In a short time, President B will deliver his first State of the Union address amid growing challenges both at home and abroad. Russia’s war with Ukraine is escalating with missile attacks against government buildings and accusations of war crimes leveled against the Kremlin. Human rights groups saying troops are targeting hospitals and schools and the US officials tell CBSN that Russian forces could isolate the city of Kiev in a week and take the capital thirty days after that. The President spoke by phone today with Ukraine’s President Z for about thirty minutes. The State of the Union speech which is traditionally heavy on domestic issues, tonight will begin with Ukraine.

President B will go directly after the Russian President tonight and according to excepts just released he will say that V.P. miscalculated quote “He thought the West and NATO wouldn’t respond. And, he thought he could divide us here at home. Putin was wrong, we were ready.” This high-profile speech has been written and re-written and re-written again in response to changing world events. President B donned a blue and yellow tie today, Ukraine’s national colors as he spoke by phone with Ukraine’s President hold up in an underground bunker. Z said they discussed his need of more defense assistance, as Russian bombing intensifies. The US and its allies unleashed more economic firepower. Today, Apple halting all products sales in Russia, as Visa and Mastercard block Russian banks from their networks. Ford suspended operations in Russia following GM’s lead. And the operator of the new Nord-Stream II natural gas pipeline from Russia to Germany filed for bankruptcy in the face of crippling sanctions. But fears of worldwide shortage forced oil prices up more than ten percent today, in their highest level seven years, even after other oil producing nations including the US agreed to release sixty million barrels of cruel from their reserves. A gallon of gas now cost twenty cents more than it did just a month ago. The State of The Union address can be a polarizing affair, but tonight, both sides are showing solidarity with Ukraine. One hundred and fifty lawmakers donned blue and yellow for a photo on the Capital steps earlier today.

:::tip don

• : to put on (an article of clothing). 穿上

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