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Ukraine purchases 1.5 bln cubic meters of gas from abroad since start of year

Ukraine has already received about 430 mln euro from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and from Norway for extra purchases of an additional one billion cubic meters of natural gas, the company added

MOSCOW, April 21. /TASS/. Ukraine’s Naftogaz gas company has bought 1.5 bln cubic meters of natural gas from abroad since the start of the year and needs to buy two bln cubic meters more for the next heating season," the energy company’s press service said.

"Since the beginning of the year, 1.5 bln cubic meters of gas were contracted: 800 mln cubic meters were urgently imported at the turn of the year; 400 mln cubic meters will come to Ukraine as part of preparations for the next winter. Naftogaz purchased 300 mln cubic meters more from Orlen," the company said on its website. "The company is holding negotiations with the government and international financial institutions on raising one billion euro to buy more than two billion cubic meters of gas," Naftogaz said.

Ukraine has already received about 430 mln euro from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and from Norway for extra purchases of an additional one billion cubic meters of natural gas, the company added.

Sino-Russian energy cooperation to expand irrespective of US — company

Li Shaoshi noted the longstanding "prospects for expansion of the Sino-Russian energy cooperation"

PM Netanyahu brushes off threats from London, Ottawa, Paris

According to his statement, the Jewish state will not abandon its right to self-defense and aims to achieve "total victory" in the Palestinian enclave

Trump says trusts in Russia's commitment to ending Ukraine conflict

"I believe he [Russian President Vladimir Putin] wants to stop," US leader said, answering questions from reporters

Russian Northern Fleet ships hunt down enemy submarines in Barents Sea drills

The ships practiced missions in interaction with shipborne Ka-27 anti-submarine warfare helicopters from the Northern Fleet’s combined aviation corps

Xi says China ready to share poverty reduction experience with SCO states

The Chinese president emphasized the importance of joint efforts to "build a beautiful world free of poverty with prosperity for all"

Putin says his conversation with Trump lasted more than 2 hours

"It was very substantive and very frank, and on the whole, in my opinion, in this regard, very useful," the Russian leader noted

Press review: Russia eyes Ukraine peace talks as right-wing forces rise in EU elections

Top stories from the Russian press on Tuesday, May 20th

Belgium ready to send troops to Ukraine as soon as there is truce — top defense official

Theo Francken said that Russian forces must withdraw from Ukrainian territory immediately following a ceasefire

Promising talk: Kremlin on Ukrainian settlement amid Russia-US dialogue

Regarding US involvement, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that Washington is maintaining its mediating role

Putin-Trump phone call touches on MacArthur's wise words about renewed militarism

The two presidents highlighted the foresight of the general's warnings

European leaders stunned by Trump’s reluctance to impose sanctions on Russia — media

According to The Financial Times, they added it was clear the US president was "not ready to put greater pressure"

Russia will view ‘coalition of the willing’ in Ukraine as reoccurring threat — Medvedev

The politician mentioned that mandates to maintain peace and security are traditionally associated with the UN Security Council

Moscow ready to work with Kiev on memorandum on potential peace treaty — Putin

"Russia is ready and will continue to work with the Ukrainian side on a memorandum on a potential future peace treaty outlining a number of positions, such as settlement principles, the timeframe for signing a potential peace agreement, and so on, including a potential ceasefire for a certain period in case relevant agreements are reached," the Russian leader said

Zakharova dismisses Western claims talks on Ukraine cannot be held without ceasefire

The Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman reiterated the government’s position that Europe only wants a ceasefire in order to provide the Ukrainian army with a breather

Ukraine seeks to include 'political' prisoners in POW swap with Russia — news outlet

The report pointed out that Kiev's desire to expand the swap list may be due to the fact that, if the agreed "1,000 for 1,000" swap goes ahead, Ukraine could be left with few Russian prisoners in custody

EU introduces restrictions against 189 tankers transporting Russian oil

The restrictions ban entry into EU ports for those vessels, as well as any transactions by European companies with them

European UGS facilities almost 45% filled with gas

The rates of LNG imports by Europe hit an all-time high level in April

NATO considers Putin-Trump conversation 'good sign' — chief

Mark Rutte added that "it is good and positive that the American president immediately followed up this phone call with the Ukrainian president and European leaders"

Russian diplomat blasts Zelensky for trying to disrupt Istanbul talks

Maria Zakharova noted that Kiev was a bit naive in hoping that delaying the talks would cause Moscow to leave the negotiating table

Push to isolate nations could lead to new world war — Medvedev

The politician said that the international legal order was most stable at the stages "when it was built with active participation of all states," including Russia

Aidar militants abandoning positions on border with Dnepropetrovsk Region

The security source added that survivors who did not manage to escape refuse to take part in further combat

No US military in Ukraine, Trump says

"We don't have [military] boots on the ground", US president pointed out

Senior North Korean education official departs for Russia to attend rectors’ forum

The forum will be held at the campus of Far Eastern Federal University

Putin-Trump talk indicates progress in Russia-Ukraine negotiations — expert

Mark Episkopos, the Eurasia Research Fellow at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, said that "both Russia and Ukraine want the White House to remain engaged in the peace process."

Russian side proposed POW swap at Istanbul talks, diplomat clarifies

Maria Zakharova pointed to the fact that several other significant agreements were reached at the Istanbul talks

Kremlin discloses what else Putin-Trump talks covered, such as threats from Kiev, WWII

As Kremlin Aide Yury Ushakov pointed out, the US leader acknowledged that the Russians made the most sacrifices during World War II

Russia ready to continue contacts with Ukraine — diplomat

Maria Zakharova stressed that Moscow has never shied away from talks

Ukrainian attacks kill 17 Russian civilians, leave over 90 injured in past week — diplomat

Rodion Miroshnik specified that the majority of casualties were recorded in the Belgorod and Kherson regions, and in the Lugansk and Donetsk people’s republics

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The restrictions affect 82 individuals and legal entities

Russia’s Medvedev sees ‘long way to go’ before memorandum with Ukraine can be signed

"The most difficult task now is to fill this memorandum with the necessary content," the official noted

Medvedev jokes about Macron's 'suspicious napkin' on train ride video

The Elysee Palace later clarified that the item was merely a handkerchief, not any illicit substance

Trump, Putin start phone talks — White House official

According to the official, Trump will speak by phone with Vladimir Zelensky afterward

Kiev deploys maneuverable groups of mercenaries to Seversk area in Donetsk region — expert

Russian forces have noticed small groups of foreign soldiers at the engagement line north and east of Seversk moving in pickup trucks with mounted Western-made anti-aircraft machine guns and mortars

Russian intel agency expresses concern about Western concept of qualified neutrality

Ivan Smyslov, an official with the Department of Legal Support, said that Western countries resort "to various legal tricks, substituting concepts"

Senior Russian MP pushes for 'solid' memorandum with Ukraine

As soon as the memorandum has been drafted and a second round of talks with Ukraine held, Russia could "synchronize watches once again" with US President Donald Trump, Leonid Slutsky maintained

Effectiveness of Iran's air defenses increases 3 times — chief of General Staff

Mohammad Bagheri noted that any violation of Iran's airspace would result in significant losses for the enemy

Istanbul agreements must be executed before next steps taken in Ukraine peace process

Maria Zakharova said that it is important now to implement what was agreed upon in Istanbul on May 16

EU to propose G7 to lower price cap on Russian oil to $50 per barrel — Reuters

Valdis Dombrovskis explained that he intends to put forward this proposal at a meeting of G7 finance ministers in Canada this week

Trump administration plans to strip 200,000 Ukrainians of refugee status — WP

Besides Ukrainians, the decision may affect 500,000 Haitians

Hungarian parliament passes in final voting bill on country’s withdrawal from ICC

Over two-thirds of lawmakers voted in favor of the bill

Trump says not tightening sanctions against Russia as hopes for peace in Ukraine

Meanwhile, he pointed out that "there could be a time where that's going to happen"

Venezuelan president praises Putin-Trump phone talk

"Venezuela reaffirms its commitment to peace and dialogue between countries, as well as the right of peoples to live free from threats and interference," the republic’s Foreign Minister Yvan Gil Pinto added

Iran's supreme leader says talks with US unlikely to succeed

"What the future holds remains uncertain," Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said

SJ-100 prototype equipped with Russia-produced engines starts certification flights

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Useful conversation, memorandum with Ukraine: statements after talk between Putin, Trump

The telephone conversation between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his American counterpart Donald Trump lasted more than two hours

Vatican's engagement in Ukraine settlement does not imply US withdrawal — Trump

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US realizes futility of continuing Ukrainian crisis — retired Russian officer

Andrey Bezrukov said that the crisis diverts Washington from redistributing resources that could be used for its own growth and development

Russia in Ukraine talks follows principles set forth by Putin in 2024 — diplomat

Maria Zakharova stressed that Moscow has been acting based on these guidelines "in a systematic, principled and logical manner"

Russia readies lawsuits for UN court against Ukraine, some Western countries — MFA

According to official at the Russian Foreign Ministry’s legal department Konstantin Kosorukov, the West unleashed a full-on legal war against Russia in recent years

Some 20,000 naturalized Russian citizens who dodged draft sent to special op — official

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Trump acknowledges USSR suffers highest casualties in World War II — Kremlin aide

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World in unusual situation when US against war and Europe all for it — top US diplomat

According to Marco Rubio, President Donald Trump is focused on stopping hostilities in different parts of the world and supports settling major armed conflicts as soon as possible

EU’s new anti-Russian sanctions target 17 individuals, 58 entities — Estonia’s MFA

According to the statement, the EU will also blacklist 189 vessels

Trump tells EU leaders US won’t impose new sanctions on Russia — report

According to Axios, the US president expressed confidence that Russia "wants a deal"

EU Council approves 17th sanctions package, nearly 200 tankers added to the list — Kallas

The restrictions on these tankers mean a ban on entry into EU ports and on any transactions by European companies with these vessels

Two Russian Tu-95MS strategic bombers perform scheduled flight over Barents Sea

The flight lasted over four hours, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported

Zelensky opposes peace as talks could mean verdict to him — Russian lawmaker

"War until the last Ukrainian standing is a harsh phrase but this is what reflects Zelensky’s current approach," Leonid Slutsky pointed out

Russia to demonstrate latest Su-57E fighter at Malaysia aerospace show

Rosoboronexport will also feature an Il-76MD-90A(E) plane capable of transporting 60 metric tons of cargo to a distance of 4,000 km

Trump says certain red line exists on US efforts in Ukraine settlement

US president refused to say what that line is because "it makes the negotiation even more difficult than it is"

Expert describes liberation of Maryino in Sumy Region as Russian army’s strategic success

Maryino is more than 10 kilometers away from the Russian border, and this is a serious bid by the Russian army to create a buffer zone

Kiev carried out up to 300 daily attacks on Russia amid Istanbul talks — Moscow’s diplomat

Rodion Miroshnik pointed out that Kiev kept increasing the number of attacks on Russian civilians, using drones

Poland to hold runoff presidential election

Rafal Trzaskowski and Karol Nawrocki are heading into Poland’s runoff presidential election which would be held on June 1

Russian troops liberate two communities in Ukraine operation over past day

The settlement of Maryino in the Sumy Region and the settlement of Novoolenovka in the DPR were liberated through decisive operations

Russian military expert dispels myth of German-made Leopard tank’s comfortable design

Sergey Suvorov pointed to some specifics of the crew’s location in Western-made tanks that can hamper their operation and complicate their exit from a damaged vehicle

US to pay nearly $5 mln to family of Ashley Babbitt shot dead during Capitol attack

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Trump avoids direct answer on Ukraine’s commitment to peace

Answering questions from reporters at the White House, Trump also noted that Vladimir Zelensky "wants to stop" and acknowledged that "he's not the easiest person to deal with"

Russian forces strike Ukrainian military airfield, UAV assembly workshop over past day

The Ukrainian military lost more than 1,290 troops in battles with Russian forces in all the frontline areas over the past 24 hours

Russian forces hit Ukrainian military’s soft underbelly near Konstantinovka — expert

According to Andrey Marochko, the Russian troops are corrently advancing from three directions toward this community

Ukrainians commit tens of thousands of crimes in Kursk Region — tribunal chairman

Maxim Grigoryev said that "not only the Ukrainian military and special services took part in these crimes, which include looting, but also the civilian Ukrainian population"

Britain's Ambrey reports risk of NATO-Russia "non-linear warfare" in Baltic Sea

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Russian paratroopers repel Ukrainian army’s attempts to land on left bank of Dnieper River

Expert Vitaly Kiselyov said that the Ukrainian military is aware that its forces are running out

Useful conversation, memorandum with Ukraine: statements after talk between Putin, Trump

TASS has compiled the key statements made by the Russian president

Russia, Ukraine will soon start talks on ceasefire, ending conflict, says Trump

"The conditions for that will be negotiated between the two parties, as it can only be, because they know details of a negotiation that nobody else would be aware of," US leader noted

Japan hopes for breakthrough on Ukraine after Putin-Trump talk

Meanwhile, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi reiterated that Tokyo "will continue to work closely with the international community"

Putin proclaims Odessa Russian city, challenges Ukraine's historical narrative

At the same time, the president noted that once upon a time "Vladimir Lenin gave away the whole of Ukraine when he created the Soviet Union"

IN BRIEF: What is known about 17th package of EU sanctions on Russia

The European Union blacklisted six companies from China, two firms from the UAE, as well as the Minsk Wheel Tractor Plant

Russian defense minister hears report on latest UAV models, tactics

Additionally, Andrey Belousov visited the command centers of the Battlegroup Center, where he received reports from brigade commanders regarding enemy activities and operational assessments

Family in Donetsk hid injured Russian soldier from Ukrainian troops for several months

The fighter came from the neighboring settlement of Razdolnoye

For signing agreements with Ukraine its authorized officials are to be found — Medvedev

The Deputy Chairman of Russia’s Security Council explained that the arrangements "will only be challenged if they are made by authorized persons"

Ukraine’s incursion into Kursk Region was sheer waste of elite units — expert

Andrey Marochko emphasized that the fallen soldiers and foreign mercenaries, most of whom were provided with "the best" training and equipment, had been trained in Western countries under NATO instruction

IN BRIEF: Key statements by Bank of Russia’s Chief at Alfa-Summit

Elvira Nabiullina touched upon the demand for the digital ruble in cross-border payments and the capabilities of artificial intelligence in macroeconomic analysis

Senator sees Russia, US advancing toward peace in Ukraine, while Kiev, Europe push for war

Ukraine has been transformed into a tool for pursuing someone else’s geopolitical goals, Konstantin Kosachev added

Putin confirms to Trump Russia's focus on fair settlement in Ukraine — Lavrov

The Russian foreign minister emphasized Moscow's firm position on this issue

Ukraine won’t pull troops from DPR, Zaporozhye and Kherson regions — Zelensky

"No ultimatums. If Russia sets down the condition of withdrawing our troops <...> it means they don't want a ceasefire," he said

Moscow, Beijing discuss Chinese companies’ entry into oil and gas projects in Russia

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak explained that the negotiations take time

Europe fears full US exit from Ukraine conflict after Trump’s comments — magazine

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Expansion of exchanges between Russian, Chinese regions helps find new projects — Lavrov

"The Khabarovsk Region, with its rich experience of successful work with Chinese friends, holds leading positions in regional interaction," the Russian Foreign Minister noted

Russia discovers hundreds of civilians buried in mass graves in Lugansk People’s Republic

Head of the Investigative Committee Alexander Bastrykin said that investigators continue to search for missing people and are working to identify the bodies of the civilians buried in unmarked graves in Donbass

Pivotal moment for Kiev to make decisions — Russian MFA

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova expressed hope that Kiev’s "instinct to preserve what remains of its statehood" would prevail

Putin tells Trump all about Ukrainian attacks ahead of May 9 — Kremlin aide

Yury Ushakov specified that "in the early morning hours of May 7, Ukraine launched 524 drones and Storm Shadow missiles at Russia, most of which were aimed at Moscow"

No deadline for preparing memorandum with Kiev, 'devil in details' — Kremlin

According to Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov, "both Russia and Ukraine will draft their projects."

German-made Leopard tanks inferior to Russian armor — Rostec

The state tech corporation said that Russian-made T-72B3M, T-80BVM and T-90M vehicles are the serial-produced tanks best adapted to modern warfare

Europe forced to take on all support for Kiev following Putin-Trump call — newspaper

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Trump deeply impressed by price at which Victory was won by Russia’s people — Kremlin aide

Putin and Trump spoke by telephone on May 19 for the third time since the new U.S. administration came to power

EU begins preparing 18th package of sanctions against Russia — Kallas

The EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy referred to some kind of classified European intelligence report which claims that sanctions against Russia are supposedly working

EU imposes sanctions on Russian Radiation, Chemical, and Biological Protection Forces

The document has been adopted in addition to a legal act by the EU Council published in the Official Journal of the EU

France bars Telegram co-founder Durov from traveling to US — Politico

The Paris prosecutor's office rendered its decision on May 12 "on the grounds that such a trip abroad did not appear imperative or justified," the newspaper wrote

Zelensky confirms settlement memorandum may be signed

According to Zelensky, the US president indicated that the document would include broader plans for a settlement beyond just a ceasefire

Trump says believes that Putin wants peace in Ukraine

US president's remarks were not heard during the live broadcast amid the loud orchestra music

Russian forces encircle Ukraine troops in Donetsk area’s Konstantinovka

Russian Forces are making serious advances to the southwest of Konstantinovka