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STORY: Long queues of people formed on what was a sunny May Day public holiday at the entrance to the exhibition, entitled "Trophies of the Russian Army," which is being held outside a museum celebrating the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany in 1945. On Thursday (May 2), a working day in Russia, the exhibition was still attended by a large number of visitors. "History is repeating itself," the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement, adding that the Soviet Union had in 1943 also put on a display of captured tanks and hardware, in this case from the German army. The Moscow display, which includes U.S., German and French tanks supplied to Ukraine, came days after the U.S. approved a $61 billion aid package for Kyiv and after Russia made some swift but incremental territorial gains in eastern Ukraine at a time when Kyiv's forces say they lack ammo and manpower.

Britain's Duchess of Edinburgh, Sophie, made an unannounced visit to Ukraine, the first British royal to travel to the country since Russia’s 2022 invasion. (April 30, 2024)

NATO countries haven’t delivered what they promised to Ukraine in time, the head of NATO said on Monday, allowing Russia to press its battlefield advantage while Kyiv’s depleted forces wait for Western military supplies to arrive. Speaking alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv, Stoltenberg said that “serious delays in support have meant serious consequences on the battlefield” for Ukraine. (AP video Vasilisa Stepanenko)

The Pentagon has announced that the U.S. will provide Ukraine additional Patriot missiles for its air defense systems as part of a massive $6 billion additional aid package.

STORY: The Ukrainian leader said in a statement on the Telegram app that he was grateful to close ally Britain for unveiling this week a new 500 million pound ($625 million) uplift in a defense support package for Ukraine. "Particular attention was paid to sanctions policy. It is important to expand restrictive measures against Russia and exclude the possibility of circumventing sanctions," Zelenskiy said. He said Hunt would meet Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal and other ministers later on Thursday.

Calling it a "good day for America" and "a good day for world peace," President Joe Biden signed into law the $95 billion war aid measure that includes assistance for Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan and other allies.

STORY: A sweeping foreign aid package cleared the final hurdle in the U.S. Congress with ease late on Tuesday, to provide fresh funding to Ukraine and Israel after months of delay. The Senate approved the $95-billion package by a wide margin of 79 to 18 votes. It was a combination of four bills: $61 billion goes to defending Ukraine against Russian advances in its war. $26 billion is for Israel - as well as humanitarian aid for civilians in conflict zones around the world. While some $8 billion will help Taiwan and other countries in the Indo-Pacific "counter communist China". A fourth bill was added to the package by the House of Representatives last week - to move on potentially banning the Chinese-owned social media app TikTok. Members of the House passed the combo package on Saturday, after Republicans there abruptly ended a months-long stalemate. President Joe Biden has promised to sign it into law as soon as it reaches his desk. Democratic Majority Leader Chuck Schumer called Tuesday's vote "an inflection point in history". "The conflicts we see right now in Europe and the Middle East and the tensions of the Indo-Pacific will go a long way in shaping the balance of power between democracy and autocracy in the decades to come and the consequences for America's long-term security will be profound." His Republican counterpart Mitch McConnell expressed regret about the delay. "For months, our friends have watched to see whether America still had the strength that won the Cold War, or the resolve that has underpinned peace and prosperity, literally for decades. Our enemies have tested whether the arsenal of democracy is in fact built to endure. Well, tonight, the Senate will send a clear message." The two leaders applauded the bipartisan effort to finally get the package passed, after strong opposition mostly from hardline Republicans with close ties to Donald Trump. The former president has been skeptical of funding Ukraine as he pushes "America First" policies. McConnell later told a news conference he believes Congress has "turned the corner on the isolationist movement." About $10 billion of the Ukraine money comes in the form of a loan, which Trump had suggested - though this bill lets the president forgive the loan starting in 2026.