The move follows Ukraine's ratification of the minerals agreement, deepening U.S.-Ukraine economic ties and signaling expanded U.S. involvement in Ukraine's long-term recovery.
"Ukraine has initiated a coordinated campaign to vilify Hungary in order to undermine our initiative to hold a poll on (Kyiv's) EU membership," Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz warned that further concessions from Ukraine during negotiations would be unreasonable if Russia continues to attack civilian targets.
U.S. President Donald Trump's special envoys, Steve Witkoff and Keith Kellogg, will travel to Istanbul for possible peace talks between Ukraine and Russia, Reuters reported on May 13, citing three undisclosed sources.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said he will meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara, but said both leaders are ready to fly to Istanbul if Russian President Vladimir Putin chooses to attend the talks there.
A captive named Umit allegedly agreed to serve in the Russian army in exchange for Russian citizenship and a monetary reward of 2 million rubles ($25,000).
Russia's Buryatia Republic declared a state of emergency on May 13 over massive forest fires that have engulfed multiple regions in the Russian Far East.
The South Korean flag also known as the Taegukgi, is seen flying in Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Seoul on March 5, 2023. (Kim Jae-Hwan/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
Ukraine has received $100 million as part of a loan from South Korea for budget assistance, the first time the country is providing aid to Ukraine's state budget, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said on Nov. 29.
According to Shmyhal, the funds will be devoted to Ukraine's social sector by supporting budget expenses.
In April of this year, Kyiv and Seoul signed an agreement enabling Ukraine to attract up to $2.1 billion in concessional loans over 2024-2029. The loan has a term of 20 years with an annual interest rate 1.0% and a five-year grace period.
Later in October, Ukrainian Finance Minister Serhii Marchenko signed a loan agreement with the Export-Import Bank of Korea to attract the $100 million loan.
Ukraine faces a $35 billion budget deficit in 2025, and with Russia’s war continuing into its third year with no end in sight, the country has to rely on external financing to sustain its economy and war effort.
South Korea has provided Ukraine with humanitarian aid throughout Russia's full-scale war but not with lethal assistance, as the country's legislation prevents direct arms supplies to war zones.
Defense Minister Rustem Umerov on Nov. 27 visited South Korea and met with the country's President Yoon Suk Yeol as Russian forces make their fastest gains in months and thousands of North Korean troops are stationed in Russia's Kursk Oblast.
Although the South Korean president did not rule out supplying arms to Ukraine, there were no official announcements that Seoul had changed its stance after the visit of the Ukrainian delegation.
Experts told the Kyiv Independent that South Korea could provide the most significant support to Ukraine through ammunition supplies. The country fields not only 155 mm artillery but also stores 3.4 million 105 mm rounds compatible with some of Ukraine's guns.
A South Korean official recently said that direct supplies of 155 mm ammunition are not on the table.
Kateryna Denisova works as a News Editor at the Kyiv Independent. She previously worked as a news editor at the NV media outlet for four years, covering mainly Ukrainian and international politics. Kateryna holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Taras Shevchenko University of Kyiv. She also was a fellow at journalism schools in the Czech Republic and Germany.
Chris York
