Berlin resists NATO's defensive shield for Ukraine.

Berlin opposes NATO's defensive shield for Ukraine.

The German government remains opposed to the idea of establishing a defense barrier against Russian aerial assaults on western Ukraine from NATO territory. According to government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit in Berlin, this move would signify direct involvement in the conflict and is something they hope to avoid. Furthermore, Hebestreit alluded to previous comments from Defense Minister Boris Pistorius and NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg. Demands for this protective shield have been growing both at an international and domestic level.

At 14:21, NATO requests its member states to permit Ukraine to use Western weaponry against Russian military objectives. During the spring session of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly (PA) in Sofia, the alliance adopted a declaration with the slogan "Standing with Ukraine until victory." Stoltenberg called for the easing of some constraints on the utilization of the provided arms.

NTV reporter Rainer Munz reports that Russian media is currently concentrating on the viewpoints of the Western nations. However, Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov claimed that Russia was already being targeted with Western weapons.

Ukraine announces that it has struck a target 1500 kilometers beyond the front lines in the Russian heartland, according to the country's intelligence services. An employee of these services stated that a new long-distance record for the use of drones in attacking objectives has been set. The "Woronesh M" early warning radar near the city of Orsk on the border with Kazakhstan was the intended target. This radar system enables the detection of rockets or aircraft at significant distances. The informant failed to offer any details about the potential damage sustained during the attack on Sunday.

Poland plans to reinforce its eastern boundary and shield itself from potential attacks. The "Shield East" project represents the country's most significant operation to strengthen its eastern limit and the eastern flank of NATO since 1945. Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz explained in Warsaw that fortifications, various types of obstacles, and highly advanced air defense systems would be installed along the border, which is also an external EU border. The project entails investments of approximately €2.3 billion. By 2028, work on sections of the border spanning 700 kilometers is scheduled to be completed.

The city of Kharkiv is under attack once more. Russian forces are bombarding a hardware store where roughly 200 civilians were present at the time. Videos from inside the store reveal the explosion and resulting destruction.

NATO journalist Stephan Richter remarked that there is hope in Ukraine that "more nations will adopt this stance." Zelensky is presently in Spain, with the primary concern being the ammunition and weapons shortage.

The EU has approved a legal framework for implementing sanctions targeting serious human rights violations in Russia, three and a half months after the demise of Kremlin opponent Alexei Navalny. This framework would enable sanctions against people or organizations involved in repressing the opposition.

The German government is providing more humanitarian aid to the Russian-occupied regions of eastern Ukraine. Overall, Germany is contributing €60 million, primarily for the eastern part of Ukraine. Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock stated before EU discussions in Brussels that the areas are struggling with a lack of essentials, having fallen victim to "Russian terror occupation" for more than two and a half years. The German government seeks to deliver aid to this area in collaboration with international partners.

Lithuania accuses Hungary of consistently obstructing EU attempts to assist Ukraine in its struggle against the Russian aggression conflict. The EU must devise a way to bypass this obstruction, said Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis during a discussion with his EU counterparts in Brussels. Hungary has taken considerable measures in this respect. "We should perceive this as a systematic approach to obstruct any endeavors by the EU to play a substantial role in foreign policy," Landsbergis remarked. Meanwhile, Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock urged Hungary to abandon its obstruction of further EU military assistance for Ukraine. She appealed to Hungary to "urgently cease impeding support for Ukraine in its pursuit of peace." The foreign ministers within the European Union will debate further aid for Ukraine in Brussels. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba presented urgent demands for additional air defense systems and other weapons in a video message.

09:40 Spain's Assistance: Ukraine Likely to Receive More Leopard Tanks

Spain is expected to provide 12 Patriot missiles for the Patriot air defense system and 19 Leopard tanks to Ukraine. These weapons are part of the aid package worth 1.13 billion euros announced last month for the Russia-stricken country. On top of that, equipment for countering drones and ammunition will be delivered. The new military aid is anticipated to be announced during Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's visit to Spain, where he's planned to meet with Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and King Felipe in Madrid. However, a spokesperson for Sánchez didn't comment on the report. Zelensky has also recently received Leopard tanks from Germany - the 1A5 type.

09:09 Ukraine Launches Drone Attacks on Russian Territory

A Ukrainian drone strike near a gas station in the Russian region of Orjol has left one person dead, as per Russian authorities. Governor Andrej Klychkov shared on Telegram, "A drone fell on the grounds of a gas station in the city of Liwny this morning." It was 160 kilometers behind the Ukrainian border. The administrative building was also damaged. Two drone attacks occurred, the second taking place while rescue teams were present. "According to preliminary information, the driver of a fire truck was killed." The three injured were also rescue workers. Russian Defense Ministry reports suggest that a dozen Ukrainian drones were neutralized overnight, including six in the Orjol region.

08:35 Lange Suggests Encouraging War Crimes Over Deterring Them

Military expert Nico Lange regards the Russian missile strikes on a printing house and a home improvement store in Kharkiv as new war crimes. He remarks on the platform X, "If we limit ourselves to supporting Ukraine, we are encouraging Russia to commit more war crimes instead of deterring it."

07:59 Lithuania's Election Brings Joy to Ukraine

Gitanas Nauseda's re-election as Lithuanian President is warmly welcomed in Kiev. In a statement, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky congratulates him, "Dear Gitanas Nauseda, heartfelt congratulations on your re-election! You've stood by our side day and night in these difficult years. I appreciate your sincere support for Ukraine." Lithuania has been helping Ukraine as much as possible, given its capacity.

07:19 Kuleba Discusses Difficulties in Negotiations with Russia

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has had several unsuccessful negotiating sessions with Russia. He says on the platform X, "The main issue is that Russia has never negotiated in good faith unless it was forced to." Russia has undercut the peace process through 200 rounds of peace talks between 2014 and 2022 and has initiated a "total war on Ukraine." Kuleba admires the idea of a unified, international effort to generate a path for genuine peace. "That's why the peace summit in Switzerland on June 15 and 16 is so crucial. The more nations are present, the more effective it will be."

06:36 Increased Russian Military Activity Near Ukrainian Border

Russian troops are gathering approximately 90 kilometers from Kharkiv, as reported by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The Institute for War Studies (ISW) suggests that they intend to fix and attract Ukrainian troops. They are also preparing for assault operations to expand Russia's influence in the border area. The ISW reports observing satellite images of the area around Graiworon-Borissowka-Proletarski in the western region of Belgorod, where the Russian armed forces have expanded their operations to warehouses and depots in nearby settlements during the last few weeks. The magnitude of the possible Russian troop concentration remains unknown at the current time.

05:59 Klitschko Urges Western Partners to Enable Preemptive Strikes on Russia

Die Ukraine hat aus mehreren Ländern diverse Leopard-Modelle erhalten - bräuchte für mögliche Gegenoffensiven aber noch deutlich mehr.

The grief stemming from the attack on a building materials store in Kharkiv that left many casualties is still widespread. Vitali Klitschko says on the platform X, "These Ukrainians were also killed by Russian bombs because we didn't have enough air defense. For how long will the countries that own Patriot systems wait?" He proposes that it should be permitted to attack targets inside Russia with Western weapons. "The planes that drop bombs on our civilians take off from Russian airfields. We must destroy these planes there."

05:16 Air Alert in Southern Ukraine

Another nighttime air alert is reported in southern Ukraine. The Ukrainian military is observing, among other things, a Russian stealth bomber Su-57 over the Black Sea and alerting of the launch of cruise missiles.

The Ukrainian leader, Volodymyr Zelensky, is pushing for the right to utilize Western weapons against Russian territory in reaction to the deadly bombing of the border town of Charkiw. Numerous foreign politicians and organizations have conveyed their condolences for the incident and denounced Russia, according to Zelensky in his video speech. "It's crucial that this criticism results in appropriate consequences," he stated. Ukraine not only requires additional air defense, but it also demands the authority to strike Russian targets using foreign armaments. "We can identify every major gathering of Russian troops; we know the locations where Russian rockets and jets are launched," Zelensky explained. This political decision would allow for the preventative destruction of these forces before they attack Ukraine.

01:40: Four civilians killed by Russian shelling

Ukrainian prosecutors claim that three civilians were fatally wounded by Russian shelling in the Donetsk region. Casualties have been reported in Siwersk in the northern part of the region as well as in Krasnohoriwka and Tschassiw Jar further south. One civilian has also been killed near the city of Tschuhujiw, according to the prosecutors of the Kharkiv region.

00:47: Zelensky travels to Spain

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will make a trip to Spain today. Zelensky will be received by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez at 12:00 PM, according to the Spanish government. It was also stated that there will be a press conference. Zelensky had initially intended to visit Spain on May 17th, but he delayed his trip due to the turmoil in the Kharkiv region.

23:18: Macron: "Peace is not capitulation"

French President Emmanuel Macron has warned against abandoning support for Ukraine in its conflict with Russia. "Standing up for peace today implies fostering the rule of law. Peace is not surrendering. Peace is not the job of principles," Macron said during his three-day state visit to Germany. "Peace involves granting a country the authority to defend its borders and sovereignty," he continued. Macron emphasized that Germany and France would also stress this point in the bilateral Defense and Security Council meeting on Tuesday. They will highlight their commitment to aiding Ukraine "until the end" in resisting, "to wear down, to accompany, to train, and prepare for all situations to establish a lasting peace - a peace that respects international law."

22:22: Medvedev threatens Poland with "radioactive ash"

Russia's former president, Dmitry Medvedev, has threatened Poland with "radioactive ash" following comments from Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski about how the US might respond to a Russian nuclear attack on Ukraine. Sikorski spoke to the British newspaper "The Guardian" about how the US may react to a Russian nuclear strike on Ukraine. "If the Americans assault our targets, it implies a world conflict, and a foreign minister, even from a nation like Poland, should comprehend that," Medvedev wrote on his Telegram channel. "Warsaw will not escape unscathed and will undoubtedly receive its share of radioactive dust. Is that what you want?"

22:00: Zelensky speaks to Central Asian media for the first time

Ukraine's President, Volodymyr Zelensky, has granted his first interview to Central Asian media, particularly journalists from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan. The interview was published by the Kazakh media outlet "Orda" as a video on YouTube. Concerning a potential ceasefire with Russia, Zelensky predicted that there are no chances for an agreement.

21:40: Putin arrives in Uzbekistan for a state visit

Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Uzbekistan for a state visit. This was announced by Russian state media. Shavkat Mirziyoyev welcomed Putin at the airport in the Uzbek capital Tashkent. Mirziyoyev has been the President of the Central Asian state with 37 million residents since 2016. Putin and Mirziyoyev will discuss the further development of Russian-Uzbek connections and current issues in the region during the two-day trip. It is planned to sign a "comprehensive package of bilateral documents" following the visit, according to the Kremlin.

9:20 pm Ukrainian General Staff: Despite "maximum effort" by the Russians, no breakthrough

The Ukrainian military reported 83 instances of conflict with Russian forces on Sunday. Russian forces are reportedly putting in their best effort to break through the Ukrainian defensive lines. The General Staff stated in a social media update that Ukrainian troops are implementing measures to keep their positions and eradicate the enemy's offensive capabilities. "There are no significant alterations" in the direction of Kharkiv, but the Russian forces are continuing offensives at the city of Vovchansk and the village of Lyptsi.

9:00 pm Ukrainians protest in Kyiv in front of the US Embassy

The restriction on not using Western weapons against Russian territory is triggering perplexity among the Ukrainian populace. Approximately 150 people are rallying in front of the US Embassy in Kyiv to demand the revocation of the restriction.

On May 26, Georgians celebrated Independence Day with a massive demonstration in the capital, Tbilisi, that went by the name "Freedom March." According to RFE/RL, this event brought out thousands of people who waved flags of Georgia and the European Union, while voicing their opposition to the contentious "foreign influence" legislation. They also shined their mobile phone flashlights and called out, "No to the Russian law!" and "No to the Russian regime!" Prior to the gathering, Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili had mentioned at the induction ceremony of new recruits in Tbilisi's Freedom Square that "a dark cloud of Russia hangs over Georgia."

Read more here about the historical background.