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.
"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."
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov speaks at a news conference at the United Nations headquarters on April 25, 2023, in New York City. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has said he "does not listen" to Ukraine's statements about peace talks, claiming recent comments from senior Kyiv officials have been contradictory.
Speaking to journalists at a meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Laos on July 27, Lavrov dismissed comments made earlier this week by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, who said China's commitment to Ukraine's territorial integrity was "unshakeable."
"China has unshakably reaffirmed its respect for the principle of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity," Kuleba said in a video post on Instagram on July 25.
Lavrov dismissed the comments, saying it was "not… the first time" Kuleba had said this and that he has "sometimes said completely opposite things."
"Not long ago they were talking about negotiations," Lavrov said in comments reported by AFP, adding: "(Ukrainian President Volodymyr) Zelensky talked of readiness to finally sit at a table with Russian representatives."
"I don't listen to them, to be honest," Lavrov said.
Lavrov's dismissive comments contrast with Russian authorities' repeated claims that they are open to peace negotiations.
Kuleba's comments were made during a trip to China earlier this week during which he held talks with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi.
Lavrov said he had met with Wang at the ASEAN meeting and discussed Kuleba's visit, insisting that his sense was that "the Chinese position remains unchanged," saying China insists any peace talk format must be "acceptable to all sides."
China has positioned itself as neutral in the Russia-Ukraine war but has simultaneously deepened economic ties with Moscow. It has also become Russia's leading source of dual-use goods, providing equipment the Russian defense industry can use in its attacks against Ukraine.
Speaking after the Guangzhou talks, Zelensky said in his evening address on July 24 that China promised not to supply Russia with weaponsand signaled its support for Ukrainian sovereignty.
According to Ukraine's Foreign Ministry, Kuleba affirmed in the meeting that Kyiv is ready to hold peace negotiations when Moscow "is ready to negotiate in good faith."
The Chinese Foreign Ministry also acknowledged that "conditions and timing are not yet ripe" for ceasefire negotiations between Ukraine and Russia, but said it is "willing to play a constructive role" in peace efforts.
Kuleba said that during the talks, he emphasized the importance of avoiding temporary solutions and ultimatums in future peace negotiations.
"Ukraine will never bend a single centimeter if anyone, regardless of where they come from, tries to speak to us in the language of ultimatums," he said.
We are the news team of the Kyiv Independent. We are here to make sure our readers get quick, essential updates about the events in Ukraine. Feel free to contact us via email with feedback and news alerts.
Chris York
