KYIV, Ukraine — Ukraine’s president is praising the United States for including tank-killing armored vehicles in its latest multibillion-dollar package of military aid, saying they are “exactly what is needed” for Ukrainian troops locked in combat against Russian forces.
The White House announcement Friday of $3.75 billion in weapons and other aid for Ukraine and its neighbors on NATO’s eastern flank came as Moscow said its troops are observing a short cease-fire for Orthodox Christmas, celebrated Saturday.
Ukrainian officials denounced the unilateral 36-hour truce as a ploy and said it appeared to have been ignored by some of Moscow’s forces pressing ahead with the nearly 11-month invasion.