Russia-Ukraine updates: Putin suspends key US-Russia nuclear treaty in speech denouncing West
President Vladimir Putin said he'd sought an "open dialogue" with the West.
Almost a year after Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of neighboring Ukraine, the two countries are engaged in a struggle for control of areas throughout the east and south.
Putin's forces pulled out of key positions in November, retreating from Kherson as Ukrainian troops led a counteroffensive targeting the southern port city. Russian drones have continued bombarding civilian targets throughout Ukraine, knocking out critical power infrastructure as winter sets in.
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US to give Ukraine $3 billion more in military aid
The White House announced Friday that the U.S. would provide $3 billion more in military assistance to Ukraine, including Bradley Fighting Vehicles for the first time.
“Today, the United States will demonstrate our continued, enduring commitment to Ukraine's ability to defend itself with the announcement of over $3 billion in new military assistance to Ukraine, including a $2.8 billion drawdown for Ukraine, the largest yet,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said.
Moreover, the U.S. will provide $682 million "for regional partners and allies on NATO's eastern flank to incentivize and backfill donations of military equipment," said Jean-Pierre.
-ABC News' Ben Gittleson
Orthodox Christmas cease-fire now on for 36 hours
Russian President Vladimir Putin declared a Christmas "truce" for the next 36 hours with a temporary cease-fire set to end at midnight on Jan. 7.
Air raid sirens sounded across several southern and eastern regions of Ukraine a few hours before the cease-fire started.
However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy last night called the truce a "cover" to stop Ukraine from advancing in the east.
The Russian Orthodox Church celebrates Christmas Day on Jan. 7, but the brief unilateral Russian cease-fire called by Putin is not expected to last beyond the announced period.
The temporary cease-fire could put Ukraine in a difficult position. If it seeks to stop Russia from regrouping its forces during the cease-fire, it could be accused of violating a truce it never agreed to in the first place and be portrayed as aggressive. However, if Ukraine stops fighting for the 36-hour period, it will likely face a more dangerous position when the cease-fire ends.
Germany to send Ukraine Patriot missile defense system
Germany plans to provide Ukraine with a Patriot air defense battery, the White House confirmed Thursday.
The United States agreed last month to send the first Patriot missile defense system to Ukraine to protect the country against Russia’s ongoing missile and drone attacks targeting its critical infrastructure.
The development came as President Joe Biden spoke by phone Thursday with German Chancellor Olaf Scholtz about the ongoing war.
The White House also said it would send Bradley infantry fighting vehicles to Ukraine. Germany agreed to send Marder infantry fighting vehicles, according to the White House.
"They (Germany) reiterated their support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and independence," the White House said in a statement. "They reaffirmed their unwavering solidarity with Ukraine and the Ukrainian people in the face of Russia’s aggression."
-ABC News' Matt Seyler and Ben Gittleson
Biden expresses skepticism of Putin Orthodox Chirstmas cease-fire proposal
President Joe Biden said Thursday that he is skeptical of Russian President Valdimir Putin's proposal for a cease-fire during the Orthodox Christmas holiday, suggesting it was a ploy to find some breathing room in the war with Ukraine.
"I'm reluctant to respond to anything Putin says," Biden said.
Biden made the comments in response to a reporter's question following unrelated remarks at the White House about the U.S.-Mexico border.
"I found it interesting. He was ready to bomb hospitals and nurseries and churches," said Biden, referring to Russian missile strikes on Ukraine on Dec. 25 and over the New Year's Day holiday. "I think he's trying to find some oxygen."
-ABC News' Ben Gittleson
Biden makes surprise visit to Ukraine
U.S. President Joe Biden made an unannounced visit to war-torn Ukraine on Monday, arriving in Kyiv as Washington signals its ongoing support ahead of the one-year anniversary of Russia's invasion.
Biden's visit came ahead of a planned meeting with NATO allies in Poland. He is expected to give a speech at the Royal Castle Arcades in Warsaw on Tuesday evening to offer an appraisal of international support during the first year of the war and to address "how we will continue to stand with the people of Ukraine for as long as it takes," White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement earlier this month.
Biden also plans to meet in Poland with leaders of the Bucharest Nine, a group of eastern NATO allies formed in 2015 in response to Russia's annexation of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made a dramatic visit to the United States in December, his first known international trip since the Russian invasion began in February 2022. Zelenskyy met with Biden at the White House in Washington, D.C., before addressing members of U.S. Congress on Capitol Hill.