More than 1,000 Russian government entities and 1,200 private companies are involved in the economy of occupied Mariupol, a major southeastern city occupied by Russia after it invaded Ukraine in 2022, according to a research paper published on May 14.
The measures target almost 200 ships of Russia's "shadow fleet," 30 companies involved in sanctions evasion, 75 sanctions on entities and individuals linked to the Russian military-industrial complex, and more.
The government has approved "reform roadmaps in the rule of law, public administration, and democratic institutions, as well as Ukraine’s negotiation position," Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said.
The statement did not name the ex-official by name, but details of the case indicate it relates to Oleh Hladkovsky, a former deputy secretary of Ukraine's top security body who has been wanted since mid-April.
Brazilian President Lula da Silva claimed that Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha had appealed to his Brazilian counterpart, Mauro Vieira, to ask Putin if he was willing to conclude a peace agreement.
"Trump needs to believe that Putin actually lies," Zelensky told journalists in Kyiv. "And we should do our part. Sensibly approach this issue, to show that it’s not us that is slowing down the process."
The EU plans to significantly increase tariffs on Ukrainian goods after the current duty-free deal lapses on June 6, the Financial Times reported on May 14, citing undisclosed diplomatic sources.
The blockade ended at 10:30 p.m. local time. Truck traffic in both directions is now moving as usual, according to Ukraine's State Border Guard's statement.
Russia seems to be preparing a significant offensive in Ukraine as it is moving troops toward key positions on the front, the Financial Times reported on May 13, citing undisclosed Ukrainian intelligence officials.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said he will meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara, but said both leaders are ready to fly to Istanbul if Russian President Vladimir Putin chooses to attend the talks there.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni talks to the media at the end of a European Union leaders summit at the European Council headquarters on Feb. 10, 2023, in Brussels, Belgium. (Thierry Monasse/Getty Images)
EU members will not be for now directly involved in a $50 billion loan for Ukraine, as they will instead focus on developing the guarantee mechanism, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said on June 15.
The loan, which was announced during a G7 summit on June 13 with the pledge to deliver it to Ukraine by the end of the year, is backed by revenues from frozen Russian assets.
"The loan of about $50 billion has already been announced (and will) be provided by the United States, as well as Canada, the United Kingdom, and probably Japan, within the limits of its constitutional constraints," Meloni said at a press conference at the end of the summit.
"Currently, European nations are not involved in this loan, also considering the fact that the assets are all mobilized in Europe," she said, adding that EU members will instead focus on providing a guarantee mechanism for repaying the loan.
Western countries have frozen $300 billion in Russian assetsat the start of the full-scale war, with roughly two-thirds being held in Europe.
The technical aspects of the loan are yet to be decided by EU finance ministers, Meloni added. During the summit, G7 leaders agreed to launch the Extraordinary Revenue Acceleration (ERA) mechanism to deliver the loan.
An American official told Reuters that Washington was authorized by Congress to cover $50 billion but hopes that other countries will contribute as well. Canada said it is ready to provide $5 billion for the loan.
Martin Fornusek is a news editor at the Kyiv Independent. He has previously worked as a news content editor at the media company Newsmatics and is a contributor to Euromaidan Press. He was also volunteering as an editor and translator at the Czech-language version of Ukraïner. Martin studied at Masaryk University in Brno, Czechia, holding a bachelor's degree in security studies and history and a master's degree in conflict and democracy studies.
Martin Fornusek
