Justice ministers will convene in London this March to discuss support for war crimes investigations.
(Bloomberg) — Justice ministers will convene in London this March to discuss support for war crimes investigations.
Russia said its troops halted fighting in Ukraine at noon Moscow time under President Vladimir Putin’s order of a 36-hour cease-fire for the Orthodox Christmas holiday. Kyiv dismissed the offer as a ploy. Air-raid sirens rang out across the country shortly after the deadline, Ukraine said, as Russian jets took off from air bases in Belarus. The alerts were later canceled without incident.
Russia’s embassy in Berlin condemned Thursday’s move by the US and Germany to send armored combat vehicles, including the Marder, and a Patriot missile defense system to Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy spoke Friday with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
The Biden administration unveiled its latest package of weapons for Ukraine, including powerful, offensive equipment previously withheld. Russia plans to wrest more money from some commodity producers and state companies and trim non-defense spending, according to a government order seen by Bloomberg News.
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Key Developments
- McCarthy’s Speaker Deal Could Stymie Defense Spending Next Year
- Russia Says It Starts Brief Ukraine Cease-Fire That Kyiv Scorned
- Russia Looks to Press Big Firms for More Cash as War Costs Mount
- Germany to Send Combat Vehicles to Ukraine by End of March
- US, Germany to Send Ukraine Armored Vehicles in Major Upgrade
On the Ground
Ahead of their planned cease-fire, Kremlin forces continued limited counterattacks to regain lost positions along the Svatove-Kreminna line. Russian forces claimed that Ukrainian troops continued counteroffensive operations in the area. Ukraine’s military reportedly conducted a successful counterattack as Russian forces continued offensive operations around Bakhmut and west of Donetsk City.
(All times CET)
Meeting on War Crimes to Convene in UK (1:35 a.m.)
Justice ministers from around the world will meet in London this March to discuss how to best support investigations of war crimes arising out of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The UK Secretary of State for Justice Dominic Raab and Dilan Yesilgoz-Zegerius, the Netherlands’ minister of justice and security, will co-host the summit, the British government statement on Friday night. The goal is to increase support for the International Criminal Court and “coordinate efforts to ensure it has all it needs to carry out investigations and prosecute those responsible,” according to the statement.
Raab in the statement that “Russian forces should know they cannot act with impunity and we will back Ukraine until justice is served.”
McCarthy’s Speaker Deal Could Stymie Defense Spending (1:35 a.m)
The emerging deal Kevin McCarthy is discussing to make him speaker of the US House could make agreements on new defense spending impossible next year, at a time when the US is intent on backing Ukraine against the Russian invasion and growing more wary of China’s stepped up aggression toward Taiwan.
Part of the agreement being discussed would be to cap fiscal year 2024 discretionary spending across government at 2022 levels, according to three people familiar with the discussions. National defense spending, which primarily funds the Pentagon, was about $782 billion in fiscal 2022 and rose $75 billion to $857 billion in fiscal 2023.
Lawmakers would have to contend with a $130 billion cut to discretionary spending, including a potential $75 billion cut to national security, if not more, as defense hawks want to increase the budget above this year’s levels.
US Adds Offensive Weapons for Ukraine in $2.85 Billion Package (8:44 p.m.)
The Biden administration announced a $2.85 billion package of military hardware to Ukraine, supplying the sort of powerful weapons that it had previously withheld.
The package includes 50 Bradley Fighting Vehicles, as previously indicated, but also — for the first time — the Paladin self-propelled howitzer artillery system. The weaponry additionally includes surface-to-air missiles, armored personnel carriers and ammunition. It marks a major step forward in what the US has been willing to give Ukraine.
Read More: US Adds Offensive Weapons for Ukraine in $2.85 Billion Package
Ukraine’s Currency Reserves Gain (8:32 p.m.)
Ukraine’s foreign-exchange reserves ticked up to $28.5 billion as of Jan. 1, according to preliminary data posted on the Ukrainian National Bank’s website. Reserves increased by 1.9% compared with November, thanks to inflows from “international partners,” the central bank said. The influx exceeded sales by the NBU through interventions to maintain the fixed exchange rate, the statement said.
US House Speaker Deal May Include Defense Spending Cut (6:06 p.m.)
The emerging deal Kevin McCarthy is discussing to make him speaker of the US House would propose a roughly $75 billion cut in defense spending at a time the US is intent on backing Ukraine against the Russian invasion and grows more wary of China’s stepped up aggression toward Taiwan.
Read more: McCarthy’s Emerging Speaker Deal Tees Up $75 Billion Defense Cut
Zelenskiy Tells US Senators Russian Cease-Fire is Manipulation (5:22 p.m.)
Ukraine’s president told US senators Jack Reed and Angus King that he sees Russia’s ceasefire as manipulation used as a cover for its true military plans, according to a statement.
Zelenskiy briefed the lawmakers about Ukraine’s weapons needs, especially on strengthening missile defense. Reed, a Democrat from Rhode Island, chairs the Senate Armed Services Committee. King of Maine, an independent who caucuses with Democrats, is also on the panel.
Russia Condemns New German Arms Commitment (4:45 p.m.)
The Russian embassy in Berlin condemned Germany’s decision to supply Ukraine with combat vehicles and a Patriot air-defense system, saying the move “will seriously affect German-Russian relations” and calling it “a further step towards escalation of the conflict.”
“It is particularly cynical that this decision was taken shortly before the Orthodox Christmas holiday, which is highly revered in the Christian world, and against the backdrop of the cease-fire unilaterally declared by the Russian president,” the embassy said in a statement on its website.
Germany aims to deliver around 40 combat vehicles and a Patriot air-defense system to Ukraine by the end of March as part of an effort to help the government in Kyiv in the event fighting intensifies in the spring.
Read more: Germany Aims to Send Combat Vehicles to Ukraine by End of March
France Says Putin’s Cease-Fire Doesn’t Fool Anyone (2:30 p.m.)
A French foreign ministry spokesperson said Russia’s 36-hour unilateral cease-fire is an attempt by Moscow to hide its responsibility for relentless bombardments of Ukraine’s civilians and critical infrastructure.
Russia has shown during the conflict, now it its 11th month, that it doesn’t want peace, the official said, repeating a call for a full withdrawal of Moscow’s troops from Ukraine.
Kyiv to Start Talks on EU Accession Under Swedish Presidency (1:45 p.m.)
Ukraine expects to start negotiations on the country’s accession to the European Union — a process likely to take years – under Sweden’s presidency of the European Council, which started this month, Zelenskiy said during an online meeting with Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson.
“This is a powerful motivator for our army and a common desire of our society. We believe that it will be a strong incentive for unity within the EU,” Zelenskiy said in a statement posted on the presidential website.
Zelenskiy Speaks With Japanese PM (12:41 p.m.)
Volodymyr Zelenskiy thanked Japan for “powerful generators and transformers” as Ukraine attempts to keep the lights and heat on after more than two months of regular, widespread Russian missile attacks on energy infrastructure.
Russia Says It Starts Ukraine Christmas Cease-Fire as Planned (12:24 p.m.)
Russia said its troops stopped fighting in Ukraine at noon Moscow under President Vladimir Putin’s order of a 36-hour cease-fire for the Orthodox Christmas holiday. Kyiv dismissed the offer as a ploy.
Air-raid sirens sounded across the country shortly after the deadline, Ukraine said.
Russia’s Defense Ministry said its forces had stopped firing across the entire front line but accused Ukraine’s continuing to fight. Earlier, Russian military officials had said they would continue to fight if fired on or if Ukraine’s forces pushed to advance.
Clocks Starts on Putin’s Ukraine Cease-Fire That Kyiv Scorned (11:31 a.m.)
Russian state television said the order had gone into effect as scheduled, but there was no official confirmation from the Defense Ministry or the Kremlin.
In the hours leading up to the deadline, fighting continued unabated, with each side accusing the other of strikes. Earlier, Russian military officials had said they would continue to fight if fired on or if Ukraine’s forces pushed to advance.
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