Breaking: British PM Starmer announces resignation
The departure is likely to trigger a leadership contest and deepen political uncertainty in one of Ukraine's most vital allies.
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Martin Fornusek
ReporterMartin Fornusek is a reporter for the Kyiv Independent, specializing in international and regional politics, history, and disinformation. Based in Lviv, Martin often reports on international politics, with a focus on analyzing developments related to Ukraine and Russia. His career in journalism began in 2021 after graduating from Masaryk University in Brno, Czechia, earning a Master's degree in Conflict and Democracy Studies. Martin has been invited to speak on Times Radio, France 24, Czech Television, and Radio Free Europe. He speaks English, Czech, and Ukrainian.
Articles
How Estonia prepares for possible Russian attack
The Kyiv Independent's Martin Fornusek travels across Estonia, from the streets of Tallinn to military exercises near the Russian border, to see how the Baltic country is preparing for potential threats.
Trump-aligned movement fractures as wars in Ukraine, Iran expose ideological divide
A widening split inside the online pro-Trump political ecosystem is exposing a growing ideological fracture over U.S. foreign policy, particularly America's war against Iran and Russia's all-out assault on Ukraine.
What some analysts and participants describe as a "MAGA civil war" has emerged as a visible rupture within the American conservative movement, dividing former allies of U.S. President Donald Trump who have turned sharply critical of his foreign policy positions from those who remain
Russia's recruitment system nears breaking point, forcing debate over forced mobilization
As Russian battlefield gains slow and recruitment drive falters, Ukraine is warning that the Kremlin may finally reach for the measure it has long resisted — a forced mobilization.
According to Kyiv, Moscow is preparing to call up tens of thousands of fresh soldiers to offset its climbing battlefield losses.
But analysts believe Russia would only take that gamble in case of an imminent front-line collapse, or a sweeping pivot to a war economy — one that could signal preparations to push the co
EU confirms launch of formal accession talks with Ukraine and Moldova on June 15, Zelensky welcomes move
"We will open the cluster on fundamentals; the backbone of the accession process," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on June 12. "It covers the core values and principles on which the EU is built, from the rule of law to strong democratic institutions."
Romania wants Ukrainian naval drones to self-detonate when nearing its territorial waters
The news comes after a stray Ukrainian naval drone exploded in the Romanian Black Sea Port of Constanta on June 5, without causing casualties.
UK, German, French envoys meet Lavrov's deputy in Moscow amid E3 peace push
During the meeting, the Russian side presented "an objective assessment of the destructive policies" of Western countries, namely the ongoing support of Ukraine via the Coalition of the Willing, the Russian Foreign Ministry said.
More than half of Poles view Ukraine more negatively due to military unit name controversy, poll shows
Some 31.9% of respondents said the controversy, which sparked a diplomatic row between Kyiv and Warsaw, did not affect their view of Ukraine, according to a survey conducted by the SW Research agency.
Tehran declares full closure of Strait of Hormuz after renewed US-Iran strikes
Iran and the U.S. traded strikes for the second day in a row, raising concerns about the fragility of a ceasefire.
How Trump failed to force Ukraine into a bad 'peace' deal
The Kyiv Independent’s Martin Fornusek speaks with Phillips O'Brien, a U.S. historian and professor of strategic studies, about U.S. policy on Ukraine under President Donald Trump, the future of transatlantic relations, and the state of Russia’s war against Ukraine.
History haunting Ukraine-Poland relations, again
History is rattling Ukraine-Poland relations, yet again.
The new round of historical grievances erupted in Poland when President Volodymyr Zelensky named a Ukrainian special forces unit after the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) — an organization that fought for Ukrainian independence during and after World War II, but which evokes painful memories in Poland.
In Ukraine, the UPA represents a historical struggle against Moscow's domination — a legacy that feels especially alive amid Russia's full
'Time to sit at the negotiating table' — Bulgaria to stop sending arms to Ukraine
The shift comes after Rumen Radev — a Russia-friendly former president and a longtime critic of military aid to Kyiv — won the Bulgarian parliamentary elections in April.
Here's what Candace Owens gets wrong on Russia
Candace Owens billed her trip to Russia last week as a family vacation. It turned into something far more useful for the Kremlin.
The U.S. far-right conspiracy theorist — boasting 35 million followers across all social media platforms — ended up appearing at Russia's flagship economic forum, talking to Russian propaganda outlets, and praising the country's "traditional values" while dismissing Western coverage of it as lies.
Her visit also exposed a fresh fault line within the MAGA movement, d
Why Zelensky's letter wasn't about Putin as Kremlin rejects meeting
President Volodymyr Zelensky's letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin was never meant only for the man whose name was written at the top.
According to a senior Ukrainian official familiar with the planning, the message was aimed at a much wider audience, including Putin's inner circle, Russian elites increasingly weary of the war, and even ordinary Russian citizens.
The letter, sent on June 4, marked the first direct outreach from Zelensky to Putin since 2022. In it, the Ukrainian presiden
Stray Ukrainian naval drone explodes at Romania's Black Sea port
The Ukrainian Navy confirmed that it lost control of one of its drones in the Black Sea due to electronic warfare, causing the unmanned vessel to drift to the Romanian coast.
