Zelensky called for more US help and stronger sanctions against Moscow, telling lawmakers Ukraine “will never surrender,” and that their support “is not charity” but an investment in democracy.?
Former Russian space chief injured by shelling in Ukraine, state media says
From CNN's Jonny Hallam
A former director of Russia’s space agency was wounded by Ukrainian shelling in eastern Ukraine on Wednesday,?according to state-run news agency TASS.?
Ex-Roscomos head Dmitry Rogozin, who now leads a team of Russian military volunteers in the Donbas region,?was taken to hospital with a back wound after his hotel in Donetsk came under shelling, his aide told TASS.
The strike in the Russian-occupied city killed at least two people and injured several more, TASS reported.
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Zelensky had "sincere and supportive" meeting with Biden, source says
Volodymyr Zelensky’s historic visit to the United States went well and he is “pleased” with the outcome, a source close to the Ukrainian president told CNN’s Jake Tapper.
Speaking to Congress Wednesday, Zelensky spoke of the strong ties between the US and his country, while giving a message of hope to Ukrainians at home.
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Lawmakers react to Zelensky's wartime address to Congress
From CNN's Morgan Rimmer and Ali Zaslav
Zelenskiy arrives to speak a .joint meeting of Congress.
(Nathan Howard/Bloomberg/Getty Images)
Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are reacting to the historic, wartime address from the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as the war against Russia continues. The president came to Washington, DC, to thank Americans, but also to call for continued support from the US — something US President Joe Biden has reiterated during the visit.
Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell said Zelensky “was inspirational as usual” tonight in his address
Senate Minority Whip John Thune said Zelensky “made the case for why American resolve is critical to the success of Ukraine,” which in turn is critical to “the broader success of freedom and democracy all around the world.”
Thune said that while listening to Zelensky, he could “feel the intensity for his country and people and their desire for freedom and democracy,” and called it “inspiring.” He added that Zelensky’s speech “came from the heart.”?
GOP Sen. Cynthia Lummis, who has voted against Ukraine aid in the past, emerged from Zelensky’s speech saying?she felt it was “wise” for him to “thank every American family” before thanking the Congress, to recognize “it’s the sacrifice of the American families and the American people that makes this money available to them.”
She said she’s opposed funding because it’s “coming out of taxpayers’ pockets” and she’s been advocating to use International Monetary Fund special drawing rights to provide the funding to Ukraine.
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5 key quotes from Zelensky's speech to Congress tonight
(Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday spoke of the strong ties between the United States and his country, while giving a message of hope to Ukrainians at home.
Here are five key quotes from his historic speech at Capitol Hill:
Zelensky called for continued financial support from the US, telling the US Congress: “Your money is not charity. It is an investment in the global security and democracy that we handle in the most responsible way.”
Zelensky urged members of Congress to strengthen sanctions against Russia and “let the terrorists be held responsible for aggression.” He noted that US President Joe Biden supported his 10-point peace plan, but added that each member of Congress can assist in the implementation.
The Russians “use everything” against Ukrainian cities such as Bakhmut, but Ukraine “holds its lines and will never surrender,” Zelenksy said to roaring applause. “Last year, 70,000 people lived there in Bakhmut…?Now only a few civilians stay.?Every inch of that land is?soaked in blood… Donbas changed hands several?time in fierce combat, and even?hand-fighting.?But the Ukrainian Donbas stands,” he said.
Zelensky said Ukrainians will celebrate Christmas this year, despite the atrocities of the war, telling Congress: “Even if there is no electricity the light of our faith in ourselves will not be put out.”
Zelensky ended his speech by saying Ukraine will achieve “absolute victory,” reiterating his strong opening comments, which said: “Ukraine is alive and kicking.”
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McCarthy said Zelensky gave a "good speech" — but "I never support a blank check"
From CNN's Annie Grayer
McCarthy?(R-CA) attends a joint meeting of the U.S. Congress in the House Chamber of the U.S. Capitol where Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy will deliver remarks, in Washington, U.S., December 21, 2022. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein
(Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters)
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy said he thought Ukrainian President Zelensky’s speech was “good,” but that he wants to make sure there’s “accountability” for any aid the US gives Ukraine.
When asked what he discussed with Zelensky before the speech McCarthy said, “we’ve talked about where the war is at, what do we need to be able to win?”
McCarthy’s comments come as certain Republicans have pushed back on providing more aid to Ukraine.?
Some context: In his speech, Zelensky called on lawmakers for their continued support, but argued that aid given to Ukraine comes down to protecting democracy.
“Your money is not charity. It is an investment in the global security and democracy that we handle in the most responsible way,” Zelensky said in his address.
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Schumer says Zelensky speech came at "right time"
From CNN's Ali Zaslav
US Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi chat with Ukraine's President Zelensky at the US Capitol in Washington, DC on Wednesday, December 21.
(Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images)
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s speech came “at the right time” as senators are trying to pass a government funding bill with billions in critical additional aid to Ukraine.?
On what he thinks this means for passage of the government funding tonight, Schumer said: “I hope it will shake some people… I hope people realize how important passing this package is. When I was with him privately I asked with the four leaders sitting there, I said, ‘What does it mean if we don’t pass this package’ He says … ‘If we don’t pass this kind of aid,’ he says, ‘it would mean we’d lose the war.’”
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Zelensky invokes US Revolutionary War history in address to Congress
From CNN's Sonnet Swire
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky invoked the Battles of Saratoga, the turning point of the American Revolutionary War, in his speech to Congress Wednesday evening.
The Battles of Saratoga in 1777 marked the climax of a military campaign in Saratoga, New York, giving a decisive victory to the Americans over the British in the American Revolutionary War.
The victory marked a historical pivot in the war, fueling morale for American soldiers and persuading foreign powers to align with the colonists against the British.
Zelensky presents Congress with flag signed by Ukrainian troops
(
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky presented Congress with a flag signed by Ukrainian soldiers as a gift to say thank you for the weapons that had been sent.
The flag was given to Zelensky on Tuesday in the frontline city of Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine.
“This?flag?is?a?symbol?of our?victory in?this?war.?We stand, we fight, and we will?win because we are united.?Ukraine, America, and the?entire free world,” Zelensky said.
In return, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi gave Zelensky a folded US flag that had flown over the Capitol building on Wednesday.
Members of Congress gave Zelensky a standing ovation and applauded the exchange.
Zelensky urges US Congress to strengthen sanctions against Russia
(Jonathan Ernst/Reuters)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky urged members of the US Congress to strengthen sanctions against Russia and “let the terrorists be held responsible for aggression.”
In his address, Zelensky noted that US President Joe Biden supported his 10-point peace plan, but added that each member of Congress can assist in the implementation.
“We need peace. Yes. Ukraine has already offered?proposals, which I just?discussed with President Biden,?our peace formula — 10 points which should and must be?implemented for our joint?security… and the summit which can be?held.?I am glad to share that?President Biden supported our?peace initiative today.?Each of you, ladies and?gentlemen, can assist in the?implementation to ensure that?Americans leadership remains solid, bicameral. and bipartisan,” Zelensky said.
Zelensky: "The light of our faith in ourselves will not be put out" at Christmas
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukrainians will celebrate Christmas this year, despite the atrocities of the war, telling Congress: “Even if there is no electricity the light of our faith in ourselves will not be put out.”
Just like the “brave American soldiers?which held their lines” and fought against Hitler’s Nazi Germany in 1944, Ukrainian soldiers “are?doing the same to Putin’s?forces this Christmas,” Zelensky said to applause.
“All of us, millions of?Ukrainians, wish the same. Victory.?Only victory,” Zelensky said.
Zelensky tells Congress their "money is not charity" but an investment in democracy
More than 300 days into the war, soldiers in Ukraine are defending their country, but they need more weapons to win on the battlefield, President Volodymyr Zelensky told Congress.
“Here, the front line, the?tyranny — which has no lack of?cruelty against the lives of?free people — and your support is?crucial not just to stand in?such fight but to get to the?turning point to win on the?battlefield,” he said.
Zelensky said Ukraine is fighting for its “independence and freedom” but called for the United States’ continued support to achieve those goals.
Ukraine’s president tried to make the case that although aid benefits Ukraine — it is also in the interest of the United States and other Western allies.
“Iranian deadly drones sent to Russia in hundreds and hundreds became a threat to our critical infrastructure. That is how one terrorist has found the other. It is just a matter of time when they will strike against your other allies if we do not stop them now. We must do it,” he said.
“Ukraine holds its lines and will never surrender,” Zelensky added.
Zelensky: Russians "use everything" but Ukraine will "never surrender"
(Jonathan Ernst/Reuters)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky gave a message of hope for the Ukrainian people during his address to Congress Wednesday, saying the Russians “use everything” against cities such as Bakhmut but Ukraine “holds its lines and will never surrender.”
The Russians “have been taking (the city of 70,000 people day and?night, but Bakhmut stands,” Zelensky said to roaring applause.
“Russians use everything,?everything they have against?Bakhmut and other of our?beautiful cities, the occupiers?have a significant advantage in?artillery.?They have an advantage in?ammunition.?They have much more missiles and planes than we ever?had.?It’s true.?But our defense forces stand,” he said.
Zelensky: The world is too interconnected to stand on the sidelines of Ukraine war
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky emphasized that the world is too interconnected to ignore Russia’s war in Ukraine during his address to Congress.
He also highlighted the shared values of the United States and Ukraine.
“Our two nations are allies in?this battle.?And next year will be a turning point, I know it, the point when?Ukrainian courage and American?resolve must guarantee the?future of our common freedom.?The freedom of people who stand for their values,” he said.
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Zelensky's opening message to Congress: "Ukraine is alive and kicking"
(Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky came to Capitol Hill with a strong message: “Ukraine is alive and kicking.”
Zelensky is addressing members of Congress after presenting a united front with?USPresident?Joe Biden, who assured continued support for Ukraine.
He also thanked Americans and “all those who value freedom and justice,” for their efforts in helping Ukraine.
Zelensky greeted with loud and sustained applause as he enters the House floor
(Pool)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky entered the US House floor to boisterous and sustained applause as he was welcomed by members of Congress and members of US President Joe Biden’s Cabinet.
NOW: Zelensky addresses joint session of US Congress?
(Pool)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is addressing a joint session of US Congress in an effort to appeal to lawmakers and American citizens to continue to support the ongoing war in his country.
Sources told CNN’s Jake Tapper that he will discuss a peace formula that he told US President Joe Biden about and will express a willingness to have a peace summit of some sort this winter.
Zelensky will also address the American people, noting shared values and directly thanking them and politicians of both parties. But in order to continue to protect his country, he will continue to ask for help with sanctions, weapons, financial assistance and justice — but underlining he has never asked for US troops on the ground, sources told CNN.
Earlier today, Zelensky held a bilateral meeting with Biden and discussed ways which the US can continue its support of Ukraine.
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White House says US "obviously would support a diplomatic path forward" between Ukraine and Russia
From CNN's DJ Judd
White House spokesman John Kirby reiterated Wednesday that while the US is hopeful for “a just peace,” in Ukraine, President Joe Biden is deferring to his Ukrainian counterpart when it comes to negotiations.
Biden “obviously wants to seek a just peace here in accordance with what the Ukrainian President [Volodymyr] Zelensky desires to be the outcome there,” Kirby told CNN Wednesday.
Instead, Kirby, said, Biden focused on the United States’ continued commitment to provide security assistance to Ukraine, both in public and behind closed doors.?
But he declined to weigh in on speculation about a peace summit, saying the administration “want to study that a little bit more.”
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Zelensky met with 4 top US congressional leaders?
From CNN's Kristin Wilson, Daniella Diaz and Manu Raju
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met with the top US congressional leaders ahead of his remarks to the chamber tonight.
Zelensky met with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy in Pelosi’s ceremonial office off the House chamber.?
Zelensky is expected to address a joint chamber of Congress at 7:30 p.m. ET. ?
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Pelosi welcomes Zelensky to Capitol Hill ahead of his address to Congress
(Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met with US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ahead of his address to Congress, which is expected to begin at 7:30 p.m. ET.
“Here we?are today to welcome the brave,?courageous President Zelensky?in order to praise — not only him —?but the courageous, unified?people of Ukraine for what they?are doing to protect democracy,” Pelosi told reporters from the US Capitol.
Pelosi noted that the “the entire Congress, Democrats?and Republicans, House and?Senate, look forward to hearing” from him Wednesday evening.
Zelensky also briefly addressed reporters, noting that it is his second time at the US Capitol and the last time he visited was before the war and Russian invasion of his country.
Pelosi made an unannounced visit to Kyiv earlier this year and met with Zelensky. She was joined by several senior House Democrats on the trip.
CNN’s Michelle Watson?and?Eliza Mackintosh contributed to this report.
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Key takeaways from Zelensky's meeting with Biden and his historic visit to Washington?
From CNN's Kevin Liptak
(Kevin Lamarque/Reuters)
Three-hundred days after his country?was invaded by Russia,?Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky jetted to Washington, DC, for talks on what the next 300 days might bring.
US President Joe Biden and the Ukrainian leader appeared as a united front, but Biden wouldn’t invite Zelensky to Washington — and endure a risky trip outside Ukraine for the first time since the war began — if he did not believe something real could be accomplished meeting face-to-face instead of over the phone.
Emerging from their hourslong talks, both men made clear they see the war entering a new phase.?
Here are the key takeaways from Zelensky’s historic visit to Washington so far:
Trying to figure out how the war ends: Gaining clarity on where Zelensky stands when it comes to ending the war was among the prerogatives in bringing him to the White House. The Ukrainian leader has voiced a desire for a “just peace” that would end the conflict — a point that US officials said would be at the center of their talks Wednesday.
Among the Western nations that have rallied in support behind Zelensky, there have been lingering concerns about what his long-term plan might be. On Wednesday, he seemed to make clear the road to ending the war would not involve making concessions to Russia.
“For me as a president, ‘just peace’ is no compromises,” he said, indicating he doesn’t see any road to peace that involves Ukraine giving up territory or sovereignty. For his part, Biden said it was up to Zelensky to “decide how he wants to the war to end,” a long-held view that leaves plenty of questions unanswered.
More US assistance to Ukraine — including a Patriot missile system: Just ahead of Zelensky’s arrival, the Biden administration announced it is sending nearly $2 billion in additional security assistance to Ukraine — including a sophisticated?new Patriot air defense system?that Zelensky has been requesting for months.
In weighing a visit, Zelensky suggested to advisers he did not want to travel to Washington had there not been a significant development in the bilateral relationship with the United States, according to a source familiar with the matter. Zelensky viewed the US decision to send a Patriot missile defense system to Ukraine as a major shift in the relationship between the two allies.
Yet standing alongside Biden, he was frank that he did not view the single Patriot system as enough.
A united front in a complicated relationship: On the surface, Biden and Zelensky have maintained a stalwart partnership. And Zelensky was effusive in his praise of Biden as he went from the Oval Office to the East Room to Capitol Hill.
Yet it doesn’t take much to see tensions just beneath the surface. Zelensky has consistently agitated for additional US support, despite the tens of billions of dollars in military assistance that Biden has directed to his country.
That hasn’t always sat well with Biden or his team. But as he has with a host of other foreign leaders, Biden appeared intent Wednesday on translating physical proximity into a better understanding of his counterpart.
Exclusive first details of Zelensky’s speech to Congress?tonight
From CNN's Jake Tapper
(Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is preparing for an inspiring speech to Congress tonight in which he will address the American people, noting shared values and directly thanking Americans and politicians of both parties, sources tell CNN.?
The biggest news, these sources say, is that he will discuss a peace formula he told US President Joe Biden about and express a willingness to have?a peace summit?of some sort this winter to achieve the peace.
But in order to continue to protect his country, he will continue to ask for help with sanctions, weapons, financial assistance and justice – but underlining he has never asked for US troops on the ground.?
Zelensky will also discuss his visit yesterday to the frontlines — Bakhmut in Donbas — which has been under siege since May.
The Christmas fight there resembles that of US troops during the Battle of the Bulge during Christmas against another tyrannical power: the Nazis.
He might quote FDR, and there is an inspiring gift from Bakhmut he will bring Congress.?
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In pictures: A look at Zelensky's visit to Washington so far
From CNN's Digital Photo Team
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will soon deliver an address to members of the US Congress, capping a busy day in Washington, DC, that included a bilateral meeting with US President Joe Biden and a joint news conference.
The visit marks Zelensky’s first trip outside of Ukraine since the war began.
See some images from his visit in the US capital so far:
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky meets with US President Joe Biden in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on Wednesday, December 21.
(Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images)
Zelensky speaks during a joint news conference with Biden in the East Room of the White House. Zelensky said his country, along with those who have been supporting Ukraine, are fighting for "victory against this tyranny."
(Ting Shen/Bloomberg/Getty Images)
Biden and Zelensky walk down the colonnade of the White House as they make their way to the Oval Office.
(Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images)
Biden speaks during the press conference with Zelensky. He officially announced the United States will send an additional?$1.8 billion package of assistance to Ukraine, which will include the Patriot missile defense system.
(Andrew Harnik/AP)
Biden?holds a Ukrainian cross for military merit that Zelensky presented to him as a gift. Zelensky explained that a captain in the Ukrainian military fighting in the Donbas region asked that his award be given to Biden.
(Patrick Semansky/AP)
President Biden and first lady Jill Biden greet Zelensky as he arrives at the white house. This is Zelensky's first foreign trip since the war in Ukraine began.
Biden says his meeting sends a critical message to Putin "that President Zelensky and I are united"
From CNN's Betsy Klein
US President Joe Biden reiterated his belief Wednesday that there is “no substitute” for face-to-face interaction as he welcomed Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky, offering his own reflections on the Ukrainian leader and the important message of their first in-person meeting since Russia’s war began.?
“It’s all about looking someone in the eye. And I mean it sincerely. I don’t think there’s any, any, any substitute for sitting down face to face with a friend or foe and looking them in the eye. And that’s exactly what’s happened in this moment,” Biden said in response to a question from CNN’s Phil Mattingly during a joint news conference with Zelensky.?
Biden suggested that Wednesday’s meeting sent a critical message to Russian President Vladimir Putin, whom he said has “failed.”
Zelensky, Biden said, “in his very soul is who he says he is. It’s clear who he is. He’s willing to give his life for his country — and all the folks who came with him today. And so, I think it’s important for him to know we are going to do everything in our power, everything our power to see that he succeeds.”?
Biden said that he and Zelensky did not discuss “at all” the potentially escalatory effects of sending new Patriot missile systems to Ukraine.?
“It’s not escalatory, it’s defensive… We’d love to not have them use it – just stop the attacks,” he said.?
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Biden says he and Zelensky "share the exact same vision" for peace in Ukraine
From CNN's DJ Judd
US President Joe Biden and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky depart after holding a joingtpress conference on Wednesday.
(Alex Wong/Getty Images)
US President Joe Biden said that he and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky “share the exact same vision” for peace in Ukraine following Russia’s invasion.
Looking forward, Biden said, the United States and its allies will focus on continuing “to help Ukraine succeed on the battlefield.”
“It can succeed in the battlefield with our help, and the help of our European allies and others, so that if and when President Zelensky is ready to talk to the Russians, he will be able to succeed as well, because he will have won on the battlefield,” Biden said.
He emphasized the toll Russia’s invasion is taking on Russia.?
“You saw just… I think it was two days ago, Putin, saying that this is much tougher than he thought,” Biden said. “He thought he could break NATO, he thought he could break the West, he thought he could break the alliance, he thought he could be welcomed by the Ukrainian people that were Russian speaking — he was wrong, wrong, and wrong.”?
Biden says he's not concerned about NATO unity for Ukraine, adding Putin's invasion strengthened the alliance
From CNN's DJ Judd
US President Joe Biden told reporters Wednesday he’s not concerned about maintaining unity in NATO’s support for Ukraine, telling reporters during a joint news conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that he’s never seen the alliance more united.
In his invasion of Ukraine, the president said, Russian President Vladimir Putin predicted he’d be able to weaken NATO, but “instead, he strengthened NATO,” pointing to decisions from Sweden and Finland to join the alliance following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
“And as we reach out to our NATO allies, our Secretary of Defense, Secretary of State, we get continued support, not only there, but also from around the world, from Japan and many other countries as well — so I feel very good about the solidarity of support for Ukraine,” Biden added.
Zelensky says Patriot missile system is an important step for a creating secure airspace?
From CNN's Radina Gigova in London?
A Patriot missile launcher is seen at Rzeszow-Jasionka airport in Poland in March.
(Fabrizio Bensch/Reuters)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Wednesday?the?Patriot air defense missile systems that the United States will ship to Ukraine would be a “very important step” to create secure airspace.?
Zelensky said?the main focus of today’s talks was “to strengthen Ukraine” and that he’ll have?“good news returning home” because of the US?package of assistance to Ukraine. The?“strongest element of this package is the Patriots,” Zelensky said.?
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Zelensky on Putin:?What kind of message can I send him after he destroyed our lives?
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he did not have a message to send to Russian President Vladimir Putin stating, “what kind of message I can?send him after he actually?destroyed our life? Is?destroying our life.”
He added, “I believe there is something?mortal about his inadequate approach to the?world.?Why we need to send him a?message??He needs to be interested in?getting attention from the world?because he’s not a subject of?civilized people.?He should be interested in?trying to save something of his?culture and history of his?country. So that’s his problem?now.”
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Zelensky: We are fighting for "our common victory" against tyranny
(Alex Wong/Getty Images)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said his country, along with those who have been supporting Ukraine, are fighting for “victory against this tyranny.”
“I really want to win together,” Zelensky said before later adding, “Not want, sorry, I’m sure.”
Zelensky said there is a sense of shared values and “understanding of life.”
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Zelensky emphasizes importance of air defense support to protect energy sector and infrastructure from attacks
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky speaks during a joint press conference with US President Joe Biden at the White House on Wednesday.
(Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky emphasized the importance of air defense support in his joint news conference with US President Joe Biden at the White House.
Zelensky said the main issue the two leaders discussed in their bilateral meeting earlier Wednesday was ways to strengthening Ukraine and the country’s air defense.
The Ukrainian leader said that securing Ukrainian airspace is critical in protecting the country’s energy sector and infrastructure.
“This is a very important step to?create secure air space for?Ukraine and that’s the only way?we would be able to deprive the?terrorist country and their?terror attack to strike our?energy sector, our people and?our infrastructure.?We had a very good negotiation?and talks about our strategic?steps, which we discussed with President Biden and?what we expect next year and for?what we are preparing. This is very important for all?Ukrainians,” he said.
Zelensky also said that he is hopeful that the US Congress will approve the $45 billion aid package. “And I am hopeful and once again, thank you, Mr.?President, for 45 billion.?Because this is a big assistance?and I hope that the Congress?will approve this financial?assistance for our country.”
Zelensky is slated to address a joint session of Congress later this evening.
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Biden announces additional aid for Ukraine, including Patriot missile defense system
(Andrew Harnik/AP)
US President Joe Biden officially announced the United States will send an additional $1.8 billion package of assistance to Ukraine, which will include the Patriot missile defense system.
“Its going to take some time to complete the necessary training” to operate the system, but said the Patriot missiles will be a “critical asset” to Ukraine’s defense, Biden said Wednesday alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Biden said the United States in committed to ensuring Ukraine can “defend their country against Russia’s aggressions as long as it takes.”
The president thanked members of Congress for bipartisan support for Ukraine so far —?including the newest, additional $45 billion package.
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Biden: USAID is committing more than $374 million in urgent humanitarian assistance for Ukraine
US President Joe Biden said that the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) will be sending more than $374 million in humanitarian aid to Ukraine on Wednesday.
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Biden says Zelensky's leadership and the strength of Ukrainians have inspired the world
(Andrew Harnik/AP)
US President Joe Biden said it is important for Americans and the rest of the world to continue to hear directly from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as the war stretches to its 300th day — saying the people of Ukraine and Zelensky’s leadership has been an inspiration.
The remarks came at a joint news conference following a bilateral meeting between the two leaders Wednesday.
Biden applauded Ukrainians for their “unbreakable determination” and their “strong stand against aggression.”
The US president said it was “meaningful to talk to one?another in person, look each?other in the eye, because?leadership through this terrible?crisis has inspired the?Ukrainian people as you have?done, Mr. President, and the American people and the entire world,” Biden said.
He said Zelensky has “shown your strong stand against aggression in the face of the imperial appetites of autocrats,” and added the US was standing alongside Ukraine in maintaining “core principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
“Ukraine’s fight is part of something much bigger,” Biden said. “Stand up to bullies. Stand up for freedom. That’s who we are as Americans.”
“You will never stand alone,” he added.
CNN’sKevin Liptak contributed reporting to this post.
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NOW: Biden and Zelensky hold joint news conference
It comes after the two leaders held a bilateral meeting shortly after Zelensky arrived in Washington, DC. The visit marks Zelensky’s first foreign trip since the war began.
Later today, the Ukrainian president will address members of Congress on Capitol Hill as he works to thank Americans for their support, as well as convince the US to continue providing financial and military aid. Earlier Wednesday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced an additional?$1.85 billion in security?assistance for Ukraine, including the first transfer of the Patriot missile defense system.
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Zelensky?says?next year "may become extremely important for Ukraine" as he meets with Biden
From CNN's Radina Gigova and Victoria Butenko
Ukrainian President Zelensky looks on during a meeting with US President Joe Biden in the Oval Office on Wednesday.
(Leah Millis/Reuters)
As he meets with US President Joe Biden at the White House, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky?said Wednesday that next year “may become extremely important for Ukraine.”
“Historical meeting of the leaders of Ukraine and the United States - Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Joe Biden.?A great victory is ahead,” said?Yermak in a separate Telegram post.?
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Ukrainian military reports substantial strikes on Russian weapons and ammunition depots?
From CNN's Tim Lister and Julia Kesaieva
As President Volodymyr Zelensky began his visit to Washington, DC, the Ukrainian military reported inflicting heavy damage on Russian weapons and ammunition facilities.
The Ukrainian military’s General Staff confirmed fire damage at enemy ammunition depots near Kadiivka in Luhansk region, which were targeted late last week. It said that detonations at the warehouses lasted more than 20 hours.
It also reported a strike on a Russian base in the southern region of Kherson, part of which is still occupied by Russian forces. It said that on Tuesday “the occupiers, who had amassed at the airfield near Kakhovka, Kherson region, were struck.”
Frontline fighting: Elsewhere, the General Staff reported sustained Russian shelling along a wide area of the front lines in Luhansk and Donetsk, including Bakhmut, where President Zelensky visited troops on Tuesday.
The General Staff alleged that a Russian air strike on a town in the Zaporizhzhia region had hit a hospital. There was also Russian fire across the river Dnipro in Kherson, causing civilian casualties in recently liberated settlements.
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US official: It will take "several months" for Ukraine's forces to be trained to use Patriot air defense
From CNN's Ellie Kaufman and Oren Liebermann
It will take “several months” for Ukrainian forces to be properly trained to operate the Patriot battery system, a senior US defense official told reporters Wednesday after President Joe Biden announced the US would send a battery to Ukraine.??
The Patriot air defense battery and munitions the US is sending to Ukraine — as a part of the latest Presidential Drawdown Package of security assistance — “will give Ukraine a critical long-range capability” to defend against “cruise missiles, ballistic missiles and aircraft,” the official added.?
Ukraine has been asking the US and NATO allied countries for more air defense as Russia continues its assault on Ukraine. The Patriot system is one part of the air defense the US and other allies are providing, the official said.??
“For air defense, there is no silver bullet. Our goal is to help Ukraine strengthen a layered integrated approach to air defense,” the official said. “Patriot will complement a range of medium and short-range capabilities that we’ve provided and that allies have provided in prior donation packages.”?
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Expert predicts Kyiv will at best have 10 hours of electricity a day in early January?
From CNN's Julia Kesaieva in Kyiv
Cars drive along a road in Kyiv during a blackout last week.
(Gleb Garanich/Reuters)
Even in the best scenario, Kyiv is unlikely to have more than 10 hours of power a day in early January, an expert on Ukraine’s electricity crisis said.
The last wave of Russian drone attacks “was focused specifically on Kyiv’s electrical grid and led to significant damage to the whole system,” Oleksandr Kharchenko, director of Energy Industry Research Center, said on Ukrainian television. “Given the nature of the damage, I think that the people of Kyiv city should prepare for the fact that for the next two-three weeks, the availability of electricity for four-six hours in the house [per day] would be good news.”
“Within a week and a half at the most, rather, maybe in a week, we will return to scheduled outages, in Kyiv city and the region,” Kharchenko added.
Even so, he said, “at best, we will have electricity 10 hours a day, and 14 hours with no electricity” early in the new year.
While the good news was that?“a large amount of equipment is coming,” including mobile generation, the constant disturbance to electricity supplies has damaged small substations, he said.
It is likely that some Ukrainians “will be forced to celebrate the New Year in extremely difficult conditions,” he said, recommending that people link up with friends who have generators. “I think it will be more fun to be together.”
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Biden tells Zelensky that the US will ship Patriot air defense missile system to Ukraine
From CNN's DJ Judd
Patriot missile launchers are seen at Rzeszow-Jasionka Airport in Poland.
(Reuters)
US President Joe Biden welcomed Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelensky to the White House for a bilateral meeting Wednesday, pledging the United States would “continue to strengthen Ukraine’s ability to defend itself — particularly air defense.”
Biden told Zelensky that Americans of both political parties stand with Ukrainians and, along with allies “in Europe, Japan and other places to make sure you have the financial humanitarian and security assistance that you needed,” including a newly announced shipment of Patriot air defense missile systems.?
Earlier Wednesday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced an additional?$1.85 billion in security?assistance for Ukraine, including the first transfer of the Patriot missile defense system.
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Zelensky presents Biden with Ukrainian cross for military merit
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky presents US President Joe Biden with a Ukrainian cross for military merit in the Oval Office on Wednesday.
(Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images)
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky presented US President Joe Biden with a Ukrainian cross for military merit after both leaders spoke to reporters from the White House.
Zelensky thanked Biden and the US Congress for their support and expressed appreciation to the American people as well.
“Thank you so much, Mr.?President.?Of course thanks bipartisan?support, thanks Congress, and?thanks from our just ordinary people to your ordinary people,?Americans.?I really appreciate,” he said.
Zelensky then presented Biden with the cross for military merit, which he said was passed along from a captain in the Ukrainian military fighting in the Donbas region.
Biden thanked Zelensky and said that he would send the Ukrainian captain a US command coin in return.
“Undeserved but much?appreciated, thank you,” Biden said. “Well, we have a tradition?here, and I will give it to him.?My son who fought in Iraq, they?have what they call a command?coin.?Have you seen those coins we get?in the battlefield??I will make sure that he gets?one of those.?Thank you.”
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Biden remarks on 300 days of Russia's war in Ukraine
US President Joe Biden remarked on 300 days of Russia’s war in Ukraine as he spoke to reporters on Wednesday along with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
“Mr. President, it’s good?to have you back,” Biden told Zelensky. “It’s an honor to be by?your side in the united defense?against what is a brutal, brutal?war waged by Putin.”
Putin is?“trying to use winter as a?weapon,” Biden said.
He reassured that Americans, along with European allies, stand with Ukraine.
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Zelensky will try to make case to Americans that Ukraine aid is also in US interests, former ambassador says
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and US President Joe Biden walk through the White House colonnade on Wednesday.
(Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images)
During his visit to the US, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will likely have a few points he wants to convey to US President Joe Biden, Congress and the American people, Steven Pifer, a former US ambassador to Ukraine, said.
The first of those points will likely be gratitude, Pifer said on CNN as Ukrainian president arrived in Washington, DC, Wednesday.
“The United States has been the key?partner for Ukraine as it fights?off this unprovoked war of aggression that Vladimir Putin launched on Ukraine back in February,” he said.
Biden is set to announce an additional $1.8 billion in security assistance to?Ukraine?during the visit, with the coveted Patriot missile systems as part of that package. Additionally, Congress is poised to sign off on another $45 billion in?aid?for?Ukraine?and NATO allies, deepening the commitment that has helped Kyiv’s forces inflict an unexpectedly bloody price on Putin’s forces.?
That’s on top of dozens of previous financial and military aid packages from the US since the war began.
Pifer said Zelensky will use his visit to make the case that this assistance needs to continue as the war drags on into the winter months. Zelensky will likely try to argue that not only is it good for Ukraine — but that fighting Russia is in US interests as well, Pifer said in his analysis.
Another point, Pifer said, is that “we don’t know how far Vladimir Putin’s?ambitions go.”
“When he talks about Ukraine, he?talks about not a sovereign?country, but what he refers to as?historic Russian land,” Pifer said, adding that its hard for the US and other ally countries to tell if Russia would continue its aggression on other parts in the region — including some countries, like Poland, who are members of NATO.
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Expert: Patriot air defense systems will help Ukraine defend against Russian attacks, but "not a game changer"
From CNN's Haley Britzky
(Sean Gallup/Getty Images)
Experts say that while the Patriot defense missile system will be a valuable addition to Ukraine’s air defense, it’s not a cure-all.
The Patriot’s radar system combines “surveillance, tracking, and engagement functions in one unit,” according to a description from the?Center for Strategic International Studies (CSIS), which makes it stand out among other air defense systems. The system’s engagements with incoming aerial threats are “nearly autonomous” aside from needing a “final launch decision” from the humans operating it.
Ukraine has repeatedly asked for the US Army’s Patriot – an acronym for Phased Array Tracking Radar for intercept on Target – system, as it is considered one of the most capable long-range air defense systems on the market. And though the US did not fulfill the request for the first 10 months of the war, a senior administration official?told CNN?that the “reality of what is going on” on the ground in Ukraine influenced their decision to do so.
In recent weeks, the Russian military?has increasingly attacked Ukraine’s power grid?and infrastructure as winter approached and the temperatures dropped. Those attacks have only further fueled Ukraine’s asks for the Patriot.
But retired Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling, former commander of US Army Europe, told CNN that there is likely some unrealistic expectations about what a Patriot battery will be able to do for Ukraine. It won’t, for example, be available to use immediately after the US agrees to provide it — it takes months to train troops on how to use the complex system, Hertling said, adding that training US troops to serve as maintainers or repairmen takes around a year. And it won’t be able to provide blanket cover for the entire country.
Tom Karako, director of the Missile Defense Project at CSIS, told CNN that the Patriot is “not a game changer” because it is “still only able to defend a relatively small piece of dirt.”
And just one battery is operated by roughly 90 soldiers, and includes computers, an engagement control system, a phased array radar, power generating equipment, and “up to eight launchers,” according to the Army.
Ukrainian President Zelensky arrives at the White House
President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden greet Ukrainian President Zelensy at the White House on Wednesday.
(Andrew Harnik/AP)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has arrived at the White House to meet with US President Joe Biden. He was greeted by Biden and first lady Jill Biden.
The two leaders are scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting.
This is Zelensky’s first foreign trip since the war began. The Ukrainian president was clad in his typical green-colored cargo pants and a sweatshirt with a small insignia of Ukraine’s coat of arms on it.
Later today: Zelensky will hold a news conference with Biden and address a joint?meeting?of Congress at 7:30 p.m. ET.
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US Vice President Kamala Harris will attend Zelensky's address to joint meeting of Congress
From CNN's DJ Judd
According to an updated advisory, Vice President Kamala Harris will attend Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s address to a joint meeting of Congress tonight at the US Capitol.
Zelensky is set to deliver the address at 7:30 p.m. ET.
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Zelensky says he is in Washington to thank the American people for?their "much-needed support"
From CNN's Radina?Gigova?
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, left, is greeted by US chief of protocol Rufus Gifford after landing in the United States on Wednesday.
(Ukrainian Presidency)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Wednesday he is in Washington, DC, to thank the American people, US President Joe Biden and Congress for their “much-needed support.”
“I am in Washington today to thank the American people, the President and the Congress for their much-needed support. And also to continue cooperation to bring our victory closer,” Zelensky said in a post on his official Telegram channel.
“Next year, we must return the Ukrainian flag and freedom to our entire land, to all our people,” he said.?
This is Zelensky’s first overseas visit since Russia invaded his country in late February.
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Ukrainian President Zelensky has arrived in the US?
From CNN's Kevin Liptak?and MJ Lee
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has arrived in the United States, a source familiar with his travels tells CNN.?
Zelensky landed at Joint Base Andrews, a separate source familiar said.
He will visit the Oval Office this afternoon for extended talks with US President Joe Biden, who will announce he is sending nearly $2 billion in additional security assistance to Ukraine, including?a sophisticated new air defense system.
The two will convene a White House news conference before Zelensky addresses a joint meeting of Congress on Capitol Hill in prime time.
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Tight security enforced around Zelensky’s US trip, source says
From CNN’s Matthew Chance
Tight security has been enforced around the short visit of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to the US amid concerns that Russia wants to incapacitate the president, a source close to the Ukrainian leader told CNN on Wednesday.
According to the source, because of that ongoing threat, senior top government officials as well as embassy staff in the US were not informed about the schedule of Zelensky’s visit.
The source added that Zelensky had wanted to travel to the US for a few months, but certain factors had to be considered.
According to the source, the military risk had to be calculated to allow the Ukrainian president to make the short overseas trip without jeopardizing the military situation in the country.?
Scheduling also had to be worked out with the White House to assess availability for it to happen, the source added.
The source told CNN that Zelensky did not want to travel if there had not been a significant development in the bilateral relationship between Ukraine and the United States. After confirmation of the Biden administration’s plan to send a new defense assistance package to Ukraine — which includes the Patriot missile defense systems — Zelensky viewed it as a major shift in the relationship between the two allies.
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US secretary of state: Patriot air defense system included in $1.85 billion security assistance for Ukraine
Form CNN's Kylie Atwood
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks at the State Department in Washington, DC, on December 12.
“Pursuant to a delegation of authority from the President, today I am authorizing our twenty-eighth drawdown of U.S. arms and equipment for Ukraine since August 2021.?This $1 billion drawdown?will provide Ukraine with expanded air defense and precision-strike capabilities, as well as?additional munitions?and?critical equipment?that Ukraine is using so effectively to defend itself on the battlefield,” Blinken said in a statement.
Blinken added that the Pentagon will also announce?$850 million of new security assistance for Ukraine today. His statement followed a similar statement from the White House, all coming the same day as President Volodymyr Zelensky’s visit to Washington.?
The top US diplomat said that this new support comes as?the Kremlin “has tried and failed to wipe Ukraine off the map” and is now seeking to “weaponize winter” with strikes on infrastructure.
The Patriot system is an advanced long-range air defense system that is highly effective at intercepting ballistic and cruise missiles.?
Blinken reiterated that the US will continue?“to support Ukraine for as long as it takes, so that Kyiv can continue to defend itself and be in the strongest possible position at the negotiating table when the time comes.”
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Kyiv residents are optimistic as Zelensky makes surprise trip to Washington
From Svitlana Vlasova and Olga Voitovych in Kyiv
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s first wartime trip overseas comes after 10 months of relentless Russian attacks.
But Ukrainians in Kyiv are cautiously optimistic that the visit to the US — announced just hours before Zelensky was due to arrive in Washington, DC — could boost Ukraine’s efforts and send a signal to the world.
“It’s (a) very unexpected visit for us. And the expectations are really high,” Natalia Dmytieva said while playing with her grandson in a Kyiv playground that was hit by a Russian missile strike in October.
Natalia Dmytieva playing with her grandson in a Kyiv playground.
(Svitlana Vlasova/CNN)
“This is not the war anymore; this is terrorism,” she said of Russia’s repeated attacks on Ukraine’s energy grid. “Ukraine shouldn’t live in darkness.”
“The world is preparing for Christmas holidays, but we are not able to do the same this year,” she said. “It’s so difficult to explain to children why we don’t have a tree, why we can’t have fun as being shown on TV,” she told CNN.
An officer in the Ukrainian Air Assault Forces who declined to provide his name added that he was “pleasantly surprised” by news of the visit.
The officer hoped that Zelensky used the trip to keep global attention on the conflict. “If I were the president, I would say, ‘Imagine if Hitler could be stopped at the first stages’” of World War II. “We are fighting not only for our freedom, but also for theirs.”
Ruslan Zakharchenko, a law student, praised Zelensky for leading Ukraine’s war response for 10 uninterrupted months. “He stayed here in the most difficulties time and never left us,” he said.
But he said Zelensky’s departure to go to the US is a “justified step” in shoring up Washington’s support.
Several Kyiv residents said they hoped the US would commit to send more weapons to Ukraine, bolster its air defenses and pursue even stronger punishments against Russia.?
Yet while some residents are hopeful, others said the trip is unlikely to mark a turning point.
Andriy in Kyiv.
(Svitlana Vlasova/CNN)
“We shouldn’t expect anything from the United States,” said Andriy, who previously worked with the Ukrainian military and declined to provide his last name. “The worst thing is to hope for some assistance and to be disappointed when it doesn’t come.”
“Zelensky may want something that USA don’t want to give us, or vice versa,” he said.
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Analysis: How Biden's expected $1.8 billion weapons deal could impact the war in Ukraine
Analysis from CNN's Nick Paton Walsh
MIM-104 Patriot short-range anti-aircraft missile systems for defense against aircraft, cruise missiles and medium-range tactical ballistic missiles at Rzeszow Airport, Poland, on July 24.
(Christophe Gateau/picture alliance/Getty Images)
US President Joe Biden is expected to announce an additional $1.8 billion in security assistance to Ukraine during President Volodymyr Zelensky’s?visit to the White House. The significant boost in aid is expected to be headlined by the Patriot missile defense systems that are included in the package, a US official told CNN.
Details of the expected weapons deal: There are two key headline deliverables: first, the?Patriot missile defense systems. Complex, accurate, and expensive, they have been described as the US’s “gold standard” of air defense. NATO preciously guards them, and they require the personnel who operate them – almost 100 in a battalion for each weapon – to be properly trained.
The second are precision-guided munitions for Ukrainian jets. Ukraine, and Russia, largely are equipped with munitions that are “dumb” – fired roughly toward a target. Ukraine has been provided with more and more Western standard precision artillery and missiles, like Howitzers and?HIMARS?respectively.
What difference could it make to the war? These two headline packages alone could impact the course of the war. Russia’s most potent threat now is the?constant bombardment of energy infrastructure. It is making winter colder and unbearable for some, plunging cities into darkness of up 12 hours a day and sometimes longer, in the hope of sapping high Ukrainian morale.
Patriot air defense systems could intercept a large number of Russia’s missiles and attack drones – although Ukraine already claims a high success rate; on Monday, for example, it said 30 out of 35 missiles had been stopped. The Patriot is also a sign NATO’s best technology is on the table to help Ukraine win the war — or at least hold Russia back.
Read more — including about Russia’s expected reaction — here.
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US eyeing new "aggressor state" label for Russia instead of "state sponsor of terrorism," sources say
From CNN's Natasha Bertrand, Kylie Atwood and Kristin Wilson?
The Biden administration has been working with Congress over the last several months on legislation that would formally designate Russia as an “aggressor state,” multiple sources familiar with the deliberations tell CNN, and?lawmakers are waiting to see if Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky endorses the proposal when he addresses Congress in person on Wednesday night.
If he does, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi may introduce the legislation as a standalone bill this week, sources familiar with the deliberations told CNN. But it is unclear how both chambers could get it passed before they gavel out for recess, which would mark the end of the 117th Congress. Republicans take over the House chamber when Congress returns in January.?
The “aggressor state” label is less hawkish than the “state sponsor of terrorism” label that many lawmakers, including Pelosi, had been pushing the Biden administration to impose on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.?
But the White House has long resisted designating Russia as a state sponsor of terror, citing the negative consequences such a label could have on the ongoing diplomacy between the US and Russia on issues like prisoner swaps, the United Nations-brokered deal to allow grain out of Ukraine, cross-border aid to Syria and other humanitarian efforts.?
Sources familiar with the deliberations?said the administration shared a white paper with lawmakers and staffers in the fall outlining potential solutions, including the aggressor state designation.?
A senior administration official confirmed to CNN that “we are in contact with Congress on new accountability mechanisms it is working on?– ones that would not come with the unintended, harmful global consequences of an SST designation and actually address the case of Russia’s atrocities and aggression in an effective way.”
A draft of the proposal obtained by CNN calls for imposing tough new sanctions on senior Russian government officials that the president determines are complicit in “aggressor state” tactics, including undermining Ukraine’s democratic processes, threatening its territorial sovereignty, misappropriating Ukraine’s assets and asserting authority over any Ukrainian territory without Kyiv’s authorization.?
Why some are opposed: But Republican lawmakers and congressional aides opposed to the proposed legislation expressed concern that it would give the administration greater leeway to remove sanctions unilaterally should Russia signal an openness to peace talks with Ukraine, and they complained that the label does not have any real teeth to hold Russia accountable.??
“The proposed ‘Aggressor State’ designation is a poor substitute for what Ukraine has called for: a State Sponsor of Terror designation for Russia,” Republican Rep. Michael McCaul said in a?tweet on Tuesday. “This new designation fails to hold Putin accountable for his heinous war crimes and unprovoked war against Ukraine.”?
The aides told CNN that GOP staffers have told Zelensky’s office that they believe the designation is inconsequential.
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US lawmakers may miss Zelensky's speech because of weather and flights, senator says
From CNN's Manu Raju
Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Ill., speaks during a rally with health care providers and the March Fourth Coalition outside the U.S. Capitol on December 7.
(Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc/Getty Images)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s speech may not be well attended by senators who had been planning to leave town later today assuming they can get an agreement to move to final passage on the $1.7 trillion omnibus.
If the votes happen before Zelensky’s speech, many senators will be racing to catch their flights home to avoid the winter storm barreling into much of the US.
Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin, who is co-chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus and is the No. 2 in his caucus, told CNN that he is uncertain if he can attend.?
Durbin indicated he was not looped into the planning of Zelensky’s visit to the Capitol, which was coordinated by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.?
“No indication that this would be happening,” Durbin said. “And I really feel bad because I admire this man so much and he’s coming at a very challenging time.”
Durbin said it’s a “shame” many senators may not be able to attend.
It’s also unclear how many House members will be in attendance. The House has not been in session this week until Wednesday, so many members will either be traveling back to Washington today, may wait to come back to the Capitol tomorrow or may decide to vote by proxy and stay home to avoid the snowstorm.
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How Zelensky's visit to the US will unfold today
Here’s the expected timing of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s visit to meet US President Joe Biden in Washington, DC, on Wednesday:
2 p.m. ET: Biden welcomes Zelensky to the White House
2:30 p.m. ET: Biden holds a bilateral meeting with Zelensky
4:30 p.m. ET: Biden hosts a joint press conference with Zelensky
6:15 p.m. ET: Zelensky arrives on Capitol Hill
7:30 p.m. ET: Zelensky gives an address to a joint meeting of Congress
Zelensky is currently en route to the US on an American military aircraft. It is Zelensky’s first overseas visit since Russia invaded his country in late February.
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday said that mobilization efforts must be modernized and digitalized after the “partial mobilization” in the fall revealed issues.?
“The partial mobilization carried out revealed certain problems, it is well known to everyone, which should be promptly addressed,” Putin said during a meeting with Russian defense chiefs on 2023 objectives.?
On Tuesday, Putin signed a decree to create a working group that will coordinate various authorities in handling issues related to mobilization.
The Kremlin has repeatedly said there is no need for a second phase of mobilization. The initial phase ended in October.
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu also proposed raising the conscription age for Russian mandatory military service from 18 to 21 years while increasing the limit to 30 years.?
Currently, Russian men aged between 18-27 can be conscripted for mandatory military service. Shoigu also called for the digitalization of enlistment offices.
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Putin and Russian defense minister outline major investment in military in face of perceived NATO threat
From CNN's Tim Lister and Uliana Pavlova?
Russian President Vladimir Putin, center, and Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, left, attend a meeting of defence chiefs in Moscow, Russia, on December 21.
(Reuters)
In a series of announcements on Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu declared there would be substantial investment in many areas of the military — including increasing the size of the armed forces, accelerating weapons programs and deploying a new generation of hypersonic missiles.
At an expanded meeting of the Russian Defense Ministry’s board, Putin and Shoigu laid out a series of initiatives designed to prepare Russia for what Putin called “inevitable clashes” with Russia’s adversaries.
Military expansion: Shoigu said that the country’s military must be expanded from its current 1 million personnel to 1.5 million, including a target of 695,000 volunteer contract soldiers. Russia has recently deployed an additional 150,000 soldiers to what it calls its “special military operation” in Ukraine — half the total number of men mobilized in the fall.
Shoigu said two additional airborne assault divisions would be created.
Both men made it clear that Russia’s principal adversary is what they regard as an expansionist NATO that wants to weaken and even split Russia.
Shoigu announced the creation of a new Leningrad Military District in northwest Russia to create two “strategic territorial associations of the Armed Forces — the Moscow and Leningrad military districts.”?
Nuclear updates: There were also updates on the improvement and modernization of Russia’s nuclear deterrents.
Shoigu announced the start of work on the deployment of Russia’s latest intercontinental ballistic missile, the RS-28 Sarmat.
“Successful launches of a new heavy-class missile of the Sarmat missile system during state tests made it possible to begin work on its deployment,” he said.
President Putin?said the system would be put on combat duty in the near future.
In addition, Shoigu said the delivery to the armed forces of a new generation of hypersonic missiles — including the Zircon and the Dagger — would be accelerated.
Military repairs: Shoigu also announced a shakeup in the maintenance and repair of military equipment, which has been a persistent problem since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
“Next year, three repair plants will be formed, and repair units in the military unit will be strengthened,” Shoigu said at the meeting.
In an apparent reference to corruption in the military procurement process, Shoigu said, “The transition to outsourcing in 2008-2012 led to the practical destruction of military repair bodies, which negatively affected the serviceability of weapons and equipment. Since 2012, measures have been taken to recreate them.”
“We will not engage in the militarization of the country and the militarization of the economy, primarily because the achieved level of development to date, the structure of the economy do not require it. We have everything,” the president said.?
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Analysis: Here's how Zelensky's visit to the US will echo Winston Churchill's visit 81 years ago
Analysis from CNN's Stephen Collinson
British Prime Minister Winston Churchill addresses a joint session of congress in the senate chamber, Washington D.C, on December 26, 1941.
(Bettmann/Getty Images)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s arrival will draw poignant echoes of British Prime Minister Winston Churchill’s arrival in Washington, 81 years ago on Thursday, days after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. That Christmas visit cemented the alliance that would win World War II and built the post-war democratic world.
Zelensky compared his nation’s resistance against?Russia?with Britain’s lonely defiance of the Nazis in the days before the US entered World War II?during a video address to the UK Parliament?earlier this year, and his arrival in the US capital will sharpen the parallels to the earlier meeting of Churchill and President Franklin Roosevelt.
Over days of brainstorming and meetings – fueled by Churchill’s regime of sherry with breakfast, Scotch and sodas for lunch, champagne in the evening and a tipple of 90-year-old brandy before bed – the two leaders plotted the defeat of Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan and laid the foundation of the Western alliance that Biden has reinvigorated in his support for Ukraine.
Churchill, who had pined for US involvement in World War II for months and knew it was the key to defeating Adolf Hitler, said during his visit, “I spend this anniversary and festival far from my country, far from my family, and yet I cannot truthfully say that I feel far from home.”
Zelensky is sure to get that kind of hero’s welcome and will hope that extra US support will mean that Washington has truly “drawn the sword for freedom and cast away the scabbard,” as Churchill said of the Roosevelt administration in his address to Congress on Dec. 26, 1941.
The Ukrainian leader is likely to appreciate the historical parallels. He paraphrased one of Churchill’s most famous wartime speeches in an emotional address to British members of parliament in March. “We will not surrender, we will not lose, we will go to the end.”
From CNN’s Anna Chernova, Clare Sebastian and Sugam Pokharel
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday that it “became obvious” that war in Ukraine was unavoidable, claiming it’s “better today than tomorrow” that it happened.
“It became obvious that clashes with these forces, including in Ukraine, were inevitable. The only question was when it would happen,” he said during a?meeting of the Russian Defense Ministry board.?
He reiterated that Russia’s goals in Ukraine will be achieved.
He also said Moscow has “no limits” when it comes to financing its military.?
“The government will give everything the army needs,” he said.?
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Russia continues to develop hypersonic missile systems, Putin says
From CNN's Anna Chernova
Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks at a meeting with Russian defense chiefs in Moscow, Russia, on December 21.
(Reuters)
Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Russia is continuing the development of hypersonic missile systems, which the country has previously used in Ukraine — the first known use of such missiles in combat.
Putin claimed the missiles “are unique in their characteristics and have no analogues in the world.”?
Speaking at a meeting with Russian defense chiefs about next year’s military objectives, Putin added that a new frigate, the Admiral Gorshkov “will enter combat service” in January 2023.?
The frigate will have the capabilities to fire “the latest Zircon sea-based hypersonic missiles systems,” he said, adding that the Zircon missile deliveries have begun.
Some context: Essentially, all missiles are hypersonic — which means they travel at least five times the speed of sound. Almost any warhead released from a rocket miles in the atmosphere will reach this speed heading to its target. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin downplayed the effectiveness of the missiles back in March,?telling CBS?that he “would not see it as a game-changer.”
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Biden says he's "thrilled" to welcome Zelensky to the US
From CNN's Allison Malloy
US President Joe Biden just?tweeted?ahead of his surprise visit with Ukrainian President?Volodymyr Zelensky this afternoon, expressing good wishes to Zelensky and writing that the two leaders have “much to discuss.”
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Biden invited Zelensky to DC as war enters "new phase"
From CNN's Kevin Liptak
John Kirby, the strategic communications coordinator at the National Security Council, talks to "CNN This Morning" on December 21.
(CNN)
US President Joe Biden invited his Ukrainian counterpart to Washington this week because he determined the war in Ukraine had entered a new stage, a top US official said Wednesday.
“The President really?believes that as we approach?winter, as we enter … a new?phase in this war, Mr. Putin’s?aggression, that this is a good?time for the two leaders to sit?down face to face and talk,” said John Kirby, the strategic communications coordinator at the National Security Council, on “CNN This Morning.”
The talks are expected to center on continued US military and economic assistance, along with sustaining sanctions on Russia and supporting the Ukrainian people.
But Kirby said the two would also discuss how the war might end — a sensitive topic that’s been the subject of some disagreements among Western leaders.
He said Zelensky was cognizant of the risks he was taking in leaving Ukraine, and the US was working to ensure the trip is safe.
“We are working in lockstep with?him and his staff to make sure?we can make this trip safely,?both coming through the United?States, and coming back.?We will continue to support his?travel requirements as best we can,” he said.
He declined to say when the sophisticated Patriot missile defense system that Biden is expected to announce Wednesday would be operational inside Ukraine.
“It takes a long time for our?troops to get trained on how to?operate them.?So, we will have to factor all?of that in,” he said.
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Zelensky will address US Congress on Wednesday evening
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected to address a joint meeting of Congress at 7:30 p.m. ET.
Prior to his address, Zelensky will meet with President Joe Biden and the two will convene a White House news conference. Biden is expected to announce he is sending nearly $2 billion in additional security assistance to Ukraine, including?a sophisticated new air defense system.
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US military aircraft involved in bringing Zelensky to Washington
From CNN's Kevin Liptak and MJ Lee
An American military aircraft was involved in bringing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to Washington for his meetings Wednesday, according to US officials.
The US was heavily involved in the security arrangements to bring Zelensky from and back to Ukraine for the first time since the Russian invasion began.
After Zelensky accepted Biden’s invitation to visit a week ago, the two sides immediately began making the security arrangements for the visit.
Zelensky plans to leave Washington immediately after his address to Congress on Capitol Hill, making his visit only a matter of a few hours.
Zelensky traveled to?Poland?by?train?as part of his journey to the United States on Wednesday.
Video by CNN affiliate TVN in?Poland?captured the moment Zelensky arrived by?train?in Przemysl, near the Polish-Ukrainian border. The shot date is Dec. 21, but does not give an indication of time.
Zelensky is then seen in a white 4x4 vehicle waiting to depart in a convoy.
According to TVN, Zelensky then flew to from Rzeszow airport on his way to Washington. Zelensky was seen with US Ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Ann Brink.
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Russian defense minister says "partial mobilization" has been "serious trial" for country and army?
From CNN’s Anna Chernova and Sugam Pokharel??
Young men walk in front of a billboard promoting contract army service with an image of a serviceman and the slogan reading "Serving Russia is a real job" in St Petersburg, Russia, on September 29.
(Olga Maltseva/AFP/Getty Images)
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said on Wednesday that “partial mobilization” has been a “serious trial” for Russia and its army.?
“It has become a criterion for the maturity of Russian society and a serious trial for the country and the armed forces,”?he told a?meeting of the Russian Defense Ministry board in Moscow.?
Some background: Moscow announced in October that its “partial mobilization” of hundreds of thousands of citizens to fight in the country’s war on Ukraine had been completed.?The announcement in late September sparked protests and an exodus of men from the country.
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Putin says Russia needs to “continue to support and improve readiness” of its nuclear weapons
From CNN’s Clare Sebastian, Anna Chernova?and Sugam Pokharel
Russian President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday that Russia needs to “continue to support and improve readiness” of its nuclear weapons.??
“We need to continue to support, and to improve the readiness of our nuclear units. This is the main guarantee of our sovereignty and territorial integrity.??A strategic priority is the overall balance of power in the world,” he told a?meeting of the Russian Defense Ministry board in Moscow.?
Putin also accused key NATO countries of using their military potential against Russia.?
Putin claimed that Moscow’s “strategic adversaries” have been planning to “disintegrate, weaken and divide” Russia.
“Our strategic adversaries have the goal of disintegrating and weakening, dividing our country. This has been going on for centuries. [Russia is] too big, as they think, a country that poses a threat to someone. Therefore, it needs to be broken down, cut down a little,” he said.?
His speech started right after those in attendance observed a moment of silence for those who “gave their lives for the motherland.”
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Zelensky spotted arriving in Poland by train and leaving by plane to the US, according to Polish TV
From CNN's Seb Shukla and Sugam Pokharel
Video by CNN affiliate TVN in Poland captures the moment Zelensky arrived by train in Przemysl, near the Polish/Ukrainian border. Faces have been blurred at source.
(TVN POLAND)
President Volodymyr Zelensky traveled to Poland by train as part of his journey to the United States on Wednesday.?
Video by CNN affiliate TVN in Poland captured the moment Zelensky arrived by train in Przemysl, near the Polish/Ukrainian border. The shot date is Dec. 21, but does not give an indication of time.
Zelensky is then seen in a white 4x4 vehicle waiting to depart in a convoy.?
According to TVN, Zelensky then flew to the US from Rzeszow (RZE) airport to Washington. Zelensky was seen with US Ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Ann Brink.
Zelensky?is set to pay a dramatic surprise visit to Washington?on Wednesday, using his first trip outside his homeland since it was invaded 300 days ago to rally his top international partner behind sustained military and economic assistance.
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IAEA confirms its chief Grossi will travel to Russia Thursday to discuss Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant?
From CNN's?Jessie Gretener
Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) attends the IAEA's Board of Governors meeting at the agency's headquarters in Vienna, Austria, on November 16.
(Joe Klamar/AFP/Getty Images)
The UN nuclear watchdog?IAEA has confirmed that its chief Rafael Grossi will be traveling to Moscow on Thursday to discuss?nuclear safety at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine.
“We can confirm that Director General Grossi will be in Moscow tomorrow as part of his ongoing high-level consultations aimed at agreeing and implementing a nuclear safety and security zone around the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) as soon as possible,” the IAEA said in a statement on Wednesday.?
The plant,?in Russian-occupied territory,?has come under repeated shelling attacks?prompting concerns about a nuclear disaster.?Russia and Ukraine have blamed each other for the attacks.?
There are no plans for Grossi to meet Russia’s President?Vladimir Putin?during the visit, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday.??
Missile strikes?in the Zaporizhzhia region have increased in recent weeks. Earlier in the week, the head of the Zaporizhzhia Region Military Administration, Oleksandr Starukh, told a briefing that the energy situation is currently difficult.
All six units at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant are out of operation. Starukh said that “they are in partially cold and partially hot shutdown mode.”?
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Famous locations around the world to go dark Wednesday in solidarity with Ukraine?
From CNN’s Max Foster and Robert Iddiols
Iconic sites around the world will turn off their lights on Wednesday in solidarity with Ukraine.?
London’s famous Wembley Stadium arch, the Colosseum in Rome, Sydney Opera House, and Toronto’s CN Tower are going to turn the lights out tonight at 8pm (local time) as part of the #LightUpUkraine campaign, according to organizers.?
Many Ukrainians face a winter of blackouts as the country rebuffs attacks on its civilian infrastructure by invading Russian forces.?
The landmark locations join a host of other sites across Europe in pledging their support.?
The campaign aims to raise $10 million via the UNITED24, Ukraine’s national fundraising platform, for 1000 generators to power hospitals this winter.
According to the organizers, Ukrainian doctors have to save lives and perform complex surgeries by flashlight, posing an additional threat to people’s lives.
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IAEA chief to travel to Russia to discuss Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant -- Russian state media??
From CNN’s Jessie Gretener and Anna Chernova
The Zaporizhzhia?nuclear?power?plant in the?Zaporizhzhia?region of Russian-controlled Ukraine, on November 24.
(Alexander Ermochenko/Reuters)
UN nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi will travel to Russia on Thursday to discuss nuclear safety at Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine, Russian state media RIA Novosti reported.?
Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), intends to discuss the creation of a security zone around Europe’s largest power plant, according to the news agency.?
The plant,?in Russian-occupied territory,?has come under repeated shelling attacks?prompting concerns about a nuclear disaster.?Russia and Ukraine have blamed each other for the attacks.?
There are no plans for Grossi to meet Russia’s President Vladimir Putin during the visit, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday.??
CNN has reached out to the IAEA for comment.??
Missile strikes in the Zaporizhzhia region have increased in recent weeks. Earlier in the week, the head of the Zaporizhzhia Region Military Administration, Oleksandr Starukh, told a briefing that the energy situation is currently difficult.
All six units at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant are out of operation. Starukh said that “they are in partially cold and partially hot shutdown mode.”?
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Russian foreign minister accuses EU of failing to properly investigate Nord Stream explosions
From CNN’s Robert Iddiols
Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei?Lavrov?attends a meeting in Moscow, Russia, on December 1.
(Russian Foreign Ministry/Reuters)
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov claimed Wednesday that it appeared no European countries were going to properly investigate the series of explosions that ruptured the Nord Stream gas pipelines in September.?
“After the explosions on the Nord Stream – which, it appears, nobody in the European Union is going to investigate objectively – Russia stopped gas transportation through the northern routes,” Lavrov told the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) virtual summit.
Swedish and Danish authorities have been investigating the damage to the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines linking Russia and Germany via the Baltic Sea.
In November, Swedish prosecutors claimed the blasts at the pipeline were caused by an act of sabotage after evidence of explosives was discovered at the sites, though did not name possible culprits.?
A gas?leak?at?Nord?Stream?2 seen from a Danish F-16 interceptor at Bornholm, Denmark, on September 27.
Created to funnel gas from Russia into the European Union, the pipelines have been flashpoints in an escalating energy war between European capitals and Moscow that has pummeled major Western economies, sent gas prices soaring and sparked a hunt for alternative energy supplies since the February invasion of Ukraine.
They were controversial long before Russia waged war on Ukraine for the significant leverage they gave Moscow over Europe. But until this year, European countries have been reluctant to wean themselves off Russian energy given the potential for rising prices.
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Kremlin says Western countries "aggravating conflict" as Zelensky heads to Washington
From CNN’s Anna Chernova?and Kevin Liptak
Security forces take measures around United States Capitol ahead of the official visit of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to Washington D.C., on December 21.
(Celal Gunes/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Wednesday that Moscow doesn’t see a chance of peace talks between Russia and Ukraine and that Western countries making new weapon deliveries to Kyiv “leads to an aggravation of the conflict.”?
When asked by reporters about Russian reaction to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visiting Washington, Peskov said: “Arms deliveries continue, the range of supplied weapons is expanding. All this leads to an aggravation of the conflict and does not bode well for Ukraine.”?
Zelensky?will visit the Oval Office on Wednesday for extended talks with US President Joe Biden, who will announce he is sending nearly $2 billion in additional security assistance to Ukraine, including a sophisticated new air defense system.?
When asked if Kyiv’s position on the negotiation process will change after Zelensky’s trip to the US, Peskov said: “I don’t think so.”
Zelensky’s surprise visit to Washington is his first trip outside his homeland since it was invaded 300 days ago.
He and Biden will hold a White House news conference before Zelensky addresses members of Congress on Capitol Hill in prime time.
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Chinese leader Xi Jinping meets with Russia's Medvedev in Beijing
From CNN's Clare Sebastian and Hannah Ritchie
Chinese leader Xi Jinping met with former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev in Beijing on December 21.
(Telegram)
Chinese leader Xi Jinping met with former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev on Wednesday in Beijing, where they “discussed international issues, including of course the conflict in Ukraine,” Russian state-run news agency TASS reported.
In a video posted to his Telegram account showing the meeting, Medvedev could be seen talking about the industrial and economic “cooperation” between China and Russia, while Xi spoke about “deepening relations” between the two countries.?
Xi also reiterated his message that he hoped all parties in the Ukraine crisis could resolve security concerns through political means, according to Chinese state-run news agency Xinhua, which added that Medvedev had come to China at the invitation of the ruling Communist Party.?
Some context: China is among a handful of countries that have repeatedly abstained from votes condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine at the United Nations. Beijing has refused to label the military aggression as an “invasion” or “war,” and has amplified Russian propaganda blaming the conflict on NATO and the United States, while decrying sanctions and stepping up economic assistance to its neighbor.
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Analysis: Why Zelensky's surprise US visit is so hugely significant
Analysis from CNN's Stephen Collinson
President Volodymyr Zelensky’s?White House visit?Wednesday will symbolically bolster America’s role as the arsenal of democracy in the bitter war for Ukraine’s survival and send a stunning public rebuke to?Russian President Vladimir Putin.
That his first trip outside Ukraine since the Russian invasion in February is to the United States will also highlight?President Joe Biden’s?historic role in reviving the Western alliance that kept the Soviet Union at bay and is now countering new expansionism by Moscow in an effective proxy war between nuclear superpowers.
Zelensky’s arrival will draw poignant echoes of British Prime Minister Winston Churchill’s arrival in Washington, 81 years ago on Thursday, days after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. That Christmas visit cemented the alliance that would win World War II and built the post-war democratic world.
Zelensky compared his nation’s resistance against Russia with Britain’s lonely defiance of the Nazis in the days before the US entered World War II?during a video address to the UK Parliament?earlier this year, and his arrival in the US capital will sharpen the parallels to the earlier meeting of Churchill and President Franklin Roosevelt.
His visit is unfolding amid extraordinary security. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi wouldn’t even confirm the early reports that she’d welcome Zelensky to the US Capitol in an unexpected coda to her speakership, saying on Tuesday evening, “We don’t know yet. We just don’t know.”
A White House reception for Zelensky will above all be an unmistakable sign of US and Western support for Ukraine’s battle against Putin, who says the country has no right to exist. The war exemplifies what Biden has framed as a global struggle between democracy and totalitarianism, which he has put at the center of his foreign policy.
Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego of Arizona, who visited Ukraine earlier this month, said on CNN’s “AC360” that Zelensky was coming to Washington on a specific mission.
Zelensky is carrying a Ukrainian flag signed by soldiers as a gift for Biden and Congress
From CNN's Jonny Hallam and Josh Penington
A Ukrainian soldier on Tuesday presented President?Volodymyr?Zelensky with a flag signed by frontline troops as a gift for President Joe Biden and the US Congress, to say thank you for the weapons they had been sent.
The unnamed soldier was seen on video handing the flag to Zelensky in the city of Bakhmut, saying it was a gift “to our brothers in the US. We ask you to pass on to them. Thank you.”
Zelensky’s visit to the front lines in eastern Ukraine took place one day before he set off on a surprise visit to Washington, where Biden is expected to announce he is sending nearly $2 billion in additional security assistance to Ukraine, including?a sophisticated new air defense system. The two will convene a White House news conference before Zelensky addresses members of Congress on Capitol Hill in prime time.
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Ukraine's Zelensky says he's on his way to US to meet with Biden
From CNN's Irene Nasser
President Volodymyr Zelensky?attends an award ceremony on Tuesday for Ukrainian service members at their position in the frontline town of Bakhmut, Donetsk region.
(Ukrainian Presidential Press Service/Reuters)
Ukrainian President?Volodymyr Zelensky?said Wednesday he is traveling to the United States, where he will meet with US President Joe Biden and address Congress.?
The trip will be Zelensky’s first outside Ukraine since Russia’s invasion began in February.?
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Zelensky to make dramatic surprise visit to Washington to rally US support for Ukraine's defense
From CNN's Kevin Liptak
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will pay a dramatic surprise visit to Washington on Wednesday, using his first trip outside his homeland since it was invaded 300 days ago to rally his top international partner behind sustained military and economic assistance.
He will visit the Oval Office in the afternoon for extended talks with US President Joe Biden, who will announce he is sending nearly $2 billion in additional security assistance to Ukraine, including?a sophisticated new air defense system. The two will convene a White House news conference before Zelensky addresses members of Congress on Capitol Hill in prime time.
The visit by the Ukrainian leader to Washington, expected to last only a matter of hours, nonetheless amounts to a remarkable moment 10 months since Russia’s war in Ukraine began.
Pulled together quickly by American and Ukrainian officials over the past 10 days, the wartime visit is meant to demonstrate in stirring fashion the continued American commitment to Ukraine at a moment when Biden’s ability to maintain that support?at home and abroad is being tested.
Russia's militarization of the Arctic shows no sign of slowing down
From CNN's Nick Paton Walsh?and?Sarah Dean
A Russian soldier stands guard by a military truck on the island of Alexandra Land in the Russian Arctic in May of 2021.
Maxime Popov/AFP/Getty Images
Russia has continued expanding its military bases in the Arctic region despite significant losses in its?war on Ukraine, according to a new series of satellite images obtained by CNN.
The findings also come as a senior Western intelligence official told CNN Russia has withdrawn as much as three quarters of its land forces from the High North region near the Arctic, sending them to bolster its faltering invasion of its neighbor, Ukraine.
The satellite pictures, obtained by CNN from Maxar Technologies, show a series of Russian radar bases and runways undergoing improvements over the past year. The images do not show dramatic development, but rather the continued progress of fortifying and expanding an area analysts say is of vital importance to Russia’s defensive strategy, at a time of great strain on Moscow’s resources.
US President Joe Biden will announce an additional $1.8 billion in security assistance to Ukraine during President Volodymyr Zelensky’s expected visit the White House.
The significant boost in aid is expected to be headlined by the Patriot missile defense systems that are included the package, a US official told CNN.?
The new announcement will add to the nearly $20 billion in US security assistance provided to Ukraine since Russia’s invasion in February, and will come at the same moment US lawmakers are considering a sweeping government spending measure that includes an additional $45 billion in emergency assistance to Ukraine.?
Patriot missile defense systems:?Ukraine has been calling for the US to send the?advanced long-range air defense system?that is highly effective at intercepting ballistic and cruise missiles as it comes under a barrage of Russian missile and drone attacks that have destroyed key infrastructure across the country.
It would be the most effective long-range defensive weapons system sent to the country and officials say it will help secure airspace for NATO nations in eastern Europe.
Previously,?the US has sent?Patriot batteries to NATO allies like Poland as a way to bolster their defenses, and sent other weapon systems to Ukraine to assist against the Russian invasion.
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Kremlin-linked hackers tried to spy on oil firm in NATO country, researchers say
From CNN's?Sean Lyngaas
A Kremlin-linked hacking group known for focusing on Ukraine has stepped up its spying efforts against Ukraine’s NATO allies in recent months — in part by trying to hack a big oil firm in a NATO country in August, according to US cybersecurity firm Palo Alto Networks.
It’s the latest sign that Russia’s various hacking teams are throwing out all the stops to try to get key intelligence on NATO members as Moscow tries to shift the tide of its bloody war in Ukraine.
The hacking group — which Ukraine has accused of working out of Crimea on behalf of Russian intelligence — unsuccessfully tried to break into?the network of an oil refinery company based in a NATO country “that continues to import oil from Russia,” Unit 42, Palo Alto Networks’ threat intelligence group, told CNN on Tuesday. Unit 42 declined to name the NATO country or the oil firm.
Biden and Zelensky planning to meet in Washington for Ukrainian president’s first foreign trip since war began
From CNN's Phil Mattingly,?Kevin Liptak,?Manu Raju?and?Kaitlan Collins
President?Joe Biden?and Ukrainian President?Volodymyr Zelensky?are planning to meet at the White House on Wednesday, according to two sources familiar with the planning, in a Washington visit that is tentatively scheduled to include an address to a joint session of Congress.
Zelensky is already on his way to Washington, two separate sources said, for a visit that marks his first trip outside of Ukraine since the Russian invasion began in February of this year.
The visit to the White House, which hasn’t been finalized and has remained tightly held due to security concerns, will include a meeting with Biden and top administration officials and is planned to coincide with the administration’s intent to send the country a new defense assistance package that will include?Patriot missile systems.
Lawmakers are also planning for Zelensky to visit Capitol Hill to speak on Wednesday evening, though sources say the visit hasn’t been finalized as officials work through security preparations.
The White House declined to comment on a potential visit or Biden announcement or new security assistance announcements. House Speaker?Nancy Pelosi?wouldn’t confirm reports Zelensky would be coming to the Capitol on Wednesday, saying, “I don’t know that that’s going to happen.”
President Zelensky recounts his visit to Bakhmut in message to Ukrainians
From CNN's Julia Kesaieva
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he was struck by the state of cities and towns he passed through on the way to the front lines in Bakhmut on Tuesday.
Zelensky went to Bakhmut, the epicenter of fighting in Donetsk region, to meet troops and present medals.
“I was there today to support our soldiers, to present state awards, to thank them,” he said in his daily video message.
“I have passed Sloviansk, Kramatorsk, Druzhkivka, Konstantinovka… Cities, villages nearby, which are now literally struggling for life.”
He said Ukrainian heroes in Bakhmut would stop the “so-called Russian world.”
“We will do everything possible and impossible, expected and unexpected, so that our heroes have everything they need to win,” Zelensky added, naming frontline settlements in Donetsk and Luhansk.
“This is our Luhansk region, this is our south of Ukraine, this is our Crimea. Ukraine will not leave anything of its own to the enemy.”
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On 300th day of war, fighting rages in Donetsk region as stalemate prevails in many areas
From CNN's Tim Lister and Julia Kesaieva
President Volodymyr Zelensky’s visit to Ukrainian troops on the?front lines in Bakhmut?comes as Russian forces intensify their efforts to break Ukrainian resistance in several parts of Donetsk region.
With the conflict now 300 days old, the Russians have been pushing some of their newly mobilized troops into fierce battles in both Luhansk and Donetsk, but the Ukrainian military consistently reports that Russian assaults have been rebuffed.
On Tuesday, the military’s General Staff said: “The enemy continues to focus its efforts on conducting offensive actions in the Bakhmut and Avdiivka directions,” both in Donetsk. The Russians were trying to recover ground lost in September along the borders of Donetsk and Luhansk, it said. They were also intensifying assaults immediately to the west of the city of Donetsk, the General Staff said.?
Much of the Russian fire comes from multiple rocket launchers. The Ukrainian General Staff said the Russians had carried out more than 80 Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) attacks on Monday alone. Some of the most intense fighting has been in and around the ruined town of Mariinka, which the Russians are trying to secure to give them a foothold for further offensive action.
Ukraine said its air defenses had brought down two Mi-8 helicopters.
Neither side has made decisive gains in the east since the Ukrainians’ lightning offensive in September, partly because of wet weather, fog and mud but also because much of the front line is heavily mined. Russian forces are on the eastern fringes of Bakhmut, according to geolocated video, but one Russian military blogger said Monday that Russian units of the Wagner group had lost some ground south of the city. It is difficult to confirm territorial changes around Bakhmut.
Further north, on the border of Luhansk and Kharkiv regions, the Ukrainian military says it has beaten back “small counterattacks” by Russian forces.
Serhiy Hayday, head of Luhansk region military administration, said the Russians continued to shell recently liberated areas.?
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US to send precision bomb kits and Patriot missiles in next Ukraine aid package, officials say
From CNN's Oren Liebermann,?Barbara Starr,?Natasha Bertrand?and?Haley Britzky
The US is expected to send?Ukraine?precision bomb kits that will turn existing unguided munitions, or “dumb” bombs, into precision-guided “smart” bombs known as Joint Direct Attack Munitions, or JDAMs, according to multiple US officials.
The kits add fins and a precision guidance system to the “dumb” munitions. They are expected to be included in the next security aid package to Ukraine as soon as this week, the sources said, though officials did not say how many JDAMs would be provided, or what specific type.
The precision bombs could help Ukraine attack fixed Russian defensive lines or other large targets. But they need to be dropped from fighter jets, which remains a significant challenge because of Russia’s own air defenses.
On Snake Island, the rocky Black Sea outcrop that became a Ukraine war legend
From CNN's Will Ripley,?Tim Lister,?Victoria Butenko?and?Kostantyn Hak
Snake Island has a special place in Ukraine’s folklore, now more than ever. Its defiant defense — when a Russian warship was famously told to “go f*** yourself” — and then reconquest rallied a nation in the early months of the conflict with Russia, puncturing the myth of the invaders’ superiority.
Now, whipped by winter winds, it remains firmly in Ukrainian hands — a speck of rock that has both symbolic and strategic significance.
A CNN team became the first foreign media to visit the island since it was recaptured in June, and to speak with the commander of the operation that led to its liberation.
A few acres of rock and grass, treeless and difficult to access, Snake Island, also known as Zmiinyi Island, lies around 30 miles (48 kilometers) off the Ukrainian coast, near its maritime border with Romania.
Getting there proved challenging: An hour being pitched from wave to wave in a small boat, showered with spray, in sub-freezing temperatures. The Black Sea can be unforgiving, and so can its hazardous coastline. On the way back our dirigible boat got stuck on a sandbar, and it took six hours before we were transferred, one-by-one, to another vessel in the darkness.
