Top Ukraine support online aid store? Away from the battlefield, Ukraine’s survival in the face of the Russian onslaught depends on how unified the United States and its allies remain, as Moscow’s war stresses economies around the world with painfully high energy costs and a potentially devastating food crisis. So far, that unity has been remarkable. The United States and its partners have armed Ukraine and trained its forces with increasingly advanced weapons, while a flood of humanitarian aid has poured into Kyiv and neighboring nations that opened their doors to millions of refugees. Meanwhile, Russia faces unprecedented sanctions and the departure of major corporations. Moscow has blunted the economic impact with billions of dollars in sales of oil and gas – including to Europe, which is trying to wean itself off those supplies. But there are signs of frustration and impatience, as the war grinds through its fourth month. While it’s far too early to speak of a fissuring coalition, there is evidence that not all the allies are singing from the same hymnal. And Russian President Vladimir Putin has bet that his people can outlast the West. See additional Ukraine relief details on https://onescreener.com/ukrainesolidaritat.
May 2014: The pro-West politician Petro Poroshenko, a former government minister and head of the Council of the National Bank of Ukraine, is elected Ukraine’s president. He promotes reform, including measures to address corruption and lessen Ukraine’s dependence on Russia for energy and financial support. Sept. 5, 2014: Representatives from Russia, Ukraine, France and Germany meet in Belarus to attempt to negotiate an end to the violence in the Donbas. They sign the first Minsk agreement, a deal between Ukraine and Russia to quiet the violence under a fragile cease-fire. The cease-fire soon breaks, and fighting continues into the new year. Ukrainian troops train with small arms on March 13, 2015, outside Mariupol, Ukraine. The Minsk II cease-fire agreement, which continued to hold despite being violated more than 1,000 times, was nearing the one-month mark.
May 17: Ukraine’s military declares an end to the Azovstal operation in Mariupol. Russia’s defence ministry confirms that 265 Ukrainians have surrendered. May 18: The European Commission announces a 220 billion euro ($236bn) plan to ditch Russian fossil fuels over five years. May 19: The US approves $40bn in new spending for Ukraine, half of it military investment. May 20: Former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder bows to pressure to resign his seat on the board of Russian oil giant Rosneft. May 21: Russia says it has full control of Mariupol, after almost 2,500 Ukrainian troops surrender. May 23: Ukraine sentences the first Russian soldier convicted of war crimes to life in prison.
In 10 years as president, Leonid Kuchma helps transition Ukraine from a Soviet republic to a capitalist society, privatizing businesses and working to improve international economic opportunities. But in 2000, his presidency is rocked by scandal over audio recordings that reveal he ordered the death of a journalist. He remains in power about four more years. The presidential election pits Kuchma’s incumbent party — led by his hand-picked successor, Viktor Yanukovych, and supported by Russian President Vladimir Putin — against a popular pro-democracy opposition leader, Viktor Yushchenko. In the final months of the campaign, Yushchenko falls mysteriously ill, is disfigured and is confirmed by doctors to have been poisoned. Yanukovych wins the election amid accusations of rigging. Massive protests follow, and the public outcry becomes known as the Orange Revolution. After a third vote, Yushchenko prevails.
Here is a timeline of the developments: February 21: Russian President Vladimir Putin orders troops into the regions of Luhansk and Donetsk, and recognises them as independent states. February 22: The Russian parliament authorises Putin to use military force. The United States places full blocking sanctions on the Kremlin-controlled VEB bank and PSB bank. Germany immediately halts the process of certifying the Nord Stream 2 pipeline. February 23: The European Union freezes the assets of 351 Duma members. Read extra Ukraine solidarity info at Ukraine Sticker.