Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko's statement came as Strong Shield 5 exercises involving military personnel from other NATO countries began in Lithuania.
"Amendments to the Budget Code are needed to implement the provisions on funding the U.S.-Ukrainian Reconstruction Investment Fund," lawmaker Roksolana Pidlasa said.
During reconnaissance in an unspecified front-line sector, Special Operations Forces' operators detected Buk-M3 and Uragan-1 on combat duty, the unit said.
The suspect quit his job at the Rivne NPP before the full-scale war began. In the spring of 2025, a GRU liaison contacted him and offered cooperation in exchange for money.
President Volodymyr Zelensky would not meet any other Russian official apart from Russian President Vladimir Putin in Istanbul this week, presidential advisor Mykhailo Podolyak said on the Breakfast Show program on May 13.
U.S. and European officials held talks on May 12, during which Washington made it clear that it wanted to allow talks between Russia and Ukraine before increasing pressure on Vladimir Putin, sources told Bloomberg.
According to Steve Witkoff, the key topics in the peace discussions are the fate of the five partially or fully occupied Ukrainian regions, the status of the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, and Ukraine's access to the Dnipro River and the Black Sea.
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.
Soldiers of the artillery battery of the 59th Motorized Brigade of the Ukrainian army fire artillery toward Russian positions to support front-line troops in the direction of Avdiivka, Donetsk Oblast, on Dec. 16, 2023. (Ozge Elif Kizil / Anadolu via Getty Images)
Russian forces' advance into Ukraine has slowed significantly in the past few months, with Moscow seizing just 133 square kilometers in March, the lowest monthly total since June 2024, battlefield monitoring group DeepState reported on April 1.
The pace of Russia's offensive had steadily increased since July, peaking in November when Russian troops captured 725 square kilometers, overrunning a badly overstretched Ukrainian defense in several areas, especially in the south of Donetsk Oblast.
Gains have consistently declined since the beginning of winter, with the Russian army seizing 401 square kilometers in December, 321 in January, and 189 in February.
This relative stabilization of the front line was achieved thanks to the winter conditions, effective work of Ukrainian drone units, and a temporary exhaustion of Russian offensive potential.
Russian forces continue offensive operations, particularly around the city of Pokrovsk in in Donetsk Oblast, where fighting intensified at the end of March.
Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said on March 31 that Russian forces are "stalling" and failing to advance in the area. Pokrovsk, located about 70 kilometers northwest of Donetsk, remains a major flashpoint.
While Russia's advances in Ukraine have slowed, its forces have nearly reversed Ukraine's territorial gains in Russia's Kursk Oblast. Ukraine controlled 407 square kilometers there in early March but held just 70 square kilometers by month's end, DeepState reported.
Ukraine had initially seized 1,300 square kilometers of Russian territory before Moscow, reinforced by North Korean units, launched a counteroffensive. Since launching operations in Kursk Oblast, Russian forces have suffered over 55,000 casualties, Syrskyi said on March 27.
DeepState warned that Russian forces previously engaged in Kursk may now be redeployed elsewhere, posing additional threats along the front line.
Tim Zadorozhnyy is a news editor at The Kyiv Independent. Based in Warsaw, he is pursuing studies in International Relations, focusing on European Studies. Tim began his career at a local television channel in Odesa. After moving to Warsaw, he joined the Belarusian opposition media outlet NEXTA, starting as a news anchor and later advancing to the position of managing editor.
Yuliia Taradiuk
