Ukraine remains the most mined country in the world. Nearly one-third of Ukraine's territory, approximately 174,000 square kilometers, had been mined since Russia began its full-scale invasion of the country in February 2022.
The phone call comes as Moscow once again rejected a 30-day ceasefire, with Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova claiming that a ceasefire would give "Kyiv a break to restore its military potential and continue its confrontation with Russia."
Flight MH17 departed from Amsterdam Schiphol Airport en-route to Kuala Lumpur International Airport on July 17, 2014. Three hours into the flight, the Boeing-777 was shot down by Russian proxy forces using a Buk surface-to-air missile above Ukraine’s Donetsk Oblast.
"I am grateful for the support and the readiness at the highest level to promote diplomacy," President Volodymyr Zelensky said of the phone conservation with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. "We share the same view on the need for a ceasefire."
The convictions mark a significant development in Britain's efforts to counter Russian intelligence operations amid heightened tensions stemming from Moscow's war against Ukraine and repeated Kremlin threats toward Kyiv's allies.
According to the Verkhovna Rada's website, Ukraine completed the ratification of the U.S.-Ukraine minerals agreement on May 12. President Volodymyr Zelensky signed the deal.
"I myself have heard relatives talking: our village is being attacked, let's roll the car out of the garage, maybe they will shell it — at least we will get money. The car is old, we can't sell it," Belgorod Oblast Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said.
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.
President Volodymyr Zelensky shakes hands with U.S. Special Representative for Economic Recovery in Ukraine Penny Pritzker during her visit to Kyiv, Ukraine, on Oct. 16, 2023. (Presidential Office)
President Volodymyr Zelensky met U.S. Special Representative for Economic Recovery in Ukraine Penny Pritzker during her Oct. 16 visit to Kyiv, Zelensky's office reported.
"Your visit is a signal of strong support. It is important for us to see that the United States is ready to help Ukraine get through the winter period and protect critical infrastructure facilities," Zelensky told Pritzker at the meeting.
The president thanked his U.S. counterpart, the U.S. government, and the American people for providing Ukraine with defense, financial, and humanitarian assistance to resist Russia's full-scale invasion.
Zelensky and Pritzker discussed how to ensure Ukraine's macro-financial stability in 2024, attract private investment for reconstruction projects, and use frozen Russian assets as a significant source of funds for the country's recovery.
"Despite the ongoing Russian aggression, the recovery of Ukraine is a priority as it allows us to provide the necessary conditions for the fight and victory of our state," the Ukrainian president said.
"The participation of American companies in the reconstruction of the Ukrainian energy system is of particular interest," he added as Kyiv prepares for a possible Russian campaign of mass strikes against the country's energy system.
Moscow attempted such a strategy during the fall and winter of 2022-2023, which led to frequent blackouts and a lack of heating across the country.
Pritzker arrived in Kyiv earlier the same day for her first visit to Ukraine since the appointment in September.
Previously, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal held a video call with Pritzker, and Zelensky met her in person in New York, discussing priority areas in Ukraine's reconstruction.
Elsa Court
