"Only member states can take out loans within the 150 billion euros instrument, but they can use these funds for joint procurement with Ukraine," EU Defense Commissioner Andrius Kubilius said.
"We agreed to pursue ambitious measures to reduce Russia's ability to wage war by limiting Kremlin revenues, disrupting the shadow fleet, tightening the Oil Price Cap, and reducing our remaining imports of Russian energy."
Zelensky on May 12 removed Lieutenant General Ivan Havryliuk from the Headquarters of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, the top command and control body for all branches of Ukraine's defense apparatus.
Ukraine remains the most mined country in the world. Nearly one-third of Ukraine's territory, approximately 174,000 square kilometers, had been mined since Russia began its full-scale invasion of the country in February 2022.
The phone call comes as Moscow once again rejected a 30-day ceasefire, with Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova claiming that a ceasefire would give "Kyiv a break to restore its military potential and continue its confrontation with Russia."
Flight MH17 departed from Amsterdam Schiphol Airport en-route to Kuala Lumpur International Airport on July 17, 2014. Three hours into the flight, the Boeing-777 was shot down by Russian proxy forces using a Buk surface-to-air missile above Ukraine’s Donetsk Oblast.
"I am grateful for the support and the readiness at the highest level to promote diplomacy," President Volodymyr Zelensky said of the phone conservation with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. "We share the same view on the need for a ceasefire."
The convictions mark a significant development in Britain's efforts to counter Russian intelligence operations amid heightened tensions stemming from Moscow's war against Ukraine and repeated Kremlin threats toward Kyiv's allies.
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.
Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba on his diplomatic tour in Africa. (Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine's website)
Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said late on May 29 that he is seeking support for Ukraine’s UN General Assembly resolutions and hoping to isolate Russia internationally.
Kuleba is currently taking part in a diplomatic tour in Africa. Ukraine’s Foreign Minister began his Africa tour on May 22 by visiting Morocco. Since then, he has visited Ethiopia, Rwanda, Mozambique, and Nigeria.
This remains a difficult task due to Russia’s extensive investments in African countries, Kuleba admitted.
According to the minister, for the past thirty years, the continent developed under the “inertia of the Soviet times” and Ukraine gradually “lost Africa.” Russia has leveraged this to systematically build up its influence.
Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba on his diplomatic tour in Africa. (Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine's website)
Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba on his diplomatic tour in Africa. (Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine's website)
Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba on his diplomatic tour in Africa. (Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine's website)
Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba on his diplomatic tour in Africa. (Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine's website)
Ukraine's minister claimed that Moscow’s diplomatic corps is trying to undermine Kuleba’s tour, convincing African leaders not to meet him.
Despite these efforts, Kuleba reported tangible results, as eight out of 10 countries agreed to open a Ukrainian embassy, and the other two are still contemplating.
Opening new embassies on the African continent was one of the main tasks set by President Volodymyr Zelensky for developing Ukraine-Africa relations.
"African countries are ready for the return of Ukraine in all senses. In order for more African students to study in Ukraine, which is beneficial to our educational institutions and increases the soft power of our state; ready to increase trade volumes; ready for a new development of tourism after the war; they are also interested in pharmaceuticals, digitalization, and a number of other areas,” Kuleba said.
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.
Alexander Khrebet
