[GUNFIRE]
- Russian forces are suffering heavy losses
amid an assault in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region.
That's according to Ukrainian President
Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Sunday.
VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY: [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]
- Who, in his nightly address, warned that Russia may
be concentrating its forces for renewed attacks on Ukraine's
energy infrastructure.
Zelenskyy's warning comes as the nine-month war
may be entering a period of stalemate
as winter weather sets in.
[NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]
[EXPLOSION]
- Ukrainian forces in the southern front
have been tightening their grip on the Russian held city
of Kherson, but have so far not been
able to advance into that city.
[GUNFIRE]
Following a series of military setbacks,
Russian forces have increasingly targeted
Ukrainian civilian infrastructure,
bombarding power plants that provide electricity
and heat ahead of winter.
Over the weekend, the Washington Post
reported that the United States is privately
encouraging Kyiv to signal an openness
to negotiate with Moscow.
Citing unnamed sources, the newspaper
said the message from American officials
was not aimed at pushing Ukraine toward the negotiating
table with the Russian aggressor but a calculated move--
appearing open to peace talks to maintain
the support of other nations.
The Post reported US and Ukrainian officials
acknowledged that Zelenskyy's ban on talks with Russian
President Vladimir Putin had generated concern in parts
of Europe, Africa, and Latin America, where
the war's effect on the cost of food and fuel
are felt most sharply.
The White House National Security
Council had no immediate comment on the accuracy of the report.
JAKE SULLIVAN: The United States is
going to be with Ukraine for as long as it takes in this fight.
- US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan
said during a visit to Kyiv last week
that Washington's support for Ukraine
would remain, quote, "unwavering and unflinching"
and laying the blame for the conflict squarely on Putin.
JAKE SULLIVAN: This war could end very easily.
Russia chose to start it, Russia could choose to end it
by ceasing its attack on Ukraine,
ceasing its occupation of Ukraine,
and that's precisely what it should
do, from our perspective.
- The United States announced $400 million
worth of additional security assistance for Ukraine,
including refurbishing tanks from the Czech Republic
and missiles for air defenses that
could be used against Russian drones and cruise missiles.
The new help brought the amount of US military aid
sent to Kyiv to more than $18.2 billion since the invasion.