Russia-Ukraine updates: Russian missile strikes hit multiple Ukrainian cities
Dozens of injuries were reported in Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities.
Russia has continued a nearly 19-month-long invasion of neighboring Ukraine. Recently, though, the Ukrainians have gone on a counteroffensive, fighting to reclaim occupied territory.
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US, G-7 leaders to announce 'long-term commitments to support' Ukraine
U.S. President Joe Biden and other G-7 leaders are set to unveil future support for Ukraine on Wednesday after the conclusion of a high-stakes NATO summit in Lithuana's capital.
"President Biden and G-7 leaders will make a major announcement alongside President Zelenskyy this afternoon outlining our long-term commitments to support the people of Ukraine," U.S. National Security Council Senior Director for Europe Amanda Sloat said during a press briefing in Vilnius on Wednesday morning. "The United States, along with G-7 leaders, will announce our intent to help Ukraine build a military that can defend itself and deter a future attack."
"The launch of this process today will start a series of bilateral negotiations with Ukraine on the reaching of bilateral security commitments to help make this a reality," she added. "In particular, this process will ensure that the military assistance we provide Ukraine to defend itself against Russian aggression continues to be part of a long-term investment in Ukraine’s future force."
That investment will include making sure "Ukraine has a sustainable fighting force capable of defending Ukraine now and deterring Russian aggression in the future, a strong and stable economy, and the help Ukraine needs to advance the reform agenda to support the good governance necessary to advance Ukraine's Euro-Atlantic aspirations, which Ukraine recommits itself to as part of this declaration," according to Sloan.
"Taken together, we believe the declaration we will announce today seeks to ensure Ukraine's future as a free, independent, democratic, and sovereign nation," she told reporters. "This multilateral declaration will send a significant signal to Russia that time is not on its side."
-ABC News' Molly Nagle
Russian defense minister speaks out first time since rebellion
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu made his first public comments since last month’s failed rebellion led by Wagner Group boss Yevgeny Prigozhin and claimed that Russian President Vladimir Putin is actively engaged with his commanders
Shoigu said that Putin listens to "very detailed reports" twice a day and "all commanders on all levels understand and feel all the weight of responsibility that was placed on them."
"They carry out their responsibilities with great pride," he said.
Shoigu claimed that Ukraine hasn't achieved any of its goals in its counteroffensive. The defense minster added that Russia may be using cluster munitions following the announcement that Ukraine will be receiving similar weapons from the U.S.
"If the United States supplies cluster munitions to Ukraine, the Russian Armed Forces will be forced to use similar weapons against the Armed Forces of Ukraine as a response," he said.
-ABC News' Natalia Shumskaia, Ellie Kaufman and Will Gretsky
Russian minister responds to Finland, Sweden joining NATO
Russia will take “early and adequate measures” in connection with Sweden and Finland joining NATO, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Tuesday after the start of the NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania.
Lavrov told reporters that he is convinced that "the speed with which this happened, of course, forces us to look for the reason in the complete subordinate position in which these countries have placed the United States and the rest of the collective West,” according to the Russian news agency Interfax.
-ABC News' Natalia Shumskaia and Ellie Kaufman
Ukraine will get invite to join NATO 'when all the allies agree,' secretary general says
Ukraine will get an invitation to join NATO when all the allies agree and all the conditions are met, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said during a press conference from the NATO summit in Vilinus, Lithuania, on Tuesday.
NATO agreed to remove the required membership action plan, he added, which makes the process take only one step instead of two.
A NATO-Ukraine Council will also be launched, Stoltenberg announced. The first session is planned for Wednesday with participation from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, he said.
Zelenskyy had criticized the process for joining NATO ahead of his trip to Lithuania, saying, "It’s unprecedented and absurd when timeframe is not set neither for the invitation nor for Ukraine's membership."
-ABC News' Fidel Pavlenko
Wagner troop column 300 miles south of Moscow, Russian media says
The governor of the Lipetsk region, which is about 300 miles south of Moscow, said a column of Wagner troops has been spotted in the region, Russian state media reports.