It is the first visit of China’s top diplomat since the Russian invasion.
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It's mid-afternoon in Kyiv. Here's what you need to know
From CNN staff
Russian President Vladimir Putin used an address to the country’s Federal Assembly to repeat his justifications for the invasion of Ukraine, blaming the conflict on the West and the expansion of the NATO military alliance.
He added that Russia is suspending its participation in the New START nuclear arms reduction treaty with the United States, the only agreement left regulating the world’s two largest nuclear arsenals.
Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden is preparing to make a speech from the Royal Castle in Warsaw, Poland, following his surprise trip to Ukraine on Monday.
Here are the latest headlines:
Putin plays the hits: The president used his state of the nation address to repeat his claims that Moscow had no choice but to launch an invasion of Ukraine.
Key nuclear treaty: Russia is suspending its participation in the New START treaty, Putin also said. The agreement limits the number of deployed intercontinental-range nuclear weapons that both the US and Russia can have.
Railing against the West: Putin warned that Russians face an existential threat from what he described as corrupt Western values, adding that a family “is the union of a man and a woman.”
Russian commentator slams Putin address: Prominent military blogger Igor Girkin criticized Putin’s speech for failing to address some of the perceived failings of Russia’s campaign in Ukraine.
Biden prepares for Warsaw speech: The US president’s speech in Warsaw shortly will act as an “affirmative statement of values” rather than a direct rebuttal to Putin’s address earlier.
Russia makes small gains in eastern Ukraine: Russian forces have made incremental gains around the city of Bakhmut in the Donetsk region and Kupyansk in the Kharkiv region, analysis from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) suggests.
Russian strike “an apparent war crime”: A Russian cluster munition attack that killed more than 50 people at a crowded train station in the Ukrainian city of Kramatorsk last April was “in violation of the laws of war, and was an apparent war crime,” according to a report by Human Rights Watch and SITU Research.
Italy “unlikely” to send fighter jets: Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said it is “unlikely” Italy will donate fighter jets to Ukraine in an interview with Italian newspaper La Stampa.
China voices concerns: China is “deeply worried” about the conflict in Ukraine “spiraling out of control,” Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang said Tuesday.
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"Coordination" needed to deliver weapons to Ukraine, foreign minister says
From CNN’s Allegra Goodwin in London
Ukrainian Minister for Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba attends a news conference at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, on February 21.
(Johanna Geron/Reuters)
Ukraine’s foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba said Tuesday that “coordination” was needed to deliver weapons and ammunition to the battlefield amid Russia’s war.
Kuleba’s comments came after Russian President Vladimir Putin doubled down on the war in Ukraine in his state of the nation speech. He rolled out a familiar list of justifications for his unprovoked invasion, including NATO expansion.
The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense said Putin was not able to declare victory or speak at length about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine because of the country’s military which has been fighting back Moscow’s troops.
“Today’s speech by the Russian dictator was in part written by #UAarmy. It is thanks to our soldiers who are fighting near Svatove, Bakhmut, Avdiivka, Vuhledar, Orikhiv that there was no place for a “special military operation” in his annual address,” the ministry said in a tweet on Tuesday. “Because there are no victories.”
CNN’s Victoria Butenko and Vasco Cotovio contributed to this post.
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NATO secretary general says Putin is "preparing for more war"
From CNN's Jessie Gretener
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg attends a news conference at the Alliance's headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, on February 21.
(Johanna Geron/Reuters)
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said Vladimir Putin is “preparing for more war” in response to the Russian president’s state of the nation address on Tuesday.
Stoltenberg also noted that the alliance is “increasingly concerned” that China is planning support for Russia.
“It is President Putin who started this imperial war of conquest. It is Putin who keeps escalating this way,” Stoltenberg said at a news conference in Brussels Tuesday alongside Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba and the European Union’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell. “One year since he launched the invasion, we see no sign that President Putin is preparing for peace. On the contrary, as he made clear today, he’s preparing for more war.”
Stoltenberg echoed previous comments about support for Ukraine, welcoming “recent announcements by allies on new tanks, heavy weaponry, and training for Ukraine troops,” stating that it is “urgent to deliver on all these pledges.”
Stoltenberg said that he, Kuleba and Borrell discussed ramping up production to continue supporting Ukraine during Tuesday’s talks.
“Upon Ukraine’s request, we have agreed that NATO should assist Ukraine to develop a procurement system that is effective, transparent, and accountable. We have also agreed today to convene a meeting of NATO, EU and Ukrainian experts to see what more we can do together to ensure Ukraine has the weapons it needs,” he added.
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NOW: President Biden meets Polish President Duda
U.S. President Joe Biden and Polish President Andrzej Duda listen to national anthem during a welcome ceremony outside the Presidential Palace in Warsaw, Poland, on February 21.
(Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters)
US President Joe Biden is meeting with Polish President Andrzej Duda in Warsaw.
Biden’s visit to Poland comes a day after his secret trip to Kyiv.
He is set to give an address later today.
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Russia summons American ambassador over US involvement in Ukraine "hostilities"
From CNN's Mariya Knight
Lynne Tracy testifies during a Senate Foreign Relations nomination hearing to be the Ambassador to the Russian Federation at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C, on November 30.
(Bonnie Cash/UPI/Shutterstock)
Russia’s Foreign Ministry summoned the US ambassador to Russia, Lynne Tracy, on Tuesday, saying it was “in connection with the growing involvement of the United States in hostilities on the side of the Kyiv regime.”
The ministry said in a statement: “The note of protest handed over to the ambassador emphasizes that the pumping of the Armed Forces of Ukraine with weapons, as well as giving target designations for strikes against Russian military and civilian infrastructure, clearly prove the inconsistency and falsity of the statements of the American side that the United States is not a part of the conflict.”
“In this regard, the ambassador was told that the current aggressive course of the United States to deepen confrontation with Russia in all areas is counterproductive,” it continued.
The statement added that Washington “must take steps that involve the withdrawal of US-NATO military and equipment, as well as the cessation of hostile anti-Russian activity.”
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Ukrainian railway boss apologizes for dip in punctuality to a mere 90% due to Biden’s train
US President Joe Biden sits on a train with National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan after a surprise visit with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, in Kyiv, Ukraine, on February 20.
(Evan Vucci/AFP/Getty Images)
The head of Ukrainian Railways made a tongue-in-cheek apology for train delays caused by US President Joe Biden’s visit to the country on Monday.
In a Twitter thread, Alexander Kamyshin described Biden’s long train trip aboard what he dubbed ‘Rail Force One’ as a “historic moment.”
“I don’t actually remember how we got from Putin’s idea to ‘take Kyiv in 3 days’ to President Biden walking across Kyiv together with my President Zelensky on the 362nd day of the war,” he tweeted.
“So, it was an honor and a privilege for me and the whole #IronTeam of [Ukrainian Railways] to deal with this visit. I must say, it was complicated. But we did it. That’s how #RailForceOne appeared,” said Kamyshin.
Kamyshin added that in 24 hours, Biden spent 20 hours on the train and only four hours in Kyiv.
“That’s why it was important for us to care about him in a proper way. And we did,” he said.
“It was painful for me and my team, but I had to do that. So only 90% of our trains arrived on time yesterday. I apologize,” he added.
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Russia is suspending its participation in New START nuclear weapons treaty, Putin says
From CNN's Anna Chernova, Nathan Hodge and Lauren Kent
Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during a state of the nation address in Moscow, on February 21.
(Mikhail Metzel/Sputnik/AFP/Getty Images)
Russia is suspending its participation in the New START nuclear arms reduction treaty, President Vladimir Putin said Tuesday.
Moscow is not withdrawing from the agreement, but is suspending its participation, Putin said in his state of the nation address.
Under the key nuclear arms control treaty, both the United States and Russia are permitted to conduct inspections of each other’s weapons sites, but inspections have been halted since 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
However, the New START treaty is still in force after a previous agreement between Moscow and Washington extended it through February 4, 2026.
According to US officials, Russia has continually refused to allow inspections of its nuclear facilities.
“Russia is not complying with its obligation under the New START Treaty to facilitate inspection activities on its territory,” a US State Department spokesperson said in January.
“Russia’s refusal to facilitate inspection activities prevents the United States from exercising important rights under the treaty and threatens the viability of U.S.-Russian nuclear arms control.”
Some context: The New START treaty is the only agreement left regulating the world’s two largest nuclear arsenals.
The treaty puts limits on the number of deployed intercontinental-range nuclear weapons that both the US and Russia can have. It was last extended in early 2021 for five years, meaning the two sides will soon need to begin negotiating on another arms control agreement.
A session of the Bilateral Consultative Commission on the treaty was slated to meet in Egypt in late November but was abruptly called off.
The US has blamed Russia for this postponement, with a State Department spokesperson saying the decision was made “unilaterally” by Russia.
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Here is the latest control map from Ukraine
Russian forces have made incremental gains in eastern Ukraine, an analysis from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) suggests.
They have made some progress around the city of Bakhmut and are pushing around the important logistical target of Kupyansk in the Kharkiv region.
Here is the current control map of the country:
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Russia's war has been "a strategic failure in every way," Blinken says
From CNN's Niamh Kennedy
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, left, speaks during a news conference with Greek Foreign Affairs Minister Nikos Dendias, in Athens, Greece, on February 21.
(Louisa Gouliamaki/AFP/Getty Images)
Russia’s war in Ukraine has been a “strategic failure in every way,” US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a news conference on Tuesday.
Speaking alongside the Greek Foreign Minister in Athens, Blinken warned that allowing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine to “go forward with impunity” would open up a “Pandora’s box.”
“That’s because of the courage of the Ukrainian people. But it’s also because of the strength and unity of allies and partners around the world who have come to support Ukraine,” he said.
The remarks followed US President Joe Biden’s surprise visit to Ukraine Monday, which was hailed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as a “symbolic” visit from a “powerful ally.”
Blinken commended Greece’s “strong” and “outspoken” support for Ukraine and NATO, highlighting Greece’s efforts to “strengthen the alliance’s eastern flank” and facilitate shipments through the port of Alexandria.
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Pro-Russian military blogger slams Putin's speech
From CNN’s Vasco Cotovio & Olga Voitovych
Former Russian military officer and prominent military blogger Igor Girkin criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin’s speech for failing to address some of the failings of the country’s invasion of Ukraine.
“Ok, it’s clear: the special military operation will continue in its current mode of obscurity. War or even counter-terrorist operation has not been declared, and won’t be,” Girkin wrote in a Telegram post.
“Everything is fine in the army, and it is being done even better. Not a word about failures and defeats,” he added.
Girkin, a prominent Russian nationalist, played a key role in Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 and throughout the conflict in the Donbas, helping organize separatist groups in the regions of Donetsk and Luhansk.
He has also been charged with murder by Dutch authorities for his involvement in the shooting down of Malaysia Airlines flight 17.
Girkin has been critical of the Kremlin’s approach to the invasion of Ukraine, calling on the Russian Ministry of Defense to enact a tougher stance.
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Russian president showed his "irrelevance and confusion" in speech, Ukraine official says
From CNN's Olga Voitovych in Kyiv
Vladimir Putin demonstrated his “irrelevance and confusion” in Tuesday’s address to the Russian Federal Assembly on Tuesday, according to Mykhailo Podolyak, an official in Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s office.
Putin used Tuesday’s address to double down on his claim that the West left Russia with no choice but to invade Ukraine last February.
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It is "unlikely" Italy will send fighter jets to Ukraine, foreign minister says
From CNN’s Vasco Cotovio
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said it is “unlikely” Italy will donate fighter jets to Ukraine in an interview with Italian daily newspaper La Stampa.
Tajani said the issue of sending fighter jets had not been discussed “yet,” but any such donation would have to be made in coordination with Italy’s allies.
“We’ll have to coordinate with our allies, figure out what kind of planes to send to them, because it doesn’t make sense to deliver different models to the Ukrainians,” Tajani said.
Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is currently visiting Kyiv and Tajani said she would assure Zelensky of Italy’s continued support for Ukraine.
“It’s beyond question,” he said. “We have already approved a sixth package and the sending of material is being finalized.”
“In a few weeks, in collaboration with the French, we will also send the Samp-T air defense missile system to Ukraine,” he added.
Tajani went on to say that Italy remained at the forefront to help Ukraine with military supplies and want to support the country after the war.
He added: “We are among the countries that have most seized funds from the Russian oligarchs, we are talking about over 2 billion, money that can be used to rebuild the country.”
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Ukraine is serving the interests of "Western masters," Putin says
From CNN's Lauren Kent & David Budgen
Russian President Vladimir Putin delivers his annual state of the nation address at the Gostiny Dvor conference centre in central Moscow, Russia, on February 21.
(Mikhail Metzel/Sputnik/AFP/Getty Images)
Putin said in his Tuesday address that the Ukrainian government is protecting the interests of its “Western masters” rather than the country’s own national interests.
“The Kyiv regime and their Western masters have completely taken over the economy of the country,” the Russian president claimed.
“They have destroyed the Ukrainian industry and economy,” he said.
Putin added that the “material state” for those living in Ukraine has degraded.
“They’re responsible for the escalation of the situation in Ukraine … for the huge numbers of casualties,” said Putin.
“And of course, the Kyiv regime is essentially alien to the people of Ukraine. They are not protecting their own interests, but those of their minder countries.”
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Biden is not going "head to head" with Putin in Warsaw speech, top aide says
From CNN's Kevin Liptak & Betsy Klein
US President Joe Biden’s speech in Warsaw on Tuesday will act as an “affirmative statement of values” rather than a direct rebuttal to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s address to Russia’s Federal Assembly.
Sullivan said Biden’s speech would be bigger than a single response to the address from his counterpart in Moscow.
“The President’s remarks today are … about something larger. And we selected this time, we selected this date, not because President Putin was speaking today,” he said.
Biden is set to speak later Tuesday from the Royal Castle in Warsaw. Sullivan couldn’t say whether Biden was watching any of Putin’s address, which is ongoing.
“There’s a kind of absurdity in the notion that Russia was under some form of military threat from Ukraine or anyone else,” Sullivan said.
“And that’s an argument the President has made for some time and he will very directly make that point in the speech tonight, not as a rebuttal to Putin’s speech today, but rather to lay to rest an argument that Russia has been making for some time.”
As Biden marks one year of Russia’s unprovoked war, Sullivan said the president will put the war into a “larger context.”
“A context that reminds people where we were on the eve of this war a year ago, when there were fundamental questions being asked, being asked of the international order, being asked of the United States, being asked of the NATO alliance,” said Sullivan.
“And one year later, he believes that we have answered those questions about our unity and resolve, about our commitment to fundamental principles, and about our willingness to step up.”
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Putin rails against same-sex marriage and "corrupt Western values"
From CNN's Nathan Hodge
Russian President Vladimir Putin delivers his annual address to the Federal Assembly in Moscow, Russia, on February 21.
(Dmitry Astakhov/Sputnik/Reuters)
Russian President Vladimir Putin has long cast himself as a defender of traditional values, and Tuesday’s state of the union speech is no exception.
In an extended digression, Putin warned that Russians face an existential threat from what he described as corrupt Western values.
“The West declares that perversions including pedophilia, are part of the norm, destroys its values, calls on priests to bless same-sex marriages,” he said.
Putin added that the state shouldn’t meddle in private life, but added that a family “is the union of a man and a woman.”
Under Putin, the Russian government has expanded anti-LGBTQ laws.
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Russian forces make incremental gains in eastern Ukraine
From CNN’s Vasco Cotovio & Olga Voitovych
Smoke rises after a shelling in the frontline city of Bakhmut, in Donetsk region, Ukraine, on February 19.
(Yevhen Titov/Reuters)
Russian forces have made incremental gains in eastern Ukraine, analysis from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) suggests.
They have made some progress around the city of Bakhmut and are pushing around the important logistical target of Kupyansk in the Kharkiv region.
Russian forces have taken the settlement of Paraskoviivka, north of Bakhmut, says ISW, citing geolocated footage posted on February 19 showing Russian forces taking down a Ukrainian flag.
Yevgeny Prigozhin, founder of the Wagner private military company, claimed his forces were in control of Paraskoviivka on February 17. This was refuted by the Russian Ministry of Defense, which said its forces took the settlement on February 20.
The competing claims advance the suggestions leadership of Wagner and the Russian Ministry of Defense are at odds with each other, the ISW analysis says.
Ukrainian forces have not conceded any Russian gains in the area, but have said that Russia has concentrated part of its main offensive efforts around Bakhmut.
Kyiv says that its forces have repelled attacks around the city, as well as around Vasylivka, Novobakhmutivka, Vodiane, Nevelske and Maryinka.
The Ukrainian General Staff also said Russian forces have been pushing around Kupyansk in the Kharkiv region, saying they have repelled attacks “in the vicinities of Hrianykivka and Masiutivka settlements.”
The city was captured by Russian forces on February 27 last year, but was re-taken by Ukraine on September 10.
Over the past few weeks, Russian forces have refocused their efforts in the area as part of a planned spring offensive along the eastern frontline.
According to the ISW, Russian military bloggers say Russian forces have conducted “successful” operations in the area, “despite their slow pace.”
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Putin holds moment of silence for Russians who have died in the war
From CNN's Anna Chernova & David Budgen
Russian President Vladimir Putin held a moment of silence in memory of Russians who have been killed during the conflict in Ukraine in his speech.
“I’d just like to thank everybody, to the Russian people for its courage and thank you to our heroes in the armed forces to the frontier forces and all the security services, particularly their Donetsk and Luhansk squadrons,” Putin said in his address to the Federal Assembly in Moscow.
The Russian president went on to say that the Kremlin will set up a special fund to offer “targeted assistance to the families of dead soldiers and veterans of the special military operation.”
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Putin repeats criticism of NATO expansion and claims West wants to widen Ukraine conflict
From CNN's Anna Chernova, Lauren Kent & David Budgen
Russian President Vladimir Putin delivers his annual address to the Federal Assembly, including lawmakers of the State Duma, members of the Federation Council, regional governors and other officials, in Moscow, Russia, on February 20.
(Pavel Bednyakov/Sputnik/AP)
Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeated his criticism of the expansion of the NATO military alliance, which he has repeatedly used as an excuse for the invasion of Ukraine.
“We have been open, frank and sincere in wanting an open dialogue with the West and we have said many times that the world needs indivisible security and we invited all countries of the world to talk about that,” Putin said in his annual address to the Federal Assembly in Moscow.
“But as a response, all we got was a hypocritical, incomprehensible reply, as well as quite substantive, concrete actions — the expansion of NATO — the so-called umbrella of defense of our country and Central Asia.”
“They are not going to stop. The threat continues every day,” Putin said. “And they’re preparing for bloodshed in the Donbas.”
The Donbas comprises the Luhansk and Donetsk regions in eastern Ukraine.
“The elite of the West does not conceal their ambitions, which is to strategically defeat Russia. What does that mean? It means to finish yourself once and for all,” Putin said. “They do that by making local conflicts into much wider and bigger ones.”
Putin added that the United States in particular sees the conflict in Ukraine “as an anti-Russian project.”
“The aim is to seize these historically Russian lands from us,” Putin added. “Nothing has changed. It is just a question of a continuation of the same policy.”
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Putin will not monitor Biden’s Poland speech, Russian state media says
From CNN's Anna Chernova
Russian leader Vladimir Putin will not monitor US President Joe Biden’s address in Poland later on Tuesday but would be “informed of the main theses,” according to state media TASS.
Biden is now in Poland to meet with President Andrzej Duda and will deliver a major speech to mark the one-year anniversary of the Kremlin’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that Biden’s surprise visit to Kyiv on Monday was “not seen as an “extraordinary event for Russia,” TASS reported.
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Putin repeats claim that Ukraine invasion was necessary to defend Russia
From CNN's Jack Guy
Russian President Vladimir Putin is seen on an outdoor screen on the facade of a building delivering his annual state of the nation address in Moscow, Russia, on February 21.
(Kirill Kudryav/ AFP) (Photo by KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV/AFP via Getty Images)
Russian President Vladimir Putin began his address to the Federal Assembly with a familiar refrain: Russia had no choice but to attack Ukraine.
Putin claimed that the West was preparing to turn Ukraine into a launchpad bristling with weapons to attack Russia, meaning that Moscow had to act before it could do so.
This echoes his speech from February 24 last year, when he argued that Russia had no choice but to use force against Ukraine.
“They did not leave us any other option for defending Russia and our people, other than the one we are forced to use today,” he said.
“In these circumstances, we have to take bold and immediate action. The people’s republics of Donbas have asked Russia for help.”
On Tuesday, Putin said that Russia has done “everything possible” to resolve the conflict peacefully, and accused the West of turning a blind eye to “terrorist activity” in eastern Ukraine.
Putin also repeated the unsubstantiated claim that Ukraine was pushing to be provided with nuclear weapons, and doubled down on his framing of the invasion as a pre-emptive, defensive action.
He went on to double down on blaming the West for the war in Ukraine.
“I want to repeat: it was they who unleashed the war,” said Putin. “And we used and continue to use force to stop it.”
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Strike on Kramatorsk train station considered war crime, according to new HRW report
From CNN's Hannah Ritchie
Ukrainian soldiers remove bodies after a rocket attack killed at a train station in Kramatorsk, Ukraine, on April 8, 2022.
(Fadel Senna/AFP/Getty Images)
A Russian cluster munition strike, which was carried out against a crowded train station in Ukraine’s eastern city Kramatorsk last April, was “in violation of the laws of war, and was an apparent war crime,” according to a new report by Human Rights Watch and SITU Research.
Over 50 people, including five children, died in the strike on the Kramatorsk railway station on April 8, which at the time was being used to shelter civilians fleeing the fighting, according to Ukrainian officials.
According to the report, several hundred civilians were waiting at the station when “a ballistic missile equipped with a cluster munition warhead exploded and released dozens of bomblets, or submunitions.”
First responders, station volunteers and ordinary citizens described trying to stop serious bleeding with “diapers” as ambulances rushed to the scene.
In the days before the strike, “tens of thousands” of people from the Eastern Donbas traveled through the station “as part of an evacuation encouraged and facilitated by local authorities,” according to the report.
The United Nations Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM) prohibits cluster munitions due to their “humanitarian impact on civilians,” but neither Russia or Ukraine are state parties to this treaty.
“The Russian commanders responsible for ordering the attack, which used an inherently indiscriminate weapon in a well-known major evacuation hub, should be investigated and held accountable,” the report continued.
The Russian Ministry of Defense routinely denies attacking civilians, despite ample evidence collected by international media and watchdog groups.
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Putin starts address to Russia's Federal Assembly
From CNN's Jack Guy
Russian President Vladimir Putin addresses the country's Federal Assembly in Moscow, Russia, on February 21.
(Russian Pool/VGTRK)
Russian President Vladimir Putin is addressing the country’s Federal Assembly.
He is expected to deliver some of his most substantive remarks to date on what the Kremlin calls the “special military operation” — last year’s unprovoked, full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
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UN nuclear watchdog chief says team overseeing Ukraine plant delayed for more than 2 weeks
From CNN’s Vasco Cotovio and Clare Sebastian
Rafael Mariano Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, speaks to press members before leaving from the hotel with delegation to inspect the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine on September 1.
(Metin Aktas/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi has called on Russia and Ukraine to facilitate this month’s rotation of independent experts at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, which has been delayed for more than two weeks.
Skirmishes near the nuclear plant in southern Ukraine have taken place intermittently since Russia invaded in late February and seized the facility days later. Intense shelling near the complex last summer sparked concerns of a nuclear accident, prompting the IAEA to send a team of three rotating experts to oversee operations there.
“The nuclear safety and security situation in Ukraine — especially at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant — continues to be dangerous and unpredictable,” Grossi said.
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What to expect in Putin's state of the union address
From CNN's Nathan Hodge
Russia’sPresident Vladimir Putin is expected to address the country’s Federal Assembly today, delivering what are expected to be some of his most substantive remarks to date on what the Kremlin calls the “special military operation” — last year’s unprovoked, full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
State television is already counting down to the speech, which will be the first time Putin addresses both houses of parliament in almost two years. According to Russian state news agency TASS, the last speech in this format was in April 2021.
The address is an annual event prescribed by the Russian constitution, and it’s easy to speculate on the reason for hitting pause last year: The war in Ukraine was not going to plan. Putin also skipped his annual marathon press conference and Q&A with Russian citizens.
What should we expect? Well, if the past is any guide, we can expect it to be long-winded. Putin’s annual press conferences often ran for hours, and the Kremlin leader preceded the invasion of Ukraine with a lengthy, rambling lecture about (his version of) history.
We can similarly expect Putin to list his traditional grievances, including NATO’s expansion and what he sees as existential threats to Russian statehood. It will also have a Russia-centric theme. According to the Kremlin, participants of the war in Ukraine will be in attendance, but foreign guests or representatives will not be invited.
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Russia jails 2 people accused of plotting to sabotage railway near Ukraine border
From CNN’s Josh Pennington
A Russian court on Tuesday jailed two people accused of plotting to destroy a railway near the Ukrainian border, marking the first convictions under new sabotage legislation enacted last year in the wake of Russia’s invasion.
The court ordered the two people to serve three and half years each in a penal colony, TASS reported. It did not name them.
TASS said the alleged plot “was planned in the national interests of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU).”
“The criminals planned to destroy a section of the railroad near the village of Tomarovka in Yakovlevsky district, causing the train to derail and damage military and railway equipment, with casualties among servicemen,” TASS said. “They wanted to film the whole thing and post it on the internet.”
Belgorod, located on the route from Moscow to Ukraine’s second largest city, Kharkiv, has been a hub of supplies and personnel that have powered Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
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Biden set for latest symbolic clash with Putin after surprise Ukraine trip
From CNN's Kevin Liptak in Warsaw, Poland
Joe Biden holds a briefing outside the Royal Palace, Warsaw, Poland on March 26, 2022.
The last time President Joe Biden spoke from the courtyard of the Royal Castle in Poland, the content of his 27-minute speech was mostly obscured by what he ad-libbed about Russian President Vladimir Putin at the end.
“For God’s sake,” he proclaimed, “this man cannot remain in power.”
Nearly a year later, Biden returns to the Royal Castle this week to mark the anniversary of a war that has increasingly put him directly at odds with the Russian leader, a Cold War dynamic underscored by Biden’s highly secretive visit to Kyiv a day earlier.
Standing alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Biden used his very presence in the Ukrainian capital to taunt Putin for failing in his ambitions to invade and control the country.
If there was ever a point when Biden and his aides hoped to avoid personalizing the Ukraine conflict, it was over long before this week’s anniversary. Biden has declared Putin a “war criminal” and a “pure thug,” accusing Russia of genocide and, in his castle speech, making an implicit call for regime change.
Yet this week’s carefully planned choreography is striking nonetheless in its overt pitting of Biden against his counterpart in the Kremlin. On Tuesday, each will again engage in a remote rhetorical contest, delivering important speeches to mark one year since Russia launched its invasion.
From the Warsaw castle, Biden intends to recommit to supporting Ukraine, even as the costs mount and public support appears to wane. And in Moscow, Putin will deliver a major speech to the Federal Assembly, in which he will discuss his own views of the ongoing war, which US and European officials believe has reached an important juncture.
China is concerned about Ukraine conflict "spiraling out of control," foreign minister says
From CNN's Beijing bureau
Qin Gang speaks at the Lanting Forum at the Foreign Ministry in Beijing on February 21.
(Greg Baker/AFP/Getty Images)
China is “deeply worried” about the conflict in Ukraine “spiraling out of control,” Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang said on Tuesday while delivering a keynote address at the opening of a security conference.
“We urge relevant countries to immediately stop fueling the fire, blaming China, and hyping up the rhetoric ‘today Ukraine, tomorrow Taiwan.’”
Some background: Beijing has repeatedly refused to condemn Russia for its invasion of Ukraine and has refrained from calling it a “war” — instead using the Kremlin’s description of a “special military operation.” China has consistently laid blame on NATO and the United States for the conflict.
Qin’s remarks come as China’s top foreign policy official Wang Yi is expected to visit Moscow this week, just days ahead of the first anniversary of Russia’s invasion and amid claims from US officials that Beijing is considering providing lethal military aid to the Kremlin.
On Monday, Wang said China is willing to work with other countries to achieve a ceasefire and lasting peace in Ukraine, according to state-run news agency Xinhua.
CORRECTION: An earlier version of this post misstated the day Qin Gang spoke. It was Tuesday.
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Japan promises to "lead the world" in fighting Russian aggression with $5.5 billion in Ukraine aid
From CNN's Junko Ogura in Tokyo
Japan pledged $5.5 billion in humanitarian aid to Ukraine on Monday, nearly quadrupling the amount of money Tokyo has promised to Kyiv since Russia invaded its neighbor nearly a year ago.
Tokyo had previously pledged to send Kyiv $600 million in financial assistance and $700 million worth of humanitarian aid including medical supplies and food assistance. It also joined Western allies in imposing strict sanctions on Russia over its invasion.
Last summer, Kishida said in a speech that Russia’s invasion gave warning that “Ukraine today may be East Asia tomorrow” — and he echoed that language Monday.
“Russia’s aggression against Ukraine is not just a European matter, but a challenge to the rules and principles of the entire international community,” he said.
Nuclear “threat”: Kishida also announced on Monday that he will host an online summit of G7 leaders with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday, the first anniversary of Moscow’s invasion and ahead of the annual G7 summit in Hiroshima in May.
The Japanese leader said Hiroshima was an appropriate venue for the summit as the city was the site of an atomic bombing during World War II and Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine is raising new nuclear fears.
China willing to work with other nations on securing ceasefire and lasting peace in Ukraine, top envoy says
From CNN's Beijing bureau, Alex Stambaugh and Anna Chernova
Wang Yi attends a meeting with Hungarian Foreign and Trade Minister and their delegations at the Foreign Office in Budapest, Hungary on February 20.
(Attila Kisbenedek/AFP/Getty Images)
China is willing to work with other countries to achieve an early ceasefire and lasting peace in Ukraine, the country’s top diplomat Wang Yi said while visiting Budapest on Monday, according to Chinese state news agency Xinhua.
Wang, who was named Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s top foreign policy adviser last month, is due to arrive in Russia this week, a year after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Neither Russia nor China has specified whether Wang would meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin. However, on Monday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said “we do not exclude a meeting” between Wang and Putin.
China’s Foreign Ministry said earlier the visit to Moscow will provide an opportunity for China and Russia to continue to develop their strategic partnership and “exchange views” on “international and regional hotspot issues of shared interest.”
Some background: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Wang on Saturday in Munich, Germany, and warned “about the implications and consequences” if Beijing increases its support for Russia’s war effort, according to a US readout of the meeting.
On Monday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned China not to give any support to Russia, saying it could lead to another world war.
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Zelensky hails importance of Biden's visit to Kyiv in his evening address
From CNN's Radina Gigova and Maria Kostenko
The visit Monday by US President Joe Biden was an important day for Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an evening address.
The specific steps “to liberate our still-occupied territories and to guarantee reliable security for our country and for all the peoples of Europe” are known, Zelensky said. “All we need is determination.”
Zelensky thanked the American people, members of Congress from both parties and members of Biden’s team for helping strengthen the alliance between the two countries.
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"A gun needs a bullet": EU's top diplomat stresses importance of upping ammunition supply to Ukraine
From CNN’s James Frater and Jessie Gretener
The European Commission's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell rings the bell before a meeting of Foreign Affairs Council at the EU headquarters in Brussels on February 20.
(Kenzo Tribouillard/AFP/Getty Images)
To counter a growing number of Russian troops, Ukraine needs more ammunition, in addition to other pledges of military support from allies, the European Union’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said.
Russia is massing “almost twice the number of soldiers that were there at the beginning of the war” in Ukraine, he said, adding that the next few weeks will be crucial.
“For that, time is of essence. Speed means lives. We need to respond quickly. Not only more support, but to provide it quicker,” Borrell added.
The best way to get ammunition to Ukraine quickly is to share existing European army stockpiles so that there is no time wasted waiting for them to be produced, he said.
Borrel also said a 10th package of sanctions against Russia was also discussed at a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels on Monday, announcing they have been “presented as a Regulation for the Council to approve,” which should happen in the “next hours, or next days.”
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Russia's capacity to make weapons should not be overestimated, Ukrainian foreign minister says
From CNN’s Amy Cassidy in London and Amanpour show staff
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said Russia’s capacity to produce weapons should not be overestimated, as he urged allies to expand sanctions against entities producing Russian missiles.
“Our partners have a tool in their hands to suppress this production, which is sanctions,” Kuleba told Christiane Amanpour at the Munich Security Conference over the weekend in an interview that aired Monday on CNN.
Addressing growing concerns in Europe that ammunition supplies are diminishing, Kuleba stated “there will never be enough ammunition as long as the war continues”.
“Yes, if you ask me what we need the most here and now, I’d say artillery munitions. If you ask me [to] imagine that’s solved, what is next, I’d say Howitzers to use this ammunition,” the foreign minister said.
“Businesses need contracts and to have contracts you need money. Therefore, if governments want to support Ukraine, they can finance their own companies by contracting their production of ammunition and other weapons, and that’s what we are working on.”
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Zelensky warns of world war risk if China backs Russia in Ukraine
From CNN’s Sharon Braithwaite, Inke Kappeler and Xiaofei Xu
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky listens as US President Joe Biden speaks at Mariinsky Palace during a surprise visit, on February 20 in Kyiv.
(Evan Vucci/Pool/Getty Images)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that a world war could break out if China supported Russia against Ukraine.
Zelensky said he has personally appealed to the Chinese leadership through direct channels and publicly “not to offer any support” to Russia in the war.
“From the early 1990s, at the Budapest Memorandum and for all the agreements reached since then, China has always kept its commitments. I personally hope that the international community will join together to support my 10-point peace plan, where American, Chinese and major power guarantees to defend world security are covered,” Zelensky told the newspaper.
The Ukrainian president said Ukraine’s relationship with China has always been “very good.”
“We have had intense economic relations for many years, and it is in everyone’s interest that they do not change. The global challenge is to thwart any risk of nuclear conflict,” he said.
On Sunday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told CBS’ “Face the Nation” that Washington is concerned that China is considering providing “lethal support” to Russia’s war in Ukraine.
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Biden's historic and risky trip to Kyiv took months of planning and days of secrecy
From CNN's Kevin Liptak and Phil Mattingly in Warsaw, Poland
Around 7 p.m. ET on Saturday night, President Joe Biden was out in Washington on a Valentine’s week date-night, lingering over rigatoni with fennel sausage ragu before returning with his wife to the White House.
Cloaked in secrecy and weighted with history, Biden’s trip was the work of months of planning by only a small handful of his senior-most aides, who recognized long ago the symbolic importance of visiting the Ukrainian capital a year after Russia tried to capture it.
In conversations behind closed doors at the Mariinsky Palace on Monday, Biden sought to engage President Volodymyr Zelensky in a detailed and urgent discussion about the next phase of the war, which US officials describe as having arrived at a critical juncture.
How the war advances in the coming months will depend in large part on the continued support of the United States, which Biden pledged Monday would be unceasing. If his message was meant as a reassuring one for Ukrainians, it was also intended as a reminder to Americans that the stakes of the conflict extend well beyond Ukraine’s borders.
Biden's Ukraine visit upstages Putin and leaves Moscow's military pundits raging
From CNN's Rob Picheta, Olga Voitovych, Vasco Cotovio and Kevin Liptak
President Joe Biden’s surprise visit to Ukraine sparked anger and embarrassment among many of Russia’s hawkish military pundits on Monday, increasing pressure on Vladimir Putin as the Russian leader prepares to justify his stuttering invasion in a national address.
Biden’s historic visit came days before the one-year anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, providing a symbolic boost to Kyiv at a crucial juncture in the conflict.
But the visit caused fury in Russian pro-military and ultranationalist circles, as it upstages Putin on the eve of a major address in which the Russian president is expected to tout the supposed achievements of what he euphemistically calls a “special military operation.”
“Biden in [Kyiv]. Demonstrative humiliation of Russia,” Russian journalist Sergey Mardan wrote in a snarky response on his Telegram channel. “Tales of miraculous hypersonics may be left for children. Just like spells about the holy war we are waging with the entire West.”
Russian army veteran and former Federal Security Service (FSB) officer Igor Girkin meanwhile suggested that Biden could have visited the front lines in eastern Ukraine and escaped unharmed.
Girkin is among a number of hardline military bloggers — some of whom have hundreds of thousands of followers and provide analysis of the conflict for large swaths of the Russian population — who have repeatedly criticized what they consider a “soft” approach on the battlefield by Putin’s generals.
