Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Ukraine and its allies discussed tougher sanctions against Russia's banking sector, central bank, and energy industry.
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.
"Perhaps in some areas, the intensity decreased slightly to create an image of compliance with their own announcement. But in reality, (Russia) continued attacks every day, using all available weapons — including aircraft to drop guided bombs on Ukraine," Andrii Demchenko, spokesperson for Ukraine’s State Border Guard Service, said.
Beijing supports all efforts toward achieving peace in Ukraine, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on May 12 when asked about Kyiv and Europe's proposal for a 30-day truce.
"I invited His Holiness to make an apostolic visit to Ukraine. Such a visit would bring real hope to all believers and to all our people," Zelensky said.
Presidential Office chief Andriy Yermak voiced doubt about leading negotiations with anyone from Russia except President Vladimir Putin, implying only the Russian leader can make real decisions.
This includes at least seven people injured in drone attacks overnight on May 12, a date from which Kyiv and its allies put forward a demand for a 30-day unconditional truce, a step that Moscow continues to reject.
"When European unity becomes inconvenient, disinformation goes so far as to make a simple tissue look like drugs," the Elysee Palace reacted to a fake story pushed by Russia.
The comments came after Trump urged Ukraine to agree to direct negotiations with Russia, which has invited Kyiv to peace talks in Istanbul on May 15, without first agreeing to halt military operations.
An employee handles 155 mm caliber shells after the manufacturing process at the Scranton Army Ammunition Plant (SCAAP) in Scranton, Pennsylvania, U.S. on April 16, 2024. (Charly Truballeau/AFP/Getty Images)
Ukraine has received more than one-third of the 500,000 155 mm shells expected to be delivered under the Czech initiative by the end of 2024, Ukraine's Ambassador to Czechia Vasyl Zvarych said in an interview with CTK news agency published on Oct. 3.
Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky told the Kyiv Independent in July that the initiative had secured funds for 500,000 rounds and hopes to finance 300,000 more by the end of 2024. Eighteen countries have pledged support to the initial initiative, with 15 having fulfilled their promises and provided the funds, according to the minister.
Zvarych said that Ukraine is currently negotiating with the Czech Defense Ministry to expand the initiative. He also claimed that he had no information about supposed problems with the ammunition recently reported by the German newspaper Handelsblatt.
Handelsblatt reported in late September that some of the artillery shells received through the Czech initiative malfunctioned. A small portion of the received shells exploded prematurely during combat, leading to injuries and damage to artillery systems, undisclosed Ukrainian officials told the media outlet.
The ambassador suggested that Handelsblatt's publication was an attempt to "discredit" the initiative, which "has room for development." Zvarych also expressed hope that the supply will continue in 2025.
"It is effective and helps our soldiers on the battlefield," he added.
The ambassador hoped the initiative would become "a tool for investing in Ukraine's domestic ammunition production."
"Ukraine has increased its (production) capacity, but we need some financial resources to develop it more and be able to produce smaller caliber ammunition," Zvarych said.
Czechia unveiled its initiative to purchase artillery shells for Ukraine jointly with partners earlier this year amid shell shortages caused mainly by delays in U.S. assistance.
Prague is also preparing to launch a new initiative to purchase artillery ammunition for Ukraine in 2025, Czech Defense Minister Jana Cernochova said in an interview with the Denik N newspaper on July 24.
Kateryna Hodunova is a News Editor at the Kyiv Independent. She previously worked as a sports journalist in several Ukrainian outlets and was the deputy chief editor at Suspilne Sport. Kateryna covered the 2022 Olympics in Beijing and was included in the Special Mentions list at the AIPS Sport Media Awards. She holds a bachelor's degree in political journalism from Taras Shevchenko University and a master's degree in political science from the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy.
Francis Farrell
