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."
President Volodymyr Zelensky speaks during a meeting on Nov. 4, 2023, in Kyiv, Ukraine. (Viktor Kovalchuk/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images)
President Volodymyr Zelensky approved on Nov. 7 a plan by the National Security and Defense Council proposed the same day for stabilizing Ukraine's energy sector in preparation for the coming winter months.
Short-term measures proposed by the Council, which the government should carry out within a month, include repaying debts on the electricity and gas markets, providing support for state-owned enterprises, and increasing the throughput capacity of the gas transportation system, among others.
Within a two-month period, the government is expected to strengthen alternative energy production and introduce criminal liability for unauthorized gas withdrawal by operators or industrial consumers.
Long-term tasks, to be completed within half a year, focus on the modernization of the country's energy infrastructure, taking into account its efficiency and sustainability.
Another step included in the decree is the extension of the Ukrainian gas export ban until 2024.
Concrete assignments were also given by the Council to the Energy Ministry, the Reconstruction Ministry, the state energy regulator, and local authorities.
As Ukraine braces for an uptick in Russian strikes against the energy grid in winter, preparations are being made to mitigate the damage and defend critical infrastructure.
Russia has repeatedly attacked critical infrastructure across Ukraine since early October 2022, killing dozens of people and causing mass power outages across the country.
Moscow has admitted that Ukraine's energy system is one of its primary targets. According to the Geneva Convention, attacking vital public infrastructure constitutes a war crime.
Dominic Culverwell
