Live blog: US House reveals long-awaited $61B Ukraine aid bills for vote

Wednesday, April 17, 2024

1821 GMT — The Republican leader of the US House of Representatives has announced a weekend vote on massive new military aid including some $61 billion in long-delayed support for Ukraine, as well as billions for Israel and Taiwan.

The move could finally get much-needed help to outgunned Ukrainian forces as they battle Russian attacks.

But it also sets up a showdown with House Speaker Mike Johnson's own far-right wing, which for months has been steered by Donald Trump into blocking aid to Kiev.

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1826 GMT — Biden 'strongly' supports House Ukraine, Israel aid package

US President Joe Biden has said he strongly backed long-delayed support for Ukraine and Israel after the Republican leader of the House of Representatives announced a vote on an aid package.

"I strongly support this package to get critical support to Israel and Ukraine," Biden said in a statement.

"I will sign this into law immediately to send a message to the world: we stand with our friends, and we won't let Iran or Russia succeed."

1811 GMT — Belgium, Czech Republic seek EU sanctions targeting Russian 'interference'

Belgium and the Czech Republic has urged a summit of EU leaders to consider new sanctions targeting "malign activities" by Moscow, in response to suspicions of Russian interference ahead of June elections in the bloc.

The appeal came after Belgium last week announced it is probing the allegations — first uncovered by Czech intelligence — that a number of EU lawmakers took money to spread Kremlin propaganda through a Prague-based news site.

"We have to very be very clear that attempts like this are not acceptable, and that we have to do everything to defend our democracy," Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said as he arrived for the two-day summit in Brussels.

In a joint letter with Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala, De Croo argued that "it is the right time to establish a new EU restrictive measure regime aimed to counter Russian malign activities."

1734 GMT — Scholz urges other EU leaders to send Ukraine air defences

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has urged his fellow EU leaders to follow Berlin's lead and send Ukraine more Patriot air defence systems as it desperately seeks to repel Russian attacks.

"This is immediately useful, we want to encourage others to do the same," the German leader said as he arrived for an EU summit in Brussels.

"Now it is about doing it quickly and not at some point in the future."

Over the weekend, Germany announced it was sending an additional Patriot air defence system to Ukraine after pleas from Kiev for its Western backer to urgently help shoot down Russia's bombardments.

1544 GMT — West repelled strike on Israel, why not Ukraine, asks Estonia PM

Western armies helped Israel repel a massive drone and missile attack by Iran — so why not do so for Ukraine, Estonia's Prime Minister Kaja Kallas has asked as EU leaders gathered for talks.

"Looking at the cooperation of different countries regarding their repulsion of Iran's attack against Israel, it shows that we can do more," said Kallas — an outspoken Kremlin critic who is leading the drive to ramp up European support for Kiev's war effort.

"We can provide air defence to Ukraine in a similar way, so that they are able to prevent the attacks going through," she said.

1614 GMT — Slovaks buy bullets for Ukraine in defiance of Russia-friendly PM

Slovaks have raised hundreds of thousands of euros for ammunition for Ukraine in a few days as part of a crowdfunding campaign, the organisers said in defiance of a government that has refused to send military aid to Kiev.

Thousands of people have already contributed $798,000 (750,000 euros) since Monday, when the "Peace for Ukraine" group launched the initiative, organisers said.

0856 GMT — Russian missile strike kills 11 in Ukraine city

A Russian strike on the northern Ukrainian city of Chernigiv killed 11 people and 20 wounded more, as Kiev again sounded the alarm over shortages in its air defence capabilities.

First responders searched for survivors in rubble, carrying away the wounded on stretchers as a pool of blood formed on the ground near the scene of the strikes, official images showed.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who has been urging allies to send more missiles to thwart Russian air attacks, said Ukraine had lacked sufficient air defences to intercept the three missiles that struck Chernigiv.

"There are still people under the rubble. The search and rescue operation continues," Interior Minister Igor Klymenko wrote in a social media post announcing the latest toll.

0847 GMT — China says 'lot of work to be done' before Ukraine peace summit takes place

China said that "a lot of work" would need to be done before a planned peace conference on the Ukraine war in Switzerland could take place, but did not say whether it would attend the meeting.

China and Russia have ramped up economic cooperation and diplomatic contacts in recent years, with their strategic partnership only growing closer since the war in Ukraine.

And while China says it is a neutral party in the Ukraine conflict and has even sought to play a mediator role in the conflict, it has been criticised for refusing to condemn Moscow's offensive.

2338 GMT — Trump to meet with Polish president amid NATO concerns over Ukraine support

Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump is scheduled to meet with Polish President Andrzej Duda in New York.

The planned dinner meeting, confirmed by a person familiar with the matter, comes as European leaders prepare for the possibility that Trump might win the November election and return to the White House.

Leaders of NATO countries are especially concerned given Trump's long history of critical comments about the key western alliance, even after Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

For our live updates from Tuesday, April 16, click here.