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.
European foreign ministers approved the creation of a special tribunal for the crime of aggression against Ukraine during a meeting in Lviv on May 9. The tribunal, which will operate under the auspices of the Council of Europe, aims to prosecute Russia's top political and military leadership, including President Vladimir Putin. Ukraine expects the tribunal to start work in 2026. The Kyiv Independent’s Kateryna Hodunova spoke with Dutch Justice Minister David van Weel about the future tribunal and its role in bringing justice for Ukraine.
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.
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.
Supporters of Ukraine celebrate after House of Representatives passed bills, including aid to Ukraine and Israel, on Capitol Hill in Washington DC, United States on April 20, 2024. (Photo by Celal Gunes/Anadolu via Getty Images)
The United States announced a new military package on May 24 worth $275 million, the U.S. Defense Department reported.
This is the fourth installment of military aid since the U.S. passed the long-awaited $61 billion foreign defense bill last month.
The new package includes HIMARS (High Mobility Artillery Rocket System) ammunition, 155 mm and 105 mm high-demand artillery rounds, 60mm mortar rounds, and tube-launched, optically-tracked, wire-guided (TOW) missiles.
Additional items include Javelin and AT-4 anti-tank systems, precision aerial munitions, small arms and ammunition for those weapons, demolition munitions, anti-armor mines, and tactical vehicles to recover equipment.
The list also includes helmets, body armor, chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear protective equipment, spare parts, maintenance, and other ancillary equipment.
"The United States will continue to work together with some 50 Allies and partners to ensure Ukraine's brave defenders receive the critical capabilities needed to fight Russian aggression," the statement read.
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Ukraine Weekly By Olga Rudenko
News of further U.S. military aid comes a few days after U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin met with defense officials from more than 50 countries at the 22nd Ramstein-format summit of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group (UDCG).
Russia launched a new offensive with 30,000 troops on May 10, targeting Kharkiv Oblast, which is situated at the border with Russia in northeastern Ukraine.
Moscow's forces had managed to advance as far as 10 kilometers (6 miles) in the region but had been halted by the first line of defense, President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
Over the winter months, Ukraine suffered a critical shortage of artillery shells, in large part due to delays in U.S. military aid. Russia has taken advantage of this, taking the city of Avdiivka in February.
Ian Bremmer
