Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa is reportedly offering a deal that would give U.S. companies access to Syria's natural wealth, reminiscent of the minerals agreement Washington recently signed with Kyiv.
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.
Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) and Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) talk during a bilateral meeting on May 16, 2024, in Beijing, China. Russian President Vladimir Putin is in China for a two-day state visit. ( Contributor/Getty Images)
Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Beijing on May 16 for a two-day visit for talks with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping.
Prior to his trip, Putin gave an interview to the Chinese state outlet Xinhua in which he praised the "unprecedented level of strategic partnership" between the two countries.
The trip is Putin's first official travel abroad since his inauguration for the fifth presidential term, secured in the March election broadly seen as rigged.
Xi and Putin plan to discuss a range of issues regarding their bilateral partnership and strategic interaction and identify key areas for future cooperation, the Kremlin said on May 15.
Putin will also meet Chinese Premier Li Qiang and visit the city of Harbin to take part in the opening ceremony of the eighth Russian-Chinese EXPO and the fourth Russian-Chinese Forum on Interregional Cooperation.
In the interview with Xinhua, the Kremlin's chief praised China's "active efforts to find a political solution" to the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian war and claimed that Moscow is seeking a "settlement of this conflict through peaceful means."
Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022, occupies a significant portion of Ukraine's territory, and carries out attacks against the Ukrainian population centers and infrastructure on a daily basis.
China officially declares itself a neutral party to Russia's full-scale war in Ukraine, but Washington has continued to sound the alarm on Beijing's support of Moscow's defense industry.
Beijing has also become Russia's economic lifeline amid tightening Western sanctions imposed on Moscow in response to the invasion. In February 2023, China published its own peace plan proposal for Ukraine, which the West criticized as working in Russia's favor.
Switzerland is scheduled to host a peace summit for Ukraine in mid-June, with 160 national delegations invited to attend. While Russia has not received an invitation, Kyiv voiced hope that Chinese representatives would participate.
Martin Fornusek
