According to reports from US media, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is anticipated to visit both the White House and Capitol Hill next week.
The United States has added 150 more people and companies that support Russian President Vladimir Putin to its list of sanctions, the US Departments of State and Treasury has said.

The aim is to “target Russia’s military supply chains and deprive Putin of the equipment, technology, and services he needs to wage his barbaric war on Ukraine,” US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said.

Big Russian engineering companies, metallurgy and mining groups were on the sanctions list. Gazpromstroy — which is the construction group of the gas giant Gazprom — is also new on the list, along with Russia’s second largest diamond company AGD Diamonds.

Aiming directly at the Russian industry, the list included wagon manufacturer Transmash, carmakers Avtovaz and Moskvich and aircraft engine manufacturer Soyuz in Moscow.

Two Turkish firms that are seen as providing parts for drone construction in Russia were also sanctioned.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock on Thursday urged for unity on Ukraine during her trip to the US.

“Putin is fighting also democracies worldwide, and therefore we have to stand united. We are stronger than this brutal aggression of Putin,” she told US broadcaster Fox News after holding talks with Republican members of Congress in Washington.

On being asked how the conflict could end, the German politician said:

“With liberty and peace in Ukraine. And we will support Ukraine as long as it takes.”

Baerbock is set to meet her US counterpart Antony Blinken for talks in Washington on Friday.

Earlier this week, she made a surprise trip to Kyiv , where she praised Ukraine’s “courage and determination.”
Ukraine’s soldiers continued to press on in a testing bid to recapture territory near the Russian-held city of Bakhmut, senior military officials have said.

Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister, Hanna Maliar, said Kyiv’s troops were making gains around three villages south of Bakhmut, including Andriivka.

“Progress has been made there,” she said on Telegram.

Russian forces had captured Bakhmut in May following battles that went on for months and left the eastern city devastated.

Maliar said Russian troops had sustained “significant losses” in attacks on key towns on the southern front, where Ukraine has been focused on capturing villages in a campaign towards the Sea of Azov.