“EU Tackles New $22 Billion Plan to Boost Ukraine Military Aid”
“New plan aims to direct billions of euros at joint military procurement for Ukraine”
“European Union officials will this week start tackling a new plan to unlock tens of billions of dollars in military assistance for Ukraine, seeking to revamp a critical aid program bogged down by internal divisions.
The EU move comes after a number of European countries have increased their bilateral military assistance to Ukraine even as the Biden administration is hamstrung by Congress on providing large-scale assistance.
It comes as Ukraine’s military is being pushed onto the defensive across parts of the front line. In the absence of fresh U.S. assistance, Ukrainian and Western officials warn that Russia has a large and growing advantage in manpower, ammunition and other basic war materials.
“Given the dependence of Ukraine on external support, the choices made by the EU member states and partners in the coming period will either allow Ukraine to decisively progress or will seriously undermine its ability to resist,” the proposal says.”
Send ‘em to the Western Front
“Russian Celebrities Caught ‘Almost Naked’ Are Now Dressing to Appease”
“President Vladimir Putin derided those “jumping around without pants,” at a party, while some guests have tried to make amends through donations and adopting a cat.”
“The Russian pop star winced as the black kitten he was cuddling in Russian-occupied Ukraine licked the crook of his neck for about the 15th time.
Several weeks earlier, the musician, Dima Bilan, had been in Moscow, mingling in a see-through shirt with celebrities at an “almost naked” theme party that caused an uproar in Russia and threatened to end his career.
Now Mr. Bilan, who once won the Eurovision song contest, was on an image rehabilitation tour in a winter war zone — the newly prescribed path for celebrities who find themselves out in the cold in wartime Russia and wish to return to the Kremlin’s embrace.
He petted dogs and stroked kittens at animal shelters outside Donetsk. He handed out plush toys to convalescing children at a medical trauma center. He delivered new air-conditioning units to a facility in need.”