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.
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.
"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.
Andriy Yermak, Zelensky's chief of staff, said that the new pontiff had a phone call with Zelensky on Monday, during which the pope expressed willingness to facilitate meetings between global leaders and vowed to support efforts for "a just and lasting peace."
In an interview with French broadcaster TF1 on May 13, Macron discussed new Russia sanctions and stationing French nuclear weapons in other European countries as a deterrent against Russia.
Performing their song "Bird of Pray," Ukrainian band Ziferblat passed the Eurovision semi-finals on May 13, qualifying Ukraine for the grand final on May 17.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed that a Russian delegation will be in Istanbul on May 15 for direct peace talks with Ukraine. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Putin’s foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov will likely represent Russia.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (C) and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen (L) pose for a photo with Ukrainian and European Union flags after a meeting in Kyiv on Feb. 2, 2023. (Photo by Ukrainian Presidency/Handout/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
A France-led initiative in the EU is preparing long-term security commitments for Kyiv to help safeguard Ukraine from future Russian aggression, the Financial Times (FT) wrote on June 29.
The measures will include financing further weapon supplies through the European Peace Facility, expansion of training programs for Ukrainian soldiers, and potentially EU training missions on the territory of Ukraine.
These commitments are designed to reassure Kyiv of enduring Western support, the FT reported, as consensus on inviting Ukraine to NATO in the near future appears uncertain.
The France-devised proposal is also reportedly meant to show the EU's willingness to invest in Ukraine's security rather than being sidelined by NATO and the U.S.
The initiative encountered opposition from several "neutral" EU members, such as Austria, Ireland, Cyprus, and Malta, the FT wrote.
"For us as neutral states, it is clear that we cannot give such security guarantees. Austria, Ireland, Malta, and Cyprus have made it clear that they have objections," Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer told journalists on June 29 in Brussels.
"We're supporting (Ukraine) financially and politically. We're happy to make those ongoing security commitments, but what we can't do as a country is engage in a commitment around mutual defense because that would breach our policy of neutrality," Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar commented on the initiative.
The FT also added that the "slow" progress of Ukraine's counteroffensive doused the hopes of some European leaders for a quick victory. At the same time, the recent Wagner rebellion has raised questions about Russia's internal stability and about Kyiv's options for exploiting the situation, the news outlet commented.
Ukraine's ultimate security goal is achieving full NATO membership once the war against Russia ends. Kyiv hopes to receive a decisive signal during the upcoming Vilnius NATO summit in July.
According to media reports, there is so far no consensus on Ukraine's NATO membership. Some allies voiced support for a clear membership path, proposing a simplified accession process for Ukraine.
Others remain hesitant about the membership question. France and Germany favor "stronger, concrete, very clear security guarantees" over discussions on Ukraine's accession. Paris even indicated it is ready to provide such guarantees itself, comparing it to an "Israeli-style" security agreement.
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.
Ville Korpela
