Biden pledges Ukraine adv. air defense system
Newslooks- WASHINGTON — (AP)
President Joe Biden spoke Monday with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and expressed his condemnation of Russia’s missile strikes across Ukraine, including in Kyiv.
In a telephone call, the U.S. President conveyed his condolences to the loved ones of those killed and injured in the attacks. According to a White House statement. Biden pledged to continue providing Ukraine with the support it needs to defend itself, including advanced air defense systems.
He also underscored his engagement with allies and partners to continue imposing costs on Russia, holding Russia accountable for its war crimes and atrocities.
President Joe Biden says civilian deaths caused by missile attacks across Ukraine illustrate the “utter brutality” of the war led Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“The United States strongly condemns Russia’s missile strikes today across Ukraine, including in Kyiv,” a White House statement said. “These attacks killed and injured civilians and destroyed targets with no military purpose. They once again demonstrate the utter brutality of Mr. Putin’s illegal war on the Ukrainian people.”
Biden renewed a call on Russia to withdraw all of its forces from Ukraine.
“These attacks only further reinforce our commitment to stand with the people of Ukraine for as long as it takes,” he said. “Alongside our allies and partners, we will continue to impose costs on Russia for its aggression, hold Putin and Russia accountable for its atrocities and war crimes, and provide the support necessary for Ukrainian forces to defend their country and their freedom.”
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has promised to continue “unwavering” support for Ukraine after Monday’s missile strikes.
“I just spoke with (Ukrainian Foreign Minister) Dmytro Kuleba to reiterate U.S. support for Ukraine following the Kremlin’s horrific strikes this morning,” Blinken wrote in a tweet. “We will continue to provide unwavering economic, humanitarian, and security assistance so Ukraine can defend itself and take care of its people.”
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg also spoke to Kuleba Monday. In a tweet, Stoltenberg said the “condemned Russia’s horrific and indiscriminate attacks on civilian infrastructure in Ukraine.”
He affirmed that “NATO will continue supporting the brave Ukrainian people to fight back against the Kremlin’s aggression for as long as it takes.”
British Prime Minister Liz Truss says Russia’s missile strikes across Ukraine are a sign of Ukrainian success and Russian President Vladimir Putin’s “increasing desperation.”
Truss spoke to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy Monday. “The U.K. stands wholeheartedly behind President Zelenskyy and Ukraine. Putin’s destructive rhetoric and behavior will not diminish our resolve,” the prime minister’s office said.
Britain said Group of Seven leaders would “re-emphasize the unity of opposition to Putin’s despicable campaign” when they hold a virtual meeting with Zelenskyy on Tuesday.
The U.N. General Assembly started debating Monday whether to demand that Russia reverse course on annexing four regions of Ukraine. The discussion came as Moscow’s most extensive missile strikes in months alarmed much of the international community anew.
The International Committee of the Red Cross, which has about 700 staffers in Ukraine, said it had “momentarily paused movements” in the country.
“Given the security situation in Ukraine earlier today, ICRC teams momentarily paused movements and sheltered and continued to work in place,” spokesman Jason Straziuso said. “(The) ICRC’s full schedule of humanitarian assistance will resume immediately as the security situation allows. We are monitoring humanitarian needs to provide assistance as necessary.”
The assembly’s special session was planned before Monday’s barrage. But countries took the occasion to speak out on the morning rush-hour attacks that hit at least 14 Ukrainian regions, including the capital of Kyiv, and killed at least 14 people. Russia said it targeted military and energy facilities. But some of the missiles smashed into civilian areas.
Ukrainian Ambassador Sergey Kyslytsya told the assembly that some of his own close relatives were imperiled and unable to take cover in a bomb shelter.
Russia has said it was retaliating for what it called a Ukrainian “terrorist” attack Saturday on an important bridge, and Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia told the assembly that Moscow had warned that there wouldn’t be impunity for such an attack.
The assembly is debating a response to Russia’s purported absorption last month of Ukraine’s Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions. The move followed Kremlin-orchestrated “referendums” that the Ukrainian government and the West have dismissed as illegitimate.
A vote is expected later in the week on a proposed assembly resolution that would condemn the “referendums” and claimed annexations as illegal. It would demand that Moscow “immediately and unconditionally” scrap the annexations.
