The new tranche brings total recent EU defense support for Ukraine to 3.3 billion euros ($3.6 billion), marking a significant expansion of European efforts to boost Kyiv's defense industry.
"Russia is ready for negotiations without any preconditions," Putin claimed in an address marking the end of the three-day Victory Day ceasefire. He invited Ukraine to begin talks in Istanbul on May 15.
Both men face charges related to terrorism and espionage. Daniil B. was detained in Lithuania, where he is in temporary custody, while Oleksandr V. remains at large in Russia.
Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Ukraine and its allies discussed tougher sanctions against Russia's banking sector, central bank, and energy industry.
"We are ready for all options. But of course, we are separately waiting for a response on the ceasefire," a source close to President Volodymyr Zelensky told the Kyiv Independent.
The EU plans to unveil on May 14 its next package of sanctions imposed against Russia over its aggression against Ukraine, an EU official told the Kyiv Independent on condition of anonymity.
Polish truckers plan to restrict freight traffic at the Yahodyn-Dorohusk checkpoint on the Ukrainian border, Ukraine's State Border Guard said on May 12.
"If the Russians are using this level of specialists in urban combat, they are probably facing some difficulties," Ivan Petrychak, spokesperson for the 24th Separate Mechanized Brigade, said.
Previously, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk accused the Russian intelligence services of orchestrating a May 2024 arson attack on the Marywilska shopping centre in Warsaw.
"Perhaps in some areas, the intensity decreased slightly to create an image of compliance with their own announcement. But in reality, (Russia) continued attacks every day, using all available weapons — including aircraft to drop guided bombs on Ukraine," Andrii Demchenko, spokesperson for Ukraine’s State Border Guard Service, said.
Beijing supports all efforts toward achieving peace in Ukraine, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on May 12 when asked about Kyiv and Europe's proposal for a 30-day truce.
"I invited His Holiness to make an apostolic visit to Ukraine. Such a visit would bring real hope to all believers and to all our people," Zelensky said.
EU Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton at the French Presidential Elysee Palace for a lunch following the national tribute ceremony for the late former French minister in Paris, France, on Jan. 5, 2024. (Daniel Pier/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
The European Union will be able to produce around 1.3 to 1.4 million shells by the end of 2024, and will continue to increase production “significantly” next year, said EU Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton.
“We need to make sure that most of this is coming to Ukraine, in priority, because this is where there is an urgent need,” Breton said, speaking on Jan. 19 at a press conference during a visit to Estonia.
An estimated 40% of production is currently sent outside of Europe, he added.
Breton said current production figures are confidential, but that the EU will be able to produce one million shells by March or April of this year, meeting a commitment set last year.
In November, Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba reported that the EU had fallen behind schedule to meet that commitment, but that work to address issues was underway.
“Europe must and will continue to support Ukraine with all its means, and especially on the military front,” Breton said.
“Our security cannot depend on the election results outside of Europe, and for this, we need to adapt our defense industry to the new security paradigm we are coping with.”
Improving production is important not only for handling Europe’s security, but also for Europe’s competitiveness, Breton added.
Andrea Januta is a Kyiv-based reporter for the Kyiv Independent. She previously spent six years as an investigative reporter with Reuters in New York, where she won a Pulitzer Prize for Explanatory Reporting. While at Reuters, her work led to multiple federal investigations, congressional hearings, and new legislation. Before becoming a journalist, she worked as a financial data analyst at Goldman Sachs.
Oleksiy Sorokin
