Biden tells Ukraine's Zelensky that US would respond 'swiftly and decisively' to any further Russian aggression (CNN)President Joe Biden told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in a roughly hour long call Sunday that the US would respond 'swiftly and decisively' if Russia takes further steps toward invasion. according to a White House readout of the call. The call came amid US warnings that a Russian invasion of Ukraine could happen as soon as this week. 'President Biden made clear that the United States would respond swiftly and decisively. together with its Allies and partners. to any further Russian aggression against Ukraine. The two leaders agreed on the importance of continuing to pursue diplomacy and deterrence in response to Russia's military build up on Ukraine's borders.' according to the White House readout. A senior Ukrainian official said Zelensky renewed calls for Washington to provide greater military and financial support to Ukraine and asked for Biden to visit Ukraine as soon as possible. US officials said a trip by Biden to Ukraine is extremely unlikely. The official. who had been briefed on the conversation. told CNN that Zelensky used the call to suggest what the official described as 'concrete ideas to diminish the Russian threat to Ukraine' such as providing Ukraine greater military support. including more advanced weaponry. Zelensky also emphasized to Biden the need for a significant financial package for Ukraine. according to the official. The official told... #Sports ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlm-V4EVBck

Senate passes stopgap bill to avert shutdown ahead of Friday deadline (CNN)The Senate voted on Thursday to pass a stopgap bill to avert a shutdown at the end of the week ahead of a looming Friday deadline when government funding has been set to expire. The House of Representatives voted last week on a bipartisan basis to approve the measure. known as a continuing resolution or CR for short. to extend funding through March 11. Now that the Senate has passed the measure it can be sent to President Joe Biden's desk to be signed into law. The bill passed in the Senate by a tally of 65 to 27. Lawmakers are also working to lock in a broader full year spending package. but have said they need more time to finish and. as a result. needed a short term funding extension to avert a shutdown at the end of the week. In the Senate. Republican demands and Democratic absences threatened to complicate the effort to lock in a final vote and brought action down to the wire as the February 18 funding deadline neared. But leaders from both parties projected confidence there would not be a shutdown and ultimately a final vote to pass the measure went forward Thursday evening. Prior to holding a final vote on the stopgap bill. the Senate took three votes on amendments put forward by Republicans. but all three failed. Two of the amendments would have prohibited funding for vaccine mandates. while the other amendment would have imposed a balanced budget requirement. On Wednesday. when negotiators were trying to lock in the timing for a final vote. Democrats were already contending with several absences among their members. making the math tricky in the narrowly divided 50 50 Senate. If any amendment votes had passed. it could have jeopardized efforts to get a bill to Biden's desk before the funding expiration deadline. And 88 year old Sen. Dianne Feinstein missed votes Wednesday. Feinstein's husband is ill. which is why she missed votes. according to a source familiar with the situation. Feinstein is not expected to return to the Senate this week. Luján tweeted on Thursday that he is now completing his recovery in DC and said. 'I'm back at work and will return to the Senate floor soon.' A similar scenario where Republicans pushed for votes to counter vaccine mandates played out back in December. but the standoff ended with an agreement to hold votes on an earlier stopgap bill as well as a GOP amendment to prohibit the use of federal funding for Covid 19 vaccine mandates. which ultimately failed. 'We work closely with the Senate and with Congress. in general. And that's our path is to avert a government shutdown.' principal deputy press secretary Karine Jean Pierre said Thursday. Pressed on whether the White House had received any assurances that a shutdown would ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zfyg0Eon4RA