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."
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 German flag flies in front of the Reichstag building on the anniversary of the reunification of the two German states on Oct. 3, 1990. (Fabian Sommer/dpa via Getty Images)
Germany will be able to provide most of the 4 billion euros ($4.3 billion) promised to Ukraine, even if the 2025 budget is not approved in time due to the coalition collapse, Reuters reported on Nov. 7, citing unnamed sources from the budget committee.
Germany's three-party governing coalition collapsed on Nov. 6 after German Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced that he had dismissed Finance Minister Christian Lindner.
Such a move will likely propel the country into a snap election in the near term, as it is unlikely that Scholz's Social Democratic Party (SDP) will have enough votes to pass next year's budget.
The funds for Ukraine are mainly committed appropriations and can be allocated underprovisional budget management if the budget is not passed, four sources told Reuters.
The likely delay in the budget means no spending on new projects, although some expenses, such as increased aid to Ukraine, may still pass.
In February, Germany's parliament approved the country's budget for this year, including 7.6 billion euros ($8.2 billion) in military assistance for Kyiv. According to the draft of the 2025 budget, the aid was cut by half, Reuters reported.
Scholz reportedly wanted to increase the support package for Ukraine to 15 billion euros ($16.1 billion) and finance it by suspending the debt brake, a law that limits borrowing, government sources told Reuters.
Scholz partly justified Lindner's dismissal by saying that he had asked the minister to relax spending rules to allow increased aid for Ukraine, but Lindner refused.
Initially criticized for its sluggish delivery of military aid to Ukraine following the beginning of the full-scale invasion, Berlin has become the second-largest provider of military equipment after the U.S.
Kateryna Denisova works as a News Editor at the Kyiv Independent. She previously worked as a news editor at the NV media outlet for four years, covering mainly Ukrainian and international politics. Kateryna holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Taras Shevchenko University of Kyiv. She also was a fellow at journalism schools in the Czech Republic and Germany.
The Kyiv Independent news desk
