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(LONDON) — Prince Harry and his wife Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, attended their first royal event Friday in two years.

The Sussexes attended Friday’s National Service of Thanksgiving for Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee, marking the first time the couple has appeared publicly with Britain’s royal family since stepping down from their senior royal roles.

Meghan, wearing a white, belted coat and hat, and Harry, dressed in a suit adorned with his military medals, were greeted by cheers from the crowd as they climbed the steps of St. Paul’s Cathedral in London, walking in several minutes ahead of Harry’s father, Prince Charles, and his wife, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, and brother, Prince William, and his wife, Kate, Duchess of Cambridge.

Harry and Meghan’s last official engagement as senior working royals was in March 2020.

Since then, the couple, now the parents of two children, have moved to California and launched their own careers, starting the Archewell Foundation, their nonprofit, and Archewell Productions, their production company, through which they have launched deals with companies including Spotify and Netflix.

The last time Harry appeared publicly with his family was last July, when he traveled to the U.K. and joined his brother, Prince William, for the unveiling of a statue of their late mother, Princess Diana.

Meghan was not believed to have returned to the U.K. until earlier this year, in April, when she and Harry made a private visit to the queen on their way to the Netherlands for the Invictus Games.

While at the Invictus Games, Harry made headlines when he said in an interview that he was focused on making sure his 96-year-old grandmother, the queen, has “the right people around her.”

“I’m just making sure that she’s, you know, protected and got the right people around her,” said Harry, who described his relationship with his grandmother as “really special,” adding, “We talk about things that she can’t talk about with anybody else.”

Harry’s comments drew some backlash from the British press and raised questions about who he believes he is protecting her from. The royal family did not issue a response to Harry’s comments.

Last year, Harry and Meghan also made headlines when they sat down for an in-depth interview with Oprah Winfrey. During the interview, the couple revealed Meghan’s serious mental health struggles as a royal, made an allegation of racism within the royal family and claimed they were cut off financially and denied security protection after stepping down from their royal roles.

Buckingham Palace issued a statement after the interview on behalf of the queen, saying the Sussexes “will always be much loved family members.”

“The whole family is saddened to learn the full extent of how challenging the last few years have been for Harry and Meghan,” the statement read. “The issues raised, particularly that of race, are concerning. While some recollections may vary, they are taken very seriously and will be addressed by the family privately.”

Harry has seemed to maintain a close relationship with the queen even after his departure from the U.K. and his royal role. He and Meghan named their youngest child, daughter Lilibet “Lili” Diana Mountbatten-Windsor, after Elizabeth, whose family nickname is Lilibet.

The queen is believed to have met Lili on Thursday in Windsor. The Sussexes confirmed last month they would bring Lili, who turns 1 on Saturday, and her older brother, 3-year-old Archie, with them to the U.K.

“Yesterday, after Trooping the Color, would have been the first opportunity for the queen to meet Lilibet, as they both returned to Windsor following the parade,” said Omid Scobie, ABC News royal contributor. “Despite everything that has happened, the relationship between the Sussexes and the queen has remained warm and close.”

He continued, “Introducing her to Lilibet will no doubt be one of the highlights of the Sussexes’ time here in England and a moment the queen has been looking forward to.”

Friday’s service of thanksgiving is the first jubilee event Harry and Meghan have attended publicly, but they did gather with royal family members one day prior.

The Sussexes watched the Trooping the Color parade and the military flypast Thursday from an office in Buckingham Palace, along with other members of the royal family. Only family members who are active working royals appeared on the balcony of Buckingham Palace with the queen at the annual event.

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(LONDON) — The U.K. is throwing a once-in-a-generation celebration for Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee.

The 96-year-old queen is the first British monarch in history to reach a Platinum Jubilee, which marks 70 years on the throne.

Queen Elizabeth ascended to the throne on Feb. 6, 1952, following the death of her father, King George VI.

Starting Thursday, the Platinum Jubilee celebration will include everything from the traditional Trooping the Colour birthday parade for the queen to a star-studded concert led by Diana Ross to thousands of street parties across the country.

Here is how the news is developing Thursday. All times Eastern. Check back for updates.

Jun 02, 9:45 am
Bidens release video message to Queen

President Joe Biden and first lady Dr. Jill Biden tweeted a video message congratulating the Queen.

“Your Majesty, congratulations on your Platinum Jubilee. For 70 years, you’ve inspired people with your selfless devotion and service to the people of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth,” Biden said. “Throughout your reign, the relationship between the United Kingdom and the United States has grown stronger and closer than ever.”

The first lady added her own well-wishes. “Throughout the years, the joy your visits to the United States have brought Americans, and your solidarity with the American people in times of tragedy, have deepened the friendship and profound connection between our countries,” she said. “And Joe and I were so touched by the generosity and welcome you showed to us when we visited you at Windsor Castle last year, during our first visit overseas as President and First Lady.”

“Congratulations, Your Majesty, and have a wonderful Platinum Jubilee celebration,” she added.

Jun 02, 8:55 am
Queen Elizabeth II shares adorable moment with great-grandson

They are 92 years apart in age, but Queen Elizabeth, 96, and her great-grandson, Prince Louis, 4, appear to share a close bond.

The queen was seen answering Louis’s questions and pointing things out to him while the two watched military jets fly overhead on the balcony of Buckingham Palace at the end of Trooping the Color.

Louis, one of the queen’s nine great-grandchildren, is the youngest child of Prince William and Kate, Duchess of Cambridge.

He joined his siblings, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, on the balcony and, earlier, in a carriage to travel to Buckingham Palace.

Jun 02, 8:01 am
Royal family watches military jets fly over Buckingham Palace

Britain’s royal family, led by Queen Elizabeth II, gathered on the balcony of Buckingham Palace to watch a traditional military flypast at the end of Trooping the Color.

Thanks in part to a weather-cooperating, beautiful sunny day in London, aircraft from the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force were able to fly directly down the length of the Mall and over the palace.

The queen, wearing sunglasses, watched the flypast with other members of the royal family, including Prince William and Kate’s children, Prince Louis, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, who were seen talking with the queen.

Down below the balcony, outside the palace gates, thousands of members of the public gathered to see the queen and watch the flypast, which is so fierce and low that onlookers say they can feel the ground rumble.

Jun 02, 7:55 am
Who’s who on the balcony of Buckingham Palace

Queen Elizabeth II is holding court on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, where the royal family gathers to watch the military flypast at the end of Trooping the Color.

This year, the queen decided only royal family members who are “undertaking official public duties” on her behalf would appear on the balcony.

Those family members include:

• Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall.
• Prince William and Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, and their children, George, Charlotte and Louis.
• Prince Edward and Sophie, Countess of Wessex, and their children, Louise and James.
• Princess Anne and Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence.
• Prince Richard and Birgitte, Duchess of Gloucester.
• Prince Edward, Duke of Kent.
• Princess Alexandra.

Noticeably absent from the balcony this year because they are no longer senior working royals are the queen’s son, Prince Andrew, and her grandson, Prince Harry, and his wife Meghan, Duchess of Sussex.

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(NEW YORK) — 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.

Here’s how the news is developing. All times Eastern:

Jun 02, 6:35 am
Ukrainian first lady sits down for exclusive interview with ABC News: ‘Don’t get used to our pain’

Since the start of Russia’s invasion, the Ukrainian first lady has been in hiding with her two children. A difficult question her 9-year-old son keeps asking is when the war will end, Olena Zelenska said in an exclusive interview with ABC News.

“Unfortunately, I don’t think any Ukrainian would be able to answer that question,” Zelenska told Good Morning America co-anchor Robin Roberts in her first televised solo interview since the invasion began.

In discussing the state of the conflict nearly 100 days after Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a “special military operation” in Ukraine, Zelenska said that conceding territory to Russia won’t stop the war.

“You just can’t concede … parts of your territory. It’s like conceding a freedom,” Zelenska, 44, said in the interview, airing on Good Morning America Thursday. “Even if we would consider territories, the aggressor would not stop at that. He would continue pressing, he would continue launching more and more steps forward, more and more attacks against our territory.”

Jun 02, 4:34 am
Russia takes most of key city in Donbas

Russian forces have taken control of most of Sieverodonetsk in eastern Ukraine, the U.K. Ministry of Defense said Thursday in an intelligence update.

“The main road into the Sieverodonetsk pocket likely remains under Ukrainian control but Russia continues to make steady local gains, enabled by a heavy concentration of artillery,” the ministry said. “This has not been without cost, and Russian forces have sustained losses in the process.”

Sieverodonetsk, an industrial hub, is the largest city still held by Ukrainian troops in the contested Donbas region of Ukraine’s east, which comprises the self-proclaimed republics in Luhansk and Donetsk oblasts.

“Crossing the Siverskyy Donets River — which is a natural barrier to its axes of advance –- is vital for Russian forces as they secure Luhansk Oblast and prepare to switch focus to Donetsk Oblast,” the ministry added. “Potential crossing sites include between Sieverodonetsk and the neighbouring town of Lysychansk; and near recently-captured Lyman. In both locations, the river line likely still remains controlled by Ukrainian forces, who have destroyed existing bridges.”

Sievierodonetsk and Lysychansk are the last major cities in the Luhansk area still controlled by Ukraine.

“It is likely Russia will need at least a short tactical pause to re-set for opposed river crossings and subsequent attacks further into Donetsk Oblast, where Ukrainian armed forces have prepared defensive positions,” the ministry added. “To do so risks losing some of the momentum they have built over the last week.”

Jun 01, 9:27 pm
Ukraine’s first lady tells ABC News that giving up land is ‘like conceding a freedom’

In an exclusive interview with ABC News, Ukrainian first lady Olena Zelenska spoke about the state of the ongoing conflict with Russia and where the Ukrainian people currently stand as a country.

In her first televised solo interview since the invasion began, Zelenska, 44, told Good Morning America co-anchor Robin Roberts that conceding territory to Russia won’t stop the war.

“You just can’t concede…parts of your territory. It’s like conceding a freedom,” Zelenska said. “Even if we would consider territories, the aggressor would not stop at that. He would continue pressing, he would continue launching more and more steps forward, more and more attacks against our territory.”

The interview with Zelenska will air Thursday, June 2, on Good Morning America and across ABC News. GMA airs at 7 a.m. ET on ABC.

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(NEW YORK) — Since the start of Russia’s invasion, the Ukrainian first lady has been in hiding with her two children. A difficult question her 9-year-old son keeps asking is when the war will end, Olena Zelenska said in an exclusive interview with ABC News.

“Unfortunately, I don’t think any Ukrainian would be able to answer that question,” Zelenska told Good Morning America co-anchor Robin Roberts in her first televised solo interview since the invasion began.

In discussing the state of the conflict nearly 100 days after Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a “special military operation” in Ukraine, Zelenska said that conceding territory to Russia won’t stop the war.

“You just can’t concede … parts of your territory. It’s like conceding a freedom,” Zelenska, 44, said in the interview, airing on Good Morning America Thursday. “Even if we would consider territories, the aggressor would not stop at that. He would continue pressing, he would continue launching more and more steps forward, more and more attacks against our territory.”

World seeing Zelenskyy’s ‘true identity’

Zelenska’s son has also continued to ask about his father, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, whom they have been separated from since the start of the war.

“We said goodbye to one another on the very first day. And over the next two months, we only had a chance to speak via the phone,” Zelenska said.

As he’s handled the stress of war, she said she is “proud” that the whole world has gotten to see Zelenskyy’s “true identity.” The two met at university and have been married for nearly 20 years. She said Zelenskyy’s decision to run for president of Ukraine amid a successful comedy career was “unexpected.”

“There’s one trait about Volodymyr that’s very important — he likes to change things around himself,” she said. “And that’s why I clearly realized that there wouldn’t be anything even closely related to the word boring when you were staying with him.”

But as his family, she said she will support him in any way she could.

“If one day he would say that, ‘OK, I’m going to go to space as an astronaut,’ then, well, I would have to fly with him,” she said, laughing.

‘I have to be strong’

Zelenska said she doesn’t feel as courageous as her husband, but as first lady, she feels motivated to “keep on working to do my own part in order to … get closer to our victory.”

“I realized that I have to be strong, that I have to be courageous, that I have to support him,” she said.

Zelenska has drawn attention to the women involved in the war, saying in an Instagram post in March that the Ukrainian resistance “has a particularly female face.”

“I always thought that Ukrainian women are the best. And I was really proud of how the Ukrainian women behaved themselves during the war,” she said. “Now, I’m proud of the fact that the whole world has seen the true face of the Ukrainian women.”

Zelenska said there are countless stories that have inspired her, though one, in particular, involved a maternity nurse in the besieged southern port city of Mariupol.

“She continued working, despite all those shelling,” she said. “There was no water supplies. There was no electricity supply. And she kept on working until that maternity hospital was completely destroyed.”

The nurse, Tatiana, helped deliver 27 newborns during that time, Zelenska said.

Another story of heroism involved a 15-year-old girl named Leeza who helped evacuate four people from a village in eastern Ukraine even after both her legs were wounded during shelling.

“When I saw her on the news report … that was the face of a child,” Zelenska said. “And still, she found the courage to keep on driving.”

Addressing trauma

For all the stories of unity and heroism, Zelenska noted that the war has been deadly for Ukraine’s children. As of Wednesday, 243 children have been killed as a result of the conflict, she said.

June 4 marks the International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression, as commemorated by the United Nations.

“Unfortunately, this year we will be marking this event,” the first lady said.

Children have also been traumatized by the war; Zelenska recounted hearing about two boys who saw their mother killed in front of them, and then had to bury her themselves.

“We need to help people to live that through. We need to help people psychologically, mentally, in whatever ways possible,” she said.

To that end, she is introducing a national program to provide mental health support for those impacted by the war’s “atrocities,” she said.

“The medical institutions and medical system as we have it right now, it might simply be not enough to cover all the needs,” she said. “That’s why we need to be prepared.”

Another challenge will be getting Ukrainians who might not be used to seeking mental health support to avail themselves of this help, she said.

“Even the parents, they might not recognize that their child is having a problem, is having some sort of PTSD,” she said.

Global support

Zelenska discussed the “enormous support” Ukraine has felt from across the globe amid the war — before the interview was interrupted by an air raid siren.

“It’s really important, because you feel you’re not alone,” she said once the interview was able to safely resume.

First lady Jill Biden’s surprise visit to western Ukraine last month was another “tremendous” sign of support, Zelenska said.

“I finally managed to see her face-to-face, and it was a tremendously courageous action that she has made,” Zelenska said. “She came to the country which is at war, and the people of Ukraine, they highly appreciated that.”

This week, President Joe Biden announced that the U.S. will be sending Ukraine more sophisticated military equipment as part of a $700 million package of security assistance. The move comes following calls from Zelenskyy last month for long-range rocket systems to “allow the defeat of tyranny.”

Zelenska said they are grateful for the humanitarian and security assistance Ukraine has received so far, and that they “hope and wait for more assistance to come.”

As the war continues, another difficult question Zelenska finds herself unable to answer is what message she would give to the Russian people.

“Whenever we are trying to ask them a question or relay any message, they tend to answer that we have other information. … Or they might be saying that we have other viewpoints on the situation,” she said. “But how can you have any other view on those killings? On those atrocities committed?”

In a message to the American people, she implored them to “not get used to this war.”

“Otherwise, we are risking a never-ending war and this is not something we would like to have,” she said. “Don’t get used to our pain.”

The interview with Zelenska will air Thursday on Good Morning America and across ABC News. Good Morning America airs at 7 a.m. ET on ABC.

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(LONDON) — Queen Elizabeth II will miss part of Thursday’s Trooping the Color, the kick-off to her Platinum Jubilee celebration, Buckingham Palace has announced.

The queen will not join other royal family members in the traditional carriage rides to the Horse Guards and will instead appear on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, joined by her cousin, the Duke of Kent, the palace confirmed Wednesday.

In the queen’s absence, her son Prince Charles, the heir to the throne, will take the royal salute on the parade ground and inspect the troops on the queen’s behalf, joined by his son, Prince William, and his sister, Princess Anne.

Elizabeth will take a salute from the cavalry as they go past Buckingham Palace on their return from the parade.

This is the first time in Elizabeth’s 70-year reign that she will take a salute from the balcony at Buckingham Palace, and the first time Prince Charles will stand in for her on the parade ground.

Trooping the Color, also known as the Queen’s Birthday Parade, is an annual tradition that has marked the British monarch’s official birthday for more than 260 years, according to the Associated Press.

The 96-year-old queen, the first monarch in Britain’s history to reach a Platinum Jubilee, has been suffering from mobility issues.

She attended the Chelsea Flower Show last week but was escorted by golf car instead of touring the gardens on foot, as she has done in years past.

Earlier this month, the queen attended the Royal Windsor Horse Show but, again, did limited walking.

Prior to the horse show, Elizabeth’s last public appearance was in late March at a service of Thanksgiving for her husband, Prince Philip, who died last year at the age of 99.

While the queen has continued to maintain a busy schedule of virtual meetings, phone calls and private engagements, her public appearances have become increasingly rare.

She did not attend the opening of Parliament in early May, marking the first time in nearly 60 years and only the third time in her 70-year reign that she has not attended.

At the time, Buckingham Palace said the queen “continues to experience episodic mobility problems.”

The queen has also battled several health conditions over the past year, including COVID-19 and an overnight hospitalization last October for what Buckingham Palace described at the time as “preliminary investigations.”

The queen’s Platinum Jubilee is being celebrated in the U.K. through Sunday. In addition to Trooping the Color, celebratory events include a service of thanksgiving at St. Paul’s Cathedral, a star-studded concert at Buckingham Palace and a Platinum Jubilee Pageant.

At Trooping the Color, the queen will be joined by members of the royal family, in addition to the 1,500 soldiers and 250 horses who will participate in the parade.

The royals will watch the parade from the balcony of Buckingham Palace. Joining the queen this year on the balcony will be Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall; the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, William and Kate, along their three children; the Earl and Countess of Wessex, Edward and Sophie, along their two children; the Princess Royal and Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence; the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester; the Duke of Kent; and Princess Alexandra.

Other members of the royal family, including Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, will watch the parade from the Major General’s Office, an office in Buckingham Palace that overlooks the parade ground.

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(NEW YORK) — In an exclusive interview with ABC News, Ukrainian first lady Olena Zelenska spoke about the state of the ongoing conflict with Russia and where the Ukrainian people currently stand as a country.

In her first televised solo interview since the invasion began, Zelenska, 44, told “Good Morning America” co-anchor Robin Roberts that conceding territory to Russia won’t stop the war.

“You just can’t concede…parts of your territory. It’s like conceding a freedom,” Zelenska said. “Even if we would consider territories, the aggressor would not stop at that. He would continue pressing, he would continue launching more and more steps forward, more and more attacks against our territory.”

The interview comes nearly 100 days since Russia invaded Ukraine, devastating towns and forcing the displacement of millions of Ukrainian residents.

After failing to capture the capital of Kyiv, the Russian military has since launched a full-scale ground offensive in eastern Ukraine’s disputed Donbas region.

This week, President Joe Biden announced that the U.S. will be sending Ukraine more sophisticated military equipment as part of a $700 million package of security assistance. The move follows calls from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy earlier this month for long-range rocket systems to “allow the defeat of tyranny.”

The interview with Zelenska will air Thursday on “Good Morning America” and across ABC News. “GMA” airs at 7 a.m. on ABC.

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(WASHINGTON) — Ramping up the protection of land within the next decade could make a significant dent in biodiversity and climate change efforts that would get countries closer to their conservation goals, according to new research.

If countries succeed in protecting 30% of global land area by 2030, it could benefit about 1,000 vertebrate species whose habitats currently lack any form of protection, according to a study published Wednesday in Science Advances.

About half of the species that would benefit from expanding protected areas worldwide are classified as critically endangered, endangered, vulnerable or near-threatened, the scientists said.

What is being dubbed by scientists as the “30 by 30” target could also spare about 11 billion tons of carbon dioxide per year in avoided carbon emissions or carbon sequestration, the paper states.

Researchers from Princeton University and the National University of Singapore compared models that maximize different aspects of conservation. They considered only natural areas and excluding croplands and urban areas, and found that additional benefits could result for biodiversity conservation, climate change mitigation and nutrient-regulation if protected area coverage were increased to 30% of the terrestrial area within 238 countries worldwide.

Yiwen Zeng, an ecologist at Princeton University’s Center for Policy Research on Energy and the Environment and author of the study, described 2030 as the “midway point” to “50 by 50,” or the goal to protect half of the Earth by 2050.

“The general idea is that we can actually protect over 1,000 species, on average, if we commit to this,” he told ABC News. “It can mean a huge part of our climate reductions and sequestration needed to prevent climate change.”

In addition, expanding protections to land globally could “greatly” increase the land’s ability to regulate water quality and mitigate nutrient pollution, according to the study.

“Since only about 16% of global land area is currently protected, achieving this target will require most countries to rapidly expand their network of protected areas,” the study states.

The researchers used a model called “scenario analysis,” where they would compare protecting land that contained mostly rock and ice to protecting areas filled with trees and species.

What they found is that “if you can prioritize the maximum number of species, you could save a paradise,” Zeng said.

However, the researchers found the “30 by 30” goals may require including habitats owned and managed by indigenous communities, local governments or private entities, or mobilizing payments for ecosystem services, the research suggests.

More than 50 countries, including the U.S., China. Japan and Germany, have pledged to protect 30% of Earth’s land and oceans by 2030. The United Nations Biodiversity Conference, COP15, will take place in Kunming, China, on Oct. 1.

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(MOSCOW) — The Kremlin said Wednesday that President Joe Biden’s plans to send advanced rocket systems to Ukraine was “adding fuel to the fire.”

“We know that the United States has been purposefully and meticulously adding fuel to the fire,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, according to the Russian news agency Interfax. “The United States pursues the course towards fighting Russia to the last Ukrainian.”

Biden said Tuesday the U.S. would provide advanced rocket systems to help Ukraine defend itself, as Russia’s invasion nears the 100-day mark.

“We have moved quickly to send Ukraine a significant amount of weaponry and ammunition so it can fight on the battlefield and be in the strongest possible position at the negotiating table,” Biden wrote in an opinion piece in The New York Times. “That’s why I’ve decided that we will provide the Ukrainians with more advanced rocket systems and munitions that will enable them to more precisely strike key targets on the battlefield in Ukraine.

Russia’s foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, said Wednesday that if Ukraine receives multiple-launch rocket systems from the West there were “risks” of a third country becoming involved in the conflict, according to Interfax. “Such risks, of course, exist,” he told reporters, responding to a question, according to Interfax.

The White House’s principal deputy national security adviser, Jonathan Finer, said Wednesday morning that “Russia has brought this on itself.”

“We don’t negotiate our security assistance packages to Ukraine with the Kremlin,” Finer said during an interview with CNN, adding that Biden had warned Russian President Vladimir Putin “directly” that if he “launched a new, renewed invasion of Ukraine, the United States would increase the amount of security assistance we were providing, including new and advanced systems.”

“They have not been pleased by the amount of security assistance we’ve been providing to the Ukrainians, frankly, since far before this most recent phase of the conflict began,” Finer said.

The United States will send high mobility artillery rocket systems (HIMARS), which will enable the Ukrainians to “more precisely strike key targets on the battlefield from a greater distance inside Ukraine, and to help them repel Russians,” a senior Biden administration official told reporters Tuesday.

The missiles will be provided as part of a new, $700 million security assistance package for Ukraine — the 11th of its kind from the U.S. — which will also include additional javelin anti-tank missiles, helicopters, tactical vehicles and artillery rounds.

The HIMARS is a longer-range rocket system that can fire munitions up to 190 miles.

But the munitions the U.S. plans to provide Ukraine have a maximum range of around 50 miles, according to senior Biden administration officials.

Officials say they wanted to limit the range so that the weapons would be used on the battlefield in eastern Ukraine but not fired further into Russia itself.

As Russia has shifted its invasion to the east of the country, Ukrainian fighters have found themselves outgunned by a Russian military with more powerful artillery.

Ukraine has struggled to push back Russian advances, and its leaders have long asked the U.S. to send more powerful guns.

“We need more heavy weapons delivered as soon as possible, especially MLRS, to repel Russian attacks,” Ukraine’s foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba, tweeted last week, referring to multiple-launch rocket systems.

An official stressed that the Ukrainians had given the United States “assurances they will not use” the new systems the U.S. is providing “against targets in Russian territory.”

“These systems will be used by the Ukrainians to repel Russian advances on Ukrainian territory, but they will not be used against targets in Russia,” the official said.

The administration has taken pains to underscore this distinction, given Russia’s warning that advanced systems would be seen as an escalation.

Biden’s announcement came a day after he sparked confusion during a quick exchange with a reporter outside the White House.

Asked if he planned “to send long-range rocket systems to Ukraine,” Biden only responded, “We’re not going to send to Ukraine rocket systems that can strike into Russia.”

White House officials clarified they were still considering sending longer-range systems to Russia. Ultimately, the U.S. stopped short of sharing systems with an even longer range than HIMARS.

In his Tuesday New York Times essay, the president stressed the action was not intended to start a broader conflict, and said the U.S. was “not encouraging or enabling Ukraine to strike beyond its borders” – nor did it “want to prolong the war just to inflict pain on Russia.”

“We do not seek a war between NATO and Russia,” Biden wrote. “As much as I disagree with Mr. Putin, and find his actions an outrage, the United States will not try to bring about his ouster in Moscow.

“So long as the United States or our allies are not attacked,” he continued, “we will not be directly engaged in this conflict, either by sending American troops to fight in Ukraine or by attacking Russian forces.

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(NEW YORK) — 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.

Here’s how the news is developing. All times Eastern:

May 31, 8:22 pm
US sending Ukraine ‘more advanced’ rocket systems, Biden says in op-ed

The U.S. will provide Ukraine with “more advanced rocket systems and munitions,” President Joe Biden confirmed in a New York Times op-ed published Tuesday.

The systems “will enable them to more precisely strike key targets on the battlefield in Ukraine,” he wrote.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned last week that providing more advanced rockets would be a new “unacceptable escalation” because they could hypothetically be used to strike within Russian territory.

But Biden told reporters Monday that the U.S. will not “send to Ukraine rocket systems that can strike into Russia,” and he and the administration are making efforts to emphasize that these new rocket systems will be used by the Ukrainians on the battlefield in their own country.

-ABC News’ Conor Finnegan

May 31, 8:21 pm
5.2 million kids need humanitarian help

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has left 5.2 million kids in need of humanitarian help, according to UNICEF.

At least 262 children have been killed and another 415 have been hurt since Feb. 24, UNICEF said.

Nearly two-thirds have been displaced, UNICEF said.

May 31, 2:09 pm
Chemical plant hit by Russian air strike, local official says

Russian air strikes hit a tank with nitric acid at a chemical plant in Severodonetsk, a city in eastern Ukraine, according to Luhansk’s regional governor, Serhiy Haidai.

Haidai is urging residents to stay inside and to wear protective face masks.

Haidai also said Russian forces have made significant gains and are in control of “most” of Severodonetsk.

He said about 60% of homes are completely destroyed and the city’s critical infrastructure is nearly completely destroyed. Ongoing shelling is preventing civilians from evacuating.

May 31, 11:43 am
EU to finalize ban of nearly 90% of Russian oil imports

The European Union Council plans to finalize a ban on nearly 90% of Russian oil imports by the end of 2022, European Commission President Ursula von Der Leyen said Tuesday at a joint press conference with EU Council President Charles Michel, following Monday’s special meeting of the European Council.

Von der Leyen said they will soon return to the issue of the remaining 10% of pipeline oil.

-ABC News’ Christine Theodorou

May 31, 8:23 am
Russia vows to ‘ensure unhindered passage’ of grain shipments if Ukraine de-mines waters

Russia’s top diplomat vowed Tuesday to “ensure unhindered passage” of grain shipments from Ukrainian ports to the Mediterranean Sea, if Ukraine removes the mines from its coastal waters.

“Ukrainian representatives should de-mine the coastal waters within Ukraine’s territorial sea, which have been mined,” Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said at a press conference. “If the de-mining problem is resolved — and we’ve been bringing the attention of our worried Western counterparts to this problem for many weeks — then the Russian Navy will ensure unhindered passage of those vessels in high seas to the Mediterranean and further on to their destination points.”

Since Russian forces invaded neighboring Ukraine on Feb. 24, the cost of grain, fuel and fertilizer has skyrocketed worldwide, worsening hunger crises. Russia and Ukraine produce a third of the world’s supply of wheat and barley, but Kyiv has been unable to ship exports due to Moscow’s offensive.

Lavrov, however, blamed the situation on Kyiv and the West.

“For longer than a month now, the Russian side has been taking measures to guarantee the unhindered export of Ukrainian grain by vessels that are currently stranded in Ukrainian ports,” Lavrov added. “Therefore, the initiatives concerning food security that have been voiced should be implemented bearing in mind that the Russian side has long guaranteed everything that depends on us. As for the Western countries that have artificially caused numerous problems by closing their ports to Russian vessels and cutting logistical and financial chains, they should certainly think hard whether it’s more important for them to advertise themselves taking advantage of food security problems, or take practical steps to resolve this problem. It’s for them to choose.”

May 31, 5:42 am
Up to 12,000 civilians may be trapped in fight for Severodonetsk

As Russian forces battle for control of a key eastern Ukrainian city, up to 12,000 civilians may be trapped in the crossfire, according to the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC).

“I am horrified to see Severodonetsk, the thriving city where we had our operational headquarters, become the epicentre of yet another chapter of the brutal war in Ukraine,” NRC Secretary-General Jan Egeland said in a statement Tuesday. “We fear that up to 12,000 civilians remain caught in crossfire in the city, without sufficient access to water, food, medicine or electricity. The near-constant bombardment is forcing civilians to seek refuge in bomb shelters and basements, with only few precious opportunities for those trying to escape.”

Over the past week, the Oslo-based humanitarian organization has been working with local Ukrainian partners to provide thousands of monthly food and hygiene parcels to civilians remaining in Severodonetsk and the greater Luhansk Oblast, according to Egeland. The city is the last still held by Ukrainian forces in Luhansk Oblast.

“But now the intensified fighting makes aid delivery impossible,” he added. “We cannot save lives under the hail of grenades.”

NRC has been operational in Ukraine since 2014, serving people affected by conflict in the Luhansk and Donetsk oblasts of eastern Ukraine’s war-torn Donbas region.

“Almost one hundred days since the war in Ukraine escalated, we have seen bombs destroy critical infrastructure across the country and reduce entire cities like Severodonetsk to rubble,” Egeland said. “More than 14 million men, women and children are displaced within Ukraine or sheltering in other countries with no idea when they will be able to safely return to their homes.”

May 31, 4:50 am
Russians, Ukrainians fight street by street in key eastern city

Russian and Ukrainian forces are believed to be fighting street by street on the outskirts of Severodonetsk, a key city in Ukraine’s east, the U.K. Ministry of Defense said Tuesday in an intelligence update.

“Russia’s capture of Lyman supports its operational main effort, which likely remains the encirclement of Sieverodonetsk and the closure of the pocket around Ukrainian forces in Luhansk Oblast,” the ministry said. “Heavy shelling continues, while street fighting is likely taking place on the outskirts of Sieverodonetsk town.”

After several days of fighting, the Russian military claimed Saturday to have fully seized the strategic town of Lyman, which serves as a railway hub in the Donetsk Oblast, west of Severodonetsk.

“Russia’s political goal is likely to occupy the full territory of Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts,” the ministry added. “To achieve this, Russia will need to secure further challenging operational objectives beyond Sieverodonetsk, including the key city of Kramatorsk and the M04 Dnipro-Donetsk main road.”

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(NEW YORK) — 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.

Here’s how the news is developing. All times Eastern:

Jun 01, 5:44 am
Russia now occupies over half of key city in Ukraine’s east

Over half of Sieverodonetsk is now likely occupied by Russian forces, including Chechen fighters, the U.K. Ministry of Defense said Wednesday in an intelligence update.

The ministry said fighting intensified in the streets of the key eastern Ukrainian city on Monday and Tuesday, “with Russian forces pushing closer to the town centre.” Sieverodonetsk is located in the war-torn Luhansk Oblast of eastern Ukraine’s disputed Donbas region.

“Russian ground operations remain tightly focused, with the weight of fire power concentrated within a small sector of Luhansk Oblast,” the ministry said.

“Beyond the Donbas, Russia continues to conduct long-range missile strikes against infrastructure across Ukraine,” the ministry added. “The strategically important bridge links Ukraine with Romania and with Ukraine’s ports on the Danube, which have become critical to Ukrainian exports after the blockade of Ukrainian Black Sea ports by Russia.”

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