Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Ukraine and its allies discussed tougher sanctions against Russia's banking sector, central bank, and energy industry.
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Monday, May 12
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The EU plans to unveil on May 14 its next package of sanctions imposed against Russia over its aggression against Ukraine, an EU official told the Kyiv Independent on condition of anonymity.
Polish truckers plan to restrict freight traffic at the Yahodyn-Dorohusk checkpoint on the Ukrainian border, Ukraine's State Border Guard said on May 12.
"The clock is ticking — we still have twelve hours until the end of this day," German government spokesperson Stefan Kornelius reportedly said.
"If the Russians are using this level of specialists in urban combat, they are probably facing some difficulties," Ivan Petrychak, spokesperson for the 24th Separate Mechanized Brigade, said.
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Previously, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk accused the Russian intelligence services of orchestrating a May 2024 arson attack on the Marywilska shopping centre in Warsaw.
"Perhaps in some areas, the intensity decreased slightly to create an image of compliance with their own announcement. But in reality, (Russia) continued attacks every day, using all available weapons — including aircraft to drop guided bombs on Ukraine," Andrii Demchenko, spokesperson for Ukraine’s State Border Guard Service, said.
Beijing supports all efforts toward achieving peace in Ukraine, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on May 12 when asked about Kyiv and Europe's proposal for a 30-day truce.
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"There is no point in prolonging the killings. And I will wait for Putin on Thursday in Turkey," President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
"I invited His Holiness to make an apostolic visit to Ukraine. Such a visit would bring real hope to all believers and to all our people," Zelensky said.
Presidential Office chief Andriy Yermak voiced doubt about leading negotiations with anyone from Russia except President Vladimir Putin, implying only the Russian leader can make real decisions.
This includes at least seven people injured in drone attacks overnight on May 12, a date from which Kyiv and its allies put forward a demand for a 30-day unconditional truce, a step that Moscow continues to reject.
"When European unity becomes inconvenient, disinformation goes so far as to make a simple tissue look like drugs," the Elysee Palace reacted to a fake story pushed by Russia.
The comments came after Trump urged Ukraine to agree to direct negotiations with Russia, which has invited Kyiv to peace talks in Istanbul on May 15, without first agreeing to halt military operations.
This post is part of Live Updates. Read our coverage here
News FeedPistorius: Germany's support for Ukraine 'firm and sustained'
• 3 min read
Germany will stand behind Ukraine "no matter how long (Russian dictator Vladimir) Putin continues his senseless war against this peace-loving country," German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said at the Munich Security Conference on Feb. 17.
"Our support for Ukraine is firm and sustained," Pistorius added.
The world's security and political elite have gathered in Munich for the annual security conference. The Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which nears its two-year mark, is one of the chief topics on the agenda.
"This war is about much more than two states fighting over territory. This war is about the question of whether we'll allow an imperialist power to impose its will on another sovereign state," Pistorius said, addressing the conference's participants.
According to the minister, it is the responsibility of Germany and other allies to restore Ukraine's territorial integrity and strengthen the country's resilience.
Berlin's role in the pro-Ukraine alliance is growing more vital amid delays in U.S. assistance and a possible return of Donald Trump to the White House.
Trump raised concerns among NATO allies when he said he would encourage Russia to do "whatever the hell it wants" to members who do not meet the 2% defense spending mark. He has also opposed the U.S. Senate's foreign aid bill that includes $60 billion for Ukraine, thus contributing to the holdups in crucial assistance for Kyiv.
Speaking in Munich, the German defense minister said that "regardless of who sits in the White House," Berlin aims to make the European contribution to collective defense more relevant.
Pistorius reminded that Germany will hit the 2% GDP spending mark this year. The country is boosting its defense industrial capacities, for example, in artillery and air defenses, he noted.
Germany's defense chief also implied that Europe needs to come to terms with the fact that Russia acts as an "imperialist" and "warmongering" neighbor.
"After the Cold War, we tried to build an inclusive security infrastructure. Unfortunately, we failed. Now we know why: all of these attempts ran counter to the Kremlin's strategy of reinstalling its dominance in Eastern and Central Europe," Pistorius said.
The minister predicted the formation of a new division on the continent between "free and democratic Europe on one side" and "authoritarian and warmongering Russia" on the other.
This year's Munich Security Conference takes place during a precarious situation for Ukraine. Kyiv is trying to revive the allies' commitment amid the growing hesitancy in the U.S.
Just as the world's security leaders gathered in Munich, Ukrainian troops were forced to withdraw from Avdiivka in Donetsk Oblast. The loss of this fortified city that resisted Russian attacks since 2014 has been linked by many to the delays in U.S. assistance.
Zelensky in Munich: ‘If Ukraine left alone, Russia will destroy us’
“Keeping Ukraine in the artificial deficits of weapons, particularly in a deficit of artillery and long-range capabilities, allows (Russian President Vladimir) Putin to adapt to the current intensity of the war,” President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
Nate Ostiller
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