More than 1,000 Russian government entities and 1,200 private companies are involved in the economy of occupied Mariupol, a major southeastern city occupied by Russia after it invaded Ukraine in 2022, according to a research paper published on May 14.
The measures target almost 200 ships of Russia's "shadow fleet," 30 companies involved in sanctions evasion, 75 sanctions on entities and individuals linked to the Russian military-industrial complex, and more.
The government has approved "reform roadmaps in the rule of law, public administration, and democratic institutions, as well as Ukraine’s negotiation position," Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said.
The statement did not name the ex-official by name, but details of the case indicate it relates to Oleh Hladkovsky, a former deputy secretary of Ukraine's top security body who has been wanted since mid-April.
Brazilian President Lula da Silva claimed that Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha had appealed to his Brazilian counterpart, Mauro Vieira, to ask Putin if he was willing to conclude a peace agreement.
"Trump needs to believe that Putin actually lies," Zelensky told journalists in Kyiv. "And we should do our part. Sensibly approach this issue, to show that it’s not us that is slowing down the process."
The EU plans to significantly increase tariffs on Ukrainian goods after the current duty-free deal lapses on June 6, the Financial Times reported on May 14, citing undisclosed diplomatic sources.
The blockade ended at 10:30 p.m. local time. Truck traffic in both directions is now moving as usual, according to Ukraine's State Border Guard's statement.
Russia seems to be preparing a significant offensive in Ukraine as it is moving troops toward key positions on the front, the Financial Times reported on May 13, citing undisclosed Ukrainian intelligence officials.
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.
Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves claps as she holds a video conference meeting with Ukraine's Finance Minister Sergii Marchenko, as British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky look on, on March 1, 2025 in London, England. (Toby Melville - WPA Pool/Getty Images)
The United Kingdom signed an agreement with Kyiv on March 1 to provide Ukraine with a loan worth 2.26 billion pounds ($2.84 billion) backed by frozen Russian assets.
The loan, which is part of the Group of Seven's (G7) Extraordinary Revenue Acceleration (ERA) credit initiative, was signed amid President Volodymyr Zelensky's visit to London to meet with U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
"The United Kingdom continues to stand in defense of Ukraine. Today's agreement, which contributes to strengthening Ukraine's defense capabilities, confirms this," Ukraine's Finance Minister Serhii Marchenko said in a statement.
The loan will go towards "purchasing defense equipment according to Ukraine's needs," the Finance Ministry said.
In October 2024, G7 countries came to an agreement that pledged to provide Ukraine with almost $50 billion loan.
The United States will contribute the bulk of the loan with $20 billion in assistance. The U.S. is closely followed by European Union countries, including France, Germany, and Italy, with a combined $19.4 billion. The remaining approximately $10 billion will be divvied up with Canada providing $3.7 billion, Japan providing $3.07 billion, and the U.K. providing $2.8 billion in loan funding.
Under the G7 ERA initiative, Ukraine had previously received $1 billion from the U.S. and $3.1 billion from the EU.
While Western countries have frozen $300 billion in Russian assets, they can only access the annual income generated by these funds, approximately $3.2 billion. These profits will back the $50-billion loan to Kyiv, while the vast majority of the assets are frozen in European countries.
In January, Zelensky and Starmer signed a 100-year partnership agreement during their meeting in Kyiv on Jan. 16. The wide-ranging deal encompasses cooperation in military, energy, scientific, cultural, economic, and other sectors.
The loan's announcement and Zelensky's visit to London comes amid the fallout of a heated exchange in the White House on Feb. 28 between Zelensky and U.S. President Donald Trump.
Earlier in the day, Starmer, in line with European allies, reaffirmed his country's support for Ukraine and Zelensky.
"We stand with Ukraine for as long as it may take," Starmer told reporters at a press briefing alongside Zelensky, adding that Ukraine has "full backing across the United Kingdom."
Dmytro Basmat is a senior news editor for The Kyiv Independent. He previously worked in Canadian politics as a communications lead and spokesperson for a national political party, and as a communications assistant for a Canadian Member of Parliament. Basmat has a Master's degree in Political Management from Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada, and a Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Governance from Toronto Metropolitan University.
Dmytro Basmat
