May 19, 2025 Ukraine and the World – Against russia’s Aggression. Sanctions in Action

The Government of Denmark has announced a new military aid package for Ukraine worth more than DKK 4 billion (EUR 536 million). The package includes the supply of artillery systems, ammunition, and equipment for the Air Force and the expansion of training programs. In particular, the money will be used for artillery ammunition as part of the Czech Initiative, which combines the efforts of Denmark, the Czech Republic and the Netherlands to provide Ukraine with a stable supply of shells.

“The exhausted Ukraine is finally waiting for negotiations for a just and lasting peace,” newly elected Pope Leo XIV mentioned Ukraine in the Regina Coeli prayer during his ascension to the papal throne.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said that the Vatican is ready to host talks between Ukraine and russia, including a direct meeting of Presidents Zelenskyy and putin.

Prime Minister of Italy Giorgia Meloni thanked Pope Leo XIV for the proposal to hold peace talks between Ukraine and russia in the Vatican.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said that if there is no progress in negotiations with russia on a ceasefire in Ukraine in the near future, the US Senate will pass a bill on new anti-russian sanctions. “This is a process that we cannot stop. And that’s just a fact that we’ve been warning the russians about for weeks,” Rubio emphasized.

European Commissioner for Defense Andrius Kubilius has assured that the EU would be able to find a way to overcome Hungary and Slovakia’s obstacles to Ukraine’s EU membership.

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Kęstutis Budrys has said that the Council of the Baltic Sea States will develop rules for dealing with vessels of the so-called “shadow fleet” of the rf.

russia’s GDP growth slowed down to 1.4 % in the first quarter. The central bank’s forecast for 2025 is conservative – 1–2 %.

In April, consumer petrol prices in russia increased by 0.6 % compared to March. Compared to April 2024, consumer petrol prices in April rose by 12.33 %. Diesel fuel in April 2025 rose by 0.4 % compared to March.

In russia, prices for livestock products from suppliers increased by 8.5 %.

“rostselmash” plans to send its employees on the furlough in 2025 in June due to problems with production costs. The reason was the deterioration in the agricultural machinery market. In January–April of this year, the supply of machinery from all manufacturers to end users decreased by 76 % for grain harvesters, by 49 % – for forage harvesters, and by 48 % – for tractors. In April, “rostselmash” carried out a wave of forced layoffs, dismissing two thousand employees.

rosstat has stopped publishing detailed demographic data amid the ongoing decline in the birth rate, which in 2025 set a low in the country’s modern history. Out of the five tables published by rosstat, the new report leaves only one, which presents data on the number of births, deaths, marriages and divorces only as a cumulative total since the beginning of the year.

Producers of animal products in belarus raised prices by 12 % in the first quarter compared to the same period in 2024. This is the highest rate among the EAEU countries.

belarusian siloviki have begun to “help” the next large companies. With a ski–masked raid and the detention of a number of top managers, they raided the main office of Evrotorg and then Dobronom. In this way, officials want to replenish the state budget and further tame private businesses that resist the authorities.