Politics & Economics

Russia is experiencing a decline in rail freight transportation volumes. According to Ukrinform, this was reported by the Center for Countering Disinformation (CCD) at the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine on Facebook. "The Russian railway monopolist RZD (Russian Railways) is recording a record drop in freight volumes — in January–April 2025, the decrease amounted to nearly 6.8%, and in April alone, the decline accelerated to 8.6%. The sharpest drop in cargo flows was observed in the metallurgical, construction, oil, and agricultural sectors," the CCD noted. These issues are systemic and directly stem from the war that Russia is…

Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov handed over a document outlining Ukraine’s position on the ceasefire to Vladimir Medinsky, the head of the Russian delegation. According to Ukrinform, Umerov announced this on Facebook, explaining that after the May 16 talks between Ukraine and Russia in Turkey, the world had expected Russia to draft and submit a “memorandum” detailing its vision for a ceasefire. “Unfortunately, the Russian side attempted to delay the process. However, international pressure proved effective. Following strong statements from President Trump, European leaders, and President Zelensky, who demonstrated global unity in achieving peace for Ukraine, Russia finally announced the…

During his visit to Germany, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met with the President of the German Bundestag, Julia Klöckner, to discuss defense assistance and broader support for Ukraine. That is according to the Office of the President of Ukraine, as reported by Ukrinform. “The President thanked Germany for its decision to allocate €7 billion in military aid this year. The parties also addressed the possibility of increasing this amount,” the statement reads. Zelensky also noted the Bundestag’s approval of constitutional amendments enabling increased defense spending in Germany. The discussion further covered the potential for direct investments in Ukraine’s defense industry.…

Ukraine and Finland have signed several bilateral agreements aimed at expanding cooperation in the areas of energy, education, and security. According to an Ukrinform correspondent, during a joint statement with Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal emphasized the importance of the talks, calling them constructive and meaningful. He noted that both countries would enhance collaboration across key sectors, particularly in security, energy, and education. A memorandum was signed to advance partnership in the energy sector, focusing on the development of a sustainable, secure, decentralized, and environmentally friendly energy system of Ukraine. Read also: Shmyhal meets with…

U.S. President Donald Trump said that within two weeks it will become clear whether Russian leader Vladimir Putin really wants to end the war against Ukraine. As reported by an Ukrinform correspondent, Trump told journalists about this on Wednesday at a swearing-in ceremony for the interim U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Asked if he believes Russian President Vladimir Putin wants to end the war in Ukraine, Trump told reporters, "I can’t tell you that, but I’ll let you know in about two weeks. Within two weeks, we’re going to find out very soon… We’re going to find out…

Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal held a meeting with Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo in Kyiv. This was reported by an Ukrinform correspondent. “I am pleased to welcome my colleague, Prime Minister of Finland Petteri Orpo, a great friend of Ukraine, to Kyiv today. First and foremost, I want to express my gratitude to Finland for its unwavering solidarity with Ukraine. We deeply appreciate the support of the Finnish government and people in strengthening our resilience and securing victory,” Shmyhal stated. Read also: PM Shmyhal calls for total isolation of Russia During the meeting, the prime minsters visited an exhibition…

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky met with Federal President of Germany Frank-Walter Steinmeier to discuss cooperation at the state and regional levels, as well as further support for Ukrainians. Zelensky said this in a post on X, Ukrinform reports. “I held a meeting with the President of Germany, Frank-Walter Steinmeier. I thanked him for Germany’s European leadership in providing defense support to Ukraine, especially for its contribution to saving lives and delivering air defense systems. We discussed our cooperation at both national and regional levels, as well as further support for our people,” wrote Zelensky. He stressed that the patronage…

Moscow has proposed holding a second round of negotiations between Russian and Ukrainian delegations in Istanbul on June 2. This was stated by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, as reported by Ukrinform. Lavrov said that the Russian Federation has developed a "memorandum" outlining its position on "reliably overcoming the root causes" of the war in Ukraine, which he referred to as a "crisis." The Russian delegation, led by Vladimir Medinsky, is prepared to present this "memorandum" to the Ukrainian side during the upcoming talks in Istanbul, along with the necessary explanations, Lavrov added. Read also: Türkiye ready to host next…

President Volodymyr Zelensky and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz met with representatives of German business to discuss cooperation with Ukraine. Zelensky wrote about this in Telegram, Ukrinform reports. “Together with Friedrich Merz, we met with representatives of German business. German companies are already well represented in the Ukrainian market, and we can and must do more to make our business ties stronger. We talked about a wide range of cooperation. The medical area is prosthetics and training. Thank you for helping our soldiers with their rehabilitation. We will scale up this work. Also, of course, support for Ukraine's energy sector and…

Ambassador of Ukraine to the Netherlands Andriy Kostin presented his credentials to King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands. This was reported by an Ukrinform correspondent. Kostin also presented his credentials to Director-General of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons Fernando Arias as Ukraine's permanent representative to the OPCW. Today, I had the honour of presenting the Letters of Credence to His Majesty King Willem-Alexander, officially assuming the role of Ambassador of Ukraine to the Kingdom of the Netherlands.It is a profound privilege to represent my country in the Netherlands that stands shoulder… pic.twitter.com/dbjJm9tMky — Andriy Kostin (@AndriyKostinUa) May 28,…