Russia attacked Ukraine with drones and guided bombs during the night, targeting multiple regions after the May 12 deadline for an unconditional ceasefire expired.
"Only member states can take out loans within the 150 billion euros instrument, but they can use these funds for joint procurement with Ukraine," EU Defense Commissioner Andrius Kubilius said.
"We agreed to pursue ambitious measures to reduce Russia's ability to wage war by limiting Kremlin revenues, disrupting the shadow fleet, tightening the Oil Price Cap, and reducing our remaining imports of Russian energy."
Zelensky on May 12 removed Lieutenant General Ivan Havryliuk from the Headquarters of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, the top command and control body for all branches of Ukraine's defense apparatus.
Ukraine remains the most mined country in the world. Nearly one-third of Ukraine's territory, approximately 174,000 square kilometers, had been mined since Russia began its full-scale invasion of the country in February 2022.
The phone call comes as Moscow once again rejected a 30-day ceasefire, with Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova claiming that a ceasefire would give "Kyiv a break to restore its military potential and continue its confrontation with Russia."
Flight MH17 departed from Amsterdam Schiphol Airport en-route to Kuala Lumpur International Airport on July 17, 2014. Three hours into the flight, the Boeing-777 was shot down by Russian proxy forces using a Buk surface-to-air missile above Ukraine’s Donetsk Oblast.
"I am grateful for the support and the readiness at the highest level to promote diplomacy," President Volodymyr Zelensky said of the phone conservation with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. "We share the same view on the need for a ceasefire."
The convictions mark a significant development in Britain's efforts to counter Russian intelligence operations amid heightened tensions stemming from Moscow's war against Ukraine and repeated Kremlin threats toward Kyiv's allies.
Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko meets with the media at his residence in Minsk on Feb. 16, 2023. (Photo by NATALIA KOLESNIKOVA/AFP via Getty Images)
Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko arrived in Tehran, Iran, on March 12 to meet with Iranian leaders, according to Lukashenko’s official press service.
After having landed at Mehrabad International Airport, Lukashenko and Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi will reportedly discuss the countries’ bilateral relations, with an “emphasis on trade and economic cooperation,” including industry, agriculture, transport, and logistics.
“Special attention will be paid to the situation in the region and the world in general,” the press release said, adding that several agreements on “areas of mutual interest” will be signed.
No further information was provided regarding the nature of their discussions.
Lukashenko will also meet with Iran’s First Vice-President Mohammad Mokhber, parliament speaker Mohammad-Baqer Qalibaf, and Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader.
The governments of both Belarus and Iran have provided assistance to Russia amid its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Belarus is a co-belligerent in Russia’s war, having served as a launching pad for Russian attacks on Ukraine. It has also provided training, medical assistance, and intelligence support to Russian forces.
While Belarus’ army is not directly involved in Russia’s full-scale invasion, the countries’ militaries have held joint drills, and Lukashenko has emphasized his support for Moscow on numerous occasions.
Lukashenko has repeatedly claimed that he does not intend to send Belarusian troops to Ukraine. However, he said on Feb. 16 that he would do so if “at least one (Ukrainian) soldier sets foot in Belarus,” a statement that some experts suggest may be an attempt at predicating further involvement by Minsk in Russia’s war through false flag operations.
In late February, Lukashenko’s state visit to Beijing came amid concerns over China’s potential provision of lethal aid to Russia.
Meanwhile, Iran has been subject to international sanctions for its production and provision of drones to Russia. Russia has been using Iranian-made kamikaze drones to attack Ukraine since September, launching attacks against civilians and destroying energy facilities across the country.
Teah Pelechaty is the opinion editor at the Kyiv Independent. She is also a co-editor of Belarus Weekly, the Kyiv Independent's weekly update on current affairs in Belarus. She received a master’s degree in Global Affairs with a specialization in Global Security and Digital Governance at the University of Toronto and Sciences Po. She was previously a junior policy analyst in national security at the Government of Canada and a research associate with the European Values Center for Security Policy and the Atlantic Council.
