The disclosure follows a warning from Digital Affairs Minister Krzysztof Gawkowski, who on May 6 said Moscow was carrying out an "unprecedented" interference campaign.
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.
Earlier reporting from the Washington Post cited a former Russian official who claimed Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Putin’s foreign policy aide, Yuri Ushakov, would represent Moscow in the talks.
The Council of Europe on May 14 approved the creation of a special tribunal to prosecute Russia's top leadership for the crime of aggression against Ukraine, Ukrainian lawmaker Maria Mezentseva reported.
Viktoria Roshchyna, 27, disappeared in August 2023 while reporting from Ukraine's Russian-occupied territories. Moscow admitted she was in Russian detention the following year.
Dutch Justice Minister David van Weel speaks about the future of the EU-led special tribunal for the crime of aggression against Ukraine and its role in bringing Russia to justice.
Turkish officials told Bloomberg that while they don't expect Trump to visit Istanbul, they are not ruling it out, and preparations for any scenario are underway.
Melkonyants was arrested in August 2023 in connection with the activities of the European Network of Election Monitoring Organizations (ENEMO), which was co-founded by Golos's legal predecessor, the Golos association.
Ukraine's underground storage facilities are currently using 19.4% of their capacity. Almost 32%, or 2.79 bcm, less gas is available in the storages than in the previous year, according to the estimates.
The majority of Ukrainians, 71%, do not support holding elections before a full peace deal, even in the case of a ceasefire and security guarantees, according to a poll published by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) on May 14.
"He'd like me to be there, and that's a possibility. ... I don't know that he would be there if I'm not there. We're going to find out," U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One while traveling to Qatar, Reuters reported.
Trump has long demanded that NATO allies increase their military spending, previously calling for the alliance to raise its benchmark from 2% to 5% of GDP.
Head of the Presidential Office Andriy Yermak takes part in a Forum with the participation of heads of state institutions on August 27, 2024 in Kyiv, Ukraine. (Viktor Kovalchuk/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images)
Ukraine is not prepared to enter negotiations with Russia as it lacks sufficient Western support to engage from a position of strength, Andriy Yermak, head of the Presidential Office, said in an interview with Suspilne on Dec. 12.
The comments come amid growing expectations of possible ceasefire talks in Ukraine as U.S. President-elect Donald Trump said he aims to push Kyiv and Moscow to the negotiating table.
Yermak emphasized that Ukraine must approach any potential talks "on equal footing" and dismissed ultimatums from the Kremlin as unacceptable.
"There will be no new Minsk or Normandy formats under President (Volodymyr) Zelensky's leadership," he said.
When asked if Ukraine is currently strong enough to negotiate, Yermak responded, "Not today." He highlighted the need for more weapons, a clear invitation to NATO, and security guarantees to prevent future Russian aggression.
"Strengthening Ukraine is essential to ensure this will never happen again," he said, referencing ongoing discussions with Western partners.
Regarding Trump’s repeated promises to quickly end the war, Yermak said, "There is no plan yet, and we have not seen it for sure. We know that several opinions and positions are being discussed."
The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump wants to see European troops involved in monitoring a potential ceasefire and may seek to delay Ukraine's NATO membership by 20 years in exchange for continued arms supplies.
Trump has hinted at reducing U.S. aid while pushing for negotiations, using American support as leverage to pressure Moscow. Speaking to Time magazine, Trump criticized the Biden administration for enabling long-range strikes inside Russia but said he would not "abandon" Ukraine.
Taking office on Jan. 20, 2025, Trump's presidency leaves the U.S. future support for Ukraine uncertain.
Tim Zadorozhnyy is a news editor at The Kyiv Independent. Based in Warsaw, he is pursuing studies in International Relations, focusing on European Studies. Tim began his career at a local television channel in Odesa. After moving to Warsaw, he joined the Belarusian opposition media outlet NEXTA, starting as a news anchor and later advancing to the position of managing editor.
Tim Zadorozhnyy
