The new tranche brings total recent EU defense support for Ukraine to 3.3 billion euros ($3.6 billion), marking a significant expansion of European efforts to boost Kyiv's defense industry.
"Russia is ready for negotiations without any preconditions," Putin claimed in an address marking the end of the three-day Victory Day ceasefire. He invited Ukraine to begin talks in Istanbul on May 15.
Both men face charges related to terrorism and espionage. Daniil B. was detained in Lithuania, where he is in temporary custody, while Oleksandr V. remains at large in Russia.
Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Ukraine and its allies discussed tougher sanctions against Russia's banking sector, central bank, and energy industry.
"We are ready for all options. But of course, we are separately waiting for a response on the ceasefire," a source close to President Volodymyr Zelensky told the Kyiv Independent.
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.
"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.
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.
"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.
European Union flags decorates the façade of the iconic Berlaymont building, the seat of the European Commission in Brussels, Belgium, on May 31, 2023. (Artur Widak/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
The European Union will not prolong sanctions against three Russian businessmen targeted over Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Reuters reported on Sept. 12, citing diplomatic sources.
Those are Grigory Berezkin, the chairman of one of Russia's largest holding companies, ESN Group, billionaire Farkhad Akhmedov, and the former head of the Russian e-commerce firm Ozon, Alexander Shulgin.
Azerbaijan-born Akhmedov is a former senator involved in Russia's oil and gas sector. Berezkin, whom Reuters called close to Russian President Vladimir Putin, has investments in various sectors, including media, infrastructure, and energy.
The EU needs the consensus of all 27 member states to impose sanctions, which are renewed every six months. The current set of restrictions expires on Sept. 15.
Western countries have imposed sanctions against multiple Russian oligarchs involved in Moscow's military aggression against Ukraine. According to Reuters, the EU has so far sanctioned around 1,600 individuals and more than 200 entities since Russia's illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014.
On Aug. 26, the Financial Times reported that Arkady Volozh, tech billionaire and co-founder of Russia's popular search engine Yandex, had made a formal request for the EU to lift its sanctions against him.
Earlier, Volozh publicly spoke out against Russia's invasion of Ukraine, calling it "barbaric." His petition would test how the EU plans to deal with sanctioned individuals who denounce the Kremlin.
Tetiana Khutor
