Hours after Zelensky's speech to Congress, Biden will speak about what the US is providing to Ukraine
From CNN's Kevin Liptak
An exterior view of the US Capitol on March 14. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call/Getty Images)
US President Joe Biden plans to detail US assistance to Ukraine in a speech on Wednesday, hours after Ukraine's president is expected to lay out new requests for help in a speech to Congress.
President Volodomyr Zelensky is likely to make fresh calls for steps like a no-fly zone and help acquiring fighter jets in his address to lawmakers. Biden has rejected those steps as potentially dragging the US into conflict with Russia, suggesting it could begin World War III.
But he is intent on demonstrating the support the US is providing, and will detail it in a speech on Wednesday, the White House says.
Biden referenced the speech in remarks on Tuesday: "I'll have much more to say about this tomorrow," he said when signing a spending bill.
Speaking on CNN, Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman said Biden would talk "about the security assistance that we have provided, that we are providing, it's just unparalleled in amounts. Anti-tank, anti-aircraft, anti-armor, all kinds of support that the Ukrainians have asked for."
3:17 p.m. ET, March 15, 2022
"This will be a step forward," says US deputy secretary of state of reports that cars are leaving Mariupol
From CNN's Kylie Atwood
US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman said there are reports of cars leaving Mariupol, noting that if this is in fact the beginning of an evacuation corridor, such a development would be a “step forward.”
“There are reports today that some cars have been let out of Mariupol, and that there are other cars waiting to leaveMariupol, and if indeed this is the beginning of humanitarian corridor to allow people to escape a city where they have been deprived by the Russians of food and water and medicine, and no electricity in a very cold time of year, then this will be a step forward,” Sherman said on CNN.
“But we have a long way to go. The United States wants to do everything we can to support the Ukrainian people and to impose consequences on Vladimir Putin who has done this — this premeditated, unjust and unprovoked war of choice to invade Ukraine," she added.
Over the weekend, Sherman said there were signs that the Russians were beginning to be interested in serious negotiations, but she rolled back those comments on Tuesday.
She also pointed to her remarks over the weekend where she described Putin’s current focus being on the war itself.
“At the end of that paragraph on Sunday, I also said so far, Vladimir Putin has not shown any sign but that he wants to continue this war of carnage. So, unfortunately, I think any of those little signs have disappeared,” Sherman said, adding that getting cars out of Mariupol would be a positive step forward.
3:06 p.m. ET, March 15, 2022
President Biden touts provisions surging aid to Ukraine ahead of signing spending bill
From CNN's DJ Judd
In remarks ahead of Tuesday’s omnibus funding bill signing, US President Joe Biden touted funding allocated to assist Ukraine in defending itself against Russia’s invasion, boasting “with this new security funding and the drawdown authorities this bill, we're moving urgently to further augment the support to the brave people of Ukraine as they defend their country.”
“With this bill, we're going to send a message to the American people — a strong message that Democrats and Republicans can actually come together and get something done…to fill our most basic responsibilities, to keep the government open and running for the American people, serving the American people, investing in your communities, and investing in American people will do it in a fiscally responsible way,” Biden boasted. “This bill also includes historic funding, $13.6 billion dollars to address Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the impact on surrounding countries," he said.
Russia’s invasion has “united people all across America, united our two parties in Congress, and united the freedom loving world to act with urgency and resolve that we're doing right now, that you provided me the ability to do,” the president said, acknowledging the lawmakers in the room. “I want to thank Congressional leadership for working so quickly to make sure we have the resources we need — economic, humanitarian, and security to continue our forceful response to this crisis.”
The Senate passed the omnibus spending bill late Thursday on a bipartisan vote of 68-31 — of the $13.6 billion in aid to Ukraine, money is set aside for humanitarian, defense and economic assistance. The bill also includes provisions for sanctions enforcement.
Breakdown of funding: The emergency aid package sets aside $4 billion to help refugees who have fled or were displaced within the country and it increases the President's authority for defense equipment transfer to Ukraine and other allied nations to $3 billion, according to a fact sheet from the House Appropriations Committee.
In Tuesday’s remarks, Biden touted a record $1.2 billion in security assistance to Ukraine over the past year, acknowledging that while it’s been “exceedingly difficult to get supplies in Ukraine while the Russian onslaught continues… we're managing to get supplies in Ukraine regularly thanks to the bravery of so many frontline workers who are still at their posts.”
4:09 p.m. ET, March 15, 2022
Prime ministers of Poland, Slovenia and Czech Republic arrive in Kyiv
CNN's Lindsay Isaac
From Left: Slovenia's PM Janez Janša, Polish PM Mateusz Morawiecki, Polish deputy PM Jarosław Kaczyński, and Czech PM Petr Fiala study a map in a wood-panelled room in an undisclosed location on Tuesday. (From Mateusz Morawiecki/Twitter)
The Prime Ministers of Poland, Slovenia and the Czech Republic have arrived by train in Kyiv to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal.
The prime ministers arrived in the city on behalf of the EU council, Shmyal said on Twitter, praising the “courage of true friends.”
The leaders would discuss “support of Ukraine and strengthening sanctions against the Russian aggression,” he added.
Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki also tweeted pictures the show him in conversation with the other visiting prime ministers.
“It is here, in war-torn Kyiv, that history is being made. It is here, that freedom fights against the world of tyranny. It is here that the future of us all hangs in the balance. EU supports UA, which can count on the help of its friends - we brought this message to Kyiv today," he said.
2:52 p.m. ET, March 15, 2022
Russian ambassador to UN says assault on Ukraine will stop when "goals" are achieved
From CNN’s Richard Roth and Artemis Moshtaghian
One day after France and Mexico said they were going to seek United Nations General Assembly approval of a humanitarian resolution on Ukraine, the Russian ambassador disclosed Moscow was submitting its own resolution to the UN Security Council. Russia had objected to the initial draft resolution in the Security Council, where it has veto power.
Russian Ambassador to the UN Vassily Nebenzia said that “the chances are still there” for Russia to agree to a humanitarian resolution, adding that their conditions will “call for negotiated ceasefire, evacuation of civilians, the respect of international humanitarian and human rights law, condemnation of attacks against civilians and civilian objects safe and unhindered passage and unhindered humanitarian assistance.”
When pressed on details of resolution conditions, Nebenzia said Russia would also call for the demilitarization of Ukraine, no future threats from that country toward Russia and that Ukraine not join NATO.
Nebenzia also said Russian President Vladimir Putin will stop the assault on Ukraine "when the goals of the special military operations are achieved."
Ireland’s Ambassador to the UN Geraldine Byrne Nason said that she has not yet seen any proposals from Russia but remains focused on the main issue at hand: providing humanitarian assistance to Ukrainians.
Nason said she is willing to work with her Russian colleagues “on all aspects of the text” of the draft resolution to be presented to the UN General Assembly.
“The important thing is right now I think that we saw the result in the General Assembly where you have no veto and where you have the broad body of opinion calling this war in Ukraine for what it is, an active aggression by the Russian federation and calling for humanitarian support for the people in Ukraine,” Nason said.
2:55 p.m. ET, March 15, 2022
Pope to hold consecration linked to 1917 prophecy for Russia and Ukraine
From CNN’s Delia Gallagher in Rome
Pope Francis recites a prayer at the Vatican on March 13. Photo by Riccardo De Luca/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
Pope Francis will hold an extraordinary prayer called a “consecration” for Russia and Ukraine next week, the Vatican announced on Tuesday.
The prayer is unique because it is connected to a belief in a 1917 prophecy of the Virgin Mary in Fatima, in which it is claimed she said that the consecration of Russia would usher in a period of world peace.
“Russia will spread her errors throughout the world, causing wars and persecutions of the Church. The good will be martyred; the Holy Father will have much to suffer; various nations will be annihilated,” the prophecy reads.
The Catholic Church holds that Mary asked for prayers for the “conversion of Russia,” in particular for the “consecration of Russia to my Immaculate Heart,” saying that if this is done, “Russia will be converted and there will be peace.”
This special request of the Virgin Mary is known as the Third Secret of Fatima, for the name of the town in Portugal where she is said to have appeared to three children in 1917.
John Paul II was devoted to the Virgin of Fatima, as he believed she saved him from being killed during an assassination attempt in St. Peter’s Square on May 13, 1981, the Feast Day of Our Lady of Fatima.
On March 25, 1984, John Paul II consecrated Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, but did not specifically mention Russia, leading some to suggest that the consecration had not been done properly.
Pope Francis will perform the consecration in St. Peter’s Basilica on the same date as John Paul II did, March 25, according to the Vatican statement.
On the same day, Cardinal Krajewski, the papal almoner, will perform the consecration in Fatima, the statement says.
The Pope has so far refrained from calling on Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill to condemn the war, and he has not publicly condemned Putin or Russia by name, despite his fervent appeals for an end to the war. Other Catholic Church officials, however, have not been so reticent.
Here's what else religious leaders have said about the war:
Ukrainian President Zelensky says NATO's Article 5 "has never been as weak as it is now"
From CNN's Mariya Knight and Maija Ehlinger
In an address on Tuesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reiterated his call to close Ukrainian airspace after a night of air alarms heard "almost all over" the country.
"Each of the more than 800 Russian missiles that have hit our country is an answer to a long-standing question about NATO — whether the doors of the alliance are really open for Ukraine," Zelensky said while speaking from his office Tuesday afternoon. "If they were open, if it was honest, we would not have to convince the alliance for 20 days to close the skies over Ukraine, to close from the death being brought by the Russian Air Force. But ...they don't hear or don't want to hear us yet."
He went on to call out NATO's Article 5, the principle of collective defense, "weak" as the Russian invasion of Ukraine continues.
"Some states of alliance have intimidated themselves, saying that they can't answer. That they cannot collide with Russian missiles and planes in the Ukrainian sky. Because this, they say, will lead to escalation, will lead to the Third World War. … And what will they say if Russia goes further to Europe, attacking other countries? I am sure the same thing they say to Ukraine. Article 5 of the NATO treaty has never been as weak as it is now. This is just our opinion," he said.
Some background:Article 5 is the principle that an attack on one member of NATO is an attack on all members. It's been a cornerstone of the 30-member alliance since it was founded in 1949 as a counterweight to the Soviet Union.
NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said on Tuesday that there will be an extraordinary summit on March 24 in Brussels to “address Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, our strong support for Ukraine, and further strengthening NATO’s deterrence & defense.” US President Joe Biden announced he will travel to Brussels for the meeting.
Zelensky added that evacuation corridors from the cities of Sumy, Trostyanets, Lebedyn, Shostka and Konotop were "partially opened today," but Russian forces "did not stop the shelling and disrupted the work of humanitarian corridors in the Kyiv region."
2:42 p.m. ET, March 15, 2022
Despite's Zelensky's requests, White House says it still opposes instituting a no-fly zone over Ukraine
From CNN's DJ Judd
White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters Tuesday that despite repeated requests from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, the White House still does not support instituting a no-fly zone over Ukraine or supplying the Ukrainian Air Force with new fighter aircrafts.
“I would note that [the Pentagon] said that adding aircrafts to the Ukrainian inventory is not likely to significantly change the effectiveness of the Ukrainian Air Force, relative to Russian capabilities,” Psaki told CNN’s Kaitlan Collins during Tuesday’s press briefing. “And the assessment was that the transfer of these planes may be mistaken as escalatory, as we said, and could result in a significant Russian reaction, but that is the risk assessment that was done, that risk assessment hasn’t changed.”
On the topic of a no-fly zone, Psaki said Biden “has to look at decisions that are made through the prism of what is in our national security interests and global security interests, and he continues to believe that a no-fly zone would be escalatory, could prompt a war with Russia.”
“I don't believe there's a lot of advocates calling for that at this point in time from Capitol Hill, but we certainly understand and recognize that is still a call from President Zelensky,” she added.
Zelensky is scheduled to virtually address a joint session of Congress on Wednesday. In remarks Tuesday to Canada’s House of Commons, the Ukrainian president requested further military assistance and urged Canada to support closing Ukraine’s airspace from Russian military aircrafts.
“I would say that without knowing what he's going to say tomorrow, we certainly are familiar with what the asks have been,” Psaki acknowledged Tuesday. “We have provided our own assessment of what does make sense and doesn't make sense."
2:10 p.m. ET, March 15, 2022
White House won't say whether Biden will travel to Poland or meet with Zelensky in Europe next week
From CNN's DJ Judd
White House press secretary Jen Psaki arrives for a press briefing on March 15. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
White House press secretary Jen Psaki declined to say if US President Joe Biden will travel to Poland, as has been reported by some outlets, when he visits Europe for a NATO summit next Thursday.
“We're still working through the final details of the trip and what it may look like, but I don't have any more details at this point in time,” Psaki told CNN’s Kaitlan Collins during Tuesday’s White House press briefing. She said the President’s objective “is to meet, in person, face-to-face with his European counterparts, and talk about and assess where we are at this point in the conflict, in the invasion of Ukraine by Russia."
“We've been incredibly aligned to date — that doesn't happen by accident," she added. "The President's a big believer in face-to-face diplomacy, so it's an opportunity to do exactly that."
Psaki declined to detail if Biden would meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, saying there’s “nothing on the table at this point in time.”
“But the real focus right now is to meet with NATO partners in Brussels. If there are additional steps, we'll share all those details with all of you," she said.
