Russia-Ukraine updates: Putin says 'certain positive movements' in negotiations
A third round of talks between Russia and Ukraine ended without any resolution.
Russian forces are continuing their attempted push through Ukraine from multiple directions, while Ukrainians, led by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, are putting up "stiff resistance," according to U.S. officials.
The attack began Feb. 24, when Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a "special military operation."
Russian forces moving from neighboring Belarus toward Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, have advanced closer to the city center in recent days despite the resistance, coming within about 9 miles as of Friday.
Russia has been met by sanctions from the United States, Canada and countries throughout Europe, targeting the Russian economy as well as Putin himself.
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Latest headlines:
- Ukrainian air force claims Russia carried out false flag airstrike in Belarus
- UN has credible reports of Russian cluster bomb use, attacks on health care
- Putin claims 'certain positive movements' in Ukraine negotiations
- Russian general prosecutor wants Meta declared 'extremist organization'
- Putin orders Russian military to help volunteer fighters from Middle East travel to Ukraine
High gas prices a 'stand' for democracy in Ukraine, House Democrat says
The soaring gas prices Americans are experiencing are a result of the "stand" being taken for democracy in Ukraine, Rep. Raul Ruiz, D-Calif., said in a press conference Thursday from Philadelphia, where a retreat for House Democrats is ongoing.
Ruiz recast rising gas prices in a different light, saying they are part of the fight for democracy and in support of Ukraine against Russia.
"We have to ask ourselves, what is it we stand for as a democracy?" Ruiz, the chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, said. "To protect other democracies, and to protect us from autocracies and to show solidarity? What is the price that we as individuals will want to contribute in solidarity with the Ukrainian people?"
Ruiz said his family are among the millions of Americans feeling the effects of the record-high prices.
"I, for one, am going to pay that price," Ruiz said. "If it means paying a few extra cents at the gas tank, then we're willing to pay that."
-ABC News' Ben Siegel
US warns of 'indications' Russia could use false claims about biochemical weapons as excuse to use them
A senior U.S. defense official said Thursday that the U.S. has seen "indications" of Russia using a potential false flag operation about U.S.-Ukrainian biochemical weapons development as a pretext for the potential use of "these kinds of agents in an attack."
"We have picked up indications that the Russians could be making these claims, these false claims, about us and Ukrainian work in bio-defense, as a way of creating a pretext of their own to perhaps use these kinds of agents in an attack,” said the official.
On Thursday, there was a united front from the White House, State Department and the Pentagon rejecting Russian claims that the U.S. and Ukraine are developing these weapons, noting that Russia has previously used false flags and claims to justify the use of the very weapons they’ve made claims about.
When asked what prompted the U.S. to go public again with intelligence about a potential Russian false flag operation, a senior U.S. defense official would only describe "indications" of potential use.
"We're doing this because the Russians and the Chinese felt somehow important for them to put out a bunch of lies. They just flat out lied,” said the official. “We believe that this is potentially some sort of pre-textual argument that they are creating. We have indications of that."
The official added, “I won't get into how long we've had these indications or what the sources are thinking can understand that. But we believe their public narrative could be used, being used as a way to create that, that pretext."
When asked if that meant the U.S. had seen the movement of chemical or bio weapons near Ukraine or into Ukraine the official stuck to "indications". “I have to leave it with you with indications and [I’m] not going to be at liberty to go in more detail than that today.”
A senior defense intelligence official added that the U.S. assesses that Russia maintained an offensive bio-weapons program in violation of current conventions and no issues have been noted about Ukraine.
Ukraine’s intelligence agency also warned on Thursday that there are signs Russia might be planning to blow up a huge ammonia stockpile in eastern Ukraine as a false flag.
-ABC News' Luis Martinez
'Ukraine will never never be a victory for Putin,' Biden says
President Joe Biden declared that Putin will never conquer Ukraine on Thursday during a meeting with Colombian President Iván Duque Marquez at the White House.
"Ukraine will never never be a victory for Putin," Biden said.
Biden thanked Marquez for condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine "and the atrocities they're committing" and designated Colombia as a major non-NATO ally.
The decision will allow Colombia to be eligible for certain benefits in areas of defense trade and security cooperation, while also providing military and economic privileges.
"It’s just not just the threat to Europe and Ukraine, but it’s the threat to international peace and stability," Biden said. "And so Columbia -- Columbia's voice is making it clear that you share that view and that there's a lot more at stake than just the immediate undertaking."
Biden also announced that the U.S. will give 2 million more COVID-19 vaccine doses to Colombia to help vaccinate Colombia’s migrant population.
-ABC News' Justin Gomez
Psaki says US is 'leading the global effort to rally opposition' to Putin's actions
Following a call between President Joe Biden and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan Thursday, White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters "The U.S. is leading the global effort to rally opposition to the actions of President Putin," during a press briefing.
ABC News' MaryAlice Parks asked Psaki if there is a role for the U.S. to be playing to support a diplomatic outcome to the war in Ukraine.
“We have been engaged with the Ukrainians on a daily basis. We have provided more security assistance, more humanitarian assistance, than any country in the world. And there wouldn't be the unity of financial sanctions and actions without the leadership of the United States," Psaki said.
Psaki added, "What we're doing is we’re putting the Ukrainians in a position of increasing, hopefully, strength in their negotiations and discussions."
Asked if the U.S. has a hand in facilitating diplomatic talks like we saw today, Psaki said, "We are supporting the efforts by a range of leaders," which includes Turkey, Israel, France, "and others who are engaging directly with President Putin over this."
-ABC News' Justin Gomez and MaryAlice Parks
Russian missile hits Kyiv TV tower, killing at least 5
The tower that provides the main signal to TV and radio in Kyiv has been struck by a Russian missile, leaving at least five dead, Ukrainian officials said.
Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba tweeted that the tower "is situated on the territory of Babyn Yar. On September 29-30, 1941, Nazis killed over 33 thousand Jews here. 80 years later, Russian Nazis strike this same land to exterminate Ukrainians. Evil and barbaric."
Ukraine's President President Volodymr Zelenskyy tweeted, "What is the point of saying «never again» for 80 years, if the world stays silent when a bomb drops on the same site of Babyn Yar? At least 5 killed. History repeating."
-ABC News' Christine Theodorou