President Volodymyr Zelensky would not meet any other Russian official apart from Russian President Vladimir Putin in Istanbul this week, presidential advisor Mykhailo Podolyak said on the Breakfast Show program on May 13.
U.S. and European officials held talks on May 12, during which Washington made it clear that it wanted to allow talks between Russia and Ukraine before increasing pressure on Vladimir Putin, sources told Bloomberg.
According to Steve Witkoff, the key topics in the peace discussions are the fate of the five partially or fully occupied Ukrainian regions, the status of the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, and Ukraine's access to the Dnipro River and the Black Sea.
Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa is reportedly offering a deal that would give U.S. companies access to Syria's natural wealth, reminiscent of the minerals agreement Washington recently signed with Kyiv.
Russia attacked Ukraine with drones and guided bombs during the night, targeting multiple regions after the May 12 deadline for an unconditional ceasefire expired.
"Only member states can take out loans within the 150 billion euros instrument, but they can use these funds for joint procurement with Ukraine," EU Defense Commissioner Andrius Kubilius said.
"We agreed to pursue ambitious measures to reduce Russia's ability to wage war by limiting Kremlin revenues, disrupting the shadow fleet, tightening the Oil Price Cap, and reducing our remaining imports of Russian energy."
Zelensky on May 12 removed Lieutenant General Ivan Havryliuk from the Headquarters of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, the top command and control body for all branches of Ukraine's defense apparatus.
Ukraine remains the most mined country in the world. Nearly one-third of Ukraine's territory, approximately 174,000 square kilometers, had been mined since Russia began its full-scale invasion of the country in February 2022.
The phone call comes as Moscow once again rejected a 30-day ceasefire, with Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova claiming that a ceasefire would give "Kyiv a break to restore its military potential and continue its confrontation with Russia."
Flight MH17 departed from Amsterdam Schiphol Airport en-route to Kuala Lumpur International Airport on July 17, 2014. Three hours into the flight, the Boeing-777 was shot down by Russian proxy forces using a Buk surface-to-air missile above Ukraine’s Donetsk Oblast.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen (L) and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky address a press conference after a bilateral meeting at the presidential palace in Helsinki, Finland, on May 3, 2023. (Photo: Mads Claus Rasmussen/Ritzau Scanpix/AFP via Getty Images)
Dernmark’s Defense Ministry announced on June 19 another package of military aid for Ukraine worth around $3.2 billion to be delivered in the period from 2023-2028.
The new package will include weapons, military equipment, emergency equipment, and training support.
According to the ministry’s press release, $1.1 billion should be delivered in 2023, $1.5 billion in 2024, and $150 million annually in 2025-2028. Denmark has also set aside funds to meet NATO’s objective of 2% defense spending.
“Every growl of Leopard and salvo of Caesar is a salute in your honor. And your participation in the ‘Bird Coalition’ will add to this orchestra the sounds from the sky that we long for,” Ukraine’s Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov thanked the Danish partners.
On June 15, the Danish government said it will allocate around $3.2 billion to its Ukraine Fund for military, security, and other types of aid.
It also announced the initial part of the package of $2.6 billion for the period 2023-2024 during the 13th Ramstein-format summit.
Copenhagen has offered to train Ukraine’s pilots on its own territory and indicated readiness to provide its own F-16 fighter jets for Ukrainian Air Force with consent from Washington.
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.
Igor Kossov
