Ukraine allegedly attempting to breach borders with Russia.
Ukraine War Live Ticker
The conflict between Russia and Ukraine continues to escalate, with both nations accusing each other of violating ceasefires and attempting to break through borders. Let's take a look at the latest developments in this ongoing saga.
Russia accuses Ukraine of border incursions
Russia claims that Ukraine has attempted to break through the border in the Kursk and Belgorod regions. The state news agency Interfax reports this, citing the Russian Defense Ministry. These attacks allegedly took place during the three-day ceasefire unilaterally declared by Russia. Despite Moscow's accusations, Ukraine denies these claims and accuses Russia of repeatedly violating the ceasefire.
Special tribunal for the Russian war of aggression
European leaders have launched an international special tribunal for the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine. EU chief diplomat, Kaja Kallas, emphasizes that the tribunal will hold the main perpetrators of the aggression accountable. German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul highlights that this violation of international law must not go unpunished. The Russian war is well-documented in the information age, and there is no room for impunity.
Establishing a special tribunal to hold Putin accountable
Ukraine and its European allies have decided to establish a special tribunal for the Russian war of aggression. The panel of judges will be based in The Hague and will hold top Russian leaders accountable. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrij Sybiha expresses hope that Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin and other Russian government members will be held accountable. Verdicts can also be issued in absentia, as it is unlikely that Putin will be personally brought to trial in the near future.
Poland and France to help each other in case of military threat
Poland and France are set to sign an agreement on mutual support in the event of a military threat. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk does not provide details about the agreement. The two countries will also take joint initiatives to create peace in Ukraine.
Putin meets North Korean generals
North Korea supports Russia in its war against Ukraine with thousands of soldiers. At the end of April, Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un confirmed this for the first time, but did not mention any numbers. According to South Korean intelligence, North Korea has sent a total of about 15,000 soldiers to Russia, with around 600 North Korean soldiers reportedly killed.
Threats of new sanctions against Russia
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz threatens Russia with further sanctions if it does not soon agree to a longer ceasefire in Ukraine and peace talks. Merz demands that Russia finally embarks on the path towards genuine peace negotiations. If this does not happen, he vows that Germany, along with its European partners and the United States, will increase sanctions.
Nord Stream 2 can continue search for new investor
The heavily indebted Russian pipeline operator Nord Stream 2 AG can continue its search for a new investor for now. The court in the Swiss canton of Zug approves the inheritance agreement that makes the restructuring possible through a debt cut. If the company had gone bankrupt, it would have been equivalent to an insolvency proceeding in Germany. Nord Stream 2 belongs to the Russian state corporation Gazprom and is based in the canton of Zug. The Nord Stream 2 was to transport natural gas from Russia through two 1200-kilometer pipelines in the Baltic Sea to Germany. The pipeline was completed but never put into operation. Shortly after the Russian attack on Ukraine, the German government stopped the project, and one of the pipeline strings was destroyed in a sabotage attack as was the string of the already operational Nord Stream 1 pipeline.
Billion aid, tribunal, and commemoration: EU Foreign Ministers in Lviv
Dozens of top diplomats from Europe have traveled to Lviv to support Ukraine. Among them are numerous EU foreign ministers, including the new German foreign minister, Johann Wadephul. They have laid a wreath at the Lychakiv Cemetery to commemorate the Ukrainians killed since the Russian invasion in 2022. Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal thanked the European partners for their support and expressed gratitude for the provision of one billion euros by the EU for the Ukrainian arms industry. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha also announced a meeting of EU foreign ministers and the core group for a special tribunal against the Russian leadership.
Suspected Hungarian Spies arrested
The Ukrainian security service SBU claims to have uncovered a Hungarian spy ring. This ring worked against the interests of Ukraine and collected information about the defense capacity and air defense of Ukraine in the southwest. Two spies have been arrested. Hungary is a member of the European Union and NATO, but has a very Russia-friendly prime minister in Viktor Orban.
Secret Talks in Baku: SPD and CDU Politicians Meet Putin Allies
Reports of meetings in Baku between German and Russian delegations have sparked outrage. SPD Bundestag member Ralf Stegner is facing sharp criticism for his Baku trip. SPD Bundestag member Ralf Stegner, former Brandenburg Minister President Matthias Platzeck of the SPD, and former Federal Chancellery Chief Ronald Pofalla of the CDU have defended a meeting with Russian representatives in Baku. They argue that such dialogues are confidential but not secret negotiations and can contribute to promoting mutual useful knowledge and assessments about circumstances, attitudes, and developments that go beyond what the press or intelligence services can provide.
Konstantin von Notz criticizes Stegner sharply for Baku Trip
Reports of meetings in Baku between German politicians and Russian envoys from the Kremlin's orbit have sparked outrage. Konstantin von Notz, chairman of the Bundestag's Parliamentary Control Committee, sharply criticizes SPD Bundestag member Ralf Stegner. Von Notz accuses Stegner of participating in an inappropriate and confusing process that needs to be clarified immediately. He notes that Stegner, as a member of the control committee, is a trustee of secrets who should have reported such a trip.
SPD and CDU Politicians Meet Kremlin Envoys in Baku
Reports of meetings in Baku between German and Russian delegations have sparked outrage. Ralf Stegner, Matthias Platzeck, and Ronald Pofalla have defended the meetings as private conversations, neither commissioned nor financed by public institutions. Pofalla, Platzeck, and Stegner claimed that such conversations could contribute to promoting mutual useful knowledge and assessments about circumstances, attitudes, and developments that go beyond what the press or intelligence services can provide. However, the credibility of their claims remains questionable, given the sensitive nature of any private meetings between German politicians and Russian representatives in the context of the war in Ukraine.
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- The European leaders have launched an international special tribunal for the prosecution of those responsible for the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, in the realm of politics and international justice.
- During the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, both nations have been accused of violating ceasefires and attempting to break through borders, as reported in the Ukraine War Live Ticker.
- Particularly amidst the war-and-conflicts in Ukraine, there have been reports of mutual support agreements between Poland and France in case of a military threat, a topic of general news.
- In the current political landscape, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrij Sybiha emphasizes the establishment of a special tribunal to hold Putin and other Russian government members accountable for their actions in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.