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Russian authorities on Thursday said they had detained an American reporter for the Wall Street Journal on espionage charges.

Driving the news: Evan Gershkovich is the first U.S. journalist to be detained in an espionage case since the Cold War, the Committee to Protect Journalists told Axios.

The big picture: The move ratchets up Russia's longstanding crackdown on freedom of the press, which escalated with the onset of the Ukraine invasion.

In March 2022, Russia enacted a punitive "fake news" law that threatened to imprison journalists and individuals who spread information about the war in Ukraine that Russia deemed to be false.

Many news organizations temporarily suspended their operations in Russia as a result.

"We consider this an unjust detention and call on the State Department to designate his detention in that manner at once," National Press Club President Eileen O'Reilly said in a statement Thursday, calling for Gershkovich's immediate release. (O'Reilly is Axios' managing editor of standards and training).

Gershkovich was detained in the city of Yekaterinburg, in the Ural Mountains, Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) — the successor organization to the Soviet Union's KGB — said in a statement Thursday, Russian state news agency RIA Novosti reported.

The FSB did not specify when exactly the arrest took place, but the Wall Street Journal reported that he dropped out of contact with his editors Wednesday afternoon.

Gershkovich could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted for espionage, per AP.

State of play: Gershkovich pleaded not guilty in a Moscow court on Thursday, Russian state news agency TASS reported.

The court has ordered that he held in custody until May 29, according to TASS.

Trials for espionage in Russia can take months and are often held in secret, according to the WSJ. Acquittals are extremely rare. 

The FSB accused Gershkovich of trying to obtain classified information "on the instructions of the United States," according to RIA Novosti.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters Thursday that Gershkovich had been "caught red-handed," TASS reported. They accused him of trying to gather information "on the activities of one of the enterprises of the Russian military-industrial complex."

The Wall Street Journal said in a statement that it "vehemently denies the allegations from the FSB and seeks the immediate release of our trusted and dedicated reporter, Evan Gershkovich."

“We stand in solidarity with Evan and his family," the statement added.

Wall Street Journal Editor-in-Chief Emma Tucker told staff in a memo Thursday that the paper was "very concerned" for Gershkovich's safety after he was detained the previous day, CNN reported.

The U.S. Embassy in Moscow and State Department did not immediately respond to Axios' requests for comment.

The Biden administration is "deeply concerned" by Gershkovich's detainment, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement.

"The targeting of American citizens by the Russian government is unacceptable. We condemn the detention of Mr. Gershkovich in the strongest terms," Jean-Pierre added.

The administration has been in contact with the WSJ and Gershkovich's family, and the State Department has been in touch with the Russian government in an effort to get consular access to Gershkovich, she added.

"In the strongest possible terms, we condemn the Kremlin’s continued attempts to intimidate, repress, and punish journalists and civil society voices," Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement.

Gershkovich has worked at the WSJ since January 2022 as part of the paper's Moscow bureau, where he had helped cover the war in Ukraine, domestic developments in Russia, and other former Soviet states.

The FSB acknowledged in their statement that Gershkovich was accredited as a journalist by Russia's foreign ministry, per RIA Novosti.

Prior to joining the Journal, Gershkovich worked as a reporter for Agence France-Presse and the Moscow Times. Before that, he was a news assistant at the New York Times.

Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional details throughout.

Russia detains WSJ reporter in first spy charges against U.S. journalist since Cold War

Gershkovich could face up to 20 years in prison.

Journalist Evan Gershkovich in July 2021. Photo: Dimitar Dilkoff/AFP via Getty Images

Russia

World

Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.), chair of the new House China select committee, told Axios that it would be "geopolitical malpractice" to separate the threats to the U.S. posed by Russia and China.

Why it matters: The Republican Party is divided on Russia's invasion of Ukraine, with some — including former President Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis — viewing the war as a "territorial dispute" and a distraction from the real threat posed by the Chinese government.

Driving the news: Gallagher told Axios' Alexi McCammond at the second annual What's Next Summit that he hopes to use the new select committee to "explore the depths of the 'no limits' partnership" that Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping announced before last year's Beijing Olympics.

"Lot of people downplayed it, but everything we've seen since suggests that Putin is Xi's junior partner in a de facto alliance or new Cold War," Gallagher said.

Referring to Putin as Xi's "tethered goat" and "agent of chaos" in Europe, Gallagher stressed that the U.S. must be able to project power in multiple theaters — dismissing arguments from populists like Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) that sending aid to Ukraine is draining resources and attention from Taiwan.

"The lesson from Ukraine is that you need to arm your friends and partners before the shooting starts," Gallagher said, calling for the U.S. to "take advantage of this moment to replenish" weapons stockpiles for a potential conflict with China.

The intrigue: Gallagher, whom some Republicans have encouraged to run for Senate, told Axios he stands by what he has previously said about not supporting Trump due to Jan. 6 — even if he's the 2024 GOP nominee. "I have a 'No Boomer' policy," Gallagher joked.

Editor's note: This story has been updated to clarify Gallagher's position on not supporting Trump in 2024. 

Top Republican calls out "geopolitical malpractice" on Russia and China threats

Some Republicans oppose aid to Ukraine in order to better address the threat from China.

Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.) at the Axios What's Next Summit.

China

President Biden has made the COVID-19 crisis and a post-Trump return to national unity and traditional democratic ideals his top priorities. From vaccinations to stimulus to schools, Biden is seeking bipartisan compromise while showing a willingness to use executive authority and bare Democratic majorities in the U.S. House and Senate to implement his policies. Republican leaders are navigating deep party divisions over if and how to move beyond former President Trump.

Politics & Policy

Russia's Defense Ministry said Tuesday its military test-fired anti-ship missiles in the Sea of Japan.

Driving the news: The defense ministry said on Telegram that "missile ships of the Pacific Fleet" successfully fired two "Moskit cruise missiles at a mock enemy sea target" at a distance of some 62 miles.

For the record: The P-270 Moskit is a supersonic anti-ship cruise missile that has the NATO reporting name SS-N-22 "Sunburn", which AP notes has "conventional and nuclear warhead capacity."

The big picture: The announcement comes one week after two Russian strategic bomber planes capable of carrying nuclear weapons flew over the Sea of Japan for over seven hours while the Japanese prime minister was visiting Ukraine, according to Reuters.

What they're saying: Japanese Foreign Ministry official Tasuku Matsuki said Tokyo wouldn't formally protest the test-fire as it happened in an area considered coastal Russia, Peter the Great Bay, although this is across from his country, per AP.

"On the whole, Japan is concerned about Russia’s increasing military activities around the Japanese coasts and watching them with great interest," Matsuki added.

The U.S. Navy's 7th Fleet did not immediately respond to Axios' request for comment.

Editor's note: This article has been updated with comment from Japanese Foreign Ministry official Tasuku Matsuki.

Russia says it test-fired supersonic anti-ship missiles in Sea of Japan

Two Russian strategic bomber planes capable of carrying nuclear weapons last week flew over the Sea of Japan.

Russia's President Vladimir Putin attending a Russian Navy parade in Saint Petersburg in July 2022. Photo: Contributor/Getty Images

The Department of Justice has announced charges against a Russian national who is accused of using a false identity to enter the U.S. and obtain information from Americans.

Driving the news: Sergey Vladimirovich Cherkasov, 37, was charged Friday for acting as an agent of a foreign power, visa fraud, bank fraud, wire fraud and other charges, the Department of Justice said.

Cherkasov served as an agent for a Russian intelligence service under the Brazilian alias of Victor Muller Ferreira, per the DOJ.

He started acting as an agent in 2012 in Brazil before moving to the U.S. in 2018 after he was admitted to a graduate program in Washington, D.C, the Justice Department said.

"While in the United States, Cherkasov obtained information about U.S. persons that he passed to his [Russian Intelligence Service] handlers," per the DOJ.

Zoom in: Cherkasov allegedly sought information from Americans about their views toward a potential Russian invasion of Ukraine. 

"I was working with my contacts … to find out what the academic community, political advisors and analysts think about the recent Russian military build-up near the Ukrainian border," Cherkasov allegedly wrote in one message in Nov. 2021, per the criminal complaint filed Friday. 

"Especially I was aiming to find out what [is] their advice to the administration," he allegedly said in the message. 

The big picture: The Netherlands' security service last year foiled a Russian plan for Cherkasov to use a false identity to infiltrate the International Criminal Court (ICC) through an internship.

Cherkasov was denied entry to the Netherlands and was declared an unwanted alien and sent back to Brazil. 

Cherkasov is currently incarcerated in Brazil on fraud charges, per the DOJ. 

Go deeper ... Hungary would not arrest Putin despite ICC warrant, official says

Hungary would not arrest Putin despite ICC warrant, official says

DOJ charges alleged Russian spy who used fake identity to enter U.S.

Cherkasov for years operated as an agent for a Russian intelligence service under a Brazilian alias.

Signage outside the US Department of Justice (DOJ) headquarters in Washington, DC, US, on Friday, Feb. 17, 2023. 

Signage outside the Department of Justice headquarters in Washington, D.C. on Feb. 17. Photo: Ting Shen/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Face The Nation-11 03 27 Am - 11 04 48 Am-2023-03-26

The U.S. has not seen any signs that Russia has moved nuclear weapons to neighboring Belarus or anywhere else, National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said Sunday on CBS' "Face the Nation."

Driving the news: Russian President Vladimir Putin announced during a TV interview on Saturday that Russia and Belarus have reached an agreement to deploy tactical nuclear weapons to Belarus, state news agency RIA Novosti reported.

Russia would complete construction on a storage facility in Belarus for the tactical nuclear weapons by July 1, Putin added.

What they're saying: “We have not seen any indication that he has made good on this pledge or moved any nuclear weapons around," Kirby said. 

"We've in fact seen no indication he has any intention to use nuclear weapons, period, inside Ukraine," he added, noting that nothing so far has caused the U.S. to alter its own strategic deterrent posture.

State of play: NATO promptly criticized Russia's "dangerous and irresponsible" nuclear rhetoric in a statement on Sunday, adding that the alliance is monitoring the situation, Reuters reported.

"We have not seen any changes in Russia's nuclear posture that would lead us to adjust our own," the statement added.

Ukraine's Foreign Ministry on Sunday called for a meeting of the UN Security Council to be immediately convened in light of Putin's comments.

"Making a statement about tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, he admits that he is afraid of losing & all he can do is scare with tactics," Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to President Volodymyr Zelensky, tweeted Sunday, referring to Putin.

Worth noting: So-called "tactical" nuclear weapons are considered "low-yield" only because other nuclear weapons have become unimaginably powerful, Axios' Jacob Knutson writes.

Tactical nuclear weapons are often used to achieve specific battlefield gains and differ from nuclear weapons that have the capacity to wipe out cities, according to Reuters.

Russia used Belarus as one of its launching pads for the invasion of Ukraine last year.

Kirby: No indication that Russia has moved nuclear weapons to Belarus

"We've in fact seen no indication he has any intention to use nuclear weapons, period, inside Ukraine."

Russian invasion of Ukraine

A Hungarian official has said that the country would not arrest Russian President Vladimir Putin if he entered Hungary, despite the International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant for alleged war crimes.

What they're saying: Gergely Gulyas, Orbán's chief of staff, called the warrant counterproductive at a news conference in Budapest this week, per Reuters. It pushed "things toward further escalation and not toward peace, this is my personal subjective opinion," he said.

Arresting Putin would also go against Hungarian law since Hungary has not widely incorporated the ICC's statute into its legal system, he added.

"We can refer to the Hungarian law and, based on that, we cannot arrest the Russian president ... as the ICC’s statute has not been promulgated in Hungary."

Why it matters: Putin is unlikely to face a trial from the warrant — the Russian government does not recognize the ICC — but it could limit his ability to travel to the ICC's 123 member nations, which are obligated to follow through with an arrest under their treaty with the court.

Hungary is one of these 123 member states. Its government has condemned Russia's invasion of Ukraine and accepted EU sanctions on Russia but declined to allow the transport of weapons across Hungarian territory or sanction Russian energy.

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's close ties with Putin have also come under scrutiny. The Hungarian government has not publicly taken a stance on the warrant.

The big picture: Orbán has repeatedly criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and referred to him as an opponent the Hungarian people "had to fight against" after he was re-elected last April.

But the ICC statute is clear that member states are expected to "immediately take steps" to make an arrest if requested.

South Africa is another member nation that has pushed back against the warrant. Naledi Pandor, minister of international relations, told South African Broadcasting Corp. that South Africa is aware of its legal obligation but is considering extending an invite to Putin to an August summit in Johannesburg.

Worth noting: Neither the U.S. nor China is an ICC member state.

Chinese leader Xi Jinping visited Putin in Moscow earlier this week and invited the Russian president to Beijing later this year.

Go deeper... UN: Russian forces have committed war crimes in Ukraine

As an ICC member state, Hungary is obligated to follow through with an arrest but has walked a tightrope with Russia this past year.

Photo of Vladimir Putin sitting and looking straight ahead

Russian President Vladimir Putin chairs a Security Council meeting in Moscow on March 24, 2023. Photo: Aleksey Babushkin/Sputnik/AFP) (Photo by ALEKSEY BABUSHKIN/Sputnik/AFP via Getty Images)

Vladimir Putin

The UN published a report Friday highlighting summary executions, torture, and other instances in which Russia and Ukraine violated international human rights laws in their treatment of prisoners of war.

The big picture: The report comes after another UN report last week found that Russian forces in Ukraine committed an array of violations that amount to war crimes and possible crimes against humanity.

Details: The most recent report by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights is based on interviews with more than 400 POWs and focuses on how they were treated in the one-year period since Russia attacked Ukraine.

Those interviewed include Ukrainian POWs who have been released as well as Russians held captive in Ukraine.

UN monitors said they were not given "confidential access" to POWs held by Russia.

What they found: The monitors documented violations that "may constitute war crimes" in the treatment of POWs.

Instances under Russia's control include the "summary executions of 15 POWs, the use of POWs as human shields, the deaths of two wounded men POWs due to a lack of medical care, and torture or other ill-treatment to extract information," per the report.

The monitors also "documented a widespread practice of pillage of belongings of POWs and evacuation in inhuman conditions, such as in overcrowded vehicles with hands tied and eyes covered, without access to water or toilets."

The monitors interviewed 24 women POWs held by Russia as well, finding that 17 of them "were subjected to beatings, electrocution, forced nudity, cavity searches and threats of sexual violence."

Meanwhile, the monitors documented the summary executions of at least 25 Russian POWs at the hands of Ukrainian forces. 

"OHCHR also documented cases of torture or other forms of ill-treatment against 113 POWs, many of them involving beatings, kicking or, to a lesser extent, stabbing," the report says.

Of note: Ill-treatment of POWs took place on both sides, but was it was far more common against Ukrainians, AP reports.

What they're saying: Matilda Bogner, head of the U.N. monitoring mission in Ukraine, noted at a news conference in Kyiv that while both sides committed abuses, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was at the core of the violence against civilians and POWs, per AP.

Go deeper: Report: Russia relocated 6,000 Ukrainian children for reeducation

Report: Russia relocated 6,000 Ukrainian children for reeducation

UN report: Ukrainian and Russian POWs faced torture, executions

Ukrainian prisoners of war were more likely to face ill-treatment, the UN found.

A group of Russian prisoners of war are pictured in a Ukrainian colony on Jan. 17. Photo: Mykhaylo Palinchak/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

Ukraine

Armed Russian jets have flown over a U.S. military base in Syria almost daily this month, a top American general told NBC News on Wednesday.

Why it matters: The move by Russia could violate a 4-year-old agreement with the U.S. and lead to escalation between the two countries.

The big picture: The U.S. and Russia agreed to air regulations over Syria in 2019 to avoid "potentially provocative encounters," NBC writes. 

Direct overflight of the other country's positions on the ground was deemed acceptable — especially if it involved armed aircraft, per NBC.

Details: Russian jets have violated the airspace over the U.S. base in Syria roughly 25 times so far in March, according to Lt. Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, combined forces air component commander for U.S. Central Command.

There were zero violations in February and 14 in January.

Between the lines: These latest incidents come in the wake of a Russian jet colliding with a U.S. drone over the Black Sea.

U.S. European command had called it part of a "pattern of dangerous actions by Russian pilots while interacting with U.S. and Allied aircraft over international airspace.

What they're saying: "It is a substantial increase," Grynkewich said.

"They’re regularly flying directly overhead of our units, and I’ve defined directly overhead, as within about a mile, no more than a mile offset one side or the other, while we’ve got forces right there on the ground at ATG," he added. 

Representatives for the Russian Embassy in Washington, D.C., did not immediately respond to Axios' request for comment.

Air chief reports spike in Russian jets flying over U.S. base in Syria

The move could violate a 4-year-old agreement Russia has with the U.S.

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin walks near Russian fighter jet Sukhoi T-50, after its flight in Zhukovksy, outside Moscow. Photo: ALEXEY DRUZHININ/AFP via Getty Images

Syria

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) calls Russian President Vladimir Putin a "war criminal" in a new interview with British journalist Piers Morgan airing on Fox News.

Why it matters: The potential 2024 presidential contender's comments are in stark contrast to statements made by former President Trump, who last year called Putin "genius" and "very savvy" for recognizing two breakaway "republics" in eastern Ukraine as independent.

What they're saying: In the interview airing Thursday, Morgan asked DeSantis if Putin should be held responsible for war crimes and genocidal activity in Ukraine.

"I think he is a war criminal ... I do think that that he should be held accountable," DeSantis replied.

"I think he's got grand ambitions. I think he's hostile to the United States," he continued.

"We'll see what ends up happening with his longevity in power. But ... this has been a loss for them."

Yes, but: Just last week, DeSantis said in a statement aired by Fox News that it is not in the "vital national interests" of the U.S. to become "further entangled in a territorial dispute between Ukraine and Russia."

Several Republican lawmakers, including Sens. John Cornyn (R-Texas) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), rebuked his comments shortly after.

Of note: Trump escalated attacks on DeSantis in recent months as it became clear the latter held a substantial bloc of conservative voters and could win the GOP nomination for the presidency. 

Go deeper: The deepening GOP divide on Ukraine

DeSantis calls Putin a "war criminal" who must be "held accountable"

His are in a stark contrast to statements made by Trump, who's referred to Putin's Ukraine strategy as "genius."

Photo of Ron DeSantis speaking into a microphone on stage

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks to voters on March 10 in Des Moines, Iowa. Photo: Scott Olson via Getty Images

Ron DeSantis

Donald Trump

2024 Elections

Axios World

Chinese President Xi Jinping offered Russian President Vladimir Putin a significant show of solidarity by visiting Moscow this week, but offered no indications he's prepared to step up Chinese support for Putin's war in Ukraine.

Driving the news: In a joint appearance after several hours of talks on Tuesday, Xi described China's approach to Ukraine as "unbiased" and "impartial." Putin praised the ceasefire plan Xi proposed last month but said Ukraine and the West weren't "ready" for peace talks.

China's plan doesn't call for Russia to leave the territories of Ukraine it annexed last fall. Secretary of State Tony Blinken argued Monday that a ceasefire on such terms "would effectively be supporting the ratification of Russian conquest."

Despite Xi's claim of neutrality, Chinese officials and state media have echoed Russia's claims that NATO countries provoked or inflamed the conflict. A joint statement the leaders signed Tuesday condemned "unilateral sanctions" and "moves that lead to tensions and the protraction of fighting."

Yes, but: Xi hasn't explicitly endorsed the invasion, openly breached sanctions or supplied weapons to Russia. He offered no indications on Tuesday that China's positions on those issues had changed.

Xi seems intent on projecting China as a responsible actor and plausible mediator at a time when the other members of the UN Security Council are either at war (Russia) or arming Ukraine (France, U.K., U.S.), says Alexander Gabuev of the Carnegie Endowment.

Xi is expected to hold a call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky some time after he returns from Moscow on Wednesday.

Xi and Putin also signed a series of joint statements and memorandums of understanding about cooperation on trade and other issues on Tuesday. Those didn't include a final deal on a pipeline to export Russian gas to China.

Some analysts contended the summit underscored the increasingly lopsided nature of the relationship, with Putin praising Xi effusively and pledging favorable trade terms and Xi offering little beyond the visit itself (though he did call Putin a "dear friend" and endorse his re-election in 2024).

Still, it's unclear what Xi and Putin may have decided behind closed doors. Even if something more substantive was agreed, Xi might not want to make any announcements that distract from his peace plan, Gabuev notes.

The big picture: While Xi and Putin were meeting in Moscow, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida was making a surprise visit to Ukraine. He visited Bucha and expressed "great anger at the atrocity" committed there by Russian troops. He also met with President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Zelensky got another boost this week when 18 European countries announced a joint agreement to procure much-needed artillery shells for Ukraine.

Ukraine is expected to undertake a counteroffensive this spring to try to win back some of the territory currently occupied by Russia. 

show of solidarity by visiting Moscow this week

Xi and Putin stick to same Ukraine positions after summit

Xi offered Putin a significant show of solidarity by visiting Moscow this week.

Xi and Putin at Tuesday's signing ceremony. Photo: Contributor/Getty Images

The U.S. and Germany separately announced on Wednesday they would send battle tanks to Ukraine after pressure from NATO allies and Ukraine to supply the advanced armored vehicles as Kyiv prepares for a possible new Russian offensive.

Why it matters: The U.S. decision to supply Abrams M1 tanks and the German announcement on the Leopard 2 tanks is a major boost for Ukraine, which has pleaded with the West for months to send more advanced weaponry as it tries to take back territory from Russia.

Details: The U.S. will send 31 Abrams tanks to Ukraine and will begin training Ukrainian troops on sustaining the tanks as soon as possible, Biden said at a press conference Wednesday.

Biden cautioned that delivering the tanks would "take time."

Biden said that prior to the announcement he had spoken to the leaders of France, Germany, Italy and the U.K. “to continue our close coordination and full support of Ukraine."

During a press briefing Wednesday afternoon, National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby called the Abrams tanks "the most capable, powerful tank in the world" and said it would help Ukraine "fight effectively on open terrain."

Kirby noted that no date has been set for the Abrams' delivery but that it would likely be "many months before they're actually there."

Germany will initially supply 14 Leopard 2 tanks from its own stock, as well as ammunition and logistical and maintenance support, its government said in a statement.  

Training Ukrainian forces on the Leopards is expected to begin soon. 

Germany will also quickly provide licenses to other European countries that wish to supply Leopards from their own stock, the statement added. Poland has already requested approval to send some of its Leopards to Ukraine. 

The goal, the German government said, was for Germany and its allies to supply two battalions with Leopards, which would be 88 tanks, per AP. 

Catch up quick: Debate among Western allies — particularly between the U.S. and Germany — over sending tanks to Ukraine had escalated over the last week. 

The Biden administration argued in recent days against sending Abrams, citing logistical issues. Instead, U.S. officials said sending German Leopard 2 tanks would be more beneficial since many European allies already have them and they're easier to maintain. 

"The M1 (Abrams) is a complex weapons system that is challenging to maintain ... that was true yesterday, that is true today and will be true in the future," Pentagon spokesperson Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder told reporters on Tuesday. 

Until Wednesday, Scholz had expressed reluctance to send Leopards, fearing it could escalate tensions with Moscow. German officials also reportedly privately linked its own commitment to providing its tanks to a U.S. decision to send Abrams as well. Publicly, however, U.S. and German officials denied any link between the two decisions. 

"Germany didn't force me to change my mind," Biden said Wednesday, adding that the countries were waiting to act together. 

What they're saying: "Today's announcement builds on the hard work and commitment from countries around the world, led by the United States of America, to help Ukraine defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity," Biden said Wednesday.

"That's what this is about. Helping Ukraine defend and protect Ukrainian land. It is not an offensive threat to Russia. There is no offensive threat to Russia," he added.

"Germany has really stepped up," Biden said, praising Scholz as a "strong voice for unity."

 "Putin expected Europe and the United States to weaken our resolve. He expected our support for Ukraine to crumble with time. He was wrong," Biden said.

"This decision follows our well-known line of supporting Ukraine to the best of our ability. We are acting in a closely coordinated manner internationally," Scholz said in a statement.

The German government added that Wednesday's decision was "the result of intensive consultations with Germany's closest European and international partners."

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed his thanks for the U.S.' decision to send Abrams tanks in a tweet Wednesday, writing that it was "an important step on the path to victory."

U.S. and Germany to send battle tanks to Ukraine

The decision is a major boost for Ukraine.

Russia

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