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Kyiv should be allowed to “neutralise” military bases inside Russia that are being used to attack Ukraine, French and German leaders said.
French president Emmanuel Macron said at a joint news conference with German chancellor Olaf Scholz in Meseberg, Germany, that “we don’t want escalation” but Ukraine could attack “military sites from which missiles are fired”.
Mr Olaf said he agreed as long as Ukraine respected the conditions of the weapons’ suppliers. “Ukraine has every possibility under international law for what it is doing. That has to be said explicitly,” Mr Scholz said.
The remarks came as Belgium pledged to send more than two dozen F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine as part of a near €1bn (£832m) military package.
The package was announced as Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Brussels for discussions with prime minister Alexander De Croo.
Ukraine is under increasing pressure as Russian troops are reportedly gathering on the Ukrainian border in preparation for fresh offensive operations.
The think tank Institute for the Study of War said this concentration of forces is likely to be used to draw Ukrainian troops into the area and prepare to expand the Russian foothold in the northeastern border area of Kharkiv.
Sweden to donate $1.23 billion in military aid to Ukraine
Earlier, we reported that Sweden had agreed to a package of nearly £1 billion in military aid to Ukraine.
We have more details on this package below.
We have some photos from the frontline
Below, we have some photos that have just dropped on the wires showing what life is like for Ukrainian soldiers on the frontline.
Ukraine’s Zelenskyy is expected in Normandy for commemorations of 80 years since D-Day, Macron says
Mapped: Russia’s advance in northeast Ukraine
Below you can see the latest map of Russia’s re-invasion of the the northeast Ukrainian region of Kharkiv.
Russian forces crossed the border on 10 May, just before 6am, and have since captured nearly 70 square miles of territory along two sectors.
It was the first time they had invaded since being pushed out by Ukrainian forces in September 2022.
Thousands of Ukrainians have been forced to flee their homes, while reinforced Ukrainian forces have stabilised the Russian advance in Vovchansk, a small town at the tip of the Kremlin’s westerly push, and in front of the village of Lyptsi in the second attack.
US Treasury official visits Ukraine to discuss sanctions on Russia and seizing Russian assets
Prisoner swaps between Russia and Ukraine are on pause, says Tass citing Russian official
Russia’s human rights commissionerhas said that prisoner of war exchanges between Russia and Ukraine had been suspended for several months.
Russian state media outlet Tass cited Tatyana Moskalova as blaming what she called Kyiv’s “false demands” for the pause in POW exchanges. There was no immediate comment from Ukraine.
Moscow and Kyiv have carried out periodic prisoner swaps via intermediaries since Moscow began what it calls its special military operation in Ukraine more than two years ago.
Photos show latest of Ukraine’s electronic warfare equipment
Photos from an event in western Ukraine have shown the latest examples of electronic warfare equipment.
The event, put on by Ukrainian charity foundation “Zavzhdy UA”, which translates as “Forever Ukraine”, showcased weapons made by Ukrainian manufacturer Kvertus.
Electronic warfare is used to block or jam signals used by Russian forces on the frontline to power drones and navigation systems on missiles, as well as communications.
Zelensky urges Biden to attend Ukraine peace summit – saying only Putin would applaud him staying away
Sweden announces £986 million in military support for Ukraine
Sweden will send military aid worth 13.3 billion Swedish crowns (£986m) to Ukraine, its biggest package so far, to aid the war against the Russian invasion, the Nordic country’s government has announced.
The package would among other things help strengthen the Ukrainian air defence and included Saab’s Airborne Surveillance and Control (ASC) 890 aircraft, Defence Minister Paal Jonson told a press conference.
The Swedish government said last week it had agreed on additional military support to Ukraine totalling 75 billion Swedish crowns over three years.
Poland arrests man suspected of seeking intelligence on Ukraine aid
Polish security services have arrested a man suspected of trying to get photos of military vehicles crossing the border into Ukraine.
It is the latest in a string of spy cases.
The 26-year-old Ukrainian man was suspected of encouraging a Polish citizen to share the photos and “take part in the activities of foreign intelligence against the Republic of Poland,” the spokesperson said.
Poland says its role as a hub for supplies to Ukraine has made it a key target for Russian spies who are trying to gather information on support for Kyiv’s war effort and engage in acts of sabotage.
The Ukrainian man, named as Oleksandr D., sent messages to a Polish citizen encouraging him to help foreign intelligence, Jacek Dobrzynski, the spokesperson of the minister coordinating special services said in a statement.
“This activity was to consist in sharing photos of military vehicles that were intended to help Ukraine and crossed the Polish-Ukrainian border,” Dobrzynski said.
“In exchange for the information provided, the Polish citizen was to receive a remuneration of 15,000 euros.”
A court agreed to a request from the prosecutor to hold the suspect in pre-trial detention for three months. If found guilty he could face up to eight years in prison.
Source: independent.co.uk
