10 things you need to know today: February 21, 2023

Putin blames the West for the Ukraine war as Biden visits Kyiv, a strong aftershock sparks panic in earthquake-ravaged Turkey and Syria, and more

Putin on a TV broadcast
(Image credit: STRINGER/AFP via Getty Images)

1. Putin blames West for Ukraine war as Biden makes surprise visit to Kyiv

Russian President Vladimir Putin used his state-of-the-nation address on Tuesday to criticize the West and justify his war in Ukraine, which remains at a stalemate ahead of the anniversary of Russia's invasion on Friday. "It's they who have started the war. And we are using force to end it," Putin said in the speech. He also said Russia is suspending participation in the last nuclear nonproliferation treaty with the United States, New START. President Biden upstaged Putin on Monday by making a risky, unannounced visit to Kyiv, where he met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and promised the U.S. would support Ukraine "as long as it takes" to repel Russian forces.

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Harold Maass, The Week US

Harold Maass is a contributing editor at The Week. He has been writing for The Week since the 2001 debut of the U.S. print edition and served as editor of TheWeek.com when it launched in 2008. Harold started his career as a newspaper reporter in South Florida and Haiti. He has previously worked for a variety of news outlets, including The Miami Herald, ABC News and Fox News, and for several years wrote a daily roundup of financial news for The Week and Yahoo Finance.