Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker Mark Rutte makes pledge after Donald Trump blames Volodymyr Zelenskyy for starting war; three hurt in ‘massive’ Russian drone attack declares ‘unwavering’ support for KyivMark Rutte makes pledge after Donald Trump blames Volodymyr Zelenskyy for starting war; three hurt in ‘massive’ Russian drone attack Nato secretary general Mark Rutte has visited the southern Ukrainian city of Odesa with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and declared “unwavering” support for Ukraine in the aftermath of a Russian attack on the northern city of Sumy that killed 35 people Rutte said the military alliance was still strongly behind Kyiv even as it also supported the ceasefire push by US president Donald Trump who has issued fresh criticism of Zelenskyy “Nato stands with Ukraine,” Rutte said at a press conference with Zelenskyy on Tuesday “You and I know that this has been true all along I also know that some have called Nato’s support into question in the last couple of months But let there be no doubt: our support is unwavering.” Rutte also said: “Russia is the aggressor There’s no doubt.” Zelenskyy said the main focus of the talks was strengthening Ukraine’s air defence “Absolutely everyone sees how urgent Ukraine’s need is for air defence systems and missiles for them,” he posted on X A “massive” Russian drone attack on Odesa overnight injured three people sparked fires and damaged homes and civilian infrastructure Ukrainian officials said early on Wednesday Mayor Hennadiy Trukhanov posted photos on Telegram depicting a residential building and other structures that had been nearly destroyed while others showed emergency workers sifting through rubble The full scale of the attack was not immediately clear There was no immediate comment from Russia Ukraine’s military said it had hit a base belonging to the Russian rocket brigade that conducted the Palm Sunday missile attack on Sumy The Ukrainian strike caused a “secondary detonation of ammunition” and the results “are being clarified” World leaders have condemned the Sumy attack and Zelenskyy called it an act of deliberate terror Ukraine moved on Tuesday to dismiss Sumy governor Volodymyr Artyukh after he made comments implying the Russian attack had targeted a military gathering Sweden said it had summoned the Russian ambassador to its foreign ministry to protest against Moscow’s attacks on Ukraine’s cities and civilian population “Russia’s responsibility to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure in accordance with international humanitarian law was emphasised to the Russian ambassador during his appearance,” the Swedish foreign ministry said on Tuesday A court in St Petersburg has jailed a woman for five years and two months for criticising the Russian army on social media allegedly after she was denounced by her neighbour was arrested in November 2023 over posts she made under a pseudonym on VKontakte Prosecutors accused her of giving information about how to avoid military mobilisation and of posting information critical of Moscow’s Ukraine offensive Aleksandrova pleaded not guilty at the trial with whom she was embroiled in a land dispute A Ukrainian drone strike on the Russian city of Kursk killed an elderly woman and wounded nine others on Tuesday Six of the injured were hospitalised for shrapnel wounds A Kyiv official alluded to the attack on social media but claimed a military target had been hit in the regional capital A Russian military court has sentenced five young people for up to 18 years in jail after finding them guilty of setting fire to railway infrastructure and a helicopter outside Moscow last year It cited state prosecutors as saying that the group – then aged 19 to 22 – had acted on the orders of people close to Ukraine’s GUR military intelligence agency GUR posted video at the time purporting to show the helicopter – which it said belonged to the Russian defence ministry – on fire but it did not claim responsibility for the attack MP Serhii Sobolev told the news outlet Suspilne The ratification vote is scheduled for May 8 Attacks against the border villages of Bilopillia and Vorozhba damaged civilian infrastructure and triggered emergency evacuations the regional military administration reported "I look forward to working with President Erdogan on getting the ridiculous war between Russia and Ukraine ended — now!" U.S Putin's Victory Day truce "doesn't sound like much if you know where we started from," Trump told reporters at the White House on May 5 Far-right Euroskeptic candidate George Simion head of the Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) Bucharest Mayor Nicusor Dan placed second with 20.99% of the vote and the candidate from the ruling coalition "It requires the continuation of contacts between Moscow and Washington which have been launched and are now ongoing," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said set to operate within the Council of Europe will focus on Russia's political and military leaders up to 20 Russian soldiers were killed and their equipment destroyed The move represents an apparent violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions passed in the wake of North Korea's intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) tests "We are ready to deepen our contribution to the training of the Ukrainian military," Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala said on May 5 Davis's arrival follows the resignation of Ambassador Bridget Brink by Volodymyr IvanyshynA residential building damaged by a Russian drone attack overnight on May 1 (Oleh Kiper/Telegram)Editor's note: This is a developing story and is being updated A Russian drone attack on Odesa overnight on May 1 killed two and injured five Russia regularly strikes Ukrainian cities with missile and drone attacks as it wages its war against Ukraine. At least three were killed and 70 injured in Russian attacks on April 30 "Two people died and five others were injured as a result of the strike. Medics are providing all necessary assistance to the victims," regional Governor Oleh Kiper reported Multi-story buildings, houses, and a school were among the sites damaged in the Russian attack on Odesa "The enemy attack damaged residential high-rise buildings adding that tents have been deployed on the ground to assist in recovery efforts which our rescuers are extinguishing," Kiper added On April 28, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a so-called "humanitarian" truce to take place beginning on May 8 in Russia's war against Ukraine to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe President Volodymyr Zelensky slammed Putin's proposal for a short-lived truce and pointed to Russia's strikes on civilian targets as proof that Russia does not want to end its war against Ukraine "We value human lives, not parades. That’s why we believe — and the world believes — that there is no reason to wait until May 8," Zelensky said The Kremlin has shown signs it is unwilling to move forward on a peace deal with Ukraine. Russian authorities have listed maximalist demands in ceasefire negotiations brokered by the U.S Ukraine has already agreed to a U.S.-proposed full 30-day ceasefire, saying on March 11 that Kyiv is ready if Russia also agrees to the terms Zelensky has repeatedly called for a 30-day ceasefire, saying on April 23, Ukraine insists on an "immediate, full, and unconditional ceasefire." Volodymyr Ivanyshyn is a news editor for The Kyiv Independent. He is pursuing an Honors Bachelor of Arts at the University of Toronto, majoring in political science with a minor in anthropology and human geography. Volodymyr holds a Certificate in Business Fundamentals from Rotman Commerce at the University of Toronto. He previously completed an internship with The Kyiv Independent. 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All rights reserved secretariat@globalinitiative.net Avenue de France 23 – Geneva, CH-1202 – Switzerland As Ukraine continues to resist Russia’s full-scale invasion the port city of Odesa presents a paradox: while under frequent aerial assault many aspects of life appear remarkably normal This report explores how organized crime has not only survived but thrived in one of the country’s most strategically significant cities and reopened ports have created an oasis for criminal economies guided by one rule: anyone can do business as long as they do not interfere with others This ‘free city’ model has allowed Odesa to emerge as a hub for scam call centres synthetic drug production and tax evasion surrounding lucrative grain exports The study delves into a troubling overlap between legitimate business and criminal enterprise the booming grain trade – critical for Ukraine’s economy – is plagued by fraud shell companies and collusion with sanctioned actors At the heart of this is the use of cash to conduct large transactions depriving the Ukrainian state of an estimated $3 billion between May 2022 and May 2024 Odesa’s role in conscript smuggling has grown as draft evasion surges Call centres have become one of the city’s most profitable illicit ventures targeting victims across Europe and beyond Some rogue actors from the city’s volunteer units have also helped facilitate the resurgence of the night-time vice economy moving drugs and sex workers to clients during curfew the report warns that Odesa is at risk of becoming a template for criminal capture of public funds Billions of hryvnias in aid are earmarked for rebuilding infrastructure and cultural landmarks in the city these funds may fall into the hands of corrupt networks This report offers insights into how illicit economies evolve during conflict and why stronger responses are needed now to prevent long-term damage secretariat@globalinitiative.net Avenue de France 23 – Geneva, CH-1202 – Switzerland Design e Creative Coding by Café This is Radio Schuman, your new go-to podcast to spice up your weekday mornings with relevant news, insights, and behind-the-scenes from Brussels and beyond. From the economy to the climate and the EU's role in world affairs, this talk show sheds light on European affairs and the issues that impact on our daily lives as Europeans. Tune in to understand the ins and outs of European politics. No agenda, no argument, no bias, No Comment. Get the story without commentary. Dare to imagine the future with business and tech visionaries Deep dive conversations with business leaders Euronews Tech Talks goes beyond discussions to explore the impact of new technologies on our lives. With explanations, engaging Q&As, and lively conversations, the podcast provides valuable insights into the intersection of technology and society. Europe's water is under increasing pressure. Pollution, droughts, floods are taking their toll on our drinking water, lakes, rivers and coastlines. Join us on a journey around Europe to see why protecting ecosystems matters, how our wastewater can be better managed, and to discover some of the best water solutions. Video reports, an animated explainer series and live debate - find out why Water Matters, from Euronews. We give you the latest climate facts from the world’s leading source, analyse the trends and explain how our planet is changing. We meet the experts on the front line of climate change who explore new strategies to mitigate and adapt. The strikes damaged high-rise buildings, private homes, a school, a supermarket, and cars, according to the State Emergency Service, which evacuated over 200 residents. Regional governor Oleh Kiper said on social media that multiple fires broke out across the city following the strike. Attacks were also reported in Kharkiv and Sumy, where a strike caused a blaze but no injuries. The escalation comes as Ukraine and the US signed a deal to share future profits from Ukrainian minerals and rare earths. Ron Popeski and Oleksandr Kozhukhar; Editing by Bill Berkrot and Bernadette Baum Reporting by Lidia Kelly in Melbourne and Anastasiia Malenko in Kyiv; Editing by Jamie Freed This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page A Russian overnight drone attack killed at least two people and wounded 15 others in a residential neighborhood of Odesa Ukrainian emergency officials said early Thursday and another 15 people were injured," Ukraine's State Emergency Service said in a statement a school and cars were damaged in the attack More than 200 people were evacuated from one of the buildings Ukrainian presidential aide Andrii Yermak reacted to the news by calling for a "complete ceasefire" early Thursday in a post on Telegram "We must push for it together with the United States," Yermak wrote The strike came as Washington and Kyiv on Wednesday signed a minerals deal that U.S President Donald Trump's administration called a new form of U.S Explosions were also heard overnight in the northeastern city of Sumy Yermak slammed Russian President Vladimir Putin amid the air assault "Putin will always have the desire to kill forceful and economic methods of influence will still force Russia to stop the war," Yermak said "We are working on this with our partners every day," the presidential aide added "There will be more important diplomacy soon Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." 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Thank you for standing with us. highly relevant issue briefs and reports that break new ground with a focus on advancing debates by integrating foundational research and analysis with concrete policy solutions the Atlantic Council’s experts have you covered—delivering their sharpest rapid insight and forward-looking analysis direct to your inbox New Atlanticist is where top experts and policymakers at the Atlantic Council and beyond offer exclusive insight on the most pressing global challenges—and the United States’ role in addressing them alongside its allies and partners A weekly column by Atlantic Council President and CEO Frederick Kempe Inflection Points focuses on the global challenges facing the United States and how to best address them UkraineAlert is a comprehensive online publication that provides regular news and analysis on developments in Ukraine’s politics UkraineAlert sources analysis and commentary from a wide-array of thought-leaders and activists from Ukraine and the global community MENASource offers the latest news from across the Middle East and independent analysis from fellows and staff Econographics provides an in-depth look at trends in the global economy utilizing state-of-the-art data visualization tools The Eurasia Center hosts a book launch event of “Night Train to Odesa: Covering the Human Cost of Russia’s War” by Jen Stout Stout’s first-hand account of life on the ground amidst Russian aggression explores the stories of ordinary people fighting to survive and defend their country the Atlantic Council’s Eurasia Center hosts a book launch for Night Train to Odesa: Covering the Human Cost of Russia’s War by Jen Stout Her coverage of deportations in the Kharkiv region was shortlisted for an Amnesty Media Award and her book Night Train to Odesa was a BBC Radio 4 Book of the Week and won the Saltire Society First Book of the Year Award Stout tells the stories of ordinary people fighting to survive and defend their country and everyday life amidst Russian aggression against Ukraine Her first-hand account highlights personal relationships and larger questions of identity and history The in-person event features a discussion moderated by Melinda Haring senior advisor at Razom for Ukraine and nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Eurasia Center exploring Ukrainian society and life on the ground during wartime Jen StoutJournalist The Eurasia Center’s mission is to enhance transatlantic cooperation in promoting stability democratic values and prosperity in Eurasia from Eastern Europe and Turkey in the West to the Caucasus Follow the conversations shaping our world Sign up to receive expert analysis from our community on the most important global issues © 2025 Atlantic CouncilAll rights reserved If refreshing the page doesn't resolve the issue you could try clearing the sites browser cache your new go-to podcast to spice up your weekday mornings with relevant news and behind-the-scenes from Brussels and beyond From the economy to the climate and the EU's role in world affairs this talk show sheds light on European affairs and the issues that impact on our daily lives as Europeans Tune in to understand the ins and outs of European politics Euronews Tech Talks goes beyond discussions to explore the impact of new technologies on our lives the podcast provides valuable insights into the intersection of technology and society Europe's water is under increasing pressure floods are taking their toll on our drinking water Join us on a journey around Europe to see why protecting ecosystems matters and to discover some of the best water solutions an animated explainer series and live debate - find out why Water Matters We give you the latest climate facts from the world’s leading source analyse the trends and explain how our planet is changing We meet the experts on the front line of climate change who explore new strategies to mitigate and adapt A Russian drone strike on the Black Sea port city of Odesa early on Thursday killed at least two people and injured 15 others Nine out of the 15 victims were residents of the 16-storey building according to the Odesa's regional prosecutor's office spokesperson Irina Kovalenko The number of victims is still being clarified," Kovalenko added The Ukrainian Air Force reported that Russia launched five Iskander-M ballistic missiles and 170 UAVs of various types including loitering munitions and decoy drones 74 Shahed-type attack drones were shot down and another 68 imitation drones were "locationally lost" without negative consequences an explosive part of a drone injured an elderly woman Kyiv authorities have also warned residents to exercise caution if they come across debris No casualties have been reported in the regions of Kharkiv seven people were killed and at least 20 wounded after a Ukrainian drone attack reportedly struck the Russian-occupied town of Oleshky in Ukraine's Kherson region on Thursday Moscow-appointed officials in the region said "At about 9:30 Moscow time (8:30 CEST) in Oleshky Ukrainian forces carried out a massive strike with FPV drones on civilians there were many people in the market,” Moscow-appointed governor Vladimir Saldo wrote on Telegram Euronews could not independently verify these claims The latest wave of attacks happened after Washington and Kyiv signed an agreement on Wednesday granting the US access to Ukraine's vast rare earth mineral resources could lead to continued military support for Ukraine the first deputy head of the Odesa Regional Military Administration Two of them are in critical condition,” Kharlov said a couple and their dog were killed as a result of the shelling Russian forces targeted Odesa with attack drones causing significant damage to civilian infrastructure and sparking fires While citing and using any materials on the Internet links to the website ukrinform.net not lower than the first paragraph are mandatory citing the translated materials of foreign media outlets is possible only if there is a link to the website ukrinform.net and the website of a foreign media outlet Materials marked as "Advertisement" or with a disclaimer reading "The material has been posted in accordance with Part 3 of Article 9 of the Law of Ukraine "On Advertising" No 1996 and the Law of Ukraine "On the Media" No 2023 and on the basis of an agreement/invoice Online media entity; Media identifier - R40-01421 The company reported this on Telegram “Last night, a Russian Shahed destroyed a part of one of the cargo departments of Nova Poshta in Odesa with a direct hit the kamikaze drone did not detonate,” the statement said It is noted that the branch suffered serious damage The company added that it had deployed a mobile branch for shipments of up to 30 kg to avoid delays in delivery The total amount of damage is being determined The employees of the branch were not injured As Ukrinform reported earlier, a drone attack in Odesa damaged six high-rise buildings The affected buildings are currently without gas and electricity supply State Emergency Service reported that a high-rise residential building a school and a supermarket were damaged by Russian drones Emergency responders evacuated 200 residents out of the residential building Oleh Kiper, head of the Odesa Regional Military Administration, announced this on Telegram Fires broke out in several locations and are being extinguished by emergency services Medical teams are providing all necessary assistance to the victims," the statement reads Efforts to eliminate the consequences of the strike are ongoing Emergency tents have been set up at the scene to provide additional aid emergency and municipal services are actively working at the scene to eliminate the aftermath of the attacks and provide medical aid to the injured "The school sustained minor damage — four windows were shattered It is currently open to anyone in need of support and hot tea is being served to help people warm up Additional assistance tents are being set up on site," the mayor added Russian forces launched a drone strike on Odesa overnight on May 1 damaging civilian infrastructure and causing fires Photo credit: Oleh Kiper / Hennadii Trukhanov / Telegram Anticipation is building over whether diplomatic efforts can stop more than three years of fighting since Russia’s full-scale invasion of its neighbor. Hostility has run deep between the two sides since Russia invaded and illegally annexed Ukraine’s Crimea Peninsula in 2014. Trump said last week that negotiations were “coming to a head” and insisted that neither side is “playing” him in his push to end the grinding war. This came after Secretary of State Marco Rubio suggested last week the U.S. might soon back away from negotiations altogether if they don’t progress. He spoke in Paris after talks among U.S., Ukrainian and European officials produced outlines for steps toward peace and appeared to make some long-awaited progress. A new meeting is expected Wednesday in London, and Rubio suggested it could be decisive in determining whether the Trump administration continues its involvement. Odesa came under a “massive attack” by Russian drones overnight, injuring at least three people, the head of Odesa regional administration, Oleh Kiper, wrote on his Telegram page Tuesday. A residential building in a densely populated urban area, civilian infrastructure and an educational facility were hit, he said. Also, during daylight Tuesday, Russia hit the southern Ukraine city of Zaporizhzhia with two massive aerial glide bombs — a retrofitted Soviet weapon that for months it has used to lay waste to eastern Ukraine. The attack killed a 69-year-old woman and injured 22 people, including three children, according to regional governor Ivan Fedorov. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said there are no plans for talks on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s proposal to halt strikes on civilian facilities. He said Moscow is prepared to consider such a step but noted that reaching an agreement could take time. “While talking about civilian infrastructure, it’s necessary to clearly define when such facilities can be a military target and when they can’t,” he said. “If a military meeting is held there, is it a civilian facility? It is. But is it a military target? Yes, it is. There are some nuances here that need to be discussed.” The Ukrainian air force said Russia fired 54 Shahed and decoy drones at Ukraine overnight, marking a resumption of long-range attacks that have blasted civilian areas and sown terror throughout the war. Russia has stepped up in the past months its use of Shahed drones, expanding its production of the weapon and refining its tactics, the International Institute for Strategic Studies said in a recently published analysis. After Putin declared a unilateral ceasefire on Saturday, Ukraine said it was ready to reciprocate but said Russian attacks were continuing. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Russia violated the ceasefire more than 2,900 times. The Associated Press was unable to verify whether a ceasefire was in place along the roughly 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) front line. Russia has effectively rejected a U.S. proposal for an immediate and full 30-day halt in the fighting by imposing far-reaching conditions. Meanwhile, both Russia and Ukraine are preparing for the spring-summer military campaign, Ukrainian and Western officials say. Facebook pageTwitter feedRSS feedDefense News © 2025 by Abbey FenbertApartments damaged by a Russian drone strike against Odesa on April 21 (Hennadii Trukhanov / Telegram)Editor's Note: This is a developing story and is being updated Russia launched a mass drone strike against the Ukrainian port city of Odesa late at night on April 21 The attack targeted a residential building in a densely populated neighborhood, Odesa Mayor Hennadii Trukhanov reported Fires broke out upon impact and several apartments were damaged Three people were injured and are receiving medical treatment, regional Governor Oleh Kiper said The attack on Odesa comes as Ukraine awaits a response to its proposed ban on long-range strikes against civilian infrastructure. President Volodymyr Zelensky said on April 21 that the ban was still on the table and Kyiv expects a "clear answer" from Moscow Zelensky first proposed the partial ceasefire on April 20, in the final hours of Russia's brief "Easter truce." While Ukraine documented over 3,000 Russian violations of the temporary ceasefire Zelensky said that air raid alarms were quiet throughout the country on Easter The president then proposed a ceasefire on "any strikes with long-range drones and missiles on civilian infrastructure for a period of at least 30 days with the possibility of extension." Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed on April 21 that he was open to discussing the proposal and had "a positive attitude towards any peace initiatives," but stopped short of implementing the ban The mass drone attack against civilians in Odesa marks the only "clear answer" from Russia thus far Abbey Fenbert is a senior news editor at the Kyiv Independent and playwright with an MFA from Boston University Abbey served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ukraine from 2008-2011 RUSSIA has launched a devastating drone strike on Odesa - just hours after the US and Ukraine signed a landmark mineral deal Two people were killed and at least 15 more were by Vladimir Putin's blitz - marking a clear rebuke of the new agreement Raging fires were sparked and various buildings were damaged Regional governor Oleh Kiper said: "The enemy attack damaged residential high-rises He confirmed that rescue workers were extinguishing flames following the horrific attack Ukraine's state-owned railway Ukrzaliznytsia said the overnight attack damaged its tracks and various trains "They are currently following an alternative route." The company added that one of the people killed in the strikes was a railway worker. Ukraine's air force said that mad Vlad launched five ballistic missiles and 170 drones during the overnight blitz. Images showed vile Vlad's damage - with fiery infernos blazing up in apartments and civilians fleeing from their homes It comes mere hours after the Russian tyrant was dealt a massive blow due to Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky's agreement to a critical minerals deal The long-awaited deal comes two months after a historic bust-up between The Don and his Ukrainian counterpart which shocked the world For Kyiv, the deal is central to binding it to Washington's might and preventing any more Russian invasions after a peace deal Trump has vowed he wants peace in Ukraine but has said that the US must be repaid for all the military support it has given the country The deal will provide Washington privileged access to new investment projects to develop Ukraine's natural resources It also means America will continue to back Ukraine in the war Zelensky did not go to Washington to sign the deal - instead it was inked by Ukraine's First Deputy Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko She said after: "Together with the United States we are creating the Fund that will attract global investment into our country." Trump initially was due to close the deal when Zelensky visited the White House back in February But plans were derailed after their historic White House row which saw the infamous shouting match erupt and Trump asking Zelensky to leave After rounds of back-and-forth diplomatic negotiations both Washington and Kyiv agreed to sign the deal Wednesday Announcing the signing of the deal in Washington Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said it showed "both sides' commitment to lasting peace and prosperity in Ukraine." He added: "This agreement signals clearly to Russia that the Trump administration is committed to a peace process centred on a free sovereign and prosperous Ukraine over the long term no state or person who financed or supplied the Russian war machine will be allowed to benefit from the reconstruction of Ukraine." Ukrainian officials hope that signing the deal proposed by Trump will firm up American support for Kyiv in the more than three-year-old war A former Trump advisor told LBC the developing US-Ukraine minerals deal will be a "trip wire" that Russia will not cross He said: "It would engage the American military It puts the Americans squarely in the middle of the Ukrainian state It is a trip wire that Putin would dare not to cross." Trump had originally sought $500 billion in mineral wealth -- around four times what the United States has contributed to Ukraine since the war He has previously baulked at offering security guarantees to Ukraine and has rejected its aspiration to join Nato The minerals deal sets out the creation of a joint US-Ukrainian fund for reconstruction which will receive 50 per cent of profits and royalties accruing to the Ukrainian state from new natural resources permits in Ukraine The deal does not spell out how the joint fund's revenues will be spent who benefits or who controls decisions about the spending the two sides will agree on two further technical and supplementary documents outlining issues such as how the funds are accumulated Ukraine would retain control of all its resources in the deal while the fund will invest in the development of Ukraine for 10 years according to the country's prime minister Denys Shmyhal The US could use its future military assistance to Ukraine as its contribution to the fund with no previous military aid to the country reflected in the deal "Ukraine will only make a contribution from new licenses 50% of which will be given to this fund," he added A draft of the main minerals agreement showed that Ukraine had secured the removal of any requirement for it to pay back the US for past military assistance Washington has been Ukraine's single largest military donor since Russia's 2022 invasion with aid of more than 64 billion euros ($72 billion) according to the Kiel Institute in Germany The rare earth minerals Washington will have access to Rare earth elements are a set of 17 elements that are essential in many kinds of consumer technology hard drives and electric and hybrid vehicles It is unclear if Trump is seeking specific elements that Ukraine has The country also has other in-demand minerals to offer including lithium are believed to be among Europe's largest Ukraine also holds some of Europes largest known reserves of lithium is the worlds largest producer of rare earth elements Both the US and Europe have sought to reduce their dependence on Beijing such a deal would ensure that its biggest and most consequential ally does not freeze military support which would be devastating for the country that will soon enter its fourth year of war against Russia's full-scale invasion The idea also comes at a time when reliable and uninterrupted access to critical minerals is increasingly hard to come by globally Ukraines rare earth elements are largely untapped because of the war and information about what exactly is underground An estimated 40 per cent of Ukraine's metallic mineral resources are inaccessible because of Russian occupation Ukraine has argued that it is in Trumps interest to develop the remainder before Russian advances capture more The European Commission identified Ukraine as a potential supplier for over 20 critical raw materials and concluded that the countrys accession to the EU could strengthen the European economy the Ukrainian mineral industry accounted for 6.1% of the countrys gross domestic product and 30% of exports But Trump said on Wednesday that a US presence on the ground would benefit Ukraine keep a lot of bad actors out of the country or certainly out of the area where we're doing the digging," Trump said at the cabinet meeting He reiterated that the US should get something for its prior aid to Kyiv thus the effort to secure a deal for Ukraine's plentiful deposits of rare earth minerals "I assume they're going to honour the deal We haven't really seen the fruits of that deal yet I suspect we will," Trump said after a cabinet meeting on Wednesday Ukraine holds some five per cent of the world's mineral resources and rare earths But work has not yet started on tapping many of the resources and many sites are in territory now controlled by Russian forces Ukraine has around 20 per cent of the world's graphite an essential material for electric batteries according to France's Bureau of Geological and Mining Research Ukraine is also a major producer of manganese and titanium and says it possesses the largest lithium deposits in Europe Russia controls about 20 per cent of Ukraine's territory after more than three years of brutal fighting that has killed tens of thousand,s including civilians For the latest news on this story keep checking back at The Sun Online Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/thesun and follow us from our main Twitter account at @TheSun by Olena GoncharovaAn aftermath of Russia's drone attack on Odesa late on April 13 (State A Russian drone strike on Odesa late on April 13 injured at least five people and sparked fires damaging civilian infrastructure including a major roadway "According to preliminary information, five people were injured due to the strike. They sustained shrapnel wounds and burns. Our doctors are providing them with all necessary medical assistance," Governor Oleh Kiper wrote before midnight local time Emergency services have been dispatched to the site of the attack and operating room of a medical facility in Odesa The strike comes amid Washington's ongoing attempts to orchestrate a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine. While Kyiv agreed to a full 30-day ceasefire a month ago  Moscow has refused and has continued to attack Ukraine causing fires and damage to civilian infrastructure Olena Goncharova is the Head of North America desk at The Kyiv Independent where she has previously worked as a development manager and Canadian correspondent Ukraine's oldest English-language newspaper as a staff writer in January 2012 and became the newspaper’s Canadian correspondent in June 2018 Olena has a master’s degree in publishing and editing from the Institute of Journalism in Taras Shevchenko National University in Kyiv Olena was a 2016 Alfred Friendly Press Partners fellow who worked for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette for six months The program is administered by the University of Missouri School of Journalism in Columbia A 16-storey building in the Kyivskyi district of Odesa has been severely damaged. Due to a Russian drone strike and there is now a risk that the building may collapse According to the Odesa City Council rescuers are evacuating residents to avoid endangering them An operational headquarters is operating near the building to help with temporary accommodation Emergency structures are being removed and special supports are being prepared to strengthen the building The area around the building has been fenced off and local residents are being asked not to get too close 56 apartments and nearly 700 windows were damaged An elderly couple was killed in a three-storey house Four of the victims are currently in hospitals while 11 others are receiving medical care at home As a reminder, on 30 April, Russian troops also shelled Mykolaiv region. A private house and a multi-storey building were damaged. Also, in the Mishkovo-Pohorilove community, warehouses were damaged as a result of shelling. 2025last updated 04/23/2025last updated April 23 2025Russia has resumed drone attacks on Ukraine while reportedly making advances in Kursk and Donetsk the Kremlin says it has "no concrete plans" for peace talks This blog is now closed. Read below for a round-up of the main developments in Russia's continuing invasion of Ukraine on Tuesday, 22 April.  04/23/2025April 23, 2025Marco Rubio won't attend Ukraine talks in London after allUS Secretary of State Marco Rubio has canceled plans to attend talks in London aimed at ending the war in Ukraine on Wednesday Rubio said he had spoken to his British counterpart David Lammy ahead of what he hoped would be "substantive and good technical meetings." "I look forward to following up after the ongoing discussions in London and rescheduling my trip to the UK in the coming months," Rubio said White House Ukraine envoy General Keith Kellogg will lead the US delegation in Rubio's stead State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said that Rubio's change of plans was not a reflection of Washington's expectations of the London meetings US President Donald Trump said Sunday that he hopes Ukraine and Russia "will make a deal this week" to end the three-year war The meetings in London come after France hosted a similar gathering of Ukraine's European and US allies in Paris last week Ukraine ceasefire talks: Is Trump frustrated with Russia?To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video 04/22/2025April 22, 2025Zelenskyy says Ukraine is ready to hold talks with Russia after ceasefireRamisha Ali Reuters and AFP Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Tuesday that Ukraine is open to dialogue with Russia but only after a ceasefire is in place.  "We are ready to record that after a ceasefire we are ready to sit down in any format so that there are no dead ends," the Ukrainian president said at a media briefing.  "It will not be possible to agree on everything quickly," he added, pointing to several deeply complex issues, including territorial disputes, security guarantees, and Ukraine's potential NATO membership Ukrainian representatives are set to meet with allies — the United Kingdom and the United States in London on Wednesday to discuss a peaceful settlement of Russia's war in Ukraine the country is not discussing any new aid packages with the US.  04/22/2025April 22, 2025Trump envoy Witkoff expected in Moscow this week, says KremlinUS presidential envoy Steve Witkoff is expected in Moscow later this week for what will be his fourth visit to the Russian capital since Donald Trump returned to the White House The visit was confirmed by a Kremlin aide who was fielding questions from Russian state media Following his previous visit to Moscow in March, Witkoff appeared to repeat Russian propaganda during a video with conservative US media personality Tucker Carlson Witkoff claimed that the Ukrainians living in the partially occupied regions of Luhansk Zaporizhzhia and Kherson – which he was unable to list – were "Russian-speaking" anyway and that the "overwhelming majority … have indicated that they want to be under Russian rule" in referenda He also insisted that the notion that "the Russians are gonna march across Europe" is "preposterous" and said: "I don't regard [Russian President] Putin as a bad guy." 04/22/2025April 22, 2025Ukraine: One killed, 24 injured in Zaporizhzhia guided bomb attackA 69-year-old woman was killed and 24 other people were injured when two Russian guided bombs hit the southern Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia on Tuesday "One guided aerial bomb hit an infrastructure facility another one hit a densely populated neighborhood a residential building directly," Ivan Fedorov said on Telegram adding that four children were among the wounded Images provided by Ukrainian emergency services showed the outer walls of an apartment block blown open and a bloodied man on a stretcher being tended to by medics A further six people were reportedly injured in a Russian strike on the southern city of Kherson and another seven in the northern city of Kharkiv Glide bombs are large-caliber Soviet explosives that were originally designed to be dropped from airplanes but have been retrofitted with wings and motors to turn them into deadly missiles which are difficult for Ukrainian air defenses to intercept Russian glide bombs pose increasing threat in UkraineTo view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video 04/22/2025April 22, 2025Europeans lay out Ukraine 'red lines' ahead of Wednesday meetingUkrainian, US and European officials are due to convene in London on Wednesday at a meeting where the "primary task," in the words of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will be to push for an unconditional ceasefire French, British and German ministers already met at a preparatory convention in Paris last Thursday. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said it was important to lay out Europe's "red lines" to the United States regarding any potential peace deal in Ukraine "The only objective that concerns us is the defense of French interests and European security," he told French public radio broadcaster FranceInfo. "That's why, as the US decides to place itself in the mediator position, we are making them hear what our red lines are." 04/22/2025April 22, 2025France: Russian 'Easter truce' was 'marketing operation'French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot has dismissed Russian President Vladimir Putin's declaration of an "Easter truce" in Ukraine as "a marketing operation" designed to placate US President Donald Trump "The Easter truce that he announced somewhat unexpectedly was a marketing operation a charm operation aimed at preventing President Trump from becoming impatient and angry," Barrot told the FranceInfo broadcaster on Tuesday The Ukrainian armed forces claimed that Russia violated the supposed truce "more than 2,000" times throughout Easter Sunday, although President Volodymyr Zelenskyy did say that Moscow had refrained from aerial attacks with ballistic missiles or drones, and proposed an extended 30-day halt to such attacks on civilian infrastructure. "If we are talking about civilian infrastructure, then we need to understand, when is it civilian infrastructure and when is it a military target," said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Tuesday. 04/22/2025April 22, 2025Zelenskyy to attend Pope's funeral, Putin has no 'such plans'Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will attend the funeral of Pope Francis on Saturday saying Kyiv was "preparing for the visit of the President to Rome to bid farewell to the pontiff." suffering a stroke after recently spending time in hospital with double pneumonia Zelenskyy had paid tribute to the Argentine hailing him as someone who "prayed for peace in Ukraine." In 2024, two years on from the full-scale Russian invasion, Pope Francis caused great consternation in Ukraine by suggesting Kyiv should have "the courage of the white flag" and seek negotiations with Russia Russian President Vladimir Putin Putin is subject to an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in 2023 over the alleged abduction of Ukrainian children from Russian-occupied territories Moscow refers to the incidents as "evacuations." Asked whether Putin would be traveling to the Vatican, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday: "No. The president has no such plans." 04/22/2025April 22, 2025Kursk: Russian troops reportedly retake monastery in border villageRussian forces have reportedly retaken a monastery complex in Russia's Kursk region which Ukrainian troops had been using as a base According to the Russian state news agency TASS Nicholas Belogorsky monastery near the village of Gornal A Russian military Telegram channel claimed Ukraine had stationed troops which has reportedly been the scene of heavy fighting for the past ten days Both the monastery and the village are less than a kilometer (0.62 miles) from the Ukrainian border which suggests that Russia is close to expelling the last Ukrainian troops from Russian territory they occupied in a surprise incursion last August Meanwhile, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Tuesday that its forces had captured Sukha Balka, a small village in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region, close to the embattled towns of Pokrovsk, Toretsk and Kostyantynivka. 04/22/2025April 22, 2025Odesa: 3 injured in mass Russian drone attack At least three people were injured in a large-scale Russian drone attack on the southwestern Ukrainian city of Odesa late on Monday night, according to local authorities. Apartments, vehicles, an educational establishment and other civil infrastructure were reportedly damaged. Further north, six houses, four cars, three garages and three other buildings were reportedly damaged in drone attacks on the Kyiv region. The Ukrainian Air Force said the Russian attack consisted of 54 drones, 38 of which were shot down, while the remaining 16 were disabled using electronic jamming and didn't reach their intended targets. 2025Kremlin: No concrete plans for talks with UkraineRussia currently has "no concrete plans" for peace talks with Ukraine but these could potentially take place if Kyiv removes certain "obstacles," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday without specifying what those obstacles might be that it is probably not worth setting any rigid time frames and trying to get a settlement On Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin had suggested that Moscow would potentially be open to "bilateral" talks and would "analyze" proposals from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for a 30-day halt on air strikes against civilian targets. Earlier, US President Donald Trump had spoken of a peace deal being struck, but provided no evidence for his optimism. 04/22/2025April 22, 2025Welcome to our coverageMatt Ford with AFP, AP, dpa, Reuters | Rana Taha EditorWelcome to DW's coverage of developments from Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine on Tuesday Hostilities have resumed both in the air and on the front lines in Russia's Kursk region and Ukraine's Donetsk following an "Easter truce" which both sides accused one another of violating. Reporting by Ron Popeski and Bogdan Kochubey; Editing by Cynthia Osterman and Jamie Freed Two people have died in Odesa after Russian drone strikes hit residential buildings At least two people have been killed and five others injured in a wave of Russian drone attacks on the Ukrainian port city of Odesa has left parts of the city heavily damaged Governor Oleh Kiper confirmed the casualties in a post on Telegram “The enemy is attacking Odesa with strike drones There is considerable damage to civilian infrastructure Kiper added that emergency responders were on the scene and medical personnel were providing care to the injured “Two people died and five others were injured as a result of the strike,” he wrote “Medics are providing all necessary assistance to the victims.” calling it “another massive assault” on the city “Residential buildings and civilian infrastructure have been damaged in various areas of Odesa,” he said Footage circulating on social media showed explosions and significant structural damage across several neighborhoods Though the authenticity of the videos has not yet been verified by the BBC has repeatedly been targeted since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 The Black Sea port city remains strategically vital for both humanitarian aid and economic trade a drone strike hit a petrol station in central Kharkiv while loud explosions were reported in the northeastern city of Sumy Russia has yet to issue a statement regarding the attacks The latest escalation comes just days after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a temporary ceasefire from May 8 to May 11 coinciding with Russia’s Victory Day commemorations Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha urged a broader and more meaningful ceasefire calling for a pause in fighting of “at least 30 days.” the United States and Ukraine signed a landmark agreement to jointly develop Ukraine’s energy and mineral resources which includes plans to create a reconstruction investment fund support for Kyiv despite prior hesitancy from the Trump administration Easily access major global news with a strong focus on Africa we like to accentuate positive stories about Africa across all genres including Politics We broadcast 24 hours a day from our studios in London and New York and can be seen here in the UK and across Europe on the Sky platform (Sky channel 516) Freeview (Channel 136) as well as in the USA on the Centric channel and also on the Hot bird platform © 2023 Arise News - Part of the Arise Media Group On the night of 1 May, a Russian drone hit the cargo department of the Nova Post in Odesa According to the company there were no employees at the time of the attack The company has deployed a mobile branch that accepts shipments of up to 30 kilograms to ensure continuous operation The final amount of damage is still being determined The company has promised to contact customers whose shipments were destroyed and compensate them for their value