Melkonyants was arrested in August 2023 in connection with the activities of the European Network of Election Monitoring Organizations (ENEMO), which was co-founded by Golos's legal predecessor, the Golos association.
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.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and his Romanian counterpart Klaus Iohannis shake hands at the Cotroceni Palace, the Romanian Presidency headquarters in Bucharest on October 10, 2023. (Daniel Mihailescu/AFP via Getty Images)
In an interview with Europa Libera Romania on Feb. 1, Romanian Chief of Defense Gheorghita Vlad urged Romania and Europe to better prepare for a potential war with Russia, warning that Russia will continue its escalation if it is successful in Ukraine.
"The Russian Federation has become a problem for the world order, for democracy. In fact, it is a war of Russia with the democratic world. It is not a war with Ukraine," said Vlad, Romania's highest-ranking military officer.
Vlad, who was recently appointed Chief of Defense in November 2023, said he believes that Russia "will not stop" at Ukraine.
"If (Russian President Vladimir Putin) wins in Ukraine, the main target will be the Republic of Moldova. We will witness tensions in the Western Balkans. I am more than convinced that President Putin's policy will escalate in the immediate future."
Vlad's comments come as European and NATO officials have warned in recent weeks civilians in NATO countries should be prepared for the prospect of an all-out war with Russia. Although there is little consensus as to when Russia may launch an attack against Europe, NATO officials warned a military confrontation could occur within the next 20 years.
Other NATO commanders and alliance leaders have warned in increasingly stark terms about the dangers of such a war, indicating it could occur as soon as within the next three years.
NATO officials believe that Russia may target a NATO alliance member in Eastern Europe, including countries such as Poland, Estonia, Romania, and Lithuania.
While the prospect of the war escalating to an all-out clash between the alliance and Russia has so far been averted, there are concerns that the West has not truly accepted that it may still be a possibility.
Echoing these sentiments, General Vlad urged NATO countries to replenish arms stocks while prepare their population for escalatory aggression from Russia.
"We need to discuss a policy for preparing the population," said Vlad, referring to held up Romanian legislation that seeks introduce voluntary military training for Romanians aged 18 to 35.
Earlier this week, NATO officials warned that there are still some issues in preparations for conflict that could hinder an appropriate response from NATO, such as problems with the interchangeability of NATO equipment and personnel.
Vlad confirmed that Romania currently has 80,000 professional soldiers in its military and aims to increase that number to around 120,000 active personnel. Vlad also noted that Romania's military reserves have remained at the levels seen in 2007.
Dmytro Basmat is a senior news editor for The Kyiv Independent. He previously worked in Canadian politics as a communications lead and spokesperson for a national political party, and as a communications assistant for a Canadian Member of Parliament. Basmat has a Master's degree in Political Management from Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada, and a Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Governance from Toronto Metropolitan University.
Nate Ostiller
