
Ukraine PM's resignation approved, new cabinet to be in place soon
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy earlier tapped Deputy Prime Minister and Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko as the new prime minister.
Local media reported that the parliament is expected to approve her appointment and the new cabinet will be launched soon.
Zelenskyy posted on social media that Shmyhal will "be valuable in the role of Minister of Defense."
Meanwhile, Russia has begun to signal it is seeking dialogue with Ukraine, following US President Donald Trump's announcement that the US will send more weapons to Ukraine through NATO members.
He warned that if Russia does not agree to a ceasefire within 50 days, Washington will introduce "severe" tariffs.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov on Wednesday commented on peace talks between Moscow and Kyiv, which have not taken place since early June.
He told reporters on Wednesday that Russia is ready to take part in direct talks.
He said mediation efforts on the part of the US, President Trump and his government are crucial. He said Russia hopes they are putting pressure on Ukraine to bring a third round of negotiations closer.
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Yomiuri Shimbun
5 hours ago
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Zelenskyy Moves to Restore Independence of Ukraine Anti-Graft Agencies after Protests, EU Criticism
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday submitted a new bill that would restore the independence of Ukraine's anti-corruption agencies in an effort to defuse tensions following his approval earlier this week of a controversial law that weakened their autonomy. The previous bill was seen as undermining the agencies' independence and sparked a public outcry and protests, the first major demonstrations since the war began, as well as sharp criticism from the European Union. Zelenskyy said parliament would review the new bill, which 'guarantees real strengthening of Ukraine's law enforcement system, the independence of anti-corruption bodies, and reliable protection of the legal system from any Russian interference.' First reactions Ukraine's two main anti-graft agencies — the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office — quickly welcomed Zelenskyy's new proposal, saying it restores all their procedural powers and guarantees their independence. The agencies said they helped draft the new bill, and urged lawmakers to adopt it 'as soon as possible' to prevent threats to ongoing criminal cases. The bill would replace the contentious law passed by lawmakers and approved by Zelenskyy earlier this week. Critics said it stripped Ukraine's anti-corruption agencies of their independence by granting the government more oversight of their work. A controversial law Zelenskyy initially argued the law was needed to speed up investigations, ensure more convictions and remove Russian meddling. After Thursday's U-turn, Zelenskyy said the new bill reverses the earlier changes and also introduced additional measures aimed at 'combating Russian influence,' including mandatory polygraph tests for law enforcement officers. 'The text is balanced,' Zelenskyy said. 'The most important thing is real tools, no Russian ties and the independence' of the anti-graft agencies. The new draft underlines that the prosecutor general and his deputies cannot give orders to anti-graft agencies or interfere in their work. Bowing to pressure and protests The controversy surrounding the initial bill has threatened to undermine public trust in Ukraine's leadership after more than three years of fighting Russia's full-scale invasion. The protests haven't called for Zelenskyy's ouster, but they are the first major anti-government demonstrations since the war started in February 2022. 'It is important that we maintain unity,' Zelenskyy said in his post. It was not immediately clear when the new bill will be voted on in the parliament, and the protests are likely to continue until the law is passed. At the protests on Thursday evening, the crowd was smaller than on previous days. The unrest has come at a difficult time in the all-out war. Russia's bigger army is accelerating its efforts to pierce Ukraine's front-line defenses and is escalating its bombardment of Ukrainian cities. The bigger picture Ukraine is also facing a question mark over whether the United States will provide more military aid and whether European commitments can take up the slack, with no end in sight to the war. Delegations from Russia and Ukraine met in Istanbul for a third round of talks in as many months Wednesday. But once again, the talks were brief and delivered no major breakthrough. Fighting entrenched corruption is crucial for Ukraine's aspirations to join the EU and maintain access to billions of dollars in Western aid in the war. 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At least 42 people were wounded, including two babies, a 10-year-old girl and two 17 year olds, authorities said. The southern city of Odesa, and Cherkasy in central Ukraine, were also hit overnight, authorities said. The drone and missile strikes on the cities wounded 11 people, including a 9-year-old, and damaged historic landmarks and residential buildings, officials said. Ukraine has sought to step up its own long-range drone attacks on Russia, using domestic technology and manufacturing. An overnight Ukrainian drone attack on the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi killed two women and wounded 11 other people, local authorities said Thursday. An oil depot was hit, officials said, without offering details.


NHK
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NHK
a day ago
- NHK
Martial law trauma lingers for South Korean troops
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