Biden: the West won't crack

Russian leader banking on our resolve weakening, says US President

- David Bond

JOE BIDEN today warned Vladimir Putin that the West’s unity on Ukraine will not crack as the country’s president Volodymyr Zelensky said any gains made by Russia’s forces would be “temporary”.

The show of defiance from the US and Ukrainian leaders came a day after Mr Putin claimed victory in the besieged southern port city of Mariupol — despite the Azovstal steelworks fighting on — and amid claims Russian forces had captured 42 villages in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine, the focus for the Kremlin’s renewed onslaught.

But announcing a further $1.3 billion (£1 billion) in military aid and financial support for Ukraine, Mr Biden said: “Putin is banking on us losing interest... [that] Western unity will crack...and once again we’re going to prove him wrong.”

In an overnight video address to the nation, Mr Zelensky said: “The occupiers continue to do everything to have a reason to talk about at least some victories...None of these steps will help Russia in the war against our state. They can only delay the inevitable: the time when the invaders will have to leave our territory. In particular Mariupol, a city that continues to resist Russia despite everything the occupiers say.”

In other developments on day 58 of the conflict in Ukraine:

New satellite images released appeared to show mass graves near Mariupol, where local officials accused Russia of burying up to 9,000 Ukrainian civilians to conceal the slaughter taking place in the ruined port city.