Key developments on Oct. 18: * Budanov says close to 11,000 North Korean troops in Russia, will be 'ready to fight' in Ukraine by Nov. 1 * Ukraine liberates Kharkiv Oblast village key for defense of Kupiansk, military intelligence says * Biden says West 'cannot let up' support for Ukraine ahead of
Ukraine's Center for Strategic Communication and Information Security published a video that purportedly shows North Korean soldiers in a Russian military camp preparing to join Moscow's war effort against Ukraine.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said there is a lack of consensus among EU leaders regarding the plan, and it is difficult to tell how realistic it is because "much depends on the outcome of the U.S. presidential election."
While Trump was quick to blame U.S. and Ukrainian leadership for the full-scale war during an interview on Oct. 17, he made no mention of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Key developments on Oct. 17: * Zelensky says he told Trump that either Ukraine will join NATO or pursue nuclear weapons * Zelensky walks back earlier comments on Ukraine's possible plan to obtain nuclear weapons * 'First step to World War' — North Korea preparing 10,000 soldiers to join Russia's war, Zelensky confirms
"We never spoke about...that we are preparing to create nuclear weapons or something like this," President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
"Greece is ready to continue meeting Ukraine's most urgent defense needs," President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote on X.
"Either Ukraine will have nuclear weapons, which will serve as protection, or it must be part of some kind of alliance. Apart from NATO, we do not know of such an effective alliance," President Volodymyr Zelensky said that he had told Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump.
The legislation, approved by the parliament last month, was pushed through after prolonged pressure from Western partners and Ukrainian business associations. The reform is also a necessary step toward Kyiv's accession to the EU.
According to military intelligence, North Korean officers are already in the occupied territories of Ukraine.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Oct. 17 that the victory plan includes placing conventional missile capabilities in Ukraine that would either force Russia to accept negotiations or destroy its military targets.
President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Brussels on Oct. 17 to present his five-point victory plan to the European Council and meet its president, Charles Michel.
"We are not at the stage where the Alliance is discussing issuing an invitation in the short term," Smith said ahead of a NATO defense ministers meeting in Brussels, Voice of America reported.
Key developments on Oct. 16: * US announces $425 million in security aid for Ukraine, Zelensky says package includes long-range weapons * Zelensky unveils Ukraine's victory plan, says it's doable but 'depends on our partners' * Australia to give Ukraine almost 50 US-made Abrams tanks * Ukraine reportedly reclaims territory in north of Kharkiv
The new package will consist of "additional air defense capability, air-to-ground munitions, armored vehicles, and critical munitions to meet Ukraine's urgent needs," the White House said in a statement.
Ukrainian lawmakers voiced their first reactions to President Volodymyr Zelensky's presentation of Ukraine's victory plan to parliament on Oct. 16, praising the overall agenda but calling out the supposed lack of practical steps. Some opposition lawmakers criticized it for being too vague and relying too much on international partners while
President Volodymyr Zelensky presented Ukraine's much-debated victory plan at parliament on Oct. 16, though some parts remained classified. The proposal is comprised of five points: an invitation to join NATO, a defense aspect, deterrence of Russian aggression, economic growth and cooperation, and post-war security architecture. The plan involves three secret
President Volodymyr Zelensky continues to command the trust of nearly six in ten Ukrainians, with support remaining stable in recent months, a poll released by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) found.
European Council President Charles Michel announced on Oct. 15 that he had invited President Volodymyr Zelensky to present his victory plan for defeating Russia at a summit of EU leaders this week.
"I think part will be declassified, and the other part will be present to the leaders of (parliamentary groups)," David Arakhamia, the leader of Zelensky's Servant of the People parliamentary group, said in comments for the Kyiv Independent.
"It (Ukraine) was the apple of his eye; he used to talk about it. But I said, 'You're not going in, and he wasn't going in," Donald Trump said on Oct. 14.
According to Ukraine's military intelligence, Russia's plans for the fall and winter include "the actual involvement of North Korea in the war," President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Oct. 14.
"We see an increasing alliance between Russia and regimes like North Korea. This is no longer just about transferring weapons. It is actually about transferring people from North Korea to the occupying military forces."
The Kyiv Independent’s Anna Belokur explains the top stories of the week, from the postponement of the Ramstein summit to the two-month anniversary of Ukraine’s surprise incursion into Kursk Oblast.
President Volodymyr Zelensky will publicly unveil his "victory plan" to Ukrainians in "a matter of days," Presidential Office advisor Mykhailo Podolyak said on Oct. 12.
Ukraine is working with France to establish new joint defense production facilities, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in his evening address on Oct. 12.
President Volodymyr Zelensky thanked Germany for its support but highlighted the importance of German assistance next year and the need for it to remain unchanged.
During a joint press conference, Scholz revealed that Germany has already delivered a package of aid for Ukraine worth 600 million euros ($660 million).
During a meeting that lasted 35 minutes, the pope reportedly presented Ukraine's head of state with a bronze bas-relief with a flower and an inscription, "Peace is a fragile flower."
President Volodymyr Zelensky presented Ukraine's victory plan to Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni during his visit to Italy.
Russia’s invading army is racing against the weather clock, trying to seize yet more towns in Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region before the ground gets muddy this autumn and temperatures later plunge. The coal mining town of Toretsk is on the verge of falling to Moscow’s forces, an
Key developments on Oct. 10: * Ukraine confirms strike on Russian airbase in North Caucasus housing Su-34, Su-27 jets * Zelensky presents victory plan to Starmer, meets NATO Secretary General Rutte * Kyiv confirms death of Ukrainian journalist Viktoria Roshchyna held in Russian captivity * Oil depot in occupied Crimea's Feodosia burning for 4th
Volodymyr Zelensky has been president of Ukraine since 2019. Born in Kryvyi Rih, an industrial city in central Ukraine, Zelensky was known as a media personality and actor before becoming Ukraine’s sixth president.
The 46-year-old’s transformation into a wartime leader saw his approval ratings rise from 37% before the full-scale invasion, to 90% in May 2022. His approval rating fell to 62% by the end of 2023.
Zelensky's five-year term officially ended in May 2024 but he remains president while martial law, enacted after the start of the full-scale invasion in February 2022, is in place. A February 2024 poll indicated that almost 70% of Ukrainians agree that Zelensky should remain in office and elections should be postponed until martial law is lifted.
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