Latest news with #Zelensky
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Ukraine Reforms Tracker Weekly — Issue 27
Editor's note: This is issue 27 of Ukrainian lawmaker Yaroslav Zhelezniak's weekly "Ukraine Reforms Tracker" covering events from May 19–May 25, 2025. The digest highlights steps taken in the Ukrainian parliament related to business, economics, and international financial programs. The Kyiv Independent is republishing with permission. Ukraine approves roadmap for customs reform planning amid implementation deadlock Ukraine's Cabinet of Ministers, following a proposal by the Finance Ministry, has approved the development of a medium-term action plan for customs reform implementation under the National Revenue Strategy through 2030. The move comes despite mounting criticism from civil society and lawmakers that the government has deliberately stalled customs reform for over five months — specifically by failing to form the selection commission required by law and the International Monetary Fund's financial support program to reboot the State Customs Service. Zelensky submits bill to establish two specialized administrative courts in Kyiv Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has submitted draft law #13302 to parliament, proposing the creation of a Specialized District Administrative Court and a Specialized Administrative Court of Appeal, both to be headquartered in Kyiv with nationwide jurisdiction. Parliament is set to vote for the draft law in the first reading during the next plenary meetings scheduled for June 3-5. According to the explanatory note, the bill has been prepared to implement the legal framework for launching the two new courts. The proposal follows prior approval by the High Council of Justice, which endorsed the president's initiative to formally establish the courts and begin operational planning. The courts are expected to play a central role in handling public administration and anti-corruption cases, including high-profile disputes involving state institutions. Ukrainian parliament to review bills linked to Ukraine Facility in early June The Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's Parliament, is scheduled to hold its next plenary sessions from June 3–6, with a legislative agenda that includes several bills tied to the country's commitments under the EU-backed Ukraine Facility program. Among the priority bills: draft law #13165 and alternatives on improving judicial integrity declarations (first reading); draft law #12377 on establishing the fundamentals of national housing policy (first reading); draft law #9363 on the digitalization of enforcement proceedings (repeated second reading); draft law #12374-d on the restart and strengthening of the institutional capacity of the Asset Recovery and Management Agency (ARMA) (second reading). In addition, lawmakers are expected to consider in second reading draft law #13018-d on financial inclusion, which would allow the establishment of banking services via Ukrposhta. While not a binding obligation, the legislation is part of Ukraine's soft commitments under its IMF memorandum. Ukraine projects steady economic growth, slowing inflation through 2028 in budget forecast A draft of Ukraine's medium-term budget declaration, obtained by the Parliament's Temporary Investigative Commission on Economic Security outlines moderate economic growth and a gradual decline in inflation through 2028: Nominal GDP is projected to reach: Hr 10.44 trillion ($251.3 billion) in 2026, Hr 11.92 trillion ($287.0 billion) in 2027, and Hr 13.47 trillion $324.4 billion) in 2028. Annual inflation (Consumer Price Index) is expected to decline from 9.7% in 2026 to 7.1% in 2027, and 5.6% in 2028; End-of-year exchange rate is projected at: 43.7 Hr/dollar in 2025; 44.8 Hr/dollar in 2026; 45.3 Hr/dollar in 2027; 45.8 Hr/dollar in 2028. The draft is part of Ukraine's annual fiscal planning cycle. The Cabinet of Ministers must adopt the declaration by June 1, though figures remain subject to revision in the final version. Read also: Ukraine, US officially launch joint Reconstruction Investment FundWe've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Telegraph
2 hours ago
- General
- Telegraph
It was liberating to call Trump a liar, says BBC's Jeremy Bowen
Donald Trump is a bare-faced liar and it feels liberating to say so, Jeremy Bowen has declared during a discussion about BBC impartiality. Bowen said that while the BBC is committed to impartial reporting, it is important to tell viewers empirical truths such as correcting the US president's 'nonsense' claim that Ukraine started the war with Russia. Speaking at the Hay Festival, the BBC's long-serving Middle East editor discussed the efforts by President Trump and JD Vance, the vice-president, to humiliate Volodomyr Zelensky during their Oval Office showdown in February. A Western official had described the encounter to Bowen as 'a diplomatic mugging'. 'Breathtakingly obvious' Bowen said: 'Everyone saw the way they hectored him, humiliated him. They were coming out with absolute nonsense, things like 'Zelensky started the war'. 'So I made a point on air – on the Today programme, the 10 O'Clock News, the website and other places – I made this point to the management, saying we have to use the right language. I said it's very important to use the word 'lie'. It's not 'this is how Trump works, it's the art of the deal…' 'I said, no, he's the president of the United States, what he says matters and it's our job, if he comes up with something that's not just an exaggeration but a bare-faced lie, to say that. 'It was actually rather liberating. I was quite gobsmacked, when I started doing it, that I got tons of messages from people – members of the public and people who are in the media business – saying, 'well done, Jeremy, for saying that.' 'And I was thinking, God, it seems breathtakingly obvious we should be saying that. I'm a big fan of direct language.' Bowen said his branding of the president as a liar did not clash with the BBC's commitment to impartiality. He added: 'If I'm saying things on air, I need to feel justified that they're based on empirical observations. Impartiality does not mean, 'well, he says that and he says that and the truth lies somewhere in between' Calling Hamas terrorists does not 'illuminate' Bowen went on to defend the BBC's decision not to use the word 'terrorists' when referring to Hamas. He said: 'The point about using the word: people apply it in all kinds of different ways. It doesn't necessarily make you wiser. For me, it's better to explain what people are doing rather than simply tag them. 'The old phrase, 'one man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter' – the leadership of pre-state Israel, when they were fighting the British, were regarded as terrorists. 'The two prime terrorists in the eyes of the British in the 1940s were Menachem Begin and Yitzhak Shamir, who headed organisations that were carrying weapons against the British. 'Begin's organisation blew up the King David Hotel in Jerusalem, which was the headquarters of the British at the time. They later became the prime ministers of their country and were welcomed to No 10 Downing Street. 'Using those words does not illuminate, in my view, so I very much support BBC policy, but I know it's controversial.' Bowen also criticised the Israeli government for barring foreign journalists from entering Gaza. He said of visiting a kibbutz attacked on Oct 7: 'The Israelis took us in there because, quite justifiably and rightly, they wanted us to see what Hamas had done. It was important to see that. Hamas had done appalling, appalling things. 'Question: why won't they let us go into Gaza? It's because there are things that they have done there they don't want us to see. It is all we can conclude.'
Straits Times
3 hours ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
Book-fair browser Zelensky picks up new title: To Kill A Tyrant
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and his wife Olena browsing books at the fair in Kyiv on May 30, in a photo posted to his X account. PHOTO: X/@ZELENSKYYUA KYIV - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and his wife browsed the stalls at a literary fair in Kyiv on May 30 and left with some new reading material - a book entitled To Kill A Tyrant. Mr Zelensky, who has led his country throughout the three-year war with Russia, has repeatedly described Russian President Vladimir Putin as a dictator. He did not reveal if he intended, with his book purchase, to send a message to his Kremlin counterpart. He picked up the book, by Italian academic Aldo Andrea Cassi, in the Ukrainian-language version, according to a post about his visit to the book fair on his account on social media platform Telegram. A photo he posted showed Mr Zelensky's wife, Olena, thumbing through a copy of the book as her husband stood next to her. Mr Zelensky said it was one of several titles he and his wife had picked up at the fair. The full title of the book is: To Kill A Tyrant; A History Of Tyrannicide From Caesar To Gaddafi. It was published in Italian in 2022, and according to a summary released by the publisher of the Italian edition, it poses the question: "Is it right or wrong to kill a tyrant? And if it is, who decides?" REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Ukraine demands Russian cease-fire details before Monday peace talks
May 30 (UPI) -- Ukraine said it will not send a delegation for peace talks to Istanbul Monday until Russia provides details of its cease-fire proposal. Ukraine accused Russia, which has said it will send a delegation to Istanbul for the talks, of stalling in peace negotiations. "Russia is dragging out the war and doing everything to simply deceive countries that are still trying to influence Moscow with words, not pressure. Words with Moscow do not work. Even the so-called "memorandum" that they promised and supposedly prepared for more than a week has not yet been seen by anyone," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a video posted to the presidential website. During a joint press conference with Turkey's foreign minister, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Russia must accept an unconditional cease-fire. Ukraine has sent cease-fire proposal details to Russia. "We are interested in seeing these meetings continue because we want the war to end this year," Sybiha said. The Monday Istanbul meeting will not include Zelensky or Russian President Vladimir Putin. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said the Russian cease-fire proposal memo will be delivered at the Monday Istanbul meeting. He said it will focus on overcoming what he termed the "root causes" of the war. Lavrov proposed a second round of Istanbul talks for June 2. Ukraine has not yet committed to that proposed meeting. "They are doing everything to make the meetings empty. And this is another reason to have sufficient sanctions - sufficient pressure on Russia," Zelensky said of Russia. The United States, France, Germany and Britain are all sending security advisors to the Monday Istanbul talks as Ukraine awaits details from Russia about its cease-fire proposal. Ukraine's position is that it must see details of the Russian cease-fire proposal before the next peace talks session happens.
News18
4 hours ago
- Politics
- News18
Macron Warns Trump Of 'US Credibility Test' As Russia Rejects Ceasefire, Intensifies War In Ukraine
Russia Accelerates Attacks On Ukraine, Zelensky Fumes, Why Does Trump Pursue Diplomacy With Putin? Russia Ukraine War | Trump To Sit Down With Zelensky And Putin To Achieve A Ceasefire | News18 'NATO Escalation Near…" Russia Fumes, US 'Considering' Lifting All Biden-era Restrictions on Ukraine John Mearsheimer Says Russia Ukraine War Will Be "Decided On The Battlefield" And Putin Will 'Win' More from world Kim Inspects Artillery, Russia Gives Pantsir Air Defense To North Korea For Aiding War On Ukraine Explosive Intel Says Iran 'Seeking Nuclear Weapon', Saudi Warns 'Take Offer Or Risk Israeli Strikes" State-Owned Media Air Kim's Latest Bid To Strengthen Military trending news Add'l instalment of tax devolution to be released to states on June 2: FinMin Metros' share in loans dips to 58.7 pc in 5 years: RBI Prez Murmu to attend Central Tribal University convocation in Vizag on Jun 10 India, Chile conclude first round of talks for proposed comprehensive trade pact latest news
