The Russian Defense Ministry says that the Chief of Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, Valery Gerasimov, and the Chief of the US Joint Staff, Mark Milley , discussed "issues of mutual interest, including the situation in Ukraine ". This was reported by the Russian state news agency Tass.

Meanwhile, the prosecution has asked for a life sentence for Vadim Shishimarin , the 21-year-old Russian soldier on trial for war crimes in a Kiev court . The young man, who pleaded guilty yesterday, asked for forgiveness. He is accused of the premeditated murder of an unarmed 62-year-old civilian in the Sumy region at the start of the invasion of Ukraine . The boy said he refused to shoot but was ordered and threatened by another soldier.

According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky , the Russian invasion is failing: "The fact that Russia is using laser weapons indicates the complete failure of the invasion." “ They do it to save missiles, they have launched over 2 thousand, now they only have leftovers . Everyone has seen Russia in war: inexperienced conscripts, thrown into battle like cannon fodder. Raiders seeing ordinary household appliances for the first time in a foreign country. Soviet armored vehicles without modern protection. Banned phosphorus bombs, which they use to burn down schools and houses ".

In the meantime , the accession to NATO of Sweden and Finland continues to hold sway, with Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin who met Mario Draghi yesterday.

An expansion of the Atlantic Alliance that Ankara continues to oppose: the Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu yesterday in New York expressed the "legitimate security concerns" of his country that Stockholm and Helsinki " support terrorist organizations ", referring to the Kurds of the PKK, an organization that Turkey, the US and the EU consider terrorist.

“We see the threat in our region and this is the reason why Finland and Sweden want to become NATO members. Turkey has always supported NATO's 'open doors' policy even before this war, ”Cavusoglu told US Secretary of State Blinken. " We understand their security concerns, but Turkey's security concerns must also be respected ."

There is still concern about the blockade of ports which causes a halt to wheat exports and could cause a global food crisis. "If you have a minimum of heart, open these ports of Ukraine to feed the poor", is the UN appeal to Vladimir Putin.

( HERE all the news about the war)

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Here is the news by the hour.

Aid from Washington for 40 billion dollars

Joe Biden applauds Congress for sending a "bipartisan signal to the world that the United States is with Ukraine in the defense of democracy and freedom". This was stated by the US president commenting on the go-ahead from the Senate for the 40 billion dollar aid package for Kiev. Resources that will allow us to send "more weapons and ammunition to Ukraine, restore our stocks and support American troops on NATO territory", adds Biden, stressing that "artillery, radar and other equipment" will be sent to Kiev.

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The Pentagon confirms the conversation between Milley and Gerasimov

The Pentagon confirms the telephone conversation between US joint chief of staff Mark Milley and his Russian counterpart, Valery Gerasimov. This is the first conversation between the two since the beginning of the invasion of Ukraine.

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Russian bombs in Severodonetsk, at least 12 dead

At least 12 people were killed and another 40 injured today in the Russian bombing of the eastern Ukrainian city of Severodonetsk, almost surrounded by Moscow forces. This was announced by the regional governor Serguii Gaidai. The Russians "started randomly bombing the regional center with heavy weapons in the morning. The bombing continues," he said on Telegram.

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Stoltenberg: "The Russian offensive in Donbass is stalled"

"Russia has not achieved its goals in Ukraine: it has had to abandon Kiev and Kharkiv and the offensive in the Donbass is stalled. But we do not believe that Moscow has given up on its plans and therefore we must prepare to support Ukraine in the medium and long period". This was stated by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.

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Moscow: "We will reopen the ports after the lifting of export sanctions"

Russia will reopen access to Ukrainian ports if the West removes export sanctions. Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko told Interfax. Rudenko said that the first cause of the food crisis is "the sanctions imposed on Russia by the United States and the EU, which hinder the freedom of trade, especially in food products, including wheat. So, if our partners want a solution , it is also necessary to solve the problems related to the lifting of the sanctioning restrictions imposed on Russian exports ", said Rudenko.

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Kremlin: "Residents will decide on occupied territories"

The future of the Ukrainian territories controlled by Russian forces will be decided only on the basis of the will of local residents. This was stated by the spokesman of the Kremlin Dmitry Peskov quoted by the Russian agency Interfax.

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On trial for war crimes, the Russian soldier asks for forgiveness

Asked for "forgiveness" by Russian sergeant Vadim Shishimarin, 21, tried in Kiev for war crimes and the premeditated murder of an unarmed 62-year-old civilian in the Sumy region at the start of the invasion of Ukraine.

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The EU launches RePowerUkraine: "Energy support for Kiev"

To involve Ukraine in the European energy strategy, "the EU Commission will launch a RePowerUkraine project" to support energy and relaunch Ukraine's infrastructure. Thus the EU energy commissioner, Kadri Simson, during her speech at the plenary assembly of the European Parliament on RePowerEu. "The danger of a total interruption of energy supplies from Russia is tangible and we need to be prepared. As with RePowerEu we intend to replace Russian fossil fuels with clean energy, increasing the participation of renewables in the energy mix to 45% by 2030," explained Simson.

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The deputy commander of the Azov Regiment also left the steel mill

The deputy commander and spokesman for the Azov Regiment, Svyatoslav Palamar (Kalina), reportedly left Azovstal last night. This was written by pro-government Russian Telegram channels, reporting the words of a reporter sent to the front, Dmitry Steshin, but underlining that there are no other confirmations.

Since Monday, continues Moscow, 1,730 soldiers in the Azovstal have surrendered.

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Moscow: "Half of Russian gas importers have opened accounts in rubles"

"About half" of the 54 foreign companies that have contracts with Gazprom for the purchase of Russian gas have opened bank accounts in rubles, with a view to accepting the new payment system requested by Moscow. This was stated by the Russian Deputy Prime Minister and former Energy Minister Alexander Novak. Tass reports it.

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Draghi: "Independent of Russian gas by 2024"

"Government estimates indicate that we could become independent from Russian gas in the second half of 2024: the first effects of this process will be seen already at the end of this year. During my visit to Washington I shared the energy strategy with President Biden. Italian and we agree on the importance of preserving the climate commitments that Italy intends to maintain ". Mario Draghi said this during the report to the Senate on Ukraine.

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Draghi: “Ukraine in the EU? Favorable Italy "

Italy is in favor of Ukraine joining the EU. Mario Draghi reiterated this when speaking to the Senate. Among other things, the premier announced a summit with Turkey in Ankara in July.

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Draghi: "Italy for the ceasefire and negotiations"

"To prevent the humanitarian crisis from worsening we must reach a ceasefire as soon as possible and restart the negotiations: this is the position of Italy, of the EU and that I shared with Biden". This was stated by Prime Minister Mario Draghi in a statement to the Senate on the war in Ukraine.

"Yesterday the Russian Federation communicated the expulsion of 24 Italian diplomats: it is a hostile act that follows similar decisions taken towards other European countries and responds to expulsions of diplomats by the Italian side. It is essential to maintain channels of dialogue with the Russian Federation and only from these channels that a negotiated solution can emerge ", adds the premier.

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Bombs on the Donbass, two children dead

Ten civilians were killed, including two children, and seven were wounded in two cities in the Ukrainian region of Donetsk (east) in the bombings of the Russian army yesterday and today: the head of the regional military administration, Pavlo Kyrylenko, reported. from Interfax Ukraine.

"On May 18, the Russians killed ten civilians from Donbass, seven in Lyman and three in Bakhmut. Among the dead are two children, one in Lyman and one in Bakhmut. Seven more people were injured today," Kyrylenko said, adding. that it is currently impossible to establish the exact number of victims in the occupied cities of Mariupol and Volnovakha.

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Berlin: "Putin will not achieve his goals"

"Putin will not achieve his military goals in Ukraine. He has achieved one thing, however, international coordination" against Russia. This was stated by German Finance Minister Christian Lindner, upon his arrival at the G7 finance in Petersberg, near Bonn. "We are impressed by the courage with which Ukraine is fighting, which is also defending our values. And we feel responsible," he added, citing the aid plan under discussion at the summit.

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Attack on Russian territory, one dead

At least one person died this morning at dawn in an attack by Ukrainian forces against the Russian village of Tyotkino, in the Kursk region (southwest), near the border with Ukraine: the governor of the region, Roman Starovoyt, who also spoke of "injured".

(Unioneonline)

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