According to the Verkhovna Rada's website, Ukraine completed the ratification of the U.S.-Ukraine minerals agreement on May 12. President Volodymyr Zelensky signed the deal.
"I believe both leaders are going to be there," U.S. President Donald Trump said.
"I myself have heard relatives talking: our village is being attacked, let's roll the car out of the garage, maybe they will shell it — at least we will get money. The car is old, we can't sell it," Belgorod Oblast Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said.
The new tranche brings total recent EU defense support for Ukraine to 3.3 billion euros ($3.6 billion), marking a significant expansion of European efforts to boost Kyiv's defense industry.
"The clock is ticking — we still have twelve hours until the end of this day," German government spokesperson Stefan Kornelius reportedly said.
"There is no point in prolonging the killings. And I will wait for Putin on Thursday in Turkey," President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
"Russia is ready for negotiations without any preconditions," Putin claimed in an address marking the end of the three-day Victory Day ceasefire. He invited Ukraine to begin talks in Istanbul on May 15.
Both men face charges related to terrorism and espionage. Daniil B. was detained in Lithuania, where he is in temporary custody, while Oleksandr V. remains at large in Russia.
Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Ukraine and its allies discussed tougher sanctions against Russia's banking sector, central bank, and energy industry.
"We are ready for all options. But of course, we are separately waiting for a response on the ceasefire," a source close to President Volodymyr Zelensky told the Kyiv Independent.
The EU plans to unveil on May 14 its next package of sanctions imposed against Russia over its aggression against Ukraine, an EU official told the Kyiv Independent on condition of anonymity.
Polish truckers plan to restrict freight traffic at the Yahodyn-Dorohusk checkpoint on the Ukrainian border, Ukraine's State Border Guard said on May 12.
"If the Russians are using this level of specialists in urban combat, they are probably facing some difficulties," Ivan Petrychak, spokesperson for the 24th Separate Mechanized Brigade, said.
Previously, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk accused the Russian intelligence services of orchestrating a May 2024 arson attack on the Marywilska shopping centre in Warsaw.
Trump eyeing Russian minerals after war ends, US official says
The U.S. is open to a minerals deal with Russia, Steve Witkoff, U.S. President Donald Trump's envoy to the Middle East, said in an interview with Fox News on Feb. 27.
Witkoff's remarks come as President Volodymyr Zelensky prepares to sign a critical minerals agreement between Ukraine and the U.S. on Feb. 28.
In addition to Ukraine's mineral resources, the U.S. is interested in exploring Russia's significant mineral deposits once a peace agreement is reached, Witkoff said.
"I think there will be plenty of opportunities for the United States with Russia when this peace deal gets finished," Witkoff said.
Witkoff said he believed there would be "be plenty of economic cooperation opportunities" between the U.S. and Russia once the war ends.
Earlier this week, Trump said he was open to striking a deal on critical minerals with Russia, though he denied having spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin about accessing minerals in Russian-occupied Ukrainian lands.
"I'd like to buy minerals on Russian land too if we can," Trump said. "The rare earth, they have very good rare earth ... It's great for Russia too, because we could do deals there."
Putin said on Feb. 24 that Moscow was open to working with foreign partners on developing rare earth metal deposits, including in occupied regions of Ukraine.
In a significant foreign policy shift for the U.S., the Trump administration has been looking to increase cooperation with Russia despite the deterioration of relations between the two countries in recent years.
While he is officially Trump's Middle East envoy, Witkoff has emerged as a key figure in the evolving negotiations between the U.S. and Russia. Witkoff traveled to Moscow earlier in February for the release of imprisoned U.S. teacher Marc Fogel, meeting personally with Putin during his visit.
Witkoff also participated in the U.S.-Russia talks in Saudia Arabia on Feb. 18. No Ukrainian officials were present at the Riyadh negotiations.
Some experts have suggested that Witkoff's increased role reflects Russia's belief that Keith Kellogg, Trump's special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, holds stronger pro-Ukrainian views.
Dominic Culverwell
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