The Kyiv Independent’s Chris York sat down with author, historian, and Russia’s Victory Day celebrations on May 9, which mark the Soviet Union’s role in defeating Nazi Germany in World War II, are one of the country’s biggest public events of the year. President of the Ukrainian Society of Switzerland Andrej Lushnycky who sheds some light on the things Putin would rather you didn’t know about World War II.
Washington’s involvement may also help mitigate political opposition in Europe, while giving the U.S. strategic visibility over future Russian energy flows, sources told Reuters.
The agreement, signed on April 30, establishes a joint investment fund between Kyiv and Washington and grants the U.S. special access to projects developing Ukraine's natural resources.
Latvia's Prime Minister Evika Silina is talking to the press as she arrives for a two-day summit in Brussels, Belgium, on April 18, 2024. (Jonathan Raa/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Latvia has approved the delivery of a new military aid package to Ukraine, helping to "improve both Ukraine's air defense and intelligence capabilities," Latvian Prime Minister Evika Silina announced on April 30.
Ukraine has asked international partners to deliver more air defense in the wake of an increase in Russian strikes energy infrastructure since March.
The package includes anti-aircraft guns, tactical unmanned surveillance systems, and "other essential material and technical assets to the Armed Forces of Ukraine," Silina said on X.
Each shipment of aid affirms the relationship between Latvia and Ukraine and "its fight against the aggressor Russia, which is the biggest threat to world peace and security," Silina said.
Latvia has been one of Ukraine's staunchest supporters since the outbreak of the full-scale war and annually allocates 0.25% of its GDP to provide military aid to Ukraine.
Silina said earlier in April that Riga's military aid for Kyiv amounted to 392 million euros ($419 million).
Latvia also established the international drone coalition for Ukraine together with the U.K. in January to bolster Ukraine's arsenal of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
Latvia and Ukraine are now working to increase joint drone production, Ukraine's Foreign Minister said on April 26 during the visit of his Latvian counterpart Baiba Braze to Kyiv.
Kateryna Hodunova
