The White House announcement Friday of $3.75 billion in weapons and other aid for Ukraine and its European backers came as Moscow said its troops are observing a short Orthodox Christmas cease-fire
.
Together, this week’s pledges were powerful signals that Ukraine can count on continued long-term Western aid against Russian President Vladimir Putin’s drive to dismember the country.Hundreds of Ukrainians heard the Orthodox Christmas service in the Ukrainian language for the first time in decades at Kyiv’s 1,000-year-old Lavra Cathedral.
He thanked U.S. President Biden, U.S. lawmakers and “all the Americans who appreciate freedom, and who know that freedom is worth protecting.” Ukraine’s government on Thursday took over administration of the revered Lavra complex, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, from the Russian Orthodox Church and allowed the Ukrainian church to use it for the Christmas service.
But Ukrainian officials didn’t commit to following it and dismissed the move as a Russian ploy to buy time for its struggling invasion forces to regroup. Ukrainian and Western officials portrayed the announcement as a Russian attempt to grab the moral high ground and possibly snatch battlefield initiative and momentum from Ukrainian forces amid their counteroffensive of recent months.
In the fiercely contested Luhansk region of eastern Ukraine, regional Gov. Serhiy Haidai reported continued Russian shelling and assaults. Posting Friday on Telegram, Haidai said that in the first three hours of the cease-fire, Russian forces shelled Ukrainian positions 14 times and stormed one settlement three times. The claim couldn’t be independently verified.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
United States blank Poland to reach United Cup finalTaylor Fritz propelled the United States into the final of the United Cup with a tenacious 7-6(5) 7-6(5) victory over Poland's Hubert Hurkacz before they completed a 5-0 sweep in the $15 million mixed tournament on Saturday.
Read more »
United States to battle Italy in United Cup finalA tenacious Taylor Fritz pulled off a 7-6(5) 7-6(5) win over Poland's Hubert Hurkacz as the United States completed a 5-0 sweep on Saturday to reach the final of the United Cup mixed team tournament where they will square off against Italy.
Read more »
Ukraine live briefing: Russia’s Orthodox Christmas cease-fire order questioned by Ukraine, U.S., GermanyPresident Biden said that he thinks Putin is 'trying to find some oxygen' by proposing a truce for Orthodox Christmas after tens of thousands of casualties on the Russian side. Ukraine and Germany have also dismissed the unilateral cease-fire declaration.
Read more »
Spring heat waves drive record western United States snow melt in 2021 - IOPscience
Read more »
Former NFL player running for Virginia seat previously trashed United States, bashed policeAaron Rouse, a former NFL player who's now running for state senate in Virginia, previously bashed the United States and law enforcement officers, comparing them to 'slave patrols.'
Read more »
US authorities to intensify scrutiny of crypto industry in 2023The changes are set to be felt by many players in the crypto and financial services industries.
Read more »