Biden "directs Ukraine to provide additional weapons aid"

U.S. President Joe Biden, whose term is less than a month away, has promised additional weapons aid to Ukraine.

"Russia launched missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian cities and major energy facilities on Christmas morning," President Biden said in a statement on the 25th local time. "It is intended to prevent Ukrainian people from accessing heating and electricity in the winter and jeopardize the safety of the electrical grid."

"We have instructed the Ministry of Defense to continue the work of increasing the number of weapons sent to Ukraine, and the United States will work tirelessly to strengthen Ukrainian forces against Russian forces," he said.

President Biden also confirmed that "the Ukrainian people deserve to live peacefully and safely, and the United States and the international community make it clear that Ukraine must stay together until it wins against Russian aggression."

President Biden is focused on providing as much weapons as possible to Ukraine at the end of his term to strengthen its negotiating power ahead of President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration on January 20 next year.