President Joe Biden calls Vladimir Putin a “war criminal” for the first time as the US sends $1bn in weapons to Ukraine
The Kremlin labels Biden's comments "unacceptable and unforgivable rhetoric"
In the besieged city of Mariupol, Russia has attacked a theatre where civilians have been sheltering, the city's deputy mayor tells the BBC
Between 1,000 and 1,200 people may have been inside, Serhiy Orlov says. The number of casualties is unknown
In a virtual address to US Congress, President Zelenksy repeated his plea for a no-fly zone and called for more sanctions on Russia
President Zelensky offers thanks and greetings from Kyiv, saying it is a city under daily missile and air strikes but "it doesn't give up".
"We have not even thought about it for a second," he says.
He says the country is in the worst war since World War Two and has been resisting Russian aggression for eight years.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is now introducing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
She says her fellow members of Congress have "great respect and admiration and appreciation for your courageous leadership".
"Glory to Ukraine," she proclaims a few times in Ukrainian.
There's a standing ovation for Ukraine's President before he begins his address to a special session of the US Congress.
The US embassy in Ukraine has tweeted that today Russian forces shot and killed 10 people in the northern city of Chernihiv.
They were standing in line for bread, the embassy says.
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is due to virtually address the US Congress in the next few minutes.
The speech comes as US lawmakers have approved billions in aid to Ukraine and the White House is pledging fresh military assistance.
We will bring you live updates shortly and you can watch it live (in the UK and internationally) by clicking the 'play' button at the top of the page.
Image source, ReutersBoris Johnson says there is "no way Ukraine is going to join Nato anytime soon" but stresses the decision has to be for the country's president to take.
On Tuesday Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said it was important to recognise that Ukraine would not be a member of Nato, saying: "We have heard for many years about the open doors, but we also heard that we can't enter those doors."
Speaking during his visit to Abu Dhabi, the UK prime minister says he has talked with Zelensky again and says he understands what he is saying about Nato.
He adds the most important thing is that Russian President Vladimir Putin's "absolutely barbaric attacks on Ukraine should stop" and must not be seen to have succeeded.
Image source, HoCThe deputies Dominic Raab and Angela Rayner have been clashing at the UK's Prime Minister's Question - with Boris Johnson away in the Middle East.
Raab begins by saying four members of the Ukrainian parliament are in the gallery to watch proceedings and says MPs stand in "total solidarity" with them.
Getting down to business Labour's deputy leader asks Raab if in his time as foreign secretary he ever ignored the advice of the intelligence services, alluding to reports that Boris Johnson intervened despite security concerns to ensure Russian oligarch Lord Lebedev was given a peerage.
The justice secretary says it is "nonsense" and says such appointments are made based on a person's contribution to society.
He fires back by referring to former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn who he says wanted to scrap the Trident nuclear programme and "sided" with Putin over the Salisbury poisonings.
Rayner goes on to repeat Labour's line that the PM has gone "cap in hand from dictator to dictator" in search of fuel, referring to Boris Johnson's trip to Saudi Arabia.
Anthony Zurcher
BBC North America reporter
Image source, Getty ImagesThis will be the second time in two weeks that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenksy has addressed the US Congress.
Unlike his first appearance, however, this is a (virtual) public speech - an indication that the audience is the American people as much as it is US lawmakers.
Public opinion surveys show Americans already wholeheartedly support Ukraine’s fight, but there is concern that US forces not be drawn into the conflict.
Zelensky’s latest requests – a no-fly zone and Nato-supplied fighter jets – make such a prospect more likely.
The Biden administration, and most lawmakers, seem unwilling to take such a step, so Zelensky needs the American people to demand action.
Such a move remains very doubtful, but Congress and the president have proven more than willing to spend billions to aid Ukraine from afar – and continue to put the economic squeeze on Russia.
US politicians across the ideological spectrum have shown remarkable unity on this, and Zelensky's speech, at the very least, should help ensure this unusual American bipartisanship stays solid.
Image source, Fox News/PAA friend of a Fox News cameraman who was killed in Ukraine said his death was a bitter revelation for a lot of journalists working in the country.
Pierre Zakrzewski, 55, was killed alongside Oleksandra Kuvshinova, 24, when their vehicle was struck by incoming fire in Horenka, on the outskirts of Kyiv.
Marcus Yam, from the LA Times, told Good Morning Ulster the cameraman - who he met while covering the fall of Afghanistan - was "a very generous, helpful, consistently caring friend".
"He constantly checked up on colleagues. He checked up with me all the time," he said.
"That was the kind of person Pierre was. He did not have to help me. Pierre was just a very good soul."
He added that Pierre was a veteran cameraman who was dedicated to his work.
"We have a responsibility to our readers and our viewers to convey and carry these stories back," he said.
"War and conflict are horrific and terrible things. Pierre knew this too.
"He was no stranger to covering conflict. He was committed to telling those stories."
An advisor to Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that a Russian proposal that Ukraine adopts an Austrian style neutrality is unacceptable to the country.
Mykhailo Podoliak, a member of the Ukrainian negotiating team, told local media any peace deal must be on Ukrainian terms that protect its sovereignty.
"We understand the attempt of our partners to remain proactive in the negotiation process," Podoliak said. "Hence the words about the" Swedish" or "Austrian model" of neutrality. But Ukraine is now in a state of direct war with Russia."
"Therefore, the model can only be "Ukrainian" and only with legally verified security guarantees. And no other models or options."
Earlier this morning, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Russia was open to a peace deal that saw a neutral Ukraine maintain its own army and navy, along the lines of Austria or Sweden.
Image source, Getty Images
Nomia Iqbal
BBC News, Washington
For his latest high-profile speech - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will deliver a virtual address in about an hour to the US Congress.
It follows a speech he delivered last week to the UK Parliament, echoing Winston Churchill’s stirring words during World War Two, and a speech to Canada's Parliament yesterday.
President Zelensky has addressed members of the US Congress before - in a Zoom call a few weeks ago.
Back then he pleaded for more support. This included requests for fighter jets and a no-fly zone.
It’s likely he will repeat those demands – increasing the pressure on President Biden.
There is some support in Congress for providing fighter jets, but the no-fly zone is a red line – because that would put Russian soldiers in direct contact with US and Nato soldiers, escalating the conflict.
War in Ukraine: Kyiv flats destroyed in overnight bombardment
If you're just joining us, here's a summary of what's happened so far on the 21st day of Russia's invasion of Ukraine:
Ukraine's military says the position of the defence forces have not changed significantly in the past day but claims to have inflicted "devastating blows on groups of occupying troops".
The Ukrainian General Staff says the armed forces counterattacked in some areas on Tuesday and claims to have destroyed three planes, one helicopter and three drones as well as shooting down two cruise missiles.
The BBC has not verified these claims.
It says the air force continued to launch strikes on ground targets, including nine on columns of equipment and clusters of troops.
But it says Russian forces has continued to carry out bomb and missile attacks on densely populated areas.
"The enemy continues to bear losses on retreats in certain areas. The main efforts of the occupiers are focused on consolidating and maintaining previously occupied borders and defence areas," they added.
Hugo Bachega
BBC News, Lviv
About 400 staff and patients remain trapped inside a hospital that has been captured by Russian forces in the besieged southern city of Mariupol.
Iryna Vereshchuk, the Ukrainian deputy prime minister, said the troops “were now shooting at Ukrainian army positions from the hospital premises”.
The situation in Mariupol is dire with an estimated 400,000 residents without running water, electricity and gas, and unable to leave. Contacting people there is extremely difficult.
Dmytro Horshakov said his 57-year-old mother was at the hospital - he called Regional Hospital for Intensive Care, but he could not reach her. He was getting updates from friends he managed to contact in the city, he said.
“There isn’t a lot of information coming out,” he said. “I have several people I know from Mariupol. Their parents are also medical workers and they’re at the hospital as well… Right now, Russian forces are starting to [send] their injured soldiers there. This hospital [has] got very good equipment… All the administrative team is kept in the basement.”
Food and medicine are quickly running out, and no humanitarian aid has been allowed into the city.
The International Committee of the Red Cross described the situation as a “waking nightmare”.
Image source, ReutersLabour leader Sir Keir Starmer says that "going cap in hand from dictator to dictator is not an energy strategy" as Boris Johnson continues his visit to the Gulf.
Speaking to reporters in Huddersfield, Sir Keir says that while the prime minister has said the UK can't rely on Russia following the invasion of Ukraine that should mean lessening imports.
"We've got to stop relying on malign actors and that's why they want to wean us off Russia, but you can't do that and go cap in hand to Saudi Arabia," he says.
He added that President Volodymyr Zelensky had been "leading from the front in a really courageous way" in Ukraine and said it was a matter for him whether his country decided not to join Nato.
PMQs will be coming up at midday so you can expect to hear more on these topics. Stay with us for the latest updates.
Russian advances across Ukraine have slowed in recent days amid mounting casualties.
Naval forces are gathering on the Black Sea near Odesa, but supporting troops around Mykolaiv remain bogged down.
The siege of Mariupol continues after 20,000 people were evacuated, and attempts to encircle and cut off the capital Kyiv are continuing.
Here's a closer look at what's happening on the ground, in maps.
Russian forces have made rapid gains across southern Ukraine, advancing east and west from Crimea - and the Russian navy has gathered south of the port city of Odesa
Although Russian troops have pushed forward towards the outskirts of Kyiv, their progress in the north of the country has slowed in recent days
Russian forces are reported to be making steady territorial gains in the Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine
See more maps of the invasion here.
Anna Holligan
BBC News Hague correspondent
Image source, Getty ImagesThe International Court of Justice (ICJ) is expected to give a decision today on a lawsuit brought by Ukraine against Russia.
Ukraine formulated a creative legal argument to get this case in front of international judges by using the Geneva Convention to accuse Moscow of using false claims of genocide as a pretext to try to justify an unlawful invasion.
Ukraine is seeking recognition that Russian claims that Ukraine has committed acts of genocide in the Luhansk and Donetsk oblasts of Ukraine are untrue, and therefore Russian cannot legally, legitimately claim to be intervening to prevent or punish Ukraine for such acts.
Russia didn't turn up for the hearings. Instead, the Russian ambassador in The Hague sent a letter arguing the lawsuit was "absurd".
The UN's top court has limited coercive power and nobody expects Russia to lay down their arms based on what's said here at the Hague.
But it's part of a strategy to fight Russian aggression through the courts which could help secure reparations in future legal battles.
Russian air strikes and shelling have destroyed homes across Ukraine since the war began on 24 February.
In the capital, Kyiv, Nataliya is facing a daunting clean-up task after her home in a residential block was hit in an attack.
She took us inside to show us the extent of the damage.
Sarah Rainsford
BBC Eastern Europe Correspondent, Central Ukraine
Image source, ReutersA residential building damaged by an airstrike in Kharkiv on Tuesday
We're driving to the Ukrainian border after weeks reporting on an invasion I was sure Vladimir Putin would not launch. I thought a full-out attack on Ukraine defied all logic and that Russia’s president must know no-one here, including Russian speakers, wanted him to "save" them. But on 24 February, I was woken by the first explosions of Putin’s war and his snarling declaration he was ordering the "liberation" of Russian-speakers from "genocide".
We were in the Donetsk region and the previous evening we’d seen crowds in the centre of Kramatorsk singing the Ukrainian anthem, waving the national flag and insisting they wanted leaving in peace. Like me, that crowd didn’t believe Russia would start an all-out war, but I have been documenting the devastating consequences of Putin’s decision ever since.
I’ve met women who fled fighting in Kharkiv, close to the Russian border, who actually used to respect Putin as a leader - of another country. Now their city is being shelled on his orders and they despise him. They’d escaped to a small-town motel where they were living in the dark with other evacuees, anxious not to attract the attention of Russian war planes.
Sign saying ‘We beat Hitler, we’ll beat Putin’ in Uman
In other cities, people displaced by heavy shelling in Sumy to the north and Volnovakha to the east talked of how their own relatives in Russia don’t believe that civilians are being attacked here. Svetlana told me how painful that was to hear. We met in a school classroom where the desks had been cleared, mattresses rolled out, and Svetlana is now camping-out with her family and ginger cat.
Everyone, including the children, spoke of their terror of the Russian fighter jets.
And now I am driving through a country radically transformed by this war. There are checkpoints – tyres, concrete blocks and sandbags – at the entrance to every town and trenches dug into the landscape. It’s more dramatic in the east, closer to the fighting. Further west, hotels are full of people heading for the border, preparing for heartbreaking goodbyes to fathers and husbands before crossing, with no clue when they might return.
Someone asked me yesterday what would make Vladimir Putin stop this war. I couldn’t answer them, because I never thought he would start it.
Image source, Getty ImagesUS President Joe Biden is expected to announce the allocation of an additional $800 million (£612m) worth of security assistance to Ukraine later.
The move comes ahead of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's address to the US Congress today.
The package of measures is expected to include anti-tank missiles and a move to top up Ukraine's supply of Western anti-armour missiles that Kyiv's troops have used to great effect, including Javelin and Stinger launchers.
Some US outlets have also reported, external that the White House is considering providing the Ukrainian military with single use drones called Switchblades, which can be used to target Russian armour and troops.
The Biden administration has already agreed to allocate over $1 billion (£766 million) to Ukraine in the past week.