Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected to visit the White House, though security concerns could force a change in plans.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected to visit the White House and the US Capitol on Wednesday, though security concerns could force a change in plans, two sources familiar with the planning said Tuesday.
Earlier, US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi said there would be a session of Congress on Wednesday night which would have a “very special focus on democracy.” Putin’s address followed a visit to close ally Belarus that stoked fears, dismissed by the Kremlin, that Russia’s fellow former Soviet republic could help it open a new invasion front against Ukraine, where fighting has been concentrated hundreds of kilometres away in the east and south of the country.
Earlier, he repeated calls to the West for more weaponry including air defence systems after Russian drones hit energy targets in a third air strike on power facilities in six days.In a break with the official line that the invasion is going smoothly, Putin conceded serious problems in regions of Ukraine that Moscow unilaterally claimed to annex in September, and he ordered the Federal Security Services to ensure the “safety” of residents there.
Western countries have imposed unprecedented sanctions on Russia and the rouble slumped to a more than seven-month low against the dollar on Tuesday after the European Union agreed to cap prices of natural gas, a major Russian export.In Washington, a senior US State Department official told reporters there were conflicting views in Russia on what the next steps in Ukraine should be, with some seeking new offensives and others doubting Russia’s capacity to wage them.
Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said Ukrainians should prepare for new Russian attacks on energy infrastructure because Moscow wanted them to spend Christmas and New Year in darkness.On Monday, Putin visited Belarus for the first time since 2019 and he and his counterpart extolled ever-closer ties while barely mentioning the conflict in Ukraine.
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