I wish you good health, fellow Ukrainians!
Today, a Staff meeting was held. Together with our military leadership, intelligence services, the Security Service of Ukraine, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, we discussed in detail the latest developments along the Belarus–Bryansk region direction. It is precisely from there that the Russians are considering scenarios for additional attacks against Ukraine – targeting our northern regions, our Chernihiv–Kyiv direction. Of course, we are already working to strengthen our defenses in this area. Relevant instructions have been issued to the military command, but separately, we are also taking preventive steps regarding both Belarus and designated parts of Russia from which the threat originates. I expect Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to be as active as possible in its diplomatic efforts regarding Belarus: we need to increase pressure and strengthen coordination with our partners. Frankly, it’s already quite annoying that Ukraine constantly faces this kind of threat – that at some point the Russians may drag Belarus into the expansion of the war. They must understand there: consequences for them will follow and be significant. Our intelligence services have also been assigned additional tasks regarding this threat – tasks that remain non-public for now. Separately, regarding Russian territory: we also have concrete capabilities to respond to any threat.
Today, I also want to commend our warriors, who once again at the beginning of this day showed that Ukrainian long-range sanctions are working effectively. The distance was nearly 800 kilometers from Ukraine’s state border – the city of Kstovo, oil refining – strike confirmed. Overall, our long-range plan for May is being carried out largely in full. The key targets are Russian oil refineries, storage facilities, and other infrastructure tied to these oil revenues. I am grateful for the additional proposals from our special services. We will be acting on them. We will be responding.
We also had a lot of communication with our partners today at the level of teams. There was active engagement on the European track. We are receiving signals that the opening of clusters for Ukraine in the negotiation process with the European Union is drawing closer. This is important – very important for us. Ukraine has fulfilled everything required for this progress. We are also already closer to the launch of the European support program for Ukraine, worth €90 billion. We expect the first tranches in the coming weeks.
Of course, our team was also in communication with the United Kingdom on sanctions today. This is a very sensitive issue, and there has been a lot of discussion in the media and among politicians. We have conveyed our signals on this to London, and we expect that everything will be discussed at the bilateral level this week. Sanctions – both our long-range ones and the economic and political restrictions from partners – are what most effectively impact Russia, so that it may eventually develop a desire to end this war.
One more thing.
There were productive contacts between our team and the American side – both on issues of our security cooperation and on diplomacy regarding the Russians. If, in the coming weeks, we manage to return to meaningful trilateral communication and involve the Europeans, this would be the right outcome. For our part, we are ready for such steps. I count on our partners to be ready as well – and that the Russians will not hide. I thank everyone who stands with Ukraine.
Glory to Ukraine!