The President of Poland will address the Parliament of Ukraine in Kiev on Sunday. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke Saturday with NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg and leaders of Finland and Sweden, reiterating his reservations about the Nordic countries’ bid to join the military alliance – a roadblock that many countries want to speed up.
President Joe Biden has signed into law a সহায়তা 40 billion US aid package for Ukraine. He was one of 900 US citizens subject to personal sanctions in Moscow. Biden is going to Tokyo where support for Kiev could be an issue in talks with the Japanese prime minister.
President Volodymyr Zelensky has indicated that he would be satisfied if he could restore Ukraine’s borders to their pre-February positions. An adviser to his president has rejected the ceasefire, telling Reuters that the waiver would be a response to Ukraine. A prisoner exchange could be sought for the surrendered guards of the Mariupol steel plant, a Russian lawmaker said.
Core development
- Putin’s war means Russia’s rich are no longer welcomed in Davos
- G-7 officials have created a $ 19.8 billion aid package for Ukraine
- How an energy expert triggered Vladimir Putin with one word
- Aeroflot is back in the future based on its ambitions.
- Ruble reaches 5-year high as Gazprom clients pay attention to Putin’s gas
- Facebook has been criticized for promoting Putin’s propaganda before NATO
All time CET:
Aeroflot Back to the Future Age Operations Shrink (8:00 am)
Russia’s Aeroflot PJSC has over the past two decades transformed itself from a punchline to an award-winning international carrier about communist-era service, flying into one of the world’s youngest fleets.
It now faces a future similar to that of its Soviet past, with the disengagement from its Boeing and Airbus jet parts and services, shifting its focus to domestic routes and locally produced aircraft as the effects of the unprecedented economic sanctions on Russia became apparent.
Aeroflot “will be its own shadow,” said Christopher Granville of TS Lombard, a London-based consultant. “This is a mirror for the Russian economy as a whole.”
Polish President visits Ukraine (2:30 am)
Polish President Andrzej Duda is visiting Ukraine and will deliver a message to Kiev’s parliament on Sunday, according to a statement on the president’s website.
He is the first foreign head of state to speak privately in Ukraine’s parliament since the war began, Poland said. Boris Johnson was the first world leader to address Parliament when the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom addressed a video link on 3 May.
Poland is the first destination for many fleeing Ukraine. About 3.5 million people have entered Poland since February 24, according to border authorities. The movement has become more divisive as more and more Ukrainians have recently returned to their homeland.
Ukraine negotiators cancel concessions to Russia: Reuters (11:50 pm)
In an interview with Reuters, Mikhailo Podoliak, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, said any concessions to Russia would escalate the war.
After the ceasefire, the Russians will build up their weapons and manpower and launch a new offensive, Podoliak said, acknowledging that Kiev’s position is becoming more uncompromising.
Serbia’s Vusk discusses Russian gas with Putin (11:47 pm)
Serbian President Aleksandar Vusik will likely speak on Wednesday or Thursday to discuss gas supplies with his Russian counterpart, TV Pink reported, citing an interview with Vusik.
The country is focused on three areas: volume, price and reliability of supply, Vucic told TV Pink.
Russia may consider swapping Ukraine’s Mariupol defenders for Putin’s ally (8:17 pm)
Russia will “search” for Russian President Vladimir Putin’s ally, Viktor Medvedev, to replace some guards at the Ukrainian port city of Mariupol, Interfax news agency reported. Peace talks with Kiev.
“We will study the possibilities,” Slutsky said on Saturday in the Russian-occupied eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk, according to Interfax.
Medvedchuk, a Ukrainian politician and businessman, was arrested after prosecutors charged him with high treason and terrorist financing. Putin called the case “political” and denied any wrongdoing. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky last month proposed replacing Medvedevchuk for Ukrainian troops detained.
Energy expert’s fateful question to Putin (7:09 pm)
“I started asking a question, I mentioned the word ‘shell’,” recalls Daniel Yergin, vice chairman of S&P Global, meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2013. “And he started yelling at me like shell barber.”
U.S. shale oil and gas have had far more impact on geopolitics than people might recognize, energy experts say in a new podcast. This poses a threat to Putin in a number of ways, most notably as US natural gas competes with Russia in Europe.
Zelensky calls for help to unblock Ukrainian ports (4:59 pm)
President Volodymyr Zelensky called on the partners to help reopen Ukrainian ports and clear the way for the export of about 22 million tons of grain and sunflower, blocked by Russia.
In a press conference with the Prime Minister of Portugal, Zelensky said that if the Black Sea ports were not cleared, there would be a second crisis in the world after the energy crisis.
Her comments echoed those of Grow Intelligence CEO Sarah Menker, who told a UN briefing this week that rising food prices this year – driven by Russia’s aggression in Ukraine – have made “an additional 400 million people food insecure”. Not enough, ”he said.
Turkey’s Erdogan talks with NATO chief, Swedish, Finnish leaders (4:15 pm)
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has spoken by phone with NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg and leaders of Sweden and Finland, reiterating his reservations about the Nordic countries’ bid to join the military alliance.
Erdogan told Stoltenberg that Turkey would not support NATO expansion unless Finland and Sweden publicly expressed solidarity with Turkey, the state-run Anadolu news agency reported. The pair agreed that negotiations should continue.
In a call with Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Anderson, Erdogan said he was upset by Sweden’s contacts with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, Anadolu reported. In a tweet, Finnish President Sauli Ninistিস্ত described his call to Erdogan as “close dialogue continues.”
Read more: Biden supports Finland, Sweden NATO tender as Turkey’s hanging key
Biden among hundreds in US banned by Russia (1:37 pm)
President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris led a list of 963 U.S. citizens personally approved by Moscow, Russia’s foreign ministry announced Saturday. Sanctions, essentially symbolic, include restrictions on entry into Russia.
In addition to Biden and his son Hunter, the list includes Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, South Carolina Republican Senator Lindsay Graham, Deputy Treasury Secretary Adeval Ademo and former Obama adviser Valerie Jarrett. Also on the list were current and former U.S. lawmakers – including at least three who are already dead – judges, prosecutors, FBI agents, businessmen and private citizens.
Some members of the Trump administration, including former Secretary of State Michael Pompeo, were on the list, but not Donald Trump himself.
Portuguese PM visits Ukraine (1:05 pm)
Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa arrived in Ukraine on Saturday to meet with former Soviet state Europe Day and met with President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Costa visited Irpin near Kiev, which was severely damaged by Russian forces who occupied the area from the end of February to March.
“What fascinates me the most is the violence against civilians,” Costa said. “The level of destruction and violence is devastating. I have witnessed heinous, indiscriminate and unreasonable attacks.
Russia’s sanctions against Canadians include Trudeau’s wife (12:39 pm)
Russia’s foreign ministry has announced sanctions against 26 Canadians, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s wife and deputy prime minister Christiaan Freeland.
The tit-for-tat move comes a day after Canada unveiled new measures on President Vladimir Putin’s decision to invade Ukraine, including a ban on 14 Russian nationals and a ban on exports or imports of luxury goods from Russia.
Biden signs $ 40 billion US aid package for Ukraine (12:30 p.m.)
On Saturday, President Joe Biden, as expected, signed the $ 40 billion aid package passed by a broad bipartisan majority in Congress.
Funds aimed at helping Ukraine until September are significantly larger than the $ 33 billion biden requested last month. Its passage in the Senate and House last week was seen as a sign of popular support in the United States for Ukraine’s efforts against Russian aggression.
Biden, who is in Seoul, praised Congress earlier this week for approving the spending, saying the funds would “allow us to send more weapons and ammunition to Ukraine, replenish our own stockpiles and support US troops stationed in NATO territory.”
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