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.
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.
Britain’s Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer and Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky speak together during a bilateral meeting at 10 Downing Street on March 1, 2025 in London England. The Ukrainian President arrived in London today to meet with the British prime minister ahead of a summit of European leaders on Sunday. (Peter Nicholls - WPA Pool/Getty Images)
U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer reiterated his support for Ukraine during a meeting with President Volodymyr Zelensky on March 1.
Starmer's comments come one day after a heated exchange between Zelensky and U.S. President Donald Trump in the White House that further exposed rifts in relations between Europe and the United States.
Zelensky left Washington early without signing a mineral deal with the United States after Trump reportedly ordered his officials to tell the Ukrainian delegation to leave the White House, despite protest from the Ukrainians.
"We stand with Ukraine for as long as it may take," Starmer told reporters at a press briefing alongside Zelensky, adding that Ukraine has "full backing across the United Kingdom."
Starmer also emphasized the U.K.'s "unwavering determination" to achieve a just and lasting peace in Ukraine.
Zelensky thanked Starmer for his country's staunch support. "We are happy to have such partners and such friends," Zelensky said.
The meeting with Starmer comes one day ahead of a summit with European leaders hosted by U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer to discuss joint defense and security plans.
Following the exchange, a number of European leaders on Feb. 28 reaffirmed their support for Ukraine and Zelensky.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas emphasized the EU's commitment to stepping up assistance to Ukraine, enabling the country to continue resisting the aggressor.
"Today, it became clear that the free world needs a new leader. It's up to us, Europeans, to take this challenge," Kallas posted on X.
Zelensky arrived at 10 Downing Street earlier in the day to cheers from the crowd while exiting his motorcade. The president did not respond to shouted questions on Trump as he was greeted by Starmer.
Buckingham Palace confirmed that Zelensky is set to meet King Charles on March 2. The meeting comes days after King Charles invited Trump for a second state visit to Buckingham Palace. Trump previously visit Queen Elizabeth II in 2019 during his first term in office.
Dmytro Basmat is a senior news editor for The Kyiv Independent. He previously worked in Canadian politics as a communications lead and spokesperson for a national political party, and as a communications assistant for a Canadian Member of Parliament. Basmat has a Master's degree in Political Management from Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada, and a Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Governance from Toronto Metropolitan University.
Chris York
