U.S. Vice President JD Vance in April openly praised the Trump administration's decision to halt direct U.S. weapons transfers to Ukraine — a statement that drew criticism and highlighted his skepticism toward Kyiv. "It's one of the things I'm proudest… we've told Europe that if you want to buy weapons, you can, but the U.S. is not buying weapons and sending them to Ukraine anymore," Vance said at a Turning Point event. His comments immediately drew backlash, coming at a time when Russia conti

The chancellor said Zelensky would need a referendum majority for such a step. To secure that majority, Merz added, Zelensky would have to tell the Ukrainian people: "But I have opened the way to Europe for you."

Between January and March 2026, Nova Post’s profit totaled Hr 1.28 billion ($29 million) — a 4.4-fold increase compared with the same period in 2025.

"The Ukrainian Defense Forces will continue to take measures to reduce the combat potential of the Russian occupation forces," the General Staff said.

U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly attacked NATO. In one of his latest publications on Truth Social, Trump said the alliance is a "paper tiger" without the U.S. and criticized NATO allies for not backing the American operation in Iran. In response, Spain's Foreign Minister, Jose Manuel Albares, called for the European Union to create its own army and strengthen defense integration. His comments underscore that there are a few questions officials in European capitals continue to be preo

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi thanked Russian President Vladimir Putin for Russia's support and lauded the "strategic partnership" between the two countries.

The project follows a defense declaration signed by Ukraine and Norway on April 14 in Oslo, where President Volodymyr Zelensky and Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere agreed to deepen military cooperation, including joint drone production, as part of a broader strategic partnership.

Panama-flagged bulk carrier Panormitis, allegedly carrying grain stolen from occupied Ukrainian territories, arrived at the Haifa Bay earlier this week.

The U.N. nuclear watchdog has repeatedly warned that military activity around the Russian-occupied facility risks a wider nuclear safety crisis.

"Ukraine has proven itself a partner for countries that want to defend themselves against aerial attacks," Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said.

A private company that was awarded a Hr 2.5 billion ($57 million) contract by the state to repair and maintain military equipment siphoned off about $13 million through shell companies, investigators said.

The findings come amid broader concerns over Ukraine's mobilization system, which has faced persistent challenges in recruitment and rotation during the full-scale war.

The opening coincided with the arrival of Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov in Pyongyang.

Russia launched a drone attack on Odesa overnight on April 27, striking residential infrastructure in the city, officials reported.

Russia launched 94 drones at Ukraine overnight, the Air Force said, adding that air defenses intercepted 74.

The number includes 810 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.

Russian independent media outlet Mediazona, in collaboration with the BBC Russian service, has confirmed the identities of 213,858 Russian military personnel killed in Ukraine.

Mali's defense minister, Sadio Camara, who had close ties to the Kremlin, was killed in an insurgent attack, a government spokesperson said April 26, as Russia's Africa Corps withdrew from a northern Malian town after clashes with rebels.

Key developments on April 25-26: * Three Russian ships, MiG-31 aircraft damaged in major overnight strikes on Crimea, SBU reports * Ukrainian drones strike Russia's Yaroslavl oil refinery, General Staff says amid latest mass attack inside Russia * US intercepts Iranian 'shadow fleet' vessel Sevan in Arabian Sea, US Central Command says * Germany believes Russia responsible for global cyber campaign on Signal, WhatsApp, media reports Ukrainian forces struck three Russian ships, a fighter je

This weekly update from the Kyiv Independent aims to shed light on the situation facing Ukrainians living under Russian occupation and the ever-tightening control of information imposed by the Kremlin. This week, the Kyiv Independent published a long-read investigation into the endangering of pro-Ukrainian partisans and activists on Russia-occupied territories on the part of the Yellow Ribbon organization and their backers. Read it here. Key news as of April 26: * 12 Russian FSB officers kil

The Russian-installed head of the occupied city of Sevastopol, Mikhail Razvozhayev, claimed that the air defense downed 71 Ukrainian drones.

A fire is burning at an oil refinery in the Russian city of Yaroslavl as Ukrainian drones attacked several Russian regions and occupied Crimea overnight on April 26, authorities and social media channels reported.

On April 26, 1986, the explosion at Reactor No. 4 of the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant forever changed the lives of millions in Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia. Although Communist authorities initially tried to suppress news of the disaster even within the Soviet Union, radioactive fallout was soon thereafter detected by neighboring European countries, and the entire world took notice. The catastrophe became a critical turning point, exposing the flaws in the Soviet system and hastening the Soviet

In the latest episode of Ukraine This Week, Anna Belokur examines Ukraine’s growing debate over gun control and how the war is reshaping the country’s approach to weapons and safety.

United Nations nuclear chief Rafael Grossi said that the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant is adequately staffed for nuclear safety measures, despite a lack of licensed nuclear specialists at the site. Grossi arrived in Ukraine earlier this week for his 14th visit to the country during the full-scale war where he signed an agreement with Kyiv to help restore and develop Ukraine’s nuclear energy sector, which makes up over 60% of Ukraine’s energy generation. Since 2022, the UN’s

"Disasters know no borders — neither should solidarity. Moldova stands with those who build, not destroy," Maia Sandu said.

"The explosion at the fourth reactor changed the lives of millions of Ukrainians. Its consequences affected the entire world and are still felt today," Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said.

The EU's commissioners for economy and for energy, Valdis Dombrovskis and Dan Jørgensen, arrived in Kyiv on April 26, the 40th anniversary of the Chornobyl nuclear disaster, to discuss protecting Ukraine's energy infrastructure and the need to fundraise to repair a shelter that still protects from radioactive fallout created in the world's worst-ever nuclear disaster. A Russian drone, potentially costing as little as $70,000, struck the New Safe Confinement (NSC) protective shelter of the destr

The U.S. Department of the Treasury sanctioned the Sevan on April 24, along with 18 other vessels, for transporting Iranian oil and gas products to foreign markets.

Russia launched 144 drones at Ukraine overnight, the Air Force said, reporting that Ukrainian air defense intercepted 124.

The number includes 960 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.

U.S. President Donald Trump is unharmed after being rushed off the stage as gunshots were reportedly shot at the White House Correspondents' Dinner on April 25.