Russia-Ukraine updates: 2 US veterans who joined Ukrainian forces missing
The Americans, Andy Tai Ngoc Huynh and Alexander Drueke, are both from Alabama.
Russian President Vladimir Putin's "special military operation" into neighboring Ukraine began on Feb. 24, with Russian forces invading from Belarus, to the north, and Russia, to the east. Ukrainian troops have offered "stiff resistance," according to U.S. officials.
The Russian military has since launched a full-scale ground offensive in eastern Ukraine's disputed Donbas region, capturing the strategic port city of Mariupol and securing a coastal corridor to the Moscow-annexed Crimean Peninsula.
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Finland says it 'must apply for NATO membership without delay'
Finland's leaders announced Thursday their support for the country applying to join NATO, the world's biggest military alliance.
"During this spring, an important discussion on Finland's possible NATO membership has taken place. Time has been needed to let Parliament and the whole society establish their stands on the matter," Finnish President Sauli Niinisto and Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin said in a joint statement. "Time has been needed for close international contacts with NATO and its member countries, as well as with Sweden. We have wanted to give the discussion the space it required."
"Now that the moment of decision-making is near, we state our equal views, also for information to the parliamentary groups and parties. NATO membership would strengthen Finland's security," they added. "As a member of NATO, Finland would strengthen the entire defence alliance. Finland must apply for NATO membership without delay. We hope that the national steps still needed to make this decision will be taken rapidly within the next few days."
The Finnish Parliament will now take up the issue, with a vote expected to be held early next week.
The announcement marks a major shift in Finland's traditionally neutral policy, triggered by Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine. Finland shares an 830-mile border with Russia, and recent opinion polls show Finnish public support for joining NATO has surged to 76%.
Neighboring Sweden is also considering applying to join the alliance.
-ABC News' Ines de la Cuetara
State Dept. maintains Putin still has 'straightforward' path to peace
Despite President Joe Biden saying Monday that Russian President Vladimir Putin doesn't have a "way out," State Department spokesperson Ned Price insisted the U.S. is providing the Kremlin with a "very simple" and "straightforward" exit strategy through genuine diplomacy.
"The State Department, this administration, provided an off ramp well before President Putin decided to launch this war against Ukraine … it has not closed," Price said.
The problem, Price said, was that Russia continues to show no interest in that route.
Price repeated that one area where the U.S. was not willing to give over any ground was the potential expansion of the NATO alliance.
"NATO's open door means an open door. That is important to us and it is nonnegotiable," he insisted.
-ABC News' Shannon Crawford
Biden: 'American agriculture imports will make up for the gap in Ukrainian supplies'
President Joe Biden said the war in Ukraine is an opportunity for American farmers to step in to address shortages caused by the invasion.
"We can make sure the American agriculture imports will make up for the gap in Ukrainian supplies," Biden told a group at a farm in Illinois on Wednesday.
Biden said to the farmers, "With Putin's war in Ukraine, you're like the backbone of freedom."
The president pointed the finger at Russia for preventing Ukraine from shipping wheat to the rest of the world.
Biden noted: “Ukraine was the world's largest producer of wheat and corn and cooking oil -- but wheat, the largest. … Ukraine says they have 20 million tons of grain in their silos right now ... because of what the Russians are doing in the Black Sea, Putin has warships, battleships preventing access to the Ukrainian ports to get this grain out, to get this wheat out."
“The brutal war launched on Ukrainian soil has prevented Ukrainian farmers from planting next year's crop and next year's harvest,” he added.
-ABC News' Ben Gittleson
1 dead, 6 hurt in bombardments in Russia's Belgorod region
One person has been killed and six others are injured from shelling in the Solokhi village in Belgorod, Russia, according to Belgorod Gov. Vyacheslav Gladkov. A 14-year-old boy is among the injured, the governor said.
This area is less than 7 miles from the Russia-Ukraine border.
Gladkov said the shelling originated from Ukraine's side of the border and that this was the most serious incident since Ukrainian forces began firing on the region. Ukrainian authorities have not confirmed that Ukrainian forces are firing on Russia's side of the border.
Biden signs bill to expedite shipments of weapons, supplies to Ukraine
President Joe Biden signed the Ukraine Democracy Defense Lend-Lease Act of 2022 into law on Monday, giving him authority to lend or lease defense equipment to Ukraine and other Eastern European nations.
It passed the Senate by unanimous consent and the House of Representatives with 417 votes.
A similar lend-lease program was enacted in 1941 to provide pivotal aid to Allied nations in the battle against Nazi Germany.
Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelenskyy tweeted that he's "grateful" to Biden for signing the law, adding, "I am convinced that we will win together again. ... Like 77 years ago."
-ABC News' Alexandra Hutzler