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."
China's President Xi Jinping (L) and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron review a honor guard during the official welcoming ceremony in Beijing on April 6, 2023. (NG HAN GUAN/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
Both France and China see it to be too early for peace talks on Russia’s war against Ukraine as "today, the time is military", French president Emmanuel Macron said in an April 9 interview with Les Echos.
“Ukrainians are resisting, and we are helping them,” Macron said, three days after his meeting with Chinese president Xi Jinping.
“The time is not for negotiations, even if we prepare them we have to set milestones.”
Macron added that amid war-related threats, France and China should uphold the principles of the UN Charter, humanitarian law and the protection of children, as well as to have a “clear reminder” of nuclear energy security following Russia's decision to place nuclear weapons in Belarus.
“China will have to figure out the consequences of the fact that President Putin planted nuclear weapons in Belarus days after he promised not to,” Macron said.
On March 25, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Russia intends to place tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus for training.
We are the news team of the Kyiv Independent. We are here to make sure our readers get quick, essential updates about the events in Ukraine. Feel free to contact us via email with feedback and news alerts.
Francis Farrell
