A General Dynamics F-16C Fighting Falcon fighter jet (serial 84-1236, belonging to USAF (United States Air Force) 64 Aggressor Squadron) at Nellis AFB near Las Vegas, Nevada on Feb. 16, 2022. (Larry MacDougal via AP)
Retired colonel explains why F-16 jets could be a 'game changer'
01:11 - Source: CNN

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Our live coverage for the day has ended. Follow the latest Ukraine news here or read through the updates below.

Zelensky to arrive in Hiroshima on a French government plane, diplomatic source says

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will arrive at the Hiroshima G7 summit aboard a French government plane, a diplomatic source confirmed to CNN Saturday.

The source declined to comment on when Zelensky would arrive in Hiroshima. 

Zelensky traveled to the Arab League summit in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on Friday also aboard a French government plane, according to the French ambassador to Saudi Arabia.

Debris from an air attack in Kyiv has caused a fire, officials say

Debris from an air attack has fallen on the streets in two districts of Ukraine’s capital city, the Kyiv City Military Administration (KCMA) said on Saturday.

“A fire broke out on the roof of a 9-story building in a residential complex in the Dniprovskyi district,” Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said in Telegram updates Saturday.

Serhiy Popko, the head of KCMA, said in a statement Saturday that “debris has fallen on several streets in Darnytskyi and Solomianskyi districts of Kyiv.”

“Information on casualties and damage is being updated,” Popko added. “Stay in your shelters until the air raid alarm is dismissed!”

White House lays out Biden's reversal on providing Ukraine F16 fighter jets

Jake Sullivan speaks to reporters duringa briefing Saturday, May 20, in Japan.

President Joe Biden reversed his previous objections to providing Ukraine with F16 fighter jets because he believes in equipping the country for a long-term fight against Russia, national security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters Saturday in Japan.

Sullivan confirmed Biden told his Group of Seven counterparts that the US would support a joint effort to train Ukrainian pilots on the fighter jets, suggesting the decision came at a turning point in the conflict and was meant as a “long term commitment to Ukrainian self defense.”

“Now that we have delivered everything we said we were going to deliver so we can put the Ukrainians in a position to make progress on the battlefield, we’ve reached a moment where it’s time to look down the road and to say what is Ukraine going to need as part of a future force to be able to deter and defend against Russian aggression. F16 fourth generation fighter aircraft are part of that,” Sullivan said.

He said the aircraft weren’t currently what Ukraine needs in its battle against Russia, but that they would play a role later.

“Our view is that where the F16 fits into the fight is not right now,” he said.

He affirmed the longstanding US position that military equipment provided to Ukraine isn’t meant to launch attacks in Russian territory.

“All of the capabilities that the United States has provided to Ukraine come with the basic proposition that the United States is not enabling or supporting attacks on Russian territory,” he said.

Sullivan declined to provide a timetable for how long the training would take place.

Biden will meet with Zelensky in Hiroshima, White House says

National security adviser Jake Sullivan confirmed the in-person attendance of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the G7 Summit in Hiroshima, Japan, and indicated that President Joe Biden will meet with him.

“I think it’s a safe bet that President Biden will meet with him,” Sullivan told reporters in Hiroshima Saturday morning local time. 

He added that he did not have a formal announcement on a meeting to share at this time, but that Biden “looks forward to the opportunity to be able to sit down face-to-face” with Zelensky.

Sullivan did not provide details on Zelensky’s travel to Japan, but said the US was “not the party – the country – that flew him here.”

Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida also confirmed Zelensky’s attendance.

Kishida said in a Ministry of Foreign Affairs statement that Japan’s government has decided to hold a session on Ukraine with G7 leaders on Sunday, which is the last day of the summit.

“The decision was made to hold a session on Ukraine with the G7 leaders, with face-to-face participation by President Zelensky,” the statement read. “President Zelensky will also participate as a guest in the session on peace and stability with the G7 Heads of State and Government and the leaders of the invited countries.”

The statement confirmed that Kishida and Zelensky also plan to hold a bilateral meeting on Sunday. 

Kishida reiterated that “the situation in Ukraine” is one of the main agenda items of the G7 Hiroshima Summit and that it “is important to reflect the voice of Ukraine.”

Some context: Zelensky’s in-person participation seemed more in flux Saturday morning in Japan, leaving open the possibility he could ultimately join only virtually. The sensitive nature of his security arrangements meant officials were wary of saying exactly how he would participate in the meeting.

CNN’s Junko Ogura in Hiroshima, Japan, contributed reporting. 

Biden to announce new security aid as Zelensky's in-person G7 participation is now unclear

President Joe Biden plans to announce a new military aid package worth hundreds of millions of dollars during this weekend’s G7 summit in Japan, officials familiar with the matter said.

Biden was expected to unveil the $375 million package after world leaders heard from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who officials had earlier said would travel to the summit in person.

Zelensky’s in-person participation seemed more in flux Saturday morning in Japan, leaving open the possibility he could ultimately join only virtually.

While a top Ukrainian official said Friday on national television that Zelensky’s in-person participation was “extremely important,” the sensitive nature of his security arrangements meant officials were wary of saying exactly how he would participate in the meeting.

Officials who earlier said Zelensky would join in-person declined to say Saturday whether those plans remained intact.

However he decides to address the leaders, Zelensky was likely to continue his appeals for more advanced weapons and tougher sanctions on Russia.

The new American aid package was likely to include new artillery, ammunition and rocket launchers, officials said.

In pictures: Ukraine's unsung heroes – the "Iron People"

Dmitrii Prishedko and Victor Bondar operate an evacuation train heading from Pokrovsk, Ukraine, to Lviv, Ukraine.

The evacuation trains began in the morning, just hours after Russia invaded Ukraine.

Overnight, railway workers became rescue workers. Tens of thousands of refugees were pouring into train stations from Ukraine’s east.

Photojournalist Jelle Krings spent about a week at one station in Lviv, watching those first trains come in.

“That’s when it hit me how courageous these men and women were for going back into the war zone and sacrificing their safety and their opportunity to leave the country in order to help others,” he said.

Railway workers look to repair a stretch of tracks that was damaged by shelling the day before.

Since the Russian invasion began, Krings has been documenting these unsung heroes in a photo series he calls Iron People.

“It’s what railway workers have been generally referred to before the war, because it refers to their strength and iron will and, of course, the iron that you recognize on a railway track,” he said. “But it’s also a certain characteristic that people see in these railway workers. After the war, it has become a way to also refer to their courage and stepping up and keeping intact this incredibly important institution.”

Ukraine’s railway system, with nearly 15,000 miles of tracks, is the 12th-largest in the world. It has become an essential lifeline during the war, helping millions of Ukrainians find safety.

“It’s hard, but you have to do your job to get all these people out,” said Viacheslav Anatoliiovych Chumak, a train driver who has been working for the railways since 1996. “It’s our duty.”

Inside an evacuation train, families travel in a carriage reserved for children with special needs. They were heading to Chop, a Ukrainian city near the Polish border.

Krings explained that there are two basic ways that the railways have been indispensable for Ukraine in this war.

The first is, of course, the evacuation effort. At least 10 million Ukrainians — almost a quarter of the population — have been forced to flee their homes, the head of the United Nations’ refugee agency said in March. Most of them have been internally displaced; others have found refuge in nearby countries such as Georgia, Poland and Romania.

But the railway system has also made a huge impact on the battlefield, and in different ways, Krings said. There’s the logistical value, transporting massive military equipment to help in the war effort. And then there’s a more subtle benefit.

“Ukraine’s a huge country, and (the railway) is being used for military personnel to be able to travel around and go back to their families between their trips to the front lines,” Krings said. “This has been a huge morale booster.”

Ukrainian serviceman Dima and his newly wedded wife, Veronica, are married during Dima’s break from the front line.

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Ukrainian tennis player refuses to shake Russian opponent’s hand after semifinal victory

Ukraine's Anhelina Kalinina celebrates after winning her semi final match against Russia's Veronika Kudermetova on Friday, May 19 in Rome.

Ukrainian tennis player Anhelina Kalinina refused to shake hands with her Russian opponent following her victory in the semifinals of the Rome Masters in Italy on Friday. 

“We didn’t shake hands because the girl is from Russia basically. It’s no secret why I didn’t shake, because this country actually attack Ukraine,” Kalinina told reporters after the match against Russian player Veronika Kudermetova.

“So yeah, this is sport, I understand, but it’s also kind of political thing. So, yeah, it has nothing personal. But in general, yes, it’s not acceptable,” she said.

Kudermetova, when asked about her relationship with Kalinina and the influence of “political overtones,” said, “Here we’re athletes. We’re here, and we love what we do here. Doesn’t matter from which country you are. We’re athletes and that’s it. We are here to play tennis.”

Kalinina denied the idea that her opponent’s nationality influenced the topsy-turvy nature of the match, describing Kudermetova as “a top player, a very great player. It was about tennis.”

Kalinina, who came into the tournament ranked 47th in the world compared to Kudermetova at 12th, won in three sets. 

The 26-year-old Ukrainian said a bomb exploded near the tennis academy where her parents work in Kyiv. She also said her grandparents had moved away from Nova Kakhovka, her hometown, after an explosion near their house.

New sanctions, secret shipments and other headlines you should know

Russia is banning “500 Americans” from entering the country.

The move is in response to the “regularly anti-Russian sanctions” imposed by the US administration, according to a statement from Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday.

The rambling, indiscriminate list of names includes former President Barack Obama, former US Ambassador John Huntsman, several US senators and the next expected chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, Charles Q. Brown Jr. Also included is CNN anchor Erin Burnett.

Hours earlier, at the Group of Seven summit, the Biden administration unveiled new sanctions targeting Moscow for its war in Ukraine.

Here are other headlines to know:

Zelensky heads to Japan: President Volodymyr Zelensky will travel in person to Japan for the G7 summit, according to officials familiar with the planning, a stark display of confidence and Western solidarity as Ukraine’s wartime leader tries to keep crucial support from allied nations flowing. The surprise trip – which would be the Ukrainian president’s first to Asia since Moscow’s invasion of his country last February – comes as Kyiv is preparing a highly anticipated counteroffensive against Russia and building pressure on partner governments for more military aid amid intensifying aerial attacks.

Arab League meeting: Zelensky told Arab leaders Friday in Saudi Arabia that “here among you” are people who “turn a blind eye” to Ukraine’s suffering, urging them to “take an honest look.” Syrian President Bashar al-Assad attended the Arab League summit for the first time in a decade and was seen on camera in the conference room minutes ahead of Zelensky’s speech. Syria was only one of only two countries in the world (along with North Korea) to recognize Russia’s claimed annexations last year of four Ukrainian regions.

On the ground: There were at least two explosions Friday night in the Russian-occupied city of Mariupol, according to social media video and the accounts of residents on community channels. An adviser to the mayor of Mariupol in southeastern Ukraine claims the explosions took place at a base for Moscow’s forces. CNN cannot independently verify the officials’ claims, and the local Russian-installed administration has not yet commented on the explosions or what caused them

Meanwhile, the pace of Ukrainian counterattacks around Bakhmut slowed down Friday, but “very fierce fighting continues” in the eastern city, according to Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar. Ukrainian forces have claimed advancements in several areas in recent days, despite coming under heavy fire from Russian troops. But Maliar acknowledged that Russian forces had made advances within the city limits.

US diplomatic appointment: US President Joe Biden formally nominated James O’Brien to serve as the top State Department official for European affairs — a key role for guiding Washington’s response to Russia’s war in Ukraine.

CNN’s Kylie Atwood first reported that O’Brien was expected to be tapped for the role. He currently serves as the head of the sanctions coordination office at the State Department.

Secret shipments: The Russian mercenary organization Wagner Group has been working to obscure its efforts to acquire military equipment for use in Ukraine, including by trying to source the materials from Mali, where the group has a strong foothold, a US official told CNN. There are no signs yet that Wagner has successfully procured the equipment, but the group has continued working to procure mines, drones, radar and counter-battery systems from contacts in Mali for use in Ukraine, the official said.

US assistance for pilots: President Joe Biden on Friday told G7 leaders the United States will support an effort to train Ukrainian pilots on advanced aircraft, including F-16s, a senior administration official tells CNN. The joint training effort is not expected to happen in the US, the official said, and will likely happen entirely in Europe. But US personnel will participate in the training alongside allies and partners, the official said. It is expected to take several months to complete.

NATO developments: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told CNN he is still not prepared to support Sweden’s NATO membership, repeating his claim that Stockholm has allowed terrorist organizations to harbor in the country. “As long as Sweden continues to allow the offshoots of terror groups in Turkey to roam free in Sweden, in the streets of Stockholm, we cannot look favorably on Sweden’s membership in NATO,” Erdogan said.

Ukrainian officials claim explosions in Mariupol hit a Russian base

An image taken from a video shared by the Mariupol City Council on Friday, May 19, shows what appears to be an explosion.

An adviser to the mayor of Mariupol in southeastern Ukraine claims explosions heard in the Russian-occupied city Friday night took place at a base for Moscow’s forces.

Petro Andriushchenko, who is not in Mariupol himself, said on Telegram it was a base that houses some 150 Russian troops and is used primarily for air defense support.

The Mariupol City Council, which is also currently based outside the occupied territory, echoed Andriushchenko’s claim.

“Three powerful explosions were heard by Mariupol residents,” the Ukrainian council said on Telegram. Preliminary reports indicate the blast hit a Russian base at the city’s airport, the council continued, sharing a short video of smoke and fire rising in the distance.

“Judging by the video, if the information is confirmed, the enemy should have suffered significant losses,” the council said.

CNN cannot independently verify the officials’ claims, and the local Russian-installed administration has not yet commented on the explosions or what caused them.

A local group identifying itself as “Mariupol Resistance” said the explosion rocked an area on the outskirts of the city. On its Telegram channel, it also showed what appeared to be video taken by residents of air defenses in action.

Mariupol has become an important staging point for Russian forces in southern Ukraine, and Russian military convoys frequently pass through the area.

Moscow bans "500 Americans" from entry into Russia, including late-night TV hosts and CNN journalists 

Russia is banning “500 Americans,” including many prominent figures of US executive power, from entering the country “in a response to the regularly anti-Russian sanctions imposed by the Joe Biden administration,” according to a statement from Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday.

The list includes former President Barack Obama, former US Ambassador John Huntsman, several US senators and the next expected chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, Charles Q. Brown Jr.

The rambling, indiscriminate list of names also includes late-night television hosts Jimmy Kimmel, Stephen Colbert and Seth Meyers. 

“The attached ‘list-500’ also includes those in government and law enforcement agencies who are directly involved in the persecution of dissidents in the wake of the so-called Storming the Capitol,” the statement said.

Also included is CNN anchor Erin Burnett. It is an update of a previously published longer list of sanctioned individuals that includes CNN’s chief international security correspondent Nick Paton Walsh and CNN contributors Bianna Golodryga and Timothy Naftali. While the list was labeled “500 Americans,” Paton Walsh is a British citizen.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs justified the publication of the list in a statement on its website, saying, “It is high time for Washington to learn that not a single hostile attack against Russia will go without a strong reaction.”

Russia’s MFA did not specify complaints against each individual or explain what the sanctions would mean beyond a ban from entering the county.

In addition, the MFA said it is continuing to deny a US embassy request for consular access to US journalist Evan Gershkovich “due to the failure to issue visas to Russian journalists from the Lavrov pool,” referencing the visit to the United Nations last month by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

Some background: The Biden administration on Friday unveiled new sanctions targeting Russia for its war in Ukraine.

The US Treasury Department imposed sanctions on “22 individuals and 104 entities, with touchpoints in more than 20 countries or jurisdictions,” the agency said in a news release.

Explosions reported in Russian-occupied Mariupol

There have been at least two explosions in the Russian-occupied city of Mariupol Friday evening, according to social media video and the accounts of residents on community channels.

Neither the Russian-appointed local administration nor the Ukrainian side have commented on the explosions, and it’s not at this stage clear what caused them.

Late February was the last time Mariupol was struck, after which, Natalia Humeniuk, spokesperson for the Ukrainian military in the south, said: “What is considered so remote that it is unreachable, is not always so. The direction of Mariupol is no longer completely unreachable for us.”

The city has become an important staging point for Russian forces in southern Ukraine, and Russian military convoys frequently pass through.

Ukrainian units are still defending parts of Bakhmut as counterattacks continue, official says

A Ukrainian armored infantry carrier travels along a road near Bakhmut, Ukraine, on Wednesday.

The pace of Ukrainian counterattacks around Bakhmut has slowed down Friday, but “very fierce fighting continues” in the eastern city, according to Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar.

In an update, Maliar claimed the Russians had “increased the presence of troops in the Bakhmut sector by several thousand people and is trying to use its advantage in heavy artillery and the number of shells.” 

“Russian troops continue to attack at the cost of heavy losses, which disproportionately exceed our losses,” she said on Telegram. 

Maliar added that Ukraine’s defense of Bakhmut was reducing Russia’s offensive potential and was gaining time for “other planned actions.”

She said Russians were reducing buildings in the city to ashes.

“They leave only the foundation, which is impossible to defend,” Maliar said.

But Ukrainian troops were still holding an area near the city’s airplane monument and remained in the vicinity of the monument in the far-southwest corner of Bakhmut, she added.

The State Border Guard Service, which has units in the Bakhmut area, said enemy infantry was repelled and had taken casualties.

A commander in the Ukrainian military’s Third Assault Brigade, Andriy Biletsky, said over the past two days, two companies of the Russian 72nd Brigade had been defeated and retreated. On Thursday, the Brigade said it had gained an area two kilometers wide and 700 meters deep.

But Biletsky noted that “the offensive does not come at small price for us.”

Ukraine says it still controls parts of the city of Bakhmut as troops battle for surrounding suburbs

Ukrainian soldiers fire a cannon near Bakhmut, Ukraine, on May 15.

Russian troops tried to recover recently lost ground around the eastern city of Bakhmut Thursday and Friday, but they were pushed back by Kyiv’s forces, a Ukrainian defense official said Friday.

Ukrainian forces are still fighting in the city itself, with many of the clashes taking place in southwestern Bakhmut, Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar said on national television.

Ukrainian forces have claimed advancements in several areas surrounding the embattled city in recent days, despite coming under heavy fire from Russian troops. But Maliar acknowledged that Russian forces had made advances within the city limits.

CNN cannot independently verify battlefield developments in Bakhmut, where both Russian and Ukrainian officials have made at-times conflicting claims about the state of the fighting.

The deputy defense minister said Ukraine continues pushing forward in the northern and southern suburbs of the city.

But, she added: “We need to understand the cost of this advance. It is extremely difficult to carry out combat missions there because the enemy has concentrated a huge amount of its efforts.”

Elsewhere on the front line: Maliar said troops are waging similar battles in the ruins of two other eastern towns that have been on the front lines since the invasion began: Marinka and Avdiivka, located south of Bakhmut.

Source: The US will support F-16 training effort for Ukrainians, Biden tells G7 allies

President Joe Biden on Friday told G7 leaders the United States will support an effort to train Ukrainian pilots on advanced aircraft, including F-16s, a senior administration official tells CNN.

The joint training effort is not expected to happen in the US, the official said, and will likely happen entirely in Europe. But US personnel will participate in the training alongside allies and partners, the official said. It is expected to take several months to complete.

“As the training takes place over the coming months, our coalition of countries participating in this effort will decide when to actually provide jets, how many we will provide, and who will provide them,” the official said.

The official repeated a US refrain on the subject of military assistance for Ukraine, saying it has been primarily focused thus far on preparing Kyiv with weapons, equipment and training it needs immediately to fight its anticipated counteroffensive.

“Discussions about improving the Ukrainian Air Force reflect our long-term commitment to Ukraine’s self-defense,” the official said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who is on his way to the G7 summit, said he welcomes the United States’ “historic decision” to support “an international fighter jet coalition.”

“This will greatly enhance our army in the sky. I count on discussing the practical implementation of this decision at the #G7 summit in Hiroshima,” Zelensky said on Twitter Friday.

Andriy Yermak, the head of Zelensky’s office, said the president would discuss the issue in detail when he meets with Biden.

“Ukraine will very soon get everything necessary in order to protect our Ukrainian sky, our cities and our citizens,” Yermak told Ukrainian television.

The push for fighter jets: Top Ukrainian officials have escalated their public lobbying campaign for US-made F-16s in recent months, arguing they need them urgently to defend against Russian missile and drone attacks.

The Biden administration has signaled to European allies in recent weeks that the US would allow them to export F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, sources familiar with the discussions told CNN, though the US remains reluctant to send any of its own F-16s to Kyiv.

In March, the US hosted two Ukrainian pilots at a military base in Tucson, Arizona, to evaluate their skills using flight simulators and to assess how much time they would need to learn to fly various US military aircraft, including F-16s. Congress set aside money in the 2023 budget for such training.

A spokesperson for United Kingdom Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said earlier this week that the UK and the Netherlands were looking to form an “international coalition” not only to procure the jets for Ukraine but also to train Ukrainian pilots on the fourth generation fighters, which are more advanced than the Ukrainian fleet.

CNN’s Yulia Kesaieva contributed reporting to this post.

Turkish president says he's still not ready to support Sweden's NATO membership

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks with CNN’s Becky Anderson.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan tells CNN he is still not prepared support Sweden’s NATO membership, repeating his claim that Stockholm has allowed terrorist organizations to harbor in the country.

Erdogan can’t look favorably on Sweden’s membership bid, “as long as Sweden continues to allow the offshoots of terror groups in Turkey to roam free on the streets of Stockholm,” he said in an exclusive interview with CNN’s Becky Anderson.

Key context: Erdogan has long accused Sweden of harboring militants from the banned Kurdistan Workers Party, a designated terror group in Turkey, Sweden, the United States and Europe.

Erdogan says he would like these individuals extradited, but Stockholm has made clear this won’t happen. The stalemate has blocked Sweden’s accession to NATO even as fellow Nordic country Finland moved ahead in the process and officially joined the alliance last month.

Some Western officials and Middle East observers have suggested the terrorism claims provide cover for Erdogan not to engage with the NATO question and potentially anger Russian President Vladimir Putin at a politically inconvenient time.

Russia provided an economic lifeline to Turkey after other nations imposed sanctions on Ankara, and Putin remains an attractive partner in the country’s post-earthquake rebuilding efforts, Gonul Tol, an academic with the Middle East Institute’s Turkey program, told CNN in March.

What it means for the war in Ukraine: Finland’s acceptance into the US-led security alliance dealt a blow to Putin, who has long sought to undermine NATO. Before invading Ukraine, he demanded the bloc refrain from further expansion.

The invasion instead drove non-aligned Finland and Sweden to abandon their neutrality and seek protection within NATO.

If Sweden eventually succeeds in joining the alliance, it will vastly change the security landscape in northeastern Europe, adding significantly to NATO’s frontier with Russia.

Biden administration targets Russia with sweeping new US sanctions

US President Joe Biden’s administration shared details about sweeping new sanctions targeting Russia for its war in Ukraine, which were unveiled as part of the G7 Summit in Hiroshima.

The US Treasury Department imposed sanctions on “22 individuals and 104 entities, with touchpoints in more than 20 countries or jurisdictions,” the agency said in a news release.

The new sanctions target those who are trying to evade existing sanctions on Russia, as well as the country’s sources of key technology, its energy capabilities and its financial services sector. The measures also expand the types of industry US sanctions can target.

Separately, the US State Department “is imposing sanctions on or identifying as blocked property over 200 entities, individuals, vessels, and aircraft,” US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement.

According to a fact sheet, the State Department imposed sanctions on multiple officials for their involvement in Moscow’s alleged schemes to deport Ukrainian children to Russia and enroll them in re-education camps, which are the source of an International Criminal Court warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin’s arrest.

More on US sanctions: The US also imposed sanctions on several Putin aides and Kremlin officials, plus Moscow-backed leaders in Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine.

The US State Department designated several companies said to be involved in the theft of Ukrainian grain, and entities tied to the “logistics network” between Russia and Iran, including two Iranian shipping companies. 

They also sanctioned a unit of the Russian Defense Ministry and a Russian state-owned enterprise for supporting the Wagner mercenary group.

US says Wagner Group is trying to use third-party countries to obscure weapons shipments to Ukraine

Founder of the Wagner Group Yevgeny Prigozhin is seen in Moscow in April.

The Russian mercenary organization Wagner Group has been working to obscure its efforts to acquire military equipment for use in Ukraine, including by trying to source the materials from Mali, where the group has a strong foothold, a US official told CNN.

The official, citing US intelligence declassified within the last week, said the Biden administration has been informed that Wagner has been trying to ship equipment for Ukraine through Mali and falsifying paperwork for the transactions. 

There are no signs yet that Wagner has successfully procured the equipment, but the group has continued working to procure mines, drones, radar and counter-battery systems from contacts in Mali for use in Ukraine, the official said. “We are monitoring this closely,” the official added. 

Wagner has sought to expand its foothold in Africa in recent years and has been operating alongside Mali’s armed forces for more than a year, fighting against a jihadist insurgency. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in September 2021 that the Malian government would be hiring private Russian mercenaries for help with security.

Mali is not the only country Wagner has turned to for help in Ukraine, officials believe, as the mercenary group faces severe shortages of weapons and ammunition amid fierce fighting in the eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut. 

A US intelligence document contained in a trove of classified information leaked online in recent months and obtained by CNN says that Wagner Group personnel met with “Turkish contacts” in early February with the intent “to purchase weapons and equipment from Turkey” that could then be used in Ukraine. That document also said that Wagner was likely trying to use weapons procured from Turkey for use in its operations in Mali.

The White House has also previously accused North Korea of supplying Russia’s Wagner Group with missiles and rockets for use in Ukraine.

“Wagner is directly supporting Russia’s war against Ukraine, and we oppose efforts by any other country to assist Russia through Vagner,” the US official said. “The United States has sanctioned numerous entities and individuals, across multiple continents, that support Vagner’s military operations. We will continue to identify, expose, and counter these efforts by Vagner to procure military equipment for use in Ukraine.”

Zelensky, speaking to Arab leaders, urges sympathy from those "who turn a blind eye" to Ukraine

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky speaks as he attends the Arab League summit, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on May 19.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told Arab leaders in Saudi Arabia that “here among you” are people who “turn a blind eye” to Ukraine’s suffering, urging them to “take an honest look.”

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad attended the Arab League summit for the first time in a decade and was seen on camera in the conference room minutes ahead of Zelensky’s speech. Syria was only one of only two countries in the world (along with North Korea) to recognize Russia’s claimed annexations last year of four Ukrainian regions.

Speaking in English, Zelensky told his counterparts: “Look at how much suffering the long-term wars have brought to Libya, Syria, Yemen, how many lives have been wasted by years of fighting Sudan and Somalia, in Iraq and Afghanistan.”

“I hope that most of us are here for the sake of peace and justice,” he said. 

“Even if there are people here at the summit who have a different view on the war, on our land, calling it a conflict, I am sure that we can all be united in saving people from the cages of Russian prisons. Unfortunately, there are some in the world, and here among you, who turn a blind eye to those cages and illegal annexations.”

“And I am here so that everyone can take an honest look, no matter how hard the Russians try to influence. There must still be independence. And I want to thank Saudi Arabia, I want to thank the majority of you, for supporting [inaudible] International positions and the UN Charter.”

Zelensky brought the leader of the Crimean Tatar people, Mustafa Dzhemilev, with him on this trip to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

“I am also sure all your nations will understand the main call I want to leave here in Jeddah, a noble call to all of you, to help protect our people, including Ukrainian Muslim community,” he said. “With me here is the Mustafa Dzhemilev, the leader of the Crimean Tatar people, one of the indigenous peoples of Ukraine, whose home is Crimea, the center of Muslim culture in Ukraine.”

“For centuries the Crimean Tatar have been, and should remain, an integral and strong part of the Muslim community of the world,” Zelensky added. “But Crimea was the first to suffer from the Russian occupation. And until now, most of those who are subjected to repression in the occupied Crimea are Muslims.”

Some context: Since Moscow’s full-scale invasion in February 2021, Ukraine has launched multiple strikes against Russian positions in Crimea, which was previously annexed by Moscow in 2014 and is currently under Kremlin control.

Zelensky has repeatedly vowed to liberate Crimea, which he says remains “part of Ukrainian people and society.”

Zelensky also met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and thanked him for inviting him to the Arab summit.

He said that during their bilateral meeting, he had outlined the Ukrainian Peace Formula, which demands the withdrawal of Russian forces from all parts of Ukraine, including Crimea. 

He also noted the Saudi role in mediating the release of 10 foreign prisoners of war from Russian captivity. 

“We are interested in continuing joint efforts to release people,” Zelensky said.

CNN’s Yulia Kesaieva, Mariya Knight and Heather Chen contributed to this post.

Zelensky and Assad in attendance of Arab League meeting in Saudi Arabia

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrives to attend the Arab League Summit in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on May 19.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad are attending the Arab League meeting on Friday. 

Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman welcomed both leaders for the 32nd summit. 

Syria's President Bashar al-Assad arrives in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to attend the Arab League summit, on May 18.

Some context: Assad is one of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s closest allies globally and has been backed militarily by Putin during the Syrian civil war.  

Earlier this month, Arab nations agreed to re-admit Syria into the Arab League despite repeated objections from the United States to ending the more than decade-long isolation of a regime that it holds accountable for the deaths of more than 300,000 civilians and displacement of millions in the country’s civil war.

CNN’s Mohammed Tawfeeq and Laura Paddison contributed to this post.

It’s mid-afternoon in Kyiv. Here’s what you need to know

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is capping a frenetic week of diplomacy with visits to Saudi Arabia on Friday and to the G7 summit in Japan this weekend, in a stark display of confidence as Ukraine’s wartime leader tries to harness as much support as possible in anticipation of his forces’ counteroffensive.

Here are the latest developments:

  • Zelensky attends Arab League summit: Zelensky arrived in Saudi Arabia on Friday to attend the Arab League summit, where he will meet with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, among others. Zelensky said his priority was “the return of … occupied territories” and “the presentation of our peace formula.”
  • Next, the G7: Zelensky will then travel to Hiroshima, Japan, on Saturday, in order to attend the G7 summit in person on Sunday, according to sources. It will be his first visit to Asia since Moscow launched its full-scale assault on Ukraine last February. It was initially thought that Zelensky would address the conference virtually, but his visit will aim to spur further support from Ukraine’s Western allies.
  • New sanctions: On the first morning of the three-day summit, G7 countries announced further sanctions on Russia and “reaffirmed” their commitment to oppose Moscow’s “illegal, unjustifiable and unprovoked” war in Ukraine. The new sanctions will target “exports of industrial machinery, tools and other technology that Russia uses to rebuild its war machine,” a statement issued from the summit said.
  • Ukraine’s counteroffensive: While Zelenksy’s message could hardly be clearer on the diplomatic stage, on other matters he is more coy. He hinted Thursday that his military’s brigades are gearing up for Ukraine’s long-anticipated counteroffensive, but again offered no concrete information. The confusion surrounding the counteroffensive may be part of the plan.
  • Grain deal: Global wheat prices fell after Ukraine and Russia agreed to extend a deal allowing grain to be exported from Ukraine’s Black Sea ports. But Moscow renewed threats to let the deal expire if Western powers do not meet its demands to lift certain sanctions.
  • Accounting error: The Biden administration made an accounting error in assessing the value of the military support that the US has given to Ukraine – freeing up approximately $3 billion more in aid, multiple congressional and administrative officials told CNN. Those additional funds will likely mitigate the need for Congress to pass an additional support package before the end of the fiscal year in September.
  • Military aid: Long-range Storm Shadow missiles provided to Ukraine by Britain have been used in the war, the UK defense minister has said. Meanwhile, the US has signaled to European allies in recent weeks that it would allow them to export F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, sources familiar with the discussions said.

Russia says defense minister visited Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia region

A still image from video, released by Russia's Defence Ministry, shows Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu during what it said to be the inspection of the headquarters of Russian forces fighting in the Zaporizhzhia region at an unknown location on May 19.

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu has visited the Russian-occupied portion of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia region, which Russia considers to have annexed, Moscow has said.

“In the course of working in the zone of the special military operation, the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation, General of the Army Sergei Shoigu, inspected the forward command post of one of the formations of the Vostok group of troops in the Zaporizhzhia direction,” the defense ministry said in a statement.

It is unclear when the reported trip took place. The defense ministry released a video of Shoigu walking in an underground bunker, speaking with commanders, and awarding medals.

“The high awards are a high appreciation of your military work,” Shoigu says in the video. “Thank you for this. I hope you will continue to faithfully serve our country, for the benefit of its people. Congratulations, and take care of yourself.”

Some context: Zaporizhzhia, a region in southeastern Ukraine, is home to Europe’s largest nuclear power station. The plant’s position close to the front lines means shelling in the surrounding towns and near the facility is common, according to local reports.

More than 12,000 people have been evacuated from front line areas in the Zaporizhzhia region, according to a member of the Russian-installed main council of the military-civilian administration, Vladimir Rogov, earlier this month.

The evacuations are taking place amidst fears around the “very real nuclear safety and security risks facing the plant,” according to International Atomic Energy Agency director general Rafael Grossi.

No "substantive" discussions on arms control between Russian and US governments, Kremlin says

There are currently no “substantive” discussions on arms control between the Russian and United States governments, the Kremlin’s spokesperson said on Friday.

“At the moment, we can only state with regret that there are no serious, substantive contacts on these issues between Moscow and Washington,” Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

According to Peskov, the limited remaining components of the international legal framework on nuclear arms control are rapidly eroding.

“The situation is lamentable,” he said. “And the responsibility for this lamentable situation lies entirely with Washington.”

Some context: The New START nuclear arms treaty puts limits on the number of deployed intercontinental-range nuclear weapons that both the US and Russia can have. It was last extended in 2021 and lasts for five years.

Peskov’s comments were made in relation to a proposal by a number of US Senate Republicans, made public on Thursday, to have the US exit the New START treaty. Senator Tom Cotton, who introduced the proposal, said in a press statement that the treaty has “handcuffed America,” while Russia has been able to repeatedly breach its terms.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said in February that Russia was suspending its participation in the New START nuclear arms reduction treaty, stating that “Washington must show political will, make conscientious efforts for a general de-escalation and create conditions for the resumption of the full functioning of the Treaty and, accordingly, comprehensively ensuring its viability.”

Ukraine’s Zelensky caps frenetic week of diplomacy with plans to appear in person at Japan’s G7 summit

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will travel in person to Japan for the Group of Seven (G7) summit, according to sources, a stark display of confidence and Western solidarity as Ukraine’s wartime leader tries to keep crucial support from allied nations flowing.

Zelensky’s expected trip to Hiroshima for the summit follows his attendance at the Arab League summit in Saudi Arabia on Friday, topping a frenetic week of diplomacy.

Earlier this week, Zelensky completed a whirlwind European tour, where he made a bid to restock Ukraine’s military arsenal during stops in Italy, Germany, France and the United Kingdom.

It comes as Kyiv is preparing a highly anticipated counteroffensive against Russia and building pressure on partner governments for more military aid amid intensifying aerial attacks.

His travels also send a signal of a confident and well-connected Ukraine that contrasts sharply with Russian leader Vladimir Putin, who has become increasingly isolated and cut off in recent months.

Read more here.

Fighter jets for Ukraine on G7 agenda for discussion Friday

An F-16 fighter jet takes part in the NATO Air Shielding exercise near the air base in Lask, central Poland on October 12, 2022.

Members of the G7 plan to discuss the provision of fighter jets for Ukraine during the summit in Japan on Friday, the president of the European Council said during a press conference.

“In terms of fighter jets, you have seen probably that some countries have announced a coalition in order to start training for pilots. This is a topic today with the United States and with the other partners,” Charles Michel said Friday.

Michel was responding to a reporter who asked about the Biden administration signaling to European allies that it would allow them to export F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, as CNN reported Thursday.

Administration officials are not aware, CNN reported, of any formal requests by any allies to export F-16s, and State Department officials who would normally be tasked with the paperwork to approve such third-party transfers have not been told to get to work, officials said.

A handful of European countries have a supply of the US-made F-16s, including the United Kingdom and the Netherlands, who have signaled a willingness to export some of the jets to Ukraine. But the US would have to approve that third party transfer because of the jets’ sensitive US technology.

“We are in close coordination with our partners, with our allies, in order to have a common approach in terms of military support for Ukraine,” Michel said. “Today we have the occasion to discuss this topic.”

“And we’ll assess what’s the level of the additional support that will be needed. It’s very clear that Ukraine needs more military equipment. It’s why on the EU side we have decided to put in place a system in order to increase the level of provision of ammunition. And we need to speed up our efforts.”

Zelensky arrives in Saudi Arabia for Arab League summit

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is welcomed as he arrives ahead of the Arab League summit, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia in this still image obtained from a video on May 19.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has arrived in Saudi Arabia to attend the Arab League summit, he announced on Telegram.

“I have arrived in Saudi Arabia,” he said. “I will speak at the Arab League summit. I will meet with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud and hold other bilateral talks.”

“Our priorities are the return of all political prisoners of Crimea and the temporarily occupied territories, the return of all prisoners and illegally deported persons, the presentation of our peace formula, the implementation of which should involve as many states as possible, and the guarantee of energy security next winter,” he said.

“Another priority is to protect the Muslim community of Ukraine. Mustafa Dzhemilev, the leader of the Crimean Tatar people, is with us. Crimea was the first to suffer from the Russian occupation, and most of those who are being repressed in occupied Crimea are Muslims.”

This weekend, the Ukrainian leader is expected to travel in person to Japan for the Group of Seven (G7) summit, as he tries to keep crucial support from allied nations flowing to Kyiv.

Officials have declined to say exactly when Zelensky would arrive in Hiroshima or detail his travel arrangements. He has been traveling outside his country more as the war grinds onward, including a tour of Europe last week.

G7 leaders agree to impose further sanctions on Russia

Leaders of the Group of Seven industrialized economies attend the first day of their three-day summit on May 19, 2023, in the western Japan city of Hiroshima. Pictured clockwise from front right are Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, U.S. President Joe Biden, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Council President Charles Michel, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and French President Emmanuel Macron.

Leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) countries have agreed to impose further sanctions on Russia and have “reaffirmed” their commitment to stand against Moscow’s “illegal, unjustifiable, and unprovoked” war in Ukraine.

The further sanctions and measures are intended “to increase the costs to Russia and those who are supporting its war effort,” and build on efforts to “ensure that Russia is no longer able to weaponize the availability of energy,” the G7 leaders said in a statement issued from the G7 summit in Hiroshima.

“We will broaden our actions to ensure that exports of all items critical to Russia’s aggression including those used by Russia on the battlefield are restricted across all our jurisdictions,” the statement said.

This will include “exports of industrial machinery, tools, and other technology that Russia uses to rebuild its war machine,” the statement continued. Key sectors that will be targeted include manufacturing, construction, and transportation as well as business services.

Leaders said they “remain committed” to upholding the price caps on Russian oil and petroleum products and will enhance efforts “to counter evasion of these caps while avoiding spillover effects and maintaining global energy supply.”

G7 leaders also renewed their commitment to provide “the financial, humanitarian, military and diplomatic support Ukraine requires for as long as it takes,” echoing previous vows of support for Kyiv.

Furthermore, leaders underlined that peace “cannot be realized without the complete and unconditional withdrawal of Russian troops and military equipment,” and reiterated that threats by Russia of nuclear weapon use are “inadmissible.”

EU calls on China to "press Russia to stop its military aggression"

European Council President Charles Michel speaks at a press conference at the media centre for the G7 Leaders' Summit in Hiroshima, Japan, on May 19.

The European Union has called on China to “press Russia to stop its military aggression,” the president of the EU Council said Friday.

Speaking before the G7 summit in Hiroshima, Japan, Charles Michel also stressed the importance of strengthening the bloc’s relations with Beijing, saying that a “stable and constructive relation with China is in our mutual interest.”

However, Michel added the EU will remain “firm” on its values and will promote its interests.

Michel stressed the “need to engage together with China on global challenges: climate change, conservation of natural resources; biodiversity; debt sustainability,” given its role in the international community and its expansive economy.  

“China has a special responsibility in the world. It has to play by international rules. And we call on China to press Russia to stop its military aggression,” Michel said.

“We will keep voicing our concerns on human rights whether it is in Hong Kong, in Xinjiang or in Tibet. We will not tolerate interferences in our countries that would undermine our democratic societies,” he added.

Michel added that the EU will work to “reduce our over dependencies” on China and “create a true level playing field for our companies and for our workers.”

He also restated the bloc’s commitment to its “One China policy” on Taiwan, adding that there was “no unilateral change of the status quo” on the EU side.

Russia’s prime minister is due to visit China next week for trade talks, Moscow said on Friday.

Russian prime minister to meet with President Xi in China for trade talks

Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin will visit China for trade talks next week and will meet with his Chinese counterpart Li Qiang and Chinese President Xi Jinping, the Russian government announced Friday. 

“Topical issues of Russian-Chinese cooperation in the trade and economic sphere will be considered. Particular attention is to be paid to interaction in industry, energy, transport infrastructure, agriculture and other areas,” the Russian government said in a statement. 

Russia’s economy has grown increasingly dependent on China following Western sanctions against Moscow. China announced on May 4 that Vladivostok, Russia’s main port in the Far East, will become a transit port for Chinese domestic goods moving from landlocked Jilin Province on the Sino-Russian border to the south of China. The new arrangement will take effect on June 1. 

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said Friday that there is “strong resilience, sufficient potential and large space for cooperation between the two countries.”

Mishustin is due to be in China from Tuesday to Wednesday.

Some context: Much has been made of the growing ties between Beijing and Moscow, accelerated since the start of the war in Ukraine. But, well over a year since the beginning of the conflict, the nature and form of this new relationship is still unclear.

While Western allies have rushed to offer support to Ukraine – providing billions of dollars in military aid – China has not shown the same largesse toward Russia, its supposed ally. The United States has not seen evidence that China has provided systemic material support to the Kremlin, leading Russian President Vladimir Putin to have to turn to North Korea and Iran in search of military hardware.

Australia imposes new sanctions on Russia

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong speaks during a press conference on May 18, in Makati, Metro Manila, Philippines.

Australia announced new financial sanctions and an export ban on Russia, according to a joint media release from Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Foreign Minister Penny Wong on Friday.

The sanctions will target 21 entities including subsidiaries of state-owned energy company Rosatom and Russia’s largest petroleum and gold companies.

Defense entities supporting Russia’s war in Ukraine and five Russian banks, as well as three individuals have also been targeted, according to the release.

Meanwhile, Australia will also ban the export of all machinery and related parts to Russia and areas temporarily under Russian control.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong said the sanctions targeted sectors of economic and strategic importance to Russia.

It comes as Albanese arrived in Japan on Friday to attend the G7 Summit in Hiroshima.

Earlier, the United Kingdom and European Union also announced new sanctions on Russia.

Ukrainian drones shot down in Crimea, Russia-backed official says

Russian forces shot down four Ukrainian drones in Crimea, the Russia-backed governor of the occupied region said Friday.

“Overnight, four UAVs were shot down by air defense forces in North Crimea,” Sergey Aksenov said on Telegram.

There were no casualties or damage, he added.

Some context: The Ukrainian military has in recent months carried out attacks in Crimea to harass the Russian Black Sea fleet and disrupt vital Russian supply lines. Ukrainian leaders have previously stated that their goal is to recapture Crimea, which was illegally annexed by Russia in 2014.

Zelensky's attendance at G7 summit is "extremely important," says top Ukraine security official

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s attendance in person at the G7 summit in Hiroshima, Japan, is “extremely important,” a senior Ukrainian security official said Friday.

Zelensky’s expected visit to Japan comes as Kyiv continues to look to its Western partners for military backing ahead of a highly anticipated counteroffensive.

“Very important things will be decided there,” Oleksii Danilov, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, said on Ukrainian television. “Therefore the physical presence of our president is absolutely important — to defend our interests, to explain, to provide clear proposals and clear arguments on the events that are taking place in our country.”

Danilov also stressed the importance of face-to-face meetings.

“Because when a person is far away, across the ocean or somewhere else, they do not always feel and understand what is happening here in our country,” he added. “It is the physical presence of our president that is extremely, extremely important at such events.”

G7 member countries — Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States — include Ukraine’s largest backers.

UK imposes new sanctions on Russia, targeting theft of Ukrainian grain

A tractor ploughs a field to plant sunflower seeds on a farm in Yemchykha, Ukraine, on May 1.

The United Kingdom on Friday announced new sanctions against Russia, targeting companies connected to the theft of Ukrainian grain and those involved in the shipment of Russian energy.

“The 86 designations target individuals and organisations connected to Russia’s energy, metals, defence, transport, and financial sectors - ramping up pressure on Putin’s remaining revenue and attempts to use these sectors to support the military machine,” the UK Foreign Office said in a statement.

Russian forces have been accused of stealing farm equipment and thousands of tons of grain from Ukrainian farmers in areas they have occupied, as well as targeting food storage sites with artillery.

The announcement comes as British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak meets with G7 leaders in Hiroshima on Friday.

In an earlier statement Friday, the prime minister’s office said the UK will ban the import of Russian diamonds, Russian-origin copper, aluminum and nickel under legislation to be introduced later this year.

Britain has sanctioned more than 1,500 individuals and entities since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began, freezing more than £18 billion ($22.3 billion) of assets in the UK, according to Downing Street.

Zelensky to attend Arab League summit in Saudi Arabia, diplomats tell CNN

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will attend the Arab League summit in Saudi Arabia on Friday, two Arab diplomats confirmed to CNN. 

CNN has reached out to Zelensky’s office for confirmation. 

The Ukrainian leader is en route to Japan to attend the Group of Seven (G7) summit, according to an official familiar with the planning.

Officials have declined to say exactly when Zelensky would arrive in Hiroshima or detail his travel arrangements. He has been traveling outside his country more as the war grinds onward, including a tour of Europe last week.

Russian drones strike "critical infrastructure" in Lviv, mayor says

Russian drones hit a “critical infrastructure” facility in Lviv overnight, according to the western Ukrainian city’s mayor.

“According to preliminary information, the target was a critical infrastructure facility in the city,” Lviv Mayor Andrii Sadovyi said on Telegram. “The attack was carried out with Shaheds. There were no casualties.”

Russia has ramped up its assault on Ukraine this month, launching a barrage of missile and drone attacks from air, land and sea that has mostly been intercepted by Ukraine’s air defenses.

Analysis: Russia isn't the only big concern for G7 leaders

G7 leaders pose for a photo in Hiroshima on Thursday.

As leaders of seven of the world’s most powerful democracies gather in Japan on Friday, it will be the authoritarian powers of China and Russia that dominate the agenda.

The annual Group of Seven (G7) summit, convening this year in Hiroshima, will seek to project a unified response to an increasingly assertive China — and the perceived threat it poses to the stability and economic security of a world already shaken by Russia’s ongoing war on Ukraine.

While much of the attention will be focused on Ukraine — including how to further tighten the screws on Russia and defuse rising nuclear tensions — the three-day summit also provides an opportunity for G7 leaders to recalibrate and coordinate their approach toward China, which has refused to condemn the invasion and instead bolstered ties with Moscow.

But agreeing on a common approach to the world’s second-largest economy will not be an easy task.

China, a global manufacturing hub and a huge consumer market, is an important trade partner to the G7 countries, which is comprised of the United States, Japan, Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Canada and Italy.

“It is difficult to have one single position on China across seven countries considering their different concerns and relationships with Beijing,” said Sun Yun, director of the China Program at the Washington-based Stimson Center think tank.
“But to the extent that a position with the largest common denominator can be developed, the G7 offers a great opportunity.”

Read the full analysis here.

Zelensky to attend G7 in person, sources say

President, Volodymyr Zelensky is seen in Aylesbury, England, on May 15.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will travel in person to Japan for the Group of Seven (G7) summit, according to sources.

Two sources briefed on the matter said Zelensky is scheduled to participate in a G7 session on Sunday.

The session was a late addition to the G7 schedule in order to accommodate Zelensky’s current travel schedule, one of the sources said.

Zelensky is planning to attend the Arab League summit in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia before he travels to Japan, the source said. He is expected to arrive in Hiroshima Saturday evening in advance of his participation in the G7 summit.

Key context: The war in Ukraine is at the top of agenda for the three-day summit, where leaders are expected to make a strong statement of unity in support of Ukraine and unveil new measures to choke off Russia’s ability to fund and supply its war.

Zelensky’s expected visit would be his first to Asia since Moscow launched its full-scale assault on Ukraine last February, and comes as Kyiv continues to look to its Western partners for military backing ahead of a highly anticipated counteroffensive.

G7 member countries — Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States — include Ukraine’s largest backers.

Zelensky’s expected travel to Asia follows a four-country European tour, where he welcomed additional pledges of military support for Kyiv’s defense.

Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday had said Zelensky would participate virtually in a Sunday session of the G7, after being invited by Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida earlier this year.

Ukraine is top of the agenda as G7 leaders meet in Japan. Here's what you should know

G7 leaders are gathering in Hiroshima, Japan, the site of the world’s first ever nuclear attack — a symbolic reminder of the risks of nuclear war as they discuss Russia and the conflict in Ukraine.

On the sidelines of the summit, the UK and EU said Friday they will target Russian diamonds in new sanctions against Moscow.

“Russian diamonds are not forever,” European Council President Charles Michel said.

If you’re just reading in, here’s the latest:

The UK says it will ban the import of Russian diamonds in new sanctions

The United Kingdom will ban the import of Russian diamonds as part of its latest sanctions against Moscow, Downing Street announced Friday. 

Imports of Russian-origin copper, aluminum and nickel will also be banned under the legislation, which will be introduced later this year, the prime minister’s office said in a statement. 

The Russian diamond industry was worth $4 billion in exports in 2021, according to Downing Street.

Alongside the measures, the UK government is also preparing new individual designations targeting an additional 86 people and companies from Russian President Vladimir Putin’s military industrial complex as well as those involved in key revenue streams such as energy, metals and shipping. They include people who are “supporting the Kremlin to actively undermine the impact of existing sanctions,” the statement said. 

“As today’s sanctions announcements demonstrate, the G7 remains unified in the face of the threat from Russia and steadfast in our support for Ukraine,” Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said.

To date, the UK has sanctioned over 1,500 individuals and entities, freezing more than £18 billion ($22.3 billion) of assets in the UK, according to Downing Street. 

The announcement comes as British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak meets with leaders for the first day of the G7 summit in Hiroshima on Friday.

EU sanctions: Additionally, the European Union will also restrict trade of Russian diamonds, European Council President Charles Michel said Friday.

The EU will also continue its effort to cut off critical supplies from Russia, he added.

A senior EU official said Thursday the EU is “confident” that a plan for sanctioning Russian diamonds will be put in place at the G7 meeting, which kicks off Friday in Japan.

Zelensky to join G7 virtually on Sunday, Japan says

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will participate in the G7 summit virtually on Sunday, Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced Thursday. 

Zelensky will join a session held Sunday morning on Ukraine, the ministry said. 

Earlier this year, Zelensky had accepted an invite from Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida to participate in the summit, which kicks off Friday in Hiroshima, but it was unknown whether he would attend in person or virtually. 

Accounting error frees up $3 billion for Ukraine weapons assistance

The Biden administration made an accounting error in assessing the value of the military support that the US has given to Ukraine to date, freeing up approximately $3 billion more in aid, an amount likely to mitigate the need for Congress to pass an additional assistance package before the end of the fiscal year in September, multiple congressional and administration officials told CNN.

The error — which lawmakers and congressional staffers were briefed on Thursday — triggered frustration from Republicans on the House Foreign Affairs and Armed Services committees. They believe the mistake reduced the amount of US support that went to Ukraine leading up to the counteroffensive.

“The revelation of a three-billion-dollar accounting error discovered two months ago and only today shared with Congress is extremely problematic, to say the least. These funds could have been used for extra supplies and weapons for the upcoming counteroffensive, instead of rationing funds to last for the remainder of the fiscal year,” wrote House Foreign Affairs Chairman Michael McCaul and House Armed Services Chairman Mike Rogers in a statement Thursday.

Before this new information came to light the Pentagon had said that there was just over $2.3 billion remaining available for Presidential Drawdown Authority for Ukraine. Now, due to this revelation, there is about $5.3 billion still available, far more than even the largest single package provided to Ukraine.

The briefing to the Hill comes after the White House told CNN that it is not currently planning to ask Congress for new Ukraine funding before the end of the fiscal year at the end of September, which pit administration officials against some lawmakers and congressional staffers who are concerned that the funds could run out by mid-summer.

But now that there is more funding available, congressional sources said they are less concerned about the immediate need for a new funding package for Ukraine. They believe it is likely that the newfound funding will carry the US support to Ukraine through the end of the summer.

What happened: The accounting error occurred because when the US transferred weaponry to Ukraine, they counted the value of replacing the weapon instead of the value of actual weapon, defense officials explained. That drove up the cost of each package — because new weaponry costs more than old weaponry— and resulted in the false assumption that more of the funding had been used.

Read more here.

US signals to allies that it won't block them from exporting F-16 jets to Ukraine

The Biden administration has signaled to European allies in recent weeks that the US would allow them to export F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, sources familiar with the discussions said, as the White House comes under increasing pressure from members of Congress and allies to help Ukraine procure the planes amid intensifying Russian aerial attacks.

Administration officials are not aware, however, of any formal requests by any allies to export F-16s, and State Department officials who would normally be tasked with the paperwork to approve such third-party transfers have not been told to get to work, officials said.

A handful of European countries have a supply of the US-made F-16s, including the Netherlands, which has signaled a willingness to export some of them to Ukraine. But the US would have to approve that third party transfer because of the jets’ sensitive US technology.

While the US remains reluctant to send any of its own F-16s to Kyiv, US officials told CNN that the administration is prepared to approve the export of the jets to Ukraine if that is what allies decide to do with their supply.

Read more here.

Ukraine has "successfully" used UK-provided Storm Shadow missiles, British defense minister says

Ukraine has “successfully” used the Storm Shadow missiles provided by the United Kingdom, British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace told CNN on Thursday.

“All I can confirm is it has been used successfully, that is the information I received from the Ukrainians, and I’m pleased it is helping them to defend their country,” Wallace told CNN’s Jim Sciutto in an exclusive interview on “News Central.”

The Storm Shadow missiles, the longest-range weapon in Ukraine’s arsenal, were recently given to Kyiv ahead of an anticipated counteroffensive against the Russian military. The long-range cruise missile has stealth capabilities and a firing range of more than 250 kilometers, or 155 miles.

Read more here.

Patriot missile battery damaged in Ukraine is now repaired, Pentagon says

A Patriot missile battery damaged by a Russian missile barrage against Kyiv has been fixed, the Pentagon said Thursday.

“One Patriot system was damaged, but it has now been fixed and is fully back and operational,” said Pentagon deputy press secretary Sabrina Singh.

CNN reported on Wednesday that the damage was minimal. 

Analysis: Confusion around Ukraine's counteroffensive may all be part of the plan

The columns of dozens of US-supplied M-ATVs kept coming, preceded by a police car, lights blaring, and tailed by dozens of muddy, civilian saloons. Where the armored vehicles were ultimately destined for was unclear. But they were still beige — the paintjob they would have had for use in Iraq and Afghanistan — suggesting they were at least a spray can or mud-shower away from being ready for use on the front line.

Over five weeks reporting along the southern frontlines, it became hard to conceive that — at least in its limited, preparatory stages — Ukraine’s counteroffensive had not got under way in late April.

The relentless pinpoint bombing of Russian military targets; the hints of small Ukrainian landings along the occupied eastern bank of the Dnipro River; and the blasts hitting fuel depots and infrastructure inside Russia’s own borders and in occupied cities — these could all be seen as indicators.

Also, too, a helicopter attack we witnessed against a Russian target; the persistent signals from occupied officials of Ukrainian probing attacks along the Zaporizhzhia frontline; and the evacuation of the civilian population in occupied areas.

The signs have gathered in pace over the past month, and are the opening traces of the “shaping operations” that a senior US official told CNN began last week. Yet officially, Ukraine’s counteroffensive has yet to start.

Given the volume of US and NATO hardware, advice and training poured into this operation — with a senior US official recently telling Congress the US had coached Kyiv in how to “surprise” — it seems fair to assume this delay in declaring the start of the assault is a tactic, not the product of Ukrainian chaos, disorganization, and a relatively wet April leaving the ground too soft.

Read the full analysis here.

Read more:

Ukraine’s counteroffensive is shrouded in confusion. That may be the plan
A crucial deal aimed at averting a global food crisis has been extended. Here’s everything you need to know
US officials say damage to Patriot missile defense system was minimal following Russian attack near Kyiv
How Ukraine turned the tables on Russia’s aerial assault with these Western weapons

Read more:

Ukraine’s counteroffensive is shrouded in confusion. That may be the plan
A crucial deal aimed at averting a global food crisis has been extended. Here’s everything you need to know
US officials say damage to Patriot missile defense system was minimal following Russian attack near Kyiv
How Ukraine turned the tables on Russia’s aerial assault with these Western weapons