Cover image: An F-16 fighter jet during the joint U.S.-Philippine Air Force military exercise in Pampanga province, north of Manila, May 9, 2023. TED ALJIBE / AFP
- Joe Biden paved the way for the delivery of F-16 fighter bombers to Ukraine. The American president informed his G7 counterparts, meeting in Japan, of his “support for a joint initiative to train Ukrainian pilots on fourth-generation combat aircraft, including F-16s”said a senior White House official. “While training [des pilotes ukrainiens] unfolds over the next few months, our coalition of nations participating in this effort will decide when to provide aircraft, how many, and who will provide them.”added this person in charge.
- Volodymyr Zelensky hailed on Twitter a “historic decision” who go “greatly help” Ukrainian Air Force. The British Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, welcomed the American support for this initiative carried by several countries, including his own. Copenhagen will contribute to this training, also announced the Danish Minister of Defense.
- The G7 announced new sanctions against the Kremlin. Those of the United States place “more than three hundred” blacklisted people, companies, ships and planes, according to Treasury Department and State Department releases, and include restrictions on exports of components used in the manufacture of Orlan drones. The United Kingdom and the European Union have decided to restrict their imports of Russian diamonds, an industry which brings in several billion dollars each year for Moscow. The Ukrainian president is expected in Japan on Sunday.
- The Russian army has recruited 120,000 contract soldiers since January, according to Dmitry Medvedev, the number two on the country’s Security Council. Moscow is trying to reconstitute ranks very weakened by the offensive in Ukraine, even if the losses are kept confidential.
- At the Arab League summit in Jeddah, Volodymyr Zelensky thanked Mohammed Bin Salman, the Prince of Saudi Arabia, for his support. “Unfortunately, some countries in the world and here among you turn a blind eye to (…) these illegal annexations” of Ukrainian territories undertaken by Russia, he added, calling for “take an honest look” on the war.
- According to a count stopped this morning, the Russian army had conducted in twenty-four hours 39 missile launches, 39 air attacks and 50 rocket launches, according to the situation report published by the Ukrainian General Staff. Russian efforts remain concentrated around Lyman, Avdiivka, Bakhmout and Marinka, according to the report.
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