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 EU plans to significantly increase tariffs on Ukrainian goods after the current duty-free deal lapses on June 6, the Financial Times reported on May 14, citing undisclosed diplomatic sources.
The blockade ended at 10:30 p.m. local time. Truck traffic in both directions is now moving as usual, according to Ukraine's State Border Guard's statement.
Russia seems to be preparing a significant offensive in Ukraine as it is moving troops toward key positions on the front, the Financial Times reported on May 13, citing undisclosed Ukrainian intelligence officials.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said he will meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara, but said both leaders are ready to fly to Istanbul if Russian President Vladimir Putin chooses to attend the talks there.
Andriy Yermak, Zelensky's chief of staff, said that the new pontiff had a phone call with Zelensky on Monday, during which the pope expressed willingness to facilitate meetings between global leaders and vowed to support efforts for "a just and lasting peace."
In an interview with French broadcaster TF1 on May 13, Macron discussed new Russia sanctions and stationing French nuclear weapons in other European countries as a deterrent against Russia.
Performing their song "Bird of Pray," Ukrainian band Ziferblat passed the Eurovision semi-finals on May 13, qualifying Ukraine for the grand final on May 17.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed that a Russian delegation will be in Istanbul on May 15 for direct peace talks with Ukraine. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Putin’s foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov will likely represent Russia.
The move follows Ukraine's ratification of the minerals agreement, deepening U.S.-Ukraine economic ties and signaling expanded U.S. involvement in Ukraine's long-term recovery.
Ukrainian infantrymen sit on an armored personnel carrier and return to their base in darkness on January 28, 2024 in Kupiansk Frontline, Ukraine. The Edelweiss Brigade (also spelled Edelveys), a specialized unit within the Ukrainian ground forces, is trying to fend off near-constant Russian attacks on Kupiansk, which is mere kilometers from the frontline. Ukrainian soldiers, mountain assault infantry, hold the front in the winter forest. (Kostiantyn Liberov/Libkos/Getty Images)
The military is not expecting 500,000 men to be mobilized immediately, and this figure is a general estimation that will be adjusted depending on the situation at the front, the Defense Ministry said in a comment to the Financial Times (FT) on March 13.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said in December 2023 that Ukraine's military leadership proposed to mobilize 450,000 to 500,000 new conscripts.
Ukraine's Commander-in-Chief at the time, Valerii Zaluzhnyi, then denied that the military had submitted a formal request for this number of additional conscripts.
"For security reasons, we cannot comment on the exact number of people needed" by the military," the Defense Ministry told the FT.
"At the same time, 400,000 to 500,000 are general estimates, which are adjusted depending on the development of events in the theatre of operations, and which cannot be satisfied immediately."
The Defense Ministry said it published its comments online in full after the FT's article provoked "significant public interest."
"Ukraine was attacked by a state with a population three times larger" and therefore the mobilization of civilians is the "only mechanism" that allows for the defense of the country, the Defense Ministry said.
The Defense Ministry said that some Ukrainian men try to avoid mobilization due to a "lack of understanding" of issues such as training, selecting units, and the terms of service.
The Defense Ministry denied, however, that this "misunderstanding" applied to all Ukrainians, referencing the recent launch of a recruitment campaign.
The campaign "has already demonstrated that there is no general misunderstanding," the Defense Ministry said, as there are currently "more than 90,000 applications for almost 8,000 open vacancies."
The Ukrainian government aims to ramp up mobilization efforts in 2024 and has pledged to change the approach to military recruitment, giving more choices to potential conscripts.
Francis Farrell
