"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."
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.
A Russian Il-20 reconnaissance plane seen from a cockpit of a German fighter jet over the Baltic Sea. Photo published on Oct. 16, 2024. (German Air Force/X)
Two Dutch F-35 fighter jets intercepted Russian aircraft over the Baltic Sea on Dec. 6, the Netherlands Defense Ministry announced on Dec. 9.
The F-35s, deployed under NATO’s eastern airspace monitoring mission, intercepted a Russian An-72 transport aircraft and an SU-24 reconnaissance aircraft.
Later, they were scrambled again to intercept a Russian IL-20 reconnaissance aircraft.
The Dutch F-35s escorted the Russian planes over international waters to the boundary of NATO’s airspace. “That is why our people are there: to protect our common airspace from Russian threats,” Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans wrote on X.
Russian aircraft frequently operate over the Baltic Sea without transponders or flight plans, actions often seen as testing NATO's response capabilities.
In September, the Latvian Air Force reported that NATO jets intercepted six such Russian aircraft over the Baltic Sea.
That same month, Latvia confirmed that a Russian Shahed-type drone equipped with explosives had crashed on its territory.
The drone, reportedly heading to Ukraine, entered Latvia from Belarus before crashing near Gaigalava parish in the Rezekne district, approximately 85 kilometers (52 miles) from the Belarusian border.
Tim Zadorozhnyy is a news editor at The Kyiv Independent. Based in Warsaw, he is pursuing studies in International Relations, focusing on European Studies. Tim began his career at a local television channel in Odesa. After moving to Warsaw, he joined the Belarusian opposition media outlet NEXTA, starting as a news anchor and later advancing to the position of managing editor.
Tim Zadorozhnyy
