Ukraine's underground storage facilities are currently using 19.4% of their capacity. Almost 32%, or 2.79 bcm, less gas is available in the storages than in the previous year, according to the estimates.
The majority of Ukrainians, 71%, do not support holding elections before a full peace deal, even in the case of a ceasefire and security guarantees, according to a poll published by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) on May 14.
"He'd like me to be there, and that's a possibility. ... I don't know that he would be there if I'm not there. We're going to find out," U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One while traveling to Qatar, Reuters reported.
Trump has long demanded that NATO allies increase their military spending, previously calling for the alliance to raise its benchmark from 2% to 5% of GDP.
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."
U.S. President Joe Biden delivers a speech during the U.S. ceremony marking the 80th anniversary of the World War II "D-Day" Allied landings in Normandy in Colleville-sur-Mer, France on June 6, 2024. (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images)
U.S. President Joe Biden announced on June 9 that he had reached an agreement with French President Emmanuel Macron on using the profits from frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) reported.
When asked if the topic was discussed and if an agreement was made, Biden confirmed, “Yes and yes.”
No further details were provided by Biden.
The G7 and the European Union are exploring ways to utilize the profits from Russian assets frozen in the West to offer Ukraine a substantial upfront loan and ensure its financial stability through 2025.
Approximately $281 billion in Russian central bank funds are frozen worldwide, primarily in the EU. These funds generate up to $3.8 billion annually in profit, which the EU states are not contractually owed to Russia and thus represent a windfall.
The U.S. has championed the idea of using these profits as a steady revenue stream to service a large loan of $50 billion that could be raised on the market. Russia argues that diverting profits from frozen funds constitutes theft.
EU Sanctions Envoy David O’Sullivan indicated on May 31 that Kyiv is expected to receive the first tranche of revenue from frozen Russian assets from the European Union this summer.
"We are talking about summer. I would not like to promise when exactly the money will be transferred to the account, but decisions will be made in the next few weeks, and the payment will be made later," O'Sullivan said in answer to the question of when the first tranche might arrive.
The EU Council agreed on May 21 to use profits from the frozen Russian sovereign assets to aid Ukraine. According to the statement, the proceedings could amount to between 2.5 billion and 3 billion euros ($2.7-3.26 billion) annually, with most of it allocated to Kyiv's military needs.
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