Finland
The President of France has declared support for Trump's call for a 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine, awaiting Russia's response.
The presidents of Finland and Norway initiated talks with Trump and Zelenskyy regarding the possibility of a 30-day ceasefire. Zelenskyy thanked them for their support of Ukraine.
A Finnish F/A-18 Hornet fighter jet crashed near Rovaniemi airport. The pilot ejected, and the airport is temporarily closed.
Only 14 EU countries have formally requested increased defense spending, casting doubt on the European Commission's €800 billion ReArm Europe plan due to limited budgetary capacity.
Georgia dropped 11 positions in the press freedom ranking due to the hostile environment for the media and attacks on journalists. Ukraine took 62nd place, and Russia – 171st, dropping by 9 lines.
According to the ranking of the organization "Reporters Without Borders", global press freedom has deteriorated. Ukraine is ranked 62nd, between South Korea and Brazil.
Against the backdrop of Russian aggression against Ukraine, 16 countries in the EU have initiated a request to activate the "exception clause". This should facilitate the transition to higher defense spending at the national level.
Poland will train the population on how to act in the event of disasters and wars. A "Safety Manual" will be sent to every home to teach them how to recognize and respond to threats.
European armies are understaffed and underfunded, making it difficult to create a deterrent force in Ukraine. Many countries are not ready to provide soldiers.
Estonia will continue to cooperate with the Baltic and North Sea countries to stop Russian shadow fleet vessels. The cooperation will ensure the protection of the region's environment and maritime infrastructure.
The FMBTech project with a budget of 19 million euros has officially started in the EU, bringing together 26 organizations from 13 countries to modernize tanks for modern combat conditions. The project aims to create maneuverable and intelligent tanks.
Due to ongoing Russian attacks on the civilian population of Ukraine, the OSCE is convening a special permanent council. The goal is to hold Russia accountable and promote a just peace.
Latvia has officially withdrawn from the Ottawa Convention, which prohibits anti-personnel mines, due to the changing security situation and Russian aggression. The authorities assure that they will adhere to the norms of humanitarian law.
A three-day strike of civil servants, including the police, has been ongoing in Finland since April 22. Police stations in several regions are closed, and applications will only be accepted online.
The Ministry of Defense received a batch of equipment from the IT coalition, funded by Luxembourg and Iceland, worth almost 2 million euros. The delivery included access points, routers, charging stations and telephones.
Since 2021, Finland has classified arms exports, issuing 19 licenses to 8 countries. Ukraine is the most frequent destination for secret supplies, Israel requested non-disclosure.
The shipyard in Rauma is negotiating with the United States on the construction of up to five medium-capacity icebreakers, as well as three large icebreakers. The total cost could reach over €2.5 billion.
The State Food and Consumer Service of Lviv region discovered ochratoxin A in Gerber baby puree, produced by Suomen Nestle Oy. The product has been withdrawn from circulation for further destruction.
Finland has decided to keep its land border with Russia closed indefinitely, citing security considerations. This is a continuation of a policy that began in 2023 amid accusations that Russia was facilitating illegal immigration.
Zelenskyy announced the preparation of a new security architecture and new support packages from partners. He emphasized that Ukraine is ready for political decisions.
Finnish President Alexander Stubb spoke with Volodymyr Zelenskyy about the situation in Ukraine, including the front. The leaders discussed further steps to achieve a just peace.
European Commission employees traveling to the United States are being issued disposable phones and basic laptops due to concerns about espionage, including from American intelligence agencies. This underscores the deteriorating relationship between the EU and the US.
Finnish President Alexander Stubb stated that Russia respects neither international nor humanitarian law. He called for a ceasefire and stronger sanctions against the aggressor country.
The President of Ukraine strongly condemned the Russian strike on Sumy, which killed 34 people and injured 117. The ballistic missile strike hit the city center on Palm Sunday.
The Finnish Parliament has unanimously approved the government's proposal to completely ban Russians from buying real estate. This decision aims to strengthen the country's national security.
There are up to 50 sites in Ukraine for the storage of demolition waste caused by Russian aggression.
A Russian commander kidnapped a woman in the Mykolaiv region, forced her to walk through a mined area and threatened arson. The court sentenced him to 10 years in prison for war crimes.
The Pentagon is considering withdrawing up to 10,000 troops from Eastern Europe. This raises concerns that the US is abandoning allies amid the threat from the Russian Federation.
Oleksandr Nechytailo became the ambassador to China, and Andriy Melnyk became the representative to the UN. There were also changes in the embassies of Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and others.
The State Tax Service of Ukraine and Finland have signed a memorandum of understanding on technical assistance. The aim of the project is to increase trust in the Ukrainian tax service.