Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Ukraine and its allies discussed tougher sanctions against Russia's banking sector, central bank, and energy industry.
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.
Presidential Office chief Andriy Yermak voiced doubt about leading negotiations with anyone from Russia except President Vladimir Putin, implying only the Russian leader can make real decisions.
This includes at least seven people injured in drone attacks overnight on May 12, a date from which Kyiv and its allies put forward a demand for a 30-day unconditional truce, a step that Moscow continues to reject.
"When European unity becomes inconvenient, disinformation goes so far as to make a simple tissue look like drugs," the Elysee Palace reacted to a fake story pushed by Russia.
The comments came after Trump urged Ukraine to agree to direct negotiations with Russia, which has invited Kyiv to peace talks in Istanbul on May 15, without first agreeing to halt military operations.
Ukrainian soldiers fire an artillery on the Marinka-Pisky frontline as the Russia-Ukraine war continues, in Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine on April 16, 2023. (Diego Herrera Carcedo/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba spoke with EU chief diplomat Josep Borrell on April 21, urging him to facilitate the second tranche of one billion euros ($1.12 billion) for joint procurement of ammunition for Ukraine.
Kuleba said that he had thanked Borrell "for all the EU's defense assistance, including the latest one billion euros for immediate ammo needs," referring to the first part of the bloc's plan to ramp up ammunition supply to Ukraine.
The European Union agreed to provide Ukraine with one million artillery shells on March 20.
In the first phase, the bloc should dedicate one billion euros to reimburse countries that can send their stockpiles right away. Another billion will be used for the joint purchase of new rounds, and the final part of the program will be the production of the remaining artillery rounds.
After the April 21 phone call with Ukraine's foreign minister, Borrell said that the EU had delivered more than 66% of the first tranche since Feb. 9. The reimbursing measure applies to existing ammunition stocks of the program's participants "or from the reprioritization of existing orders" between Feb. 9 and May 31, 2023.
"The urgency is clear — the EU will do its utmost to deliver and deliver fast," the EU foreign policy chief added.
However, EU member states still argue about some of the plan's details. One of the main points of contention pertains to the level of restrictions on funding for EU manufacturers and to what extent countries such as the U.S. and U.K. should be involved in procurement.
The day before, Kuleba tweeted that he was "frustrated" about the European Union stalling its program on the joint purchase of ammunition for Ukraine.
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The Kyiv Independent news desk
