The new tranche brings total recent EU defense support for Ukraine to 3.3 billion euros ($3.6 billion), marking a significant expansion of European efforts to boost Kyiv's defense industry.
"Russia is ready for negotiations without any preconditions," Putin claimed in an address marking the end of the three-day Victory Day ceasefire. He invited Ukraine to begin talks in Istanbul on May 15.
Both men face charges related to terrorism and espionage. Daniil B. was detained in Lithuania, where he is in temporary custody, while Oleksandr V. remains at large in Russia.
Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Ukraine and its allies discussed tougher sanctions against Russia's banking sector, central bank, and energy industry.
"We are ready for all options. But of course, we are separately waiting for a response on the ceasefire," a source close to President Volodymyr Zelensky told the Kyiv Independent.
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.
People walk past posters announcing the upcoming European elections at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, on Jan. 17, 2024. (Frederick Florin/AFP via Getty Images)
Russia plans to use "information operations" in a bid to turn public opinion against Ukraine in the lead-up to key elections across Europe in 2024, said Jamie Rubin, the special envoy and coordinator for the U.S. State Department's Global Engagement Center (GEC), in comments to reporters on Jan. 18.
Russia's use of disinformation to further its own goals and weaken its perceived adversaries has been widely documented. Russian disinformation operations have been implicated in several key elections around the world, including the 2016 U.S. presidential election and the Brexit vote in the U.K. in the same year.
There have been concerns that such efforts will be repeated in 2024 as dozens of countries are set to hold elections.
Rubin did not specify which countries he was particularly concerned about, but said that the primary targets would likely be in Europe.
Elections in Austria, the U.K., and the European Parliament are scheduled to take place in 2024. A parliamentary election will also occur in Georgia, which analysts have described as a "pivotal" opportunity for the country to make a "choice between East and West."
"Russia is hoping that the number of elections in Europe this year could change what has been a remarkable coalition and disciplined opposition to its war," said Rubin.
"We do believe that the Russians will conduct information operations throughout Europe to try to change opinion on Ukraine during this election season," he added.
In recent months, Russia has been accused of funding disinformation campaigns across Latin America and the Middle East in an effort to sow division and "undermine support for Ukraine."
Beyond seeking to influence public opinion, Russia has also wielded information operations for more specific purposes. The Finnish media outlet YLE reported in December 2023, citing leaked documents, that Russian intelligence services planned a series of disruptive activities to prevent, or at least hinder, Sweden and Finland's accession to NATO.
The planned activities, which YLE said did not appear to have actually taken place in Finland, sought to increase discord between Turkey and other NATO countries, especially Sweden, as the two Nordic countries began the process of joining the alliance.
Finland joined the alliance in April 2023, but Sweden's accession has been delayed, largely due to hesitation from Turkey.
David Kirichenko
