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."
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky shake hands during their meeting in Kyiv on March 21, 2023. (Ukraine's Presidential Office)
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida met with President Volodymyr Zelensky during his unannounced visit to Kyiv on March 21.
At a joint news conference following the meeting, Kishida said Japan would allocate $30 million to purchase non-lethal weaponry for Ukraine through the NATO trust fund, Suspilne news outlet reported.
Tokyo will also provide Ukraine with $470 million in grant aid for the country's energy sector and other industries, according to Kishida, cited by Suspilne.
Japan will host a G7 summit in May in the city of Hiroshima. Zelensky told reporters he had accepted Kishida's invitation to join the summit via an online link.
According to Ukraine's Presidential Office, the two leaders discussed further sanctions against Russia over its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
"Japan has introduced 18 packages of sanctions against Russian aggression, and the new ones should continue this path of restoring global security and reducing the potential of Russian terror," Zelensky said. "Sanctions should be faster than Russia's ability to adapt to them."
Zelensky and Kishida also touched on Japan's involvement in the reconstruction of Ukraine, to which Tokyo has committed over $7 billion since the start of Russia's all-out war.
"Today, I suggested that Japan focus on supporting our medical facilities and recovering some sectors of the economy. This is the automotive industry, a 'green' transformation, in particular, the production of hydrogen equipment and lithium batteries, where Japan is one of the technological leaders," said Zelensky.
The Ukrainian president thanked Japan for its "willingness to cooperate" in implementing the Ukrainian peace formula, which his office called "the only comprehensive and realistic plan to stop Russian aggression and restore the full force of the UN Charter."
Before the meeting, the Japanese prime minister traveled to Kyiv Oblast's city of Bucha, where Russian troops had killed 458 civilians during the occupation in the spring of last year, according to Ukrainian authorities.
"I would like to give condolence to all victims and the wounded on behalf of the Japanese nationals. Japan will keep aiding Ukraine with the greatest effort to regain peace," Kishida said at the conference, cited by Reuters.
The Japanese leader's trip to Kyiv coincides with Chinese President Xi Jinping's state visit to Russia, where he and Russian dictator Vladimir Putin pledged to strengthen cooperation between the two countries.
Dinara Khalilova is a reporter at the Kyiv Independent, where she has previously worked as a news editor. In the early weeks of Russia’s full-scale invasion, she worked as a fixer and local producer for Sky News’ team in Ukraine. Dinara holds a BA in journalism from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv and a Master’s degree in media and communication from the U.K.’s Bournemouth University.
