Monday morning news - February 28, 2022

For WORLD Radio, I'm Kent Covington. 

Putin puts nuclear forces on high alert as Ukraine invasion continues » Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his country’s nuclear forces to be put on high alert on Sunday.

Putin claimed that was in response to what he called “aggressive statements” by NATO powers.

But White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki told ABC’s This Week…

PSAKI: This is really a pattern that we’ve seen from President Putin through the course of this conflict, which is manufacturing threats that don’t exist in order to justify further aggression.

A senior U.S. defense official told the Associated Press that Putin is—quote—“potentially putting in play forces that, if there’s a miscalculation, could make things much, much more dangerous.”

Amid the crisis, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba says his government has agreed to send a delegation for talks with Russia near Ukraine’s border with Belarus.

KULEBA: We are going there to listen. And we are going there to say what we think about this war and Russia’s actions.

But many doubt whether Moscow is sincerely interested in negotiating an end to its invasion of Ukraine.

More battles broke out Sunday in Ukraine's second-largest city, Kharkiv, as Russian troops closed in around the capital of Kyiv.

They also attacked strategic ports in the country's south.

Ukraine’s Ambassador to the United States Oksana Markarova said invading forces continue to target both military and civilian infrastructure. But…

MARKAROVA: Again, Ukrainian spirit is growing every day. We all are united around our president and around our armed forces in defending our home.

Ukrainian defenders are putting up stiff resistance appearing to slow Russia's advance, though they’re certainly not stopping it.

Western leaders step up response to Russia » Meanwhile, the top official in the European Union outlined plans by the 27-nation bloc to close its airspace to Russian airlines. Canada is joining them in taking that measure.

And in a historic move, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Sunday…

LEYEN: For the first time ever, the European Union will finance the purchase and delivery of weapons and other equipment to a country that is under attack.

She said the EU will also ban some media outlets that are essentially just mouthpieces for the Kremlin.

In Germany, Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Sunday that in a policy shift, his country will send weapons to Ukraine. He also said Germany will sharply increase its spending on defense in response to Russia’s actions.

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield told the UN General Assembly on Sunday…

GREENFIELD: We need to take extraordinary actions to meet this threat to our international system and do everything we can to help Ukraine and its people.

President Biden just approved $350 million in military aid to Ukraine. And he’s asking U.S. lawmakers to approve more than $6 billion in total aid.

Biden’s Supreme Court pick prepares for confirmation process » The president’s Supreme Court pick is gearing up for closed-door meetings with senators on both sides of the aisle as she hopes to garner enough votes to win confirmation. Biden announced his choice to replace retiring Justice Stephen Breyer on Friday.

BIDEN: My nominee for the United States Supreme Court is Judge Ketanji Jackson.

She would be the first black female justice ever to serve on the high court. Former Democratic Alabama Sen. Doug Jones will serve as Jackson’s “sherpa,” guiding her through the confirmation process.

Biden noted that the 51-year-old Jackson did win a few Republican votes in her confirmation to her current post.

BIDEN: She was confirmed with a bipartisan Senate vote to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, considered the second-most powerful court behind the Supreme Court itself.

But those GOP senators who approved her for that job have not committed to back her for the nation’s highest court.

Among them, South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham. He said her nomination—quote—“means the radical Left has won President Biden over yet again.”

Republicans note that Jackson was the top choice of many within the hard left wing of the Democratic party.

But with the filibuster now out of play for Supreme Court nominations, Democrats can confirm Jackson without any Republican votes.

Taliban official says dozens of criminals arrested in sweeps » The Taliban says it just arrested dozens of criminals, kidnappers, and smugglers in operations across Kabul. WORLD’s Josh Schumacher reports.

JOSH SCHUMACHER, REPORTER: Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said authorities seized hundreds of weapons, including rocket-launchers and grenades, as well as 13 armored vehicles and 13 tons of explosives.

In total, nine kidnappers, six members of ISIS, and 53 thieves were arrested.

But some have heavily criticized the Taliban’s door to door operations amid reports of abuse suffered by civilians at the hands of Taliban forces.

Mujahid also welcomed a recent U.S. decision to ease restrictions on Afghan banks. The U.S. Treasury issued a new general license that will allow for money transfers for Afghan businessmen and others, but exclude individual Taliban members.

The United States froze billions of dollars of Afghan government assets after the Taliban seized control last August.

Reporting for WORLD, I’m Josh Schumacher.

I'm Kent Covington. For more news, features, and analysis, visit us at wng.org. 

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