Russia-Ukraine updates: Putin says war was ‘unleashed’ on Russia

The Russian president delivered his annual Victory Day speech.

More than a year after Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of neighboring Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, the countries are fighting for control of areas in eastern and southern Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's forces are readying a spring counteroffensive, but Putin appears to be preparing for a long and bloody war.

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Latest headlines:

Here's how the news is developing. All times Eastern.
Mar 02, 2023, 3:48 PM EST

US to announce more weapons for Ukraine on Friday

The U.S. will announce another assistance package for Ukraine on Friday, White House spokesperson John Kirby announced Thursday afternoon, but did not detail the exact size of this next round of support.

"You'll see us tomorrow, just unilaterally, the U.S. will have another round of assistance for Ukraine coming tomorrow. And it will include mostly ammunitions and munitions that the Ukrainians will need for the systems that they already have, like the HIMARS and the artillery."

John Kirby, coordinator for strategic communications at the National Security Council, answers questions during the daily press briefing at the White House on March 2, 2023 in Washington, D.C.
Win McNamee/Getty Images

The new aid comes as President Joe Biden meets with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz at the White House Friday to discuss ongoing support for Ukraine as Russia's invasion continues.

Kirby said the leaders would discuss the "kinds of capabilities that Ukraine continues to need in the weeks and months ahead."

He also said this will be a "true working visit" between Biden and Scholz and they are expected to discuss "recent engagements with Ukrainian officials, including the President's trip to Kyiv and meeting with President Zelenskyy, as well as Chancellor Schultz’s meeting with President Zelensky in Paris last month."

-ABC News' Justin Gomez

Mar 02, 2023, 3:12 PM EST

Lavrov 'diverted' Blinken's calls to reconsider Russia leaving START treaty

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov "diverted" U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken's calls to reconsider the decision to suspend Russia's participation in the New START treaty, Russia's foreign ministry told Interfax, Russian news agency.

“If they want to return to diplomacy, let them return. If they are engaged in self-promotion and such inexpensive PR, well, this is possible. True, the result will be appropriate," Maria Zakharova, a spokesperson for the ministry, told Russian TV channel Rossiya-1.

-ABC News' Natalia Shumskaia

Mar 02, 2023, 12:36 PM EST

Blinken, Lavrov hold 'on the go' talk at G-20 meeting

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov had an "on the go" talk during the G-20 Meeting of Foreign Ministers in India, but there were no negotiations, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told TASS, a Russian news agency, Thursday.

"Blinken asked for a contact with Lavrov. Sergey Viktorovich [Lavrov] had communication on the go during the second session. But there were no negotiations, no meeting or so on," the diplomat said.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks during a press conference on the sidelines of the G20 foreign ministers' meeting in New Delhi on March 2, 2023.
Olivier Douliery/POOL/AFP via Getty Images

Blinken had said earlier in the day during a press conference he had "spoke briefly" with Lavrov and discussed ending the war, as well as Russia rejoining the New START Treaty on nuclear arms.

"I told the foreign minister what I and so many others said last week at the United Nations and what so many G-20 foreign ministers said today: End this war of aggression, engage in meaningful diplomacy that could produce a just and durable peace," he said. "The United States stands ready to support Ukraine through diplomacy to end the war on this basis."

A senior State Department official downplayed any hopes that the conversation moved the needle on any of the topics.

-ABC News' Tanya Stukalova and Shannon Crawford

Mar 01, 2023, 5:12 PM EST

Ukraine says it's shot down 80% of Russian missiles

Ukraine has shot down 80% of Russian missiles, according to Commander of the Joint Forces of the Ukrainian Air Force Serhiy Nayev.

Nayev made the assessment in a Facebook post on Wednesday about the effectiveness of the air defense system.

"The enemy is also changing his tactics and ways of using air strike means, so we test after every hit," he wrote. "This analysis proves that commanders, respectively, make decisions that ensure the durability of the air defense is at the highest level."

-ABC News' Ellie Kaufman

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