News Feed, Lithuania, Gitanas Nauseda, Ukraine, Crimea

Lithuanian president, other leaders arrive in Kyiv ahead of Crimean Platform

by Kateryna Denisova and The Kyiv Independent news desk September 11, 2024 9:36 AM 2 min read

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda arrived in Kyiv on Sept. 11, 2024. (Gitanas Nauseda/X)

This audio is created with AI assistance

Editor's note: This story is being updated.

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda, Latvian Prime Minister Evika Silina, and Czech Senate President Milos Vystrcil arrived in Kyiv on Sept. 11 ahead of the Crimean Platform summit.

More leaders are expected to visit Ukraine later this day as the country is holding the fourth Crimean Platform, an international consultation and coordination format aimed at ensuring the liberation of the peninsula from Russian occupation.

"Bringing military and economic support for (Ukraine) is crucial to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity," Nauseda said.

The Baltic countries and the Czech Republic have been among Ukraine's staunchest supporters since the outbreak of the all-out war, providing the country with military aid and other support.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and U.K. Foreign Secretary David Lammy will also visit Ukraine on a joint visit on Sept. 11. The two are expected to meet President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Their arrival comes amid mounting calls for the Biden administration to lift restrictions on long-range strikes deep inside Russia to allow Ukraine to better respond to Russian attacks.

Western countries have largely allowed Ukraine to use their arms in the Kursk Oblast incursion, but the U.S. and the U.K. have maintained their restrictions on the use of long-range arms like ATACMS or Storm Shadow.

Ukraine has reportedly used these long-range missiles to hit Russian military targets in Crimea, a sovereign Ukrainian territory illegally occupied by Russia.

Authors: Kateryna Denisova, The Kyiv Independent news desk

News Feed

10:27 AM

Armenia's parliament passes bill on EU accession.

The Armenian parliament passed a bill "On starting the process of accession of the Republic of Armenia to the European Union" in its second and final reading on March 26, the News.am news agency reported.

10:21 AM

4 killed, 6 injured in Russian attacks against Ukraine over past day.

Ukraine's air defenses intercepted 56 of the 117 Russian drones launched overnight, including Shahed-type attack drones.

9:27 AM

US judge temporarily blocks Trump administration from shutting down RFE/RL.

Judge Royce Lamberth issued a temporary restraining order, ruling that the administration's attempt to defund the organization was "unsupported by any facts or reasoning" and likely violated federal law.

9:20 AM

Trump's envoy draws criticism after saying nuclear arms in Ukraine were 'Russia's.'

U.S. President Donald Trump's Special Envoy Richard Grenell said on March 25 that the Soviet-era nuclear arsenal stationed in Ukraine after the Soviet Union collapsed belonged to Russia, calling it an "uncomfortable fact."

8:48 AM

Ukraine will resist 'with their bare hands' if forced into unjust peace, CIA chief says.

"I want to say that with regard to the Ukrainian resistance, the Ukrainian people and the Ukrainian military have been underestimated for a period of several years now," CIA Director John Ratcliffe said.

8:32 AM

Russia may be 'dragging their feet' on Ukraine peace deal, Trump says.

Asked by a reporter whether he believes Russia "wants to see an end" to the full-scale war, U.S. President Donald Trump said, "I don't know. I mean, I'll let you know at a certain point. But I think that Russia wants to see an end to it, but it could be they're dragging their feet."

8:12 AM

General Staff: Russia has lost 907,220 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022.

The number includes 1,280 casualties Russian forces suffered just over the past day.

6:38 AM

Ukraine, Russia may prolong war instead of finalizing bad peace deal, US intelligence assessment finds.

Ukraine and Russia may see a greater incentive to prolong war instead of settling for an unfavourable peace deal, an unclassified U.S. intelligence assessment published March 25 found.

5:03 AM

Zelensky accuses Russia of manipulating conditions for Black Sea ceasefire.

"We see how the Russians have already started to manipulate. They are already trying to distort the agreements and actually deceive our mediators and the whole world," President Volodymyr Zelensky said on March 25.

3:58 AM

US considering lifting some sanctions to secure Black Sea ceasefire, Trump says.

The United States is "looking at" lifting additional sanctions on Russia in order to secure a Black Sea ceasefire agreement, U.S. President Donald Trump said on March 25.

1:50 AM

Russia rejects calls to return Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant.

Russia’s Foreign Ministry announced on March 25 that the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant is a Russian facility and cannot be transferred to Ukraine or any other country.

12:19 AM

Ukraine to dissolve gambling regulator, create new agency to oversee industry.

A new state agency, PlayCity, will aim to digitize gambling business licensing and strengthen oversight of the industry.

11:23 PM

Business

‘Not what Ukraine needs’ — Black Sea ceasefire favors Russia more than Ukraine, say experts

11:06 PM

US proposed new version of minerals deal to Ukraine, Zelensky says.

"After the framework deal, a full agreement is being developed. Now the U.S. has offered us a 'major' deal, their vision (of the deal)," Zelensky said.

10:49 PM

War analysis

Russia’s sham ‘referendums’ at gunpoint are null and void, despite Steve Witkoff’s comments

10:27 PM

Russia ramps up attacks near Pokrovsk, Ukrainian military says.

"Recently, they (Russian soldiers) have become more active. We have successfully repelled the assaults, we are holding the line, but the enemy is trying to break through our defense line and reach our positions and gain a foothold in some positions daily," said Mykola Koval, the spokesperson of Ukraine's National Guard's Chervona Kalyna brigade.

10:23 PM

War update

Ukraine war latest: Black Sea ceasefire will take effect after some sanctions are lifted, Kremlin claims.

10:12 PM

Ukraine Reforms Tracker Weekly — Issue 19

9:50 PM

Kremlin names energy facilities exempt from strikes during partial ceasefire.

According to the Kremlin, the list includes oil refineries, as well as oil and gas pipelines and storage facilities, including pumping stations.

9:50 PM

When ho(us)e becomes ho(me) (PHOTOS)

8:29 PM

Partial ceasefire in Ukraine should start on March 25, Zelensky says.

"We believe that, after Washington makes two official statements... the ceasefire in the sea and the energy ceasefire must come into effect, in (the Americans') opinion," Zelensky said. "Undoubtedly this depends on orders given by the presidents to their military forces."

7:11 PM

Black Sea ceasefire will take effect after some sanctions are lifted, Kremlin says.

The Kremlin said that the Black Sea ceasefire would come into effect after the West lifts the sanctions against Russia's Rosselkhozbank and other financial organizations involved in supporting international food trade operations and restores their connection to the SWIFT messaging system.

6:16 PM

Russia, Ukraine agree to implement ban on energy infrastructure strikes, minister says.

"All parties agreed to implement the presidential agreement on a complete ban on strikes on the energy infrastructure of Ukraine and Russia," Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said.

6:03 PM

(Updated: March 25, 2025 6:13 pm)

Defense tech

Inside the new drone schools teaching the next generation of Ukrainian UAV pilots

5:23 PM

Russia, Ukraine agree to partial ceasefire in Black Sea, US to help restore Russia's access to markets.

Washington vowed to help restore Russia’s access to the world market for agricultural and fertilizer exports, lower maritime insurance costs, and enhance access to ports and payment systems for such transactions.

MORE NEWS