Ukraine refused to bow to Russia’s Sunday deadline to surrender the strategic port city of Mariupol, despite almost certain defeat. Mounting tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan exploded this weekend when Pakistani air raids killed 41 Afghan civilians mainly women and children. The U.S. Department of Energy is turning to private companies to help initiate new green technologies. And Pope Francis called Sunday an “Easter of war” and appealed to citizens everywhere not to tolerate their leaders’ aggressions. All this and more in today’s PDB.
U.S. has not confirmed visits by Blinken, Austin West has been sending more powerful arms to Ukraine Ukrainians mark Orthodox Easter across Europe Ukraine
In a tweet, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy expressed his gratitude to US President Joe Biden and the United States for their support of the Ukrainian government.