U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is seeking to rally the spirits of glum Ukrainians facing a fierce new Russian offensive, assuring them that they are not alone and that billions of dollars in American military aid on its way to the country would make a “real difference” on the battlefield. On an unannounced visit to Kyiv, Blinken told Ukrainian leaders that despite a monthslong delay in U.S. assistance that left them vulnerable to renewed Russian military strikes more weaponry is coming and some has already arrived. He made the case as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy appealed to him for more air defense systems to protect civilians.

Beneath intermittent rainy skies, the Cannes Film Festival opened Tuesday with the presentation of an honorary Palme d’Or for Meryl Streep and the unveiling of Greta Gerwig’s jury, as the French Riviera spectacular kicked off a potentially volatile 77th edition. A 10-day stream of stars began flowing down the Cannes’ red carpet with the opening night film, “The Second Act,” a French comedy starring Lea Seydoux. The festival’s first lengthy standing ovation went to Streep. After Juliette Binoche introduced her in the opening ceremony, Streep alternatively shook her head, fanned herself and danced while the crowd thunderously cheered. The reception was nearly as rapturous for Gerwig, the first American female filmmaker to serve as Cannes jury president.

The Chinese Foreign Ministery says Russian President Vladimir Putin will make a two-day state visit to China this week. Putin will meet Chinese leader Xi Jinping during his visit starting on Thurday, it said. The Kremlin said Putin was going on Xi's invitation. China has backed Russia politically in the conflict in Ukraine and has continued to export machine tools and other items seen as contributing to the Russian war effort, without actually exporting weaponry. China is also a major export market for energy supplies that keep the Kremlin’s coffers full. China’s Foreign Ministry said Xi would discuss with Putin “cooperation in various fields of bilateral relations ... as well as international and regional issues of common concern.”