"It was confidential information between Ukraine and the White House. How to understand these messages?" President Volodymyr Zelensky said during a press briefing with journalists from Nordic countries.
Key developments on Oct. 29: * Russia claims capture of Selydove, Kyiv hasn't confirmed * Small number of North Korean troops already in Ukraine, CNN reports * Zelensky asked US for Tomahawk missiles in secret clause of victory plan, NYT reports * South Korean delegation to visit Ukraine to share information on North Korean
According to the officials, Ukraine did not manage to convince Western diplomats why it needed Tomahawks. The number of Ukraine’s targets in Russia also allegedly far exceeds the stockpiles the U.S. could hand over without jeopardizing its interests in the Middle East and Asia.
During the phone call, the presidents agreed to "strengthen the sharing of intelligence and expertise and to intensify contacts on all levels, including on the highest level, to develop a response strategy and a list of countermeasures," the Ukrainian president said.
Speaking at a press conference in Reykjavik, President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Ukraine "understands all the risks," including a possible change in U.S. policy, and is preparing a plan to strengthen the country internally.
Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store announced on Oct. 28 that Norway will provide Ukraine with a new 500-million-euro ($543 million) aid package, allocating over half for military assistance.
This is President Volodymyr Zelensky's first official visit to the island country, during which he will meet the prime ministers of Iceland, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and Finland.
"Modi is the PM of a really huge country from the perspective of population, economy, influence and impact. Such a country cannot just say we are interested in the end of the war – we are all interested in that. PM Modi can influence the end of the Ukraine war," President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
Ukraine will finalize its formula by November and will be open to including other initiatives by then, Presidential Office chief Andriy Yermak told Corriere della Sera.
"(President Volodymyr) Zelensky is very clear; he wants all soldiers and refugees abroad to be able to vote," Andriy Yermak told Corriere della Sera. "But for now, resources must go to the war."
President Volodymyr Zelensky formally signed a bill on Oct. 25 allowing foreign volunteers fighting in Ukraine's International Legion to serve as officers.
During his evening address on Oct. 26, President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that North Korean troops may appear fighting alongside Russian forces on the front line in the coming days.
The desire to receive an official invitation to NATO tops President Volodymyr Zelensky's victory plan. While acknowledging that membership itself is a matter for after the war, Zelensky urged allies to send an invitation before U.S. President Joe Biden leaves office in January. The president also said that Ukraine
"After Kazan, (Guterres) wanted to come to Ukraine, but the president did not confirm his visit. So Guterres won't be here, specifically because of the humiliation of sanity and international law in Kazan," AFP reported, citing an unnamed high-ranking Ukrainian presidential source.
Russia is planning to send first North Korean soldiers to combat zones on Oct. 27-28, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Oct. 25, citing intelligence reports.
Ukraine's economy, countering Russian disinformation, social protection, and "the issue of justice" need to be strengthened, President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
The formal reason for Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin's resignation on Oct. 22 was the ongoing major corruption scandal involving hundreds of prosecutors who obtained disability benefits, including financial support, the ability to evade the military draft and leave the country at will. A crucial question is whether Kostin's resignation will
Parliament passed the bill on July 16, which aimed to cancel daylight saving time in Ukraine. This means that Ukrainians would set their clocks back one hour for the last time on Oct. 27, 2024, and will not revert back to summer time next spring.
The document will address Ukraine's military, political, economic, and other areas, including certain decisions regarding law enforcement, a source close to the Presidential Office told the Kyiv Independent.
Two North Korean brigades of up to 6,000 personnel each are currently undergoing training in Russia, Zelensky said in his evening address, citing military intelligence reports. "We expect a firm, concrete response from the world."
Key developments on Oct. 22: * US to provide Ukraine with another $800 million to boost domestic long-range capabilities, Zelensky says * Ukrainian drones target Russian alcohol plants overnight, local authorities claim * North Korea has sent pilots to Russia to join its war in Ukraine, Newsweek reports * South Korea considering sending military
"I wasn't going to do that. I was not going to replace Budanov. This information was circulating, yes. There was no such question about Umerov either," Zelensky said during a meeting with journalists.
According to the decree, working groups will be set up to verify certificates of disability issued by medical examination commissions within three months. If any violations are found, the certificates must be annulled.
"I am grateful to the president of Ukraine and Ukraine's Verkhovna Rada for their trust. But in this situation, I believe it is right for me to resign from the post of prosecutor general," he said.
Washington is also planning to provide $800 million as the first tranche for the production of Ukrainian drones, President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
Warsaw is seeking to review the classified additions to Ukraine's victory plan recently presented by President Volodymyr Zelensky, Polish Deputy Foreign Minister Wladyslaw Teofil Bartoszewsk said in an interview on Oct. 21.
The Kyiv Independent’s Anna Belokur explains the top stories of the week, from the North Korean soldiers fighting for Russia to update on Volodymyr Zelensky’s Victory Plan.
Russia has launched a total of 6,130 Shahed-type drones since the start of 2024, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in his evening address on Oct. 20.
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.
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.
