Updated June 17, 2022 at 11: 30 p.m. EDT|Published
June 17, 2022 at 2: 30 a.m. EDT
This live coverage has ended. For Saturday’s live updates, click here.
BRUSSELS — The European Commission on Friday issued an opinion recommending that Ukraine should be granted candidate status for European Union membership — a first step that will add significant momentum to the country’s campaign to join the bloc.
Amid Ukraine war and higher fuel prices, Biden repeats call to cut emissions
Last year, President Biden held two hopeful meetings with leaders of the world’s biggest emitters of greenhouse gases — but on Friday he returned to a virtual summit with little to show in the way of new U.S. incentives for renewable energy.
Battered politically by high gasoline prices, and amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine and added pressure to increase U.S. output of natural gas for export and boost global crude oil supplies, Biden nonetheless attempted to convince countries to keep pursuing policies aimed at combating climate change.
Russia’s gas cuts to Europe in summer could bring a bitter winter
As tensions between Europe and Moscow rise over the war in Ukraine, Russia has sharply reduced gas flow to the continent. Officials claim it is a deliberate move to punish Europe for supporting Kyiv.
Both Italy and Slovakia said Friday that Russia’s state-owned energy firm Gazprom had reduced their anticipated gas deliveries by half.
Russian vessel violated Danish waters, officials say
A Russian warship violated Danish territorial waters Friday, Danish officials said.
The Danish Defense Command said that a Russian corvette sailed into Denmark’s territorial waters north of the island of Christianso.
Ukrainian paramedic who shot footage of Mariupol freed by Russians
A Ukrainian paramedic who was taken captive by Russian forces three months ago was freed Friday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced Friday in a nightly address.
Yuliia Paievska, known by her chosen video game name “Tayra,” captured hours of video of the work her team was doing on the ground with the help of a body camera before she was captured by Russian forces in mid March. Her footage was smuggled out of the beaten city of Mariupol by an Associated Press team, the news agency reported. AP reports that she had more than two weeks of footage from the assistance she gave to Russian and Ukrainian soldiers.
Update from key battlefields: Europe pledges more weapons amid fierce fighting in east
As a brutal artillery battle for control of eastern Ukraine rages, many civilians are trapped in surrounding cities with dwindling options to escape, while the West is rushing arms shipments in support of Kyiv. This week, Germany promised to deliver 15 Gepard antiaircraft guns in July, France pledged six more howitzers, and the United States offered an additional $1 billion in military aid. But Ukrainian defense officials have repeatedly stressed that they have received only 10 to 15 percent of the arms they need to repel the Russian invasion.
Here are updates from across the country:
Seized superyacht of Russian oligarch seen flying U.S. flag in Hawaii
The $300 million superyacht owned by Russian oligarch Suleyman Kerimov that was seized by Fijian authorities on behalf of the United States was seen flying the American flag on Thursday.
The Amadea, a 348-foot-long luxury vessel that authorities say was “subject to forfeiture based on probable cause of violations of U.S. law,” arrived in Honolulu with an unfamiliar accessory onboard. The photos from the Associated Press reveal that Kerimov’s superyacht had a U.S. flag onboard.
European Commission president ‘very moved’ by call with Zelensky
Shortly after the European Commission recommended that the European Union give Ukraine the status of member candidacy, the commission’s president, Ursula von der Leyen, said she was “very moved” by the kind words of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Von der Leyen, who said earlier Friday that the commission wants Ukraine “to live with us the European dream,” thanked Zelensky for a phone call the two had after the recommendation. Zelensky stated that the decision was a positive first step in his country’s journey to join the “E.U.” Zelensky said that the move was a “positive” first step on his country’s E.U. membership path and would help bring Ukraine closer.
Ukraine hit Russian naval tugboat with Harpoon missile, U.S. confirms
Ukrainian forces struck a Russian naval tugboat with at least one U.S.-made Harpoon anti-ship missile, a U.S. defense official said Friday, confirming a claim by the Ukrainian military.
The strike occurred in the Black Sea near Snake Island, a strategic location that has been the site of skirmishes over the past month after Russia seized control of the island.
Putin suggests Russia would use nuclear weapons if sovereignty is threatened
Russian President Vladimir Putin suggested Friday that Russia would be prepared to use nuclear weapons if its sovereignty was threatened as a result of its invasion of Ukraine.
The topic of nuclear weapons came up at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.
Biden says he’s been briefed on three Americans missing in Ukraine
President Biden confirmed to reporters Friday that he’s been briefed about the three Americans who have gone missing in Ukraine during the invasion.
Before he left the White House for a weekend in Rehoboth Beach, Del., Biden acknowledged that he was given the latest on the cases of three missing Americans. Alexander John-Robert Drueke, 39, of Tuscaloosa, Ala., and Andy Tai Ngoc Huynh, 27, of Hartselle, Ala., have already been identified. Former Marine Corps officer Grady Kurpasi is the third American missing in Ukraine, his wife, Heeson Kim, told The Washington Post on Thursday evening. Although the State Department had earlier confirmed that another American was missing several weeks back, it did not identify him.
Putin says Russia has ‘nothing against’ Ukraine’s joining the E.U.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday that he has “nothing against” Ukraine’s potentially joining the European Union in response to Russia’s invasion.
When asked at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum about the European Commission’s decision to back Ukraine’s bid, Putin claimed he did not mind if Ukraine, which Russia invaded nearly four months ago, was accepted into the E.U.
‘Overwhelming majority’ of Russian missile strikes are on civilians, Zelensky says
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Friday that an “overwhelming majority” of Russian missile strikes during the invasion have been directed at civilians and civilian infrastructure.
Zelensky was joined by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson at a joint news conference in Kyiv after their meeting. After their meeting, the Ukrainian President stated that Russian missiles had destroyed schools and hospitals in Kiev.
Boris Johnson arrives in Kyiv to meet President Zelensky
LONDON — British Prime Minister Boris Johnson made a surprise visit to Kyiv on Friday, his second trip to Ukraine since the invasion began in February, with a new offer to help train Ukrainian armed forces.
The embattled British leader tweeted out a photo of himself with President Volodymyr Zelensky, with whom he speaks frequently. This trip, like Johnson’s April trip to Kiev in April was not announced ahead of time.
ICC prosecutor will open office in Ukraine for war-crimes probes
The prosecutor for the International Criminal Court announced Friday that he will open an office in Ukraine to support investigations of war crimes related to the Russian invasion.
Karim Khan wrote in a news release that he had completed his third visit to Ukraine, where he met with President Volodymyr Zelensky and with agencies that have detailed some of the alleged war crimes committed by Russia in nearly four months of war.
Related Posts
