The United States is trying to distance itself from an incident in Russia’s Belgorod region, where two heavily damaged U.S.-made Humvees were seen in video verified by The Washington Post on the Russian side of a border station. Moscow alleged that militias formed by Russians fighting alongside Ukraine attacked a border post. It is unclear whether the militias used the Humvees and whether Ukrainian forces provided them to the group.
The Pentagon will host a virtual meeting Thursday of military leaders from dozens of nations that provide arms and other support to Ukraine. These forums are used to discuss arms and ammunition supplies and to deliberate whether additional capabilities are needed to help the government in Kiev repel Russia’s ground advance and protect its population from aerial bombardment.
An early deployment of F-16 fighter jets and associated training and maintenance requirements is likely to be a focal point during the meeting. US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark A. Milley are to brief the media after it concludes.
Here’s the latest on the war and its effects around the world.
But when it comes to its own trade deals, Russian oil and gas present more of a dilemma for Ukraine, David L. Stern reports from Kiev.
Last year, about 300,000 barrels of oil a day passed through the Druzhba pipeline that runs through Ukraine. Ukrainian officials say that allowing the transit of Russian oil provides leverage over Moscow and provides Ukraine with much-needed revenue, although it is unclear exactly how much, if any, Russia is paying for the transit.
