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.
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.
A screenshot from the video announcing Ukraine's new Palianytsia missile-drone on Aug. 25. (United 24/X)
Ukraine has released the first images of its new Palianytsia missile-drone, designed to strike Russian military airfields and "destroy the enemy's offensive potential."
The first successful use of the new weapon was confirmed by President Volodymyr Zelensky during his Independence Day speech on Aug. 24, and a new video posted on his social media on Aug. 25 has provided further details of the project.
The video begins by highlighting that Russia has launched "43,000 types of various missiles and glide bombs at Ukraine" during the full-scale war, from airfields located deep within Russian territory.
"One of the most effective ways to counter this is to strike at the carriers of these weapons – Russian aircraft at military airfields," it adds.
In the two and a half years of full-scale war, Russia has launched about 10,000 missiles of various types and more than 33,000 glide bombs at Ukraine. Stopping attacks on our cities can be achieved by targeting the carriers of this weaponry—Russian aircraft stationer at military… pic.twitter.com/mzisamRWd8
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) August 25, 2024
Ukraine has been prohibited from using Western-supplied weapons to attack targets this far inside Russia, forcing Ukraine to produce its own versions.
"And here are the first results – introducing Palianytsia, a Ukrainian long-range rocket drone," the video says.
The name of the new weapon is hugely symbolic – as well as referring to a type of traditional Ukrainian bread, the word "palianytsia" is famoulsy difficult for Russians to pronounce correctly. There's been at least one report of it being used by Ukrainians to identify a Russian agent.
The video says that "almost everything about (the Palianytsia) is classified," but does reveal some new information.
A screenshot from the video announcing Ukraine's new Palianytsia missile-drone on Aug. 25 (United 24/X)
"Two dozen Russian military airfields are within its strike range," it says, adding: "The entire development was completed in an incredibly short period – in just a year-and-a-half."
It also reveals the weapon is powered by a turbojet engine and is launched from a ground platform, rather than fighter jets. It also claims the cost of the weapon is significantly less than its counterparts.
"The motivation is significant – the sooner Palianytsia is ready, the more lives it can protect, and the less suffering the civilian population will endure," the video ends with.
Chris York is news operations editor at the Kyiv Independent. Before joining the team, he was head of news at the Kyiv Post. Previously, back in Britain, he spent nearly a decade working for HuffPost UK. He holds an MA in Conflict, Development, and Security from the University of Leeds.
Chris York
