Day 402 of the Invasion of Ukraine: Russia takes over the Presidency of the UN Security Council

Day 402 of the invasion of Ukraine. Summary of key events in the last 24 hours:

• Kuleba on the Russian presidency of the UNSC: The worst April Fool's joke
• Two adults and a child were killed during shelling in Avdiivka
• The US is preparing new military aid for Ukraine worth 2.6 billion dollars
• Borrell: China can help but cannot mediate peace in Ukraine
• Lukashenko is ready to accept Russian strategic nuclear weapons on the territory of Belarus
• Scholz: The conflict in Ukraine could drag on for years
• New Russian foreign policy doctrine defines West as "existential threat"

Kuleba on the Russian presidency of the UNSC: The worst April Fool's joke

Ukraine expressed its indignation that from today Russia is the rotating chairman of the UN Security Council. The United States, which failed to block the procedure, will announce a new package of military aid to Kyiv. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba described Moscow's takeover of the presidency of the Security Council as the worst April Fool's joke. According to the presidential advisor Mykhailo Podolyak, the step is another violation of international law. Despite Kyiv's objections, the United States has not been able to block Russia's rotational function, and while the role is largely ceremonial, Moscow's permanent representative, Vasily Nebenzya, has said he plans to lead several debates, including on arms control. The United States also urged Russia to reconsider its plans to deploy nuclear weapons in Belarus. Yesterday, President Alexander Lukashenko expressed his readiness to receive on his...