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.
Secretary General of NATO Mark Rutte speaks during a press conference on Oct. 3, 2024, in Kyiv, Ukraine. (Viktor Kovalchuk/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images)
North Korea has sent troops to Russia, and they have already been deployed in Kursk Oblast, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said on Oct. 28 after meeting South Korean defense and intelligence officials.
Rutte joined other Western leaders in confirming reports by Kyiv and Seoul that Pyongyang is sending military personnel to Russia in a sign of deepening cooperation between the two countries.
"Today, I can confirm that North Korean troops have been sent to Russia, and that North Korean military units have been deployed to the Kursk region," the NATO secretary general said in Brussels.
This comes as the secretary general's first official confirmation of North Korean troops arriving in Russia to aid the country's war in Ukraine.
The South Korean delegation also briefed the North Atlantic Council and representatives from Japan, Australia, and New Zealand on the North Korean involvement in Russia's war.
The U.S. said on Oct. 26 that North Korean troops are being dispatched to Kursk Oblast, a Russian border region facing a Ukrainian offensive. While the White House did specify in what capacity they would be deployed, Ukraine and South Korea said that at least some North Korean troops would be used in combat.
Rutte commented that the deployment represents "a significant escalation in (North Korea's) ongoing involvement in Russia's illegal war" and a "dangerous expansion of Russia's war."
Previously, Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) said that Russia is preparing to deploy 12,000 North Korean soldiers, including 500 officers and three generals. The spy agency said already on Oct. 24 that the first units had been deployed in Kursk Oblast, a claim at the time unconfirmed by Western officials.
Russia and North Korea have initially dismissed the reports but recently turned to more evasive rhetoric as evidence of the troops' dispatch mounted.
"The deepening military cooperation between Russia and North Korea is a threat to both the Indo-Pacific and Euro-Atlantic security. It undermines peace on the Korean Peninsula and fuels the Russian war against Ukraine," Rutte said.
"North Korean troops are already in the Kursk region. This is exactly as we discussed, and as South Korea confirmed. Now, our allies and NATO can see it," Andriy Yermak, the head of Ukraine's Presidential Office, commented on social media.
According to President Volodymyr Zelensky, the first North Korean troops were to be deployed in the combat zone on Oct. 27 or 28.
"(Russia is) increasingly engaging North Korea as an ally, and any day now, their soldiers may appear on the battlefield fighting against Ukraine," Zelensky said. "Ukraine will be forced to actually fight against North Korea in Europe."
Chris York
