"I am waiting to see who will come from Russia, and then I will decide which steps Ukraine should take. So far, the signals from them in the media are unconvincing," President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
The air raid was announced at around 2:30 p.m. local time, while the explosion sounded around 2:50 p.m. The number of victims killed rose to three, Sumy Oblast Governor Oleh Hryhorov reported at 8:42 p.m.
If confirmed, the decision would mark the first time since Russia's full-scale invasion that President Volodymyr Zelensky is absent, either physically or virtually, from a NATO summit.
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.
The seal of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is seen outside of a headquarters building in Washington, D.C., on April 7, 2021. Photo for illustrative purposes. (Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images)
Ukraine has received the latest installment of the International Monetary Fund's (IMF) budget support amounting to $400 million, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said on March 31.
The funds represent the latest tranche of the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) program, which will provide Kyiv with $15.6 billion in budget support over four years. With the additional $400 million in funding, the program has now distributed $10.1 billion in financing to Ukraine.
The IMF's executive board approved the $400 million tranche on March 29 after completing its seventh review of the EFF agreement.
"We are grateful to the Fund... for its assistance and close cooperation in supporting the Ukrainian economy during the war," Shmyhal said on X.
"Russia's war in Ukraine continues to take a devastating social and economic toll on Ukraine," IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said in a press statement.
"(Ukraine's) economy has remained resilient, but the recent growth slowdown is expected to persist in 2025 due to headwinds from energy needs and a tight labor market. Contingency planning is key to enable appropriate policy action should risks materialize," the statement reads.
Commenting on Ukraine's monetary policy, the managing director urged Ukraine's National Bank to "stand ready for further action" should inflation expectations deteriorate.
The central bank raised the key policy rate from 14.5% to 15.5% per annum in its most recent change to interest rates. In 2024, inflation in Ukraine exceeded expectations, accelerating to 12%.
Funds from the EFF are intended to help stabilize Ukraine, support the country's postwar recovery, and promote economic growth as Kyiv moves forward on its path to EU membership.
External financing is critical for Ukraine as it faces mounting economic pressure from Russia's full-scale invasion. Kyiv received $42.5 billion in foreign aid last year, and the Finance Ministry has said that the amount needs to increase by at least $12 billion for 2025.
Oleg Sukhov
