"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.
"Trump needs to believe that Putin actually lies," Zelensky told journalists in Kyiv. "And we should do our part. Sensibly approach this issue, to show that it’s not us that is slowing down the process."
The EU plans to significantly increase tariffs on Ukrainian goods after the current duty-free deal lapses on June 6, the Financial Times reported on May 14, citing undisclosed diplomatic sources.
The blockade ended at 10:30 p.m. local time. Truck traffic in both directions is now moving as usual, according to Ukraine's State Border Guard's statement.
Ukrainian soldier crouching in a trench in his infantry position as the Russia-Ukraine war continues in the direction of Kupiansk, Kharkiv Oblast, Ukraine on March 10, 2024. (PDiego Herrera Carcedo/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Russian forces have become considerably more active in the Kupiansk sector in northeastern Kharkiv Oblast over the past month, a National Guard spokesperson said on air on Sept. 10.
Moscow's troops also attempted fresh attacks elsewhere in Kharkiv Oblast, with the 92nd Assault Brigade reportedly repelling a new cross-border raid in the region.
The news comes amid Russia's effort to increase pressure along the entire eastern front, with heavy battles ongoing near the Donetsk Oblast towns of Pokrovsk, Toretsk, Chasiv Yar, and Vuhledar.
"There has been a certain increase in activity in the Kupiansk sector over the past month," spokesperson Ruslan Muzychuk said on national television.
"(Russian forces) are trying to storm our positions, namely in the area of Synkivka and Stelmakhivka, where Russia attempted quite serious assaults in recent days."
The estimated Russian advance (red) near the village of Synkivka in the Kupiansk sector, Kharkiv Oblast, Ukraine, as of Sept. 9, 2024. (DeepState/OpenStreetMaps)
According to Muzychuk, Russia is concentrating tank and motorized rifle units in an attempt to advance. In the south, Moscow's troops are trying to advance to the defense line along the Chornyi Zherebets River, he added.
Kupiansk lies in the eastern part of Kharkiv Oblast, some 25 kilometers (15 miles) from the administrative border with mostly occupied Luhansk Oblast. The town was occupied by Russian forces in 2022 but liberated in a surprise offensive later the same year. It has faced heavy pressure from Russia's military since then.
Muzychuk explained that Russia is trying to increase pressure along the entire front and stretch Ukrainian defenses. For this purpose, Moscow's troops also became more active near the Tykhe settlement in the Kharkiv sector.
Russia launched a new offensive in the northern part of Kharkiv Oblast in May. Ukraine has been able to halt the advance, but Russian forces continue to hold a handful of settlements across the border.
Also on Sept. 10, the 92nd Assault Brigade said its forces repelled an attempt by Russian mechanized forces to break through the border in Kharkiv Oblast. The exact location was not specified.
The unit shared footage of Ukraine striking Russian armor, namely two BMP-2 armored vehicles and one T-72 tank used in the unsuccessful attack.
"Warm greetings" to russian occupiers. This morning the warriors from the 92nd Assault Brigade repelled a mechanized russian attack in the Kharkiv direction and destroyed two BMP-2 IFVs and one T-72 tank. pic.twitter.com/3oFNy5C0eP
Martin Fornusek is a news editor at the Kyiv Independent. He has previously worked as a news content editor at the media company Newsmatics and is a contributor to Euromaidan Press. He was also volunteering as an editor and translator at the Czech-language version of Ukraïner. Martin studied at Masaryk University in Brno, Czechia, holding a bachelor's degree in security studies and history and a master's degree in conflict and democracy studies.
Kateryna Hodunova
