Sweden's military aid package for Ukraine, US Deputy Secretary of Treasury visit to Kyiv - Wednesday brief
Collage by RBC-Ukraine
Sweden announced the largest package of military aid to Ukraine. Meanwhile, the US Deputy Treasury Secretary arrived in Kyiv on a visit.
Read more about what happened on Wednesday, May 29.
Sweden announces largest military aid package for Ukraine, including aircraft and APCs
The Swedish government has announced a new military aid package for Ukraine. It is the largest to date, worth more than SEK 13 billion ($1.3 billion), Sydsvenskan reports.
In particular, Ukraine will receive the ASC890 radar reconnaissance and control aircraft for the first time.
In addition, Sweden will donate its entire fleet of 302 armored personnel carriers to support the formation of new brigades of the Ukrainian army. The package also includes an Rb 99 fighter jet, as well as artillery ammunition and resources to maintain the previously transferred equipment.
US Deputy Secretary of Treasury arrives in Kyiv
On May 29, Wally Adeyemo, Deputy Secretary of the Treasury of the United States, arrived in Kyiv, according to the Twitter account of the United States Embassy in Kyiv.
According to the embassy, during his visit, Adeyemo will meet with other high-ranking officials to discuss US support for Ukraine and the next steps regarding:
- increasing sanctions pressure on the Russian Federation;
- efforts aimed at profiting from the frozen assets of the terrorist state.
Zelenskyy to visit France next week
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will embark on a working visit to France on Thursday, June 6, according to French President Emmanuel Macron.
Zelenskyy will participate in the commemorative events marking the 80th anniversary of the Allied landings in Normandy. The international ceremony will take place in Saint-Laurent-sur-Mer, on Omaha Beach.
"I will have the opportunity when President Zelenskyy arrives in France for D-Day next week, to host him and have very concrete discussions about what more we can do to support Ukraine," Macron said.
US to join Ukraine Peace Summit in Switzerland, Biden's attendance uncertain
The United States will participate in the Ukraine Peace Summit, which will be held in Switzerland in June. However, it is unknown whether US President Joe Biden will attend, according to the White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.
When asked by the media, the Press Secretary stated that she did not have specific information about Biden's participation in the peace summit.
She emphasized the need to provide rapid support to Ukraine to prevent attacks, as occurred in Kharkiv on May 25 when Russians attacked the Epicenter, where dozens of people were present.
Another EU country permits Ukraine to strike Russian territory with its weapons
Ukraine can strike Russia using weapons supplied by Finland, states Finnish Minister of Foreign Affairs, Elina Valtonen.
According to her, a country engaged in a defensive war can strike military targets on the aggressor's territory if it is necessary for self-defense.
"Finland does not impose any specific restrictions on material assistance to Ukraine but assumes it will be used in accordance with international law. Russia is waging an illegal, aggressive war in Ukraine, and Ukraine has the right to self-defense under Article 51 of the UN Charter. This includes strikes on military targets on the aggressor's territory that are necessary for self-defense," Valtonen stated.
Shelling of construction hypermarket in Kharkiv: Search operations at site of impact completed
In Kharkiv, the search operations at the site of the attack by Russian occupiers on hypermarket Epicenter, which occurred on May 25th, have been completed, according to the Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, Ihor Klymenko.
He stated that the police have identified all 19 bodies of those killed as a result of Russian airstrikes on the construction hypermarket. This was made possible thanks to the DNA laboratory.
According to Klymenko, forensic experts conducted over 100 examinations in total. 16 relatives of the victims provided biological samples to the police. Canine units were also involved in the search.
"As a result of the strikes on a regular hypermarket in Kharkiv, 12 men and 7 women were killed. Among the victims were a 17-year-old boy and a 12-year-old girl. Another 54 people were injured," Klymenko emphasized.
Hungary signs agreement with Belarus to help build nuclear reactor
The Hungarian government has signed an agreement with Belarus to assist in the construction of Hungary's second nuclear power plant, according to Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó.
Russia's Rosatom has been building the Hungarian nuclear power plant Paks-2 in central Hungary since 2014. The Russian company is building two reactors with a capacity of 1.2 GW each.
The implementation of the €12.5 billion project has been ongoing for a long time, despite nuclear energy not being subject to European Union sanctions against Russia imposed due to the war against Ukraine.
