According to the Verkhovna Rada's website, Ukraine completed the ratification of the U.S.-Ukraine minerals agreement on May 12. President Volodymyr Zelensky signed the deal.
"I believe both leaders are going to be there," U.S. President Donald Trump said.
"I myself have heard relatives talking: our village is being attacked, let's roll the car out of the garage, maybe they will shell it — at least we will get money. The car is old, we can't sell it," Belgorod Oblast Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said.
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.
"The clock is ticking — we still have twelve hours until the end of this day," German government spokesperson Stefan Kornelius reportedly said.
"There is no point in prolonging the killings. And I will wait for Putin on Thursday in Turkey," President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
"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.
Japan to provide Ukraine with geospatial intelligence, media reports

Japan's Kyushu University Institute for Q-shu Pioneers of Space (iQPS) has agreed to provide Ukraine's military intelligence agency (HUR) with synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imagery, Intelligence Online magazine reported on April 21.
Japanese and Ukrainian authorities reportedly began discussing possible support in February, with the talks gaining urgency after the U.S. temporarily paused intelligence assistance for Kyiv in early March.
iQPS, which plans to launch its seventh SAR observation satellite by late 2026, agreed with Kyiv on a timeline of two to three months to install relevant software onto Ukrainian intelligence's platforms, the magazine wrote.
The Kyiv Independent could not immediately verify the claims.
SAR technology, which can recreate two-dimensional or three-dimensional images of landscapes or objects, has broad military applications. It can help track enemy movement and installations regardless of weather conditions.
Ukraine receives intelligence support from other partners, including France and the U.K.. Nevertheless, the U.S.-imposed pause underscored its critical role in military planning, namely in launching long-range strikes and intercepting Russian aerial attacks.
Washington claimed its halt on intelligence support, which coincided with the freezing of arms supplies, extended only to offensive operations. While the U.S. resumed the assistance after progress in ceasefire talks, the move ramped up concerns about further cuts in the future.
Ukraine's military heavily relies on Starlink, a communications system owned by Elon Musk, U.S. President Donald Trump's close ally and critic of military aid to Kyiv. French satellite operator Eutelsat pledged to scale up its operations in Ukraine but said it could not currently replace the 50,000 Starlink terminals operating in the country.

Most Popular

After 3 years of full-scale war in Ukraine, Europe announces plan to ban all Russian gas imports

Journalist Roshchyna's body missing organs after Russian captivity, investigation says

Ukrainian sea drone downs Russian fighter jet in 'world-first' strike, intelligence says

Ukraine is sending the war back to Russia — just in time for Victory Day

'Justice inevitably comes' — Zelensky on deaths of high-ranking Russian officials
Editors' Picks

How medics of Ukraine’s 3rd Assault Brigade deal with horrors of drone warfare

As Russia trains abducted children for war, Ukraine fights uphill battle to bring them home

'I just hate the Russians' — Kyiv district recovers from drone strike as ceasefire remains elusive
