Norway's Minister of Defense, Tore Onshuus Sandvik, visited Kyiv, where he met with Rustem Umerov and Oleksandr Syrskyi. Norway will allocate an additional $400 million for the procurement of Ukrainian weaponry.
Oleksiy Reznikov emphasized that conventional weapons from the US are no longer a decisive factor, as Ukraine's European partners have increased arms supplies for defense. He added that the war is changing, and drones are coming to the fore, effectively destroying enemy equipment at a low cost.
President Zelenskyy, HUR Chief Budanov, and other officials showed new footage of Ukrainian defenders released from Russian captivity. Minister of Defense Umerov noted that this is part of the agreements reached in Istanbul, and the work on their return continues.
Defense Minister Rustem Umerov announced the appointment of Brigadier General Hennadii Shapovalov as Commander of the Ground Forces. Hennadii Shapovalov has combat experience and experience working with NATO partners.
The Verkhovna Rada now has 398 people's representatives after Oles Dovgyi was stripped of his mandate. The reduction in staff is due to the ban of OPZZh and the refusal of mandates.
Minister of Energy Herman Halushchenko and Minister of Defense Rustem Umerov did not appear in the Verkhovna Rada at the summons of MPs.
The Ministers of Energy and Defense will speak in Parliament. Galushchenko will talk about preparations for the heating season, and Umerov about fortifications in the frontline regions.
The Ombudsman warns about fraudsters who exploit prisoner exchange schemes and extort money from families. They impersonate government officials and demand money for inclusion in exchange lists.
Ukraine has returned from Russian captivity a group of wounded and seriously ill defenders, most of whom are officers, and some are under 25 years old. This became possible thanks to agreements in Istanbul.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy heard a report from Defense Minister Rustem Umierov regarding negotiations and financing of defense production. The President emphasized the importance of ensuring Ukraine's defense.
Ukraine and Lithuania will develop joint projects in the fields of air defense, long-range systems, armored vehicles and ammunition production. Lithuania has already joined the financing of Ukrainian long-range capabilities.
Kęstutis Budrys arrived in Kyiv, despite the intensification of Russian shelling of civilian infrastructure. He will discuss support for Ukraine and pressure on Russia.
French automaker Renault will cooperate with a defense company to produce drones in Ukraine. The drones will be intended for the needs of Ukraine and the French army.
Ukrainian military destroyed Russian positions from which Ukraine was being shelled. They also shot down a Russian Su-35 aircraft and damaged military helicopters.
The Coordination Headquarters stated that the Russian Federation's statements about the start of the exchange of bodies of the dead within the framework of the agreements in Istanbul are not true. Preparations are underway for the exchange of seriously ill people and the bodies of the dead.
The Russian side reports receiving 42 bodies of dead soldiers and transferring 503 bodies to Ukraine. There is currently no information from official Kyiv regarding this exchange.
The Ministers of Defense of Ukraine and France discussed the participation of French companies in the production of drones and air defense systems for the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In addition, Umerov discussed joint projects in the field of defense with the Minister of Defense of Spain.
NATO defense ministers discussed support for Ukraine and the allocation of 25 billion euros in additional security assistance. Support was also given to assistance proposals announced at the "Ramstein" meeting.
Rustem Umerov discussed with his Norwegian counterpart, Tore Onshus Sandvik, the use of these funds, as well as the development of joint projects, particularly in the field of unmanned systems.
Five more countries have officially joined the Electronic Warfare Coalition, initiated by Ukraine and Germany. Germany has created a financial mechanism for the procurement of EW equipment.
In 2025, security assistance to Ukraine from partners will exceed the figures of previous years. Great Britain will allocate 350 million pounds for drones, Germany - 5 billion euros for weapons.
Legal representatives of children deported to the Russian Federation will receive a payment of 50,000 hryvnias. The State Service for Children's Affairs will transfer the funds after the child's return.
The 28th meeting of the Contact Group on the Defense of Ukraine has begun in Brussels. For the first time in 3 years, the head of the Pentagon is not participating.
The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation stated that Istanbul remains a platform for negotiations with Ukraine. The issue of changing the meeting place is not currently being considered.
Mykhailo Drapatyi will head the Joint Forces, Robert Brovdi will head the Unmanned Systems Forces, and Vadym Sukharevskyi will modernize the "East" command.
Ukraine and Russia have agreed on the next round of negotiations, Turkey hopes to host delegations from Ukraine, Russia and the United States for negotiations. The last meeting on June 2 brought progress in the implementation of previous decisions.
Russian propaganda is spreading false information about Umerov's meeting with Medinsky. The Center for Counteracting Disinformation refuted the fakes about "closed agreements" and the preparation of the Russian Federation for an information attack.
Political scientist Oleg Lisny stated that the negotiations in Istanbul showed that Russia does not want peace, this is a demonstration for Trump. An agreement was reached on the exchange of bodies of dead soldiers.
Defense Minister Rustem Umerov stated that Russia is stalling for time by simulating negotiations. The Russian Federation rejects the cessation of killings and demands Ukrainian territories in exchange for peace.
The Ukrainian side received proposals from the Russians only during the negotiations in Istanbul. Umerov stated that the Russians are trying to create the illusion of diplomacy without real actions.