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The first war crimes case of the war opened in a Kyiv court Friday, with a Russian soldier on trial accused of killing an unarmed Ukrainian civilian.
The trial may be the first of many in a conflict that has seen mounting accusations of atrocities by Russian forces as their military campaign flounders. The Kremlin has also seen its invasion backfire geopolitically, with neighboring Finland now on the brink of NATO membership in response to Moscow's aggression.
Here's what else is going on:
- The Kremlin warns it will retaliate after Finland's leaders announced their intention to join NATO "without delay."
- Russian losses after Ukraine blew up efforts to cross a key eastern river show the pressure commanders are under to make progress, U.K. says.
- Foreign ministers from the Group of Seven powerful economies promise more support for Ukraine as they meet in Germany.
Zelenskyy warns end war could be a ways off
KYIV, Ukraine — President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said although Ukrainians are doing everything they can to drive out the Russians, “no one today can predict how long this war will last.”
“This will depend, unfortunately, not only on our people, who are already giving their maximum,” he said in his nightly video address to the nation. “This will depend on our partners, on European countries, on the entire free world.”
He said he was thankful to all those who are working to strengthen the sanctions on Russia and increase military and financial support to Ukraine. “This is the only recipe for protecting freedom in the face of the Russian invasion. And for Western countries, this is not simply an expense. This is not about accounting, it’s about the future.”
Zelenskyy said Ukraine on Friday shot down the 200th Russian aircraft of the war and he noted Russia’s heavy losses in tanks, armored vehicles, helicopters and drones.
“And for what? So that the Lenin statue can stand for a bit longer in temporarily occupied Genichesk? There is and can be no other result for Russia.”
Russian forces in April restored the Lenin statue in Genichesk, a town in the southern Kherson region.
Zelenskyy said Ukraine was engaged in “very difficult negotiations” to try to evacuate the wounded fighters trapped in the Mariupol steelworks. “We’re talking about a large number of people. Of course, we are doing everything to evacuate all of the rest, each of our defenders. We have already brought in everyone in the world who can be the most influential mediators.”
Turkey's leader opposes Finland, Sweden joining NATO
HELSINKI — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Friday that his country is “not favorable” toward Finland and Sweden joining NATO, indicating Turkey could use its membership in the Western military alliance to veto moves to admit the two countries.
“We are following developments concerning Sweden and Finland, but we are not of a favorable opinion,” Erdogan told reporters.
The Turkish leader explained his opposition by citing Sweden and other Scandinavian countries’ alleged support for Kurdish militants and others whom Turkey considers to be terrorists.
Ukraine to import oil from Middle East, Persian Gulf and Azerbaijan, deputy PM says
Ukraine has agreed to import oil products from the Middle East, the Persian Gulf and Azerbaijan, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said Friday.
A checkpoint at the state border was being prepared for the importation, Shmyhal said in a statement posted to the Ukrainian government's website. He did not say where.
He added the Ukraine would also set up some checkpoints on the Polish border specifically for cargo vehicles. Passenger and other light vehicles would be redirected to other checkpoints, he said.
Austin speaks with Russian counterpart for first time since Ukraine invasion
Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin spoke Friday with his Russian counterpart for the first time since the invasion of Ukraine, the Pentagon said.
“Secretary Austin urged an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine and emphasized the importance of maintaining lines of communication,” a readout of the call said.
It was the first time that he had spoken with Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu since Feb. 18, the readout added. Russia invaded Ukraine six days later.
The call lasted about an hour but did not result in any major breakthroughs, a senior U.S. defense official said.
"While the U.S. believes it was important to have lines of communication open with the Russians, the call itself didn’t specifically solve any acute issues or lead to a direct change in what the Russians are doing or what they're saying," the official said.
German police seize oligarch's superyacht
A superyacht belonging to a Russian billionaire was seized in the port of Hamburg, Germany's Criminal Police said Friday.
Farkhad Akhmedov, who has been listed by the U.S. Treasury as closely tied to Russian President Vladimir Putin, was identified as the “sole economic owner” of the Luna, police said on Twitter.
The force added that the vessel was subject to sanctions law. Akhmedov is on the European Union's sanctions list.
Press reports had valued the boat at more than $400 million, the tweet said.
Austin, U.K's defense minister discuss further help for Ukraine
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin discussed next steps to help Ukraine, including military aid, with his British counterpart when they met this week, the U.K.’s defense ministry said in a statement Friday.
Austin met with Ben Wallace at the Pentagon on Wednesday where they “discussed the ongoing drive to ensure NATO can deter and defend against any Russian aggression towards allies in Eastern Europe,” the statement said.
“We will continue to work with unity and resolve to provide Ukraine with what it needs to defend itself against Russia’s unprovoked invasion,” Wallace was quoted as saying in the statement.
Brittney Griner’s pre-trial detention in Russia extended by a month, lawyer says
WNBA star Brittney Griner’s pre-trial detention in Russia was extended by a month during a Friday court appearance, her lawyer told The Associated Press.
Griner’s lawyer Alexander Boikov told the outlet the short extension may indicate that her case will go to trial soon.
Griner, a star center for the Phoenix Mercury, was arrested in February on drug charges after a search of her luggage at the Sheremetyevo airport near Moscow turned up vape cartridges containing oil derived from cannabis, authorities said.
In March, Russian officials said Griner’s detention had been extended until May 19. At that time, Griner was said to be doing OK and was seeing her Russian legal team multiple times a week following her detention.
Earlier this month the State Department determined she was being “wrongfully detained by the Russian government,” a classification that would allow the U.S. government to more aggressively secure her release.
Russia expels 10 Romanian diplomats in tit-for-tat move
Russia on Friday expelled 10 Romanian diplomats in response to similar expulsions by Bucharest.
Moscow’s foreign ministry added that it rejected Romanian attempts to blame Russia for alleged war crimes in Ukraine.
In a separate statement, the ministry said a member of the Bulgarian embassy was also being expelled.
The moves are part of a series of tit-for-tat expulsions by Russia after more than 300 of its diplomats were kicked out of European capitals in the wake of its military campaign in Ukraine.
