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.
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."
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin (L) welcomes President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky (R) during an honor cordon at the Pentagon on September 21, 2023 in Arlington, Virginia. (Photo credit: Alex Wong/Getty Images)
President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived at the Pentagon for talks with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, the New York Times reported on Sept. 21.
The Department of Defense's headquarters is only one of the stops in Zelensky's visit to Washington as he hopes to ensure further U.S. support for Ukraine's struggle against Russian aggression.
The media reported that the Biden administration plans to present a new military aid package for Ukraine worth $325 million during Zelensky's visit, including cluster munitions, anti-tank and anti-air rockets, and more.
Zelensky and Austin will not hold a press conference following their meeting, the New York Times said.
The president is further scheduled to meet his U.S. counterpart Joe Biden at the White House.
Earlier on Sept. 21, Zelensky met senior leaders of Congress, including Speaker of the House of Representatives Kevin McCarthy and leaders of the two major U.S. political parties.
According to Zelensky's press service, Ukraine's head of state thanked American lawmakers for their continued support.
"Together, we have made significant progress in defending democracy, freedom, and dignity - the values on which both our countries are based," the president reportedly said.
"The suffering of the Ukrainian people from Russian war crimes is enormous, but more than half of the occupied Ukrainian territories have been liberated from Russian invaders, and we clearly see that complete victory is getting closer."
Zelensky briefed U.S. lawmakers on the situation on Ukraine's battlefields and discussed priority defense needs, namely air defenses for the upcoming winter.
The president's visit to the U.S. capital comes just as the Biden administration is trying to secure Congress' approval on an additional $24 billion in funding for Ukraine.
Some U.S. lawmakers, namely from the Republican Party, grow increasingly critical of the level of support that Washington provides to Ukraine.
Zelensky has previously visited the U.S. in December 2022, meeting Biden and addressing Congress members.
Martin Fornusek is a news editor at the Kyiv Independent. He has previously worked as a news content editor at the media company Newsmatics and is a contributor to Euromaidan Press. He was also volunteering as an editor and translator at the Czech-language version of Ukraïner. Martin studied at Masaryk University in Brno, Czechia, holding a bachelor's degree in security studies and history and a master's degree in conflict and democracy studies.
Martin Fornusek
