March 15, 2022 Russia-Ukraine news

Ukrainians are not only fighting for their homeland but also defending "fundamental European values," Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Janša said Tuesday.

Janša spoke in Kyiv after meeting with Ukraine's President and Prime Minister, along with the Prime Ministers of the Czech Republic and Poland.

Janša said European leaders are aware the most important thing is to help Ukraine with weapons but also stressed the country was part of the European family.

"Ukraine is a European country, every path in Ukraine is European. We will do everything in our power," he said, adding "these paths" could lead to European Union membership.

Janša said Slovenia strongly supported candidate status for Ukraine at the EU, saying it is "a message to those who invaded Ukraine that you're part of our family and that our families are prepared to defend Ukraine and to support Ukraine."

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will discuss increasing diplomatic and economic pressure on Russia with leaders of the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, according to a news release from 10 Downing Street.

Johnson's one-day visit to Abu Dhabi and Riyadh is part of the United Kingdom's efforts to ensure coordinated international action on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. 

The leaders are expected to discuss "efforts to improve energy security and reduce volatility in energy and food prices," the news release said.

Johnson will meet Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed in the UAE before traveling to Riyadh to meet Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Some context: The UK recently announced it would phase out the import of Russian oil and oil products by the end of the year. And that the government would work with companies to support them in finding alternative supplies. 

The oil market has been stretched incredibly thin, with few producers willing — or able — to replace Russian barrels banned by the United States and shunned by others.

The UAE and Saudi Arabia are major oil producing nations. The UAE recently said it wants to increase oil production and will encourage the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) cartel to ramp up supply.

The Downing Street statement said Johnson is "focused on diversifying the UK’s energy supply."

Ukrainian Minister of Defense Oleksii Reznikov will address the NATO defense ministers meeting Wednesday, according to a senior US defense official.

His remarks have been previously recorded, the official said.

The meeting in Brussels will focus on comparing assessments of the crisis in Ukraine with other NATO allies and partners and how NATO sees "where Russia’s military operations are," according to the official.

US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin is in the Belgian capital and will attend the meeting.

The Ukrainian military destroyed a number of Russian military helicopters at the Kherson International Airport Tuesday, new satellite images from Planet Labs show.

A large black plume of smoke is seen rising from the airport in the satellite image, with a number of helicopters on fire.

It's the most destructive known strike the Ukrainian military has conducted against Russian helicopters during the war, with at least three Russian helicopters seen on fire, or destroyed, at the airport.

Military vehicles seen near the airport have also been hit. 

Another image, taken by a drone hovering above the nearby village of Komyshany, also shows the large plume of smoke rising from the airport. 

CNN has geolocated and verified the authenticity of the image.

The military strike at the airport was picked up by NASA's Fire Information for Resource Management System (FIRMS), which tracks large fires around the world. 

According to the sensory data collected by FIRMS, the military strike occurred around 1:42 p.m. local time.

On Monday, satellite images from Maxar Technologies showed a number of Russian military helicopters on the tarmac at Kherson's International Airport. Dozens of military vehicles are also seen in the surrounding area. 

US President Joe Biden is expected to announce an additional $800 million in security assistance for Ukraine, a US official said.

That would bring the total pledged to $1 billion in the past week and $2 billion since the beginning of the Biden administration. 

The new package will include antitank missiles, according to officials familiar with the plans. But it will stop short of the no-fly zone or fighter jets Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said are needed to sustain Ukraine’s fight against Russia. 

Explosions were heard overnight in Kyiv's suburbs as air raid sirens once again blared in the Ukrainian capital, according to a CNN team on the ground.

The blasts began after nightfall following Mayor Vitali Klitschko's imposition of an extended curfew.

The 35-hour curfew runs from 8 p.m. Tuesday to 7 a.m. Thursday local time.

Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala said that the "main goal" of the Polish, Slovenian and Czech prime ministers’ visit to Kyiv was to tell Ukrainians they are "not alone" in their fight against the Russian invasion.

Speaking alongside his counterparts, Fiala called Tuesday's opportunity to have an in-person discussion with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky "something really special."

He said he wanted to assure Ukrainians that we are "hosting your wives and children" and providing them with "refuge" in the Czech Republic.  

The Czech Republic has now taken in 250,000 refugees, according to the prime minister. 

"We admire your courage, and we will continue to provide more aid and support," he concluded.

US President Joe Biden will unveil a new package of military assistance for Ukraine, including anti-tank missiles, as soon as Wednesday following an address to the US Congress by Ukrainian President Zelensky, according to officials familiar with the plans.  

The new assistance will stop short of the no-fly zone or fighter jets Zelensky has said are necessary to sustain Ukraine’s fight against Russia. 

But the new aid will include more of the defensive weapons the US has already been providing, including Javelins and Stingers. 

The Wall Street Journal first reported the new announcement of assistance.

Lawmakers on Capitol Hill are still negotiating how to revoke Russia’s permanent normal trade relations (PNTR) status, after a provision that would do as much was scrapped from the bill that banned Russian energy imports last week. 

A plan to revoke Russia’s PNTR status was included in the bipartisan deal negotiated by the four corners of Congress but was pulled out of the legislation at the last minute when the White House asked Congress to narrow the scope of the legislation.

Ways and Means Ranking Member Kevin Brady, a Republican from Texas, told CNN on Tuesday, “there’s still discussions ongoing on Congress’ role.”

Brady said the discussions revolve around what role Congress will play in making trade decisions going forward and maintaining the stake Congress has in those decisions.

“I'm hopeful we can conclude that but right now, we don't have the final text yet," he said.

But Brady was still hopeful that a conclusion could be reached by the end of the week.