Russia attacked Ukraine with drones and guided bombs during the night, targeting multiple regions after the May 12 deadline for an unconditional ceasefire expired.
"Only member states can take out loans within the 150 billion euros instrument, but they can use these funds for joint procurement with Ukraine," EU Defense Commissioner Andrius Kubilius said.
"We agreed to pursue ambitious measures to reduce Russia's ability to wage war by limiting Kremlin revenues, disrupting the shadow fleet, tightening the Oil Price Cap, and reducing our remaining imports of Russian energy."
Zelensky on May 12 removed Lieutenant General Ivan Havryliuk from the Headquarters of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, the top command and control body for all branches of Ukraine's defense apparatus.
Ukraine remains the most mined country in the world. Nearly one-third of Ukraine's territory, approximately 174,000 square kilometers, had been mined since Russia began its full-scale invasion of the country in February 2022.
The phone call comes as Moscow once again rejected a 30-day ceasefire, with Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova claiming that a ceasefire would give "Kyiv a break to restore its military potential and continue its confrontation with Russia."
Flight MH17 departed from Amsterdam Schiphol Airport en-route to Kuala Lumpur International Airport on July 17, 2014. Three hours into the flight, the Boeing-777 was shot down by Russian proxy forces using a Buk surface-to-air missile above Ukraine’s Donetsk Oblast.
"I am grateful for the support and the readiness at the highest level to promote diplomacy," President Volodymyr Zelensky said of the phone conservation with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. "We share the same view on the need for a ceasefire."
The convictions mark a significant development in Britain's efforts to counter Russian intelligence operations amid heightened tensions stemming from Moscow's war against Ukraine and repeated Kremlin threats toward Kyiv's allies.
Illustrative purposes: A Patriot air defense launcher in Sochaczew, Poland, on March 21, 2015. (NurPhoto/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Poland has signed a $2 billion contract with the United States for a "multi-layered air defense" program, the Polish Defense Ministry announced on March 31.
Warsaw has taken several measures to boost its national defenses since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The country regularly scrambles fighter jets and activates air defense units amid Russian attacks near its border.
The deal with the U.S. was finalized on March 31 and includes the delivery of air defense equipment and logistical support for Patriot systems, the Polish Defense Ministry said.
"The signing of the agreement is a confirmation of the long-standing and intensive cooperation between Poland and the USA in the area of security," Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said.
Polish Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz said that the deal represented "the security of the Polish state and our lasting, unchanging transatlantic alliance," adding that building up European forces was complementary to strong partnerships with the U.S.
Russian drones and missiles have violated Polish airspace over the course of the all-out war against Ukraine. Polish military officials have said that Russia is likely not only targeting Ukraine, but also testing Poland's air defense capabilities.
Sharing borders with both Belarus and Russia's heavily militarized Kaliningrad exclave, Poland would likely be among the first targets in a potential confrontation between NATO and Russia.
Abbey Fenbert is a senior news editor at the Kyiv Independent. She is a freelance writer, editor, and playwright with an MFA from Boston University. Abbey served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ukraine from 2008-2011.
Martin Fornusek
