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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Latest headlines:
Blinken authorizes drawdown of arms and equipment worth $100 million for Ukraine
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced Thursday that he has authorized a 10th drawdown of additional arms and equipment for Ukraine worth $100 million from U.S. Department of Defense inventories.
This brings total U.S. military assistance to Ukraine to approximately $3.9 billion in arms and equipment since Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24.
"The United States is committed to helping Ukraine continue to meet its defense needs and build its future capabilities, as well as to bolster Allies and partners across NATO’s Eastern Flank and the broader region," Blinken said in a statement.
-ABC News' Shannon Crawford
Senate passes $40 billion aid package for Ukraine
The Senate voted on Thursday to pass an additional $40 billion in new military and economic aid for Ukraine after President Joe Biden called on Congress for more funding.
The bill received bipartisan support, passing with a vote of 86-11.
The House passed the aid package earlier this month, which is now headed to Biden's desk for signing.
"By passing this aid package the Senate can now say to the Ukrainian people help is on the way: real help, significant help, help that could ensure the Ukrainian people are victorious," Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said during his floor remarks before the vote.
-ABC News' Allison Pecorin
US chairman of joint chiefs speaks to Russian counterpart
U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark A. Milley spoke with Chief of Russian General Staff Gen. Valery Gerasimov Thursday, for the first time since the invasion of Ukraine. They last spoke on Feb. 11.
The two discussed several security-related issues of concern and agreed to keep the lines of communication open, according to a readout from the U.S., but the specific details of their conversation were kept private.
The Russian Ministry of Defense said the two sides "discussed issues of mutual interest, including the situation in Ukraine," in a call it said was initiated by the U.S.
-ABC News' Matt Seyler
Biden meets with leaders of Sweden, Finland amid bid to join NATO
President Joe Biden met with the leaders of Sweden and Finland at the White House Thursday after the two countries submitted applications to join NATO.
"Today I'm proud to welcome and offer the strong support of the United States for the applications of two great democracies, and two close, highly capable partners to join the strongest, most powerful defensive alliance in the history of the world," Biden said.
Biden reaffirmed the U.S.'s support for the Nordic countries' applications to join the alliance.
"Finland and Sweden make NATO stronger not just because of their capacity, but because of their strong democracies and a strong united NATO is the foundation of America's security," he said.
Biden also sent a message to Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russia.
"So let me be clear: New members joining NATO is not a threat to any nation. It never has been. NATO's purpose is to defend against aggression, that's its purpose, to defend," Biden said.
-ABC News' Karen Travers and Justin Gomez
State Dept. reacts to train station attack
Jalina Porter, the State Department's deputy spokesperson, is responding to the Russian attack at a Ukraine train station that killed at least 50, saying, "We can no longer be surprised by the Kremlin's repugnant disregard for human life."
Five children were among those killed when Russian rockets struck the station in Kramatorsk in Donetsk Oblast on Friday morning, according to Ukraine's state-owned railway company. At least 100 people were injured, according to Donetsk Oblast Gov. Pavlo Kyrylenko.
Russia has denied involvement in the attack, which occurred as "thousands" of civilians fleeing the Russian invasion were at the train station waiting to be taken to "safer regions of Ukraine," according to Kyrylenko.
"Civilians are killed when they stay in their homes, and they're killed when they try to leave," Porter said. "Actions like these demonstrate why Russia did not belong on the U.N. Human Rights Council, and they also reinforce the U.S. assessment that members of Russian forces are committing war crimes in Ukraine."
Porter declined to say if the department considers the train station attack a war crime, saying, "Assessing individual criminal liability in specific cases is the responsibility of courts, as well as other investigatory bodies. But as the secretary, Secretary [of State Antony] Blinken, has said, 'Those responsible for war crimes and other atrocities committed in Ukraine will be held to account.'"
-ABC News' Conor Finnegan