Biden says he is ready to meet House speaker to discuss Ukraine aid

The IMF gave the green light to a new four-year lending agreement last week, days after Hungary stalled a European loan of 90 billion euros ($105 billion) intended to cover a large share of Ukraine's defense and budgetary needs through 2027. Without it, Ukraine's coffers could run dry by mid-2026.

The case was brought before the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg.

The International Paralympic Committee barred Ukraine’s Paralympic team from wearing their ceremonial uniform for the upcoming Winter Games, saying the design featuring a map of Ukraine was political, according to National Paralympic Committee President Valerii Sushkevych.

Russia launched 136 drones at Ukraine overnight, the Air Force said, reporting that Ukrainian air defenses intercepted 127 unmanned aircraft. At least five drones evaded defenses and struck three locations. Fallen debris was recorded in three locations.

The number includes 790 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.

U.S. President Donald Trump said on March 2 that U.S. munitions stockpiles are stronger than ever, stating in a post on Truth Social that supplies at the medium and upper-medium levels have “never been higher or better” and that the country has a “virtually unlimited supply of these weapons.”

Speaking at the L’Île Longue naval base in northwestern France — home to the country’s ballistic missile submarines — Macron argued that Europe must assume a more autonomous role in its own defense amid Russia’s war against Ukraine and shifting U.S. strategic priorities.

Ukrainians in Dubai and elsewhere in the UAE said Middle East airspace closures and security fears have revived the anxieties they fled at home, leaving some stranded as Kyiv seeks assurances for their protection. Pol

Zelensky said Ukraine has seen no signs of a PAC-3 interceptor shortage so far, but warned that a prolonged Middle East war and intense fighting could strain air defense supplies.

"I would suggest the following: leaders of the Middle East have great relations with Russians. They can ask Russians to implement a month-long ceasefire," President Volodymyr Zelensky said.

A new Helvetas and State Employment Service assessment says Ukraine can ease wartime labor shortages by retraining women and veterans, modernizing workplaces, and recognizing military skills as qualifications.