Ukraine's underground storage facilities are currently using 19.4% of their capacity. Almost 32%, or 2.79 bcm, less gas is available in the storages than in the previous year, according to the estimates.
The majority of Ukrainians, 71%, do not support holding elections before a full peace deal, even in the case of a ceasefire and security guarantees, according to a poll published by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) on May 14.
"He'd like me to be there, and that's a possibility. ... I don't know that he would be there if I'm not there. We're going to find out," U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One while traveling to Qatar, Reuters reported.
Trump has long demanded that NATO allies increase their military spending, previously calling for the alliance to raise its benchmark from 2% to 5% of GDP.
More than 1,000 Russian government entities and 1,200 private companies are involved in the economy of occupied Mariupol, a major southeastern city occupied by Russia after it invaded Ukraine in 2022, according to a research paper published on May 14.
The measures target almost 200 ships of Russia's "shadow fleet," 30 companies involved in sanctions evasion, 75 sanctions on entities and individuals linked to the Russian military-industrial complex, and more.
The government has approved "reform roadmaps in the rule of law, public administration, and democratic institutions, as well as Ukraine’s negotiation position," Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said.
The statement did not name the ex-official by name, but details of the case indicate it relates to Oleh Hladkovsky, a former deputy secretary of Ukraine's top security body who has been wanted since mid-April.
Brazilian President Lula da Silva claimed that Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha had appealed to his Brazilian counterpart, Mauro Vieira, to ask Putin if he was willing to conclude a peace agreement.
"Trump needs to believe that Putin actually lies," Zelensky told journalists in Kyiv. "And we should do our part. Sensibly approach this issue, to show that it’s not us that is slowing down the process."
A pile of maize grains is seen on the pier at the Izmail Sea Port, Odesa region, on July 22, 2023. (STRINGER / AFP via Getty Images)
If special corridors are developed, Ukraine could transport 10 million tons of grain annually through the Baltic Sea ports, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda said, as cited by Delfi media outlet.
According to Nauseda, although the ports can't serve to transfer as much grain as Ukraine does using main transit routes, the Baltic Sea corridors could significantly support Ukrainian exports hindered by Russia's withdrawalfrom the Black Sea grain deal.
The agreement, brokered in July 2022 by Turkey and the United Nations, previously allowed Ukraine to export its agricultural products through its Black Sea ports amid Russia's full-scale invasion.
Speaking at a Sept. 6 press conference, the Lithuanian leader urged European Union member states "to do everything possible" to ensure Ukrainian grain can flow freely to international markets.
Since early May, Ukrainian wheat, maize, rapeseed, and sunflower seeds have been banned from entering markets of Poland, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, and Slovakia. The countries have asked the European Commission to extend the ban until the end of 2023, with Poland warning they would impose unilateral restrictions otherwise.
However, most EU countries are against prolonging the import ban beyond the current expiry date of Sept. 15, Politico reported, citing four European diplomats.
At a Sept. 6 meeting with the European Commission, ambassadors of 22 out of 27 EU member countries either opposed or remained deeply skeptical of the idea, a senior EU diplomat told Politico, adding that France and Germany were especially critical of the ban extension.
According to the media outlet, two diplomats said that while many EU members recognized the challenges faced by the five Eastern European countries, they asked the Commission to offer alternative measures.
Cheap Ukrainian grain has been flooding the EU market since the beginning of the Russian invasion, helped by the bloc waiving customs duties and import quotas to keep Ukraine's agricultural sector running.
Low-price grain prices prove too tempting for local buyers and traders, undercutting local producers.
Alexander Query
