The Swedish government said the loan would be used, among other things, to cover essential public expenditures in Ukraine's state budget resulting from Russia's full-scale invasion.

"Ukraine is facing both immediate and long-term funding challenges. Sweden is therefore providing budget support via the EU and the World Bank," said Benjamin Dousa, Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade. "I am proud that, with this guarantee, Sweden is helping to sustain essential public services in Ukraine, despite the war. The guarantee is an investment not just in Ukraine's future and freedom, but also in that of Europe and Sweden," the statement reads.

The decision implements authorisation granted by the Swedish parliament earlier this year allowing the government to enter into guarantee agreements in 2026.

"Sweden thus guarantees a loan of €236 million (approximately SEK 2.5 billion)," it adds.

The guarantee is provided to the World Bank and will allow loans to be issued to Ukraine under the World Bank's PEACE support programme. Among other things, the programme helps finance pension payments, salaries for public-sector employees, and assistance for economically vulnerable groups and internally displaced persons.

With the new guarantee included, Sweden's total guarantees to the World Bank for lending to Ukraine amount to approximately €280 million. The guarantee will remain in force until 2056 and constitutes a long-term commitment.

On 28 May, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson announced that 16 used Gripen fighter jets are to be sent to Ukraine, and there are plans to purchase 20 new aircraft of the same model.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine will use funds allocated for defence from the European Union's €90 billion loan, in particular, for the purchase of Gripen fighter jets from Sweden.

As reported by Digi24, Romania's National Security Council's meeting was held after a Russian drone crashed into an apartment block in the city of Galați, causing an explosion and a fire in an apartment on the ninth floor of the building.

"Last night, a serious incident took place in which two [Romanian] citizens were injured, and Russia bears full responsibility for it. The Russian consul general in Constanța has been declared persona non grata, and the consulate in Constanța will be closed.

We also discussed civil defence at the Supreme Council of National Defence meeting. Last night's response was very swift, and the interior minister informed us about the measures already taken for the entire potentially affected area, increasing the number of personnel and measures. So we are prepared in this regard," Dan said.

Dan also said he discussed the Galați incident with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, describing it as "the most serious security incident to have occurred on Romanian territory since the start of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine". Rutte, for his part, expressed the Alliance's "absolute solidarity" with Romania and confirmed that NATO is "ready to defend every inch of Allied territory".

Romania's acting Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan said earlier that, in response to a Russian drone hitting an apartment block in Galați on the night of 28-29 May, official Bucharest is considering sanctions against Russian diplomats.

During Russia's attack on Ukraine on the night of 28-29 May, a drone crashed into a 10-storey residential building in the Romanian city of Galați. Two people were taken to hospital and 70 residents were evacuated. The drone was identified as a Russian Geran-2 type.

Romania's Ministry of Defence said that since the start of Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine, drone debris has been found on Romanian territory on 47 occasions.

Romania's Foreign Ministry described the crash of a Russian drone into a residential apartment building in Galați as a serious escalation by Moscow.

A spokesperson for the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation said that Secretary General Mark Rutte and the Romanian authorities remain in contact following the Russian drone strike on the building in Galați.

Romanian Foreign Minister Oana Țoiu stated that the crash of the Russian drone into a residential building in Galați meets the criteria that justify invoking Article 4 of NATO regarding consultations with allies.

Fico expressed full solidarity with the Romanian government over the drone incident. He also pointed to his earlier remarks that, without dialogue between the EU and the Russian Federation, any drone that accidentally enters airspace could lead to an escalation of tensions "that we may not be able to manage".

"I […] call for restraint in making inflammatory statements and once again urge the immediate opening of dialogue between the European Union and the Russian Federation," Fico wrote on X.

On the night of 28-29 May, during a Russian attack on the south of Ukraine, a drone crashed into the roof of a 10-storey apartment block in the Romanian border city of Galați. The strike caused a fire, damaged an apartment and injured two people. The drone was identified as a Russian Shahed/Geran-2 type.

A Romanian Defence Ministry representative has stated that a lack of time and the restrictions applied in peacetime conditions under which the country's military is forced to operate were the reasons the drone was not shot down in Galați.

Romania's Foreign Ministry described the crash of a Russian drone into a residential apartment building in Galați as a serious escalation by Moscow and summoned the Russian ambassador.

Romanian Foreign Minister Oana Țoiu stated that the crash of the Russian drone into a residential building in Galați meets the criteria that justify invoking Article 4 of NATO regarding consultations with allies.

As reported by Onet, on 5 April 2023, then-Polish President Andrzej Duda awarded Zelenskyy the Order of the White Eagle – the country's highest decoration – during Zelenskyy's visit to Warsaw. Karol Nawrocki now wishes to strip the Ukrainian president of this award.

"On 8 June, a meeting of the chapter of the Order of the White Eagle will take place. I have proposed adding to the agenda the question of stripping Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of the order," Nawrocki said.

He added that by naming a Ukrainian unit after the Heroes of the UPA, the Ukrainian president had "provided Russian propaganda with excellent material and considerable fuel".

"I am very critical of this decision," Karol Nawrocki said.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy granted the honorary designation "named after the Heroes of the UPA" to the Separate Special Operations Centre North of the Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

The presidential decree states that this was done with the aim of restoring the historical traditions of the national military and in recognition of the unit's exemplary fulfilment of its assigned tasks in defending the territorial integrity and independence of Ukraine.

The decision prompted an angry response from Poland's Foreign Ministry.

On 28 May, Deputy Foreign Minister of Poland Marcin Bosacki met with Ukrainian Ambassador Vasyl Bodnar to lodge a protest and give an explanation that this step is painful for Poles.

"This afternoon I summoned the ambassador of the Russian Federation to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He will be informed of the measures Romania will take at the diplomatic level in response to this incident," Oana Țoiu said on TVR Info.

The minister noted that Romania has informed its European allies of the incident and received a show of solidarity from them.

"This is very important, as no country can independently counter such risks. We will respond to them with the necessary resolve," Țoiu asserted.

Romanian President Nicușor Dan announced that he had convened a meeting of the Supreme Council of National Defence "to discuss the consequences of the most serious incident" on Romanian territory since the start of Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine.

"We will order proportionate measures in relation to the Russian Federation... The unprecedented nature of the event demands a firm, coordinated, and appropriate response – at the national, allied, and international levels. I declare, with the utmost firmness, that full responsibility for this incident lies with the Russian Federation," Dan wrote on X (Twitter).

During Russia's attack on Ukraine on the night of 28-29 May, a drone crashed into a 10-storey residential building in the Romanian city of Galați. Two people were taken to hospital and 70 residents were evacuated. The drone was identified as a Russian Geran-2 type.

Țoiu stated that the fall of the Russian drone on a residential building in Galați meets the criteria that justify invoking Article 4 of NATO regarding consultations with allies.

"Russia's war of aggression has crossed yet another line. A Russian drone incursion struck a densely populated area in Romania, injuring civilians. On EU territory," von der Leyen wrote on X.

Von der Leyen stressed that the EU would continue strengthening its security and deterrence capabilities, particularly along its eastern border, and would increase pressure on Russia.

In addition, President of the European Council António Costa also reacted to the incident, expressing full solidarity with and support for Romania.

"Russia's escalation on EU territory is reckless and irresponsible. I condemn in the strongest terms this violation of Romania's national airspace and of international law. The EU is united in stepping up pressure on Russia through sanctions and strengthening defence capabilities, in particular along our Eastern border," Costa said.

During Russia's attack on Ukraine on the night of 28-29 May, a drone crashed into a 10-storey residential building in the Romanian city of Galați. Two people were taken to hospital and 70 residents were evacuated. The drone was identified as a Russian Geran-2 type.

Romanian Foreign Minister Oana Țoiu has said that the crash of a Russian drone into a residential building in Galați could justify invoking Article 4 of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization treaty for consultations with allies.

Romanian authorities later explained that the drone was not intercepted because of time constraints and operational limitations under which the military had to act during the incident.

"The first restriction we have is legal: we cannot open fire in a way that affects the airspace of a neighbouring country. Furthermore, engaging an aerial target requires a certain amount of time, which involves detection, identification and engagement. The four minutes we had at our disposal were an extremely short period of time," Brigadier General Gheorghe Maxim said, as quoted by Romanian media outlet Digi24.

The general added that Romania has air defence systems "that were designed and manufactured before 2023, when this drone war began". Maxim stressed that Romania is constantly working to improve these systems.

He also noted that the Ministry of Defence is continuously working to adapt the legislative framework in order to limit situations such as the one that occurred the previous night.

Asked why the Gepard systems did not engage, the general replied that the military has restrictions on the deployment of such systems in peacetime conditions.

"We must have the consent of owners and business entities to deploy such systems, which have a limited range of between 1.5km and 6km... Because private property is protected by law. This is peacetime. Where we have obtained consent, we have deployed systems. Where we have not obtained consent, we have not deployed them," Maxim said.

Defence Ministry spokesman Cristian Popovici, speaking on Digi24 on the morning of 29 May, stated in response to questions about why the drone was not shot down that Romania "cannot risk creating more threats than it can prevent", while stressing that "the military has strict limitations."

During Russia's attack on Ukraine on the night of 28-29 May, a drone crashed into a 10-storey residential building in the Romanian city of Galați. Two people were taken to hospital and 70 residents were evacuated. The drone was identified as a Russian Geran-2 type.

Romania's Ministry of Defence said that since the start of Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine, drone debris has been found on Romanian territory on 47 occasions.

Romania's Foreign Ministry described the crash of a Russian drone into a residential apartment building in Galați as a serious escalation by Moscow.

A spokesperson for the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation said that Secretary General Mark Rutte and the Romanian authorities remain in contact following the Russian drone strike on the building in Galați.

Romanian Foreign Minister Oana Țoiu stated that the crash of the Russian drone into a residential building in Galați meets the criteria that justify invoking Article 4 of NATO regarding consultations with allies.

According to Digi24, when asked whether Article 4 of the NATO treaty should be activated, Țoiu said that the previous night's incident fell into the category of incidents that justified the use of such instruments. She explained that Article 4 concerns consultations among allied states when one of them believes its security is under threat. She added that invoking Article 4 is a collective decision and forms part of ongoing discussions about the options available to Romania.

The minister added that Article 4 is an instrument Romania can use.

When asked whether a meeting of Romania's Supreme Council of National Defence (CSAT) would be convened over the drone incident and whether she had discussed such a meeting with President Nicușor Dan, Țoiu said discussions were ongoing.

She noted that the president would make the necessary announcements later in the day. According to Țoiu, it is the president's prerogative to convene the CSAT and inform the public accordingly. She added that both she and the defence minister were in constant contact with the president, the prime minister and Romania's allies and that the NATO secretary general had been fully briefed on the incident.

Țoiu also said that Russia's ambassador to Romania had been summoned to the Foreign Ministry on Thursday 28 May in response to statements made by the Russian Federation regarding missions present on Ukrainian territory.

When asked whether the Russian ambassador would be summoned again following the drone incident, she said the matter would be revisited later in the day and that Romania would respond through diplomatic channels.

Article 4 of the North Atlantic Treaty requires NATO member states to hold consultations whenever any ally believes that its territorial integrity, political independence or security is under threat.

During Russia's attack on Ukraine on the night of 28-29 May, a drone crashed into a 10-storey residential building in the Romanian city of Galați. Two people were taken to hospital and 70 residents were evacuated.

Romania's Ministry of Defence said that since the start of Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine, drone debris has been found on Romanian territory on 47 occasions.

Romania's Foreign Ministry described the crash of a Russian drone into a residential apartment building in Galați as a serious escalation by Moscow.

A spokesperson for the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation said that Secretary General Mark Rutte and the Romanian authorities remain in contact following the Russian drone strike on the building in Galați.

The German ambassador argues that criticism of Chancellor Merz's letter proposing a special status for Ukraine ahead of full EU accession is at times linked to a misreading of the intentions behind it.

"Here I want to state very clearly: the proposal Germany has made to Ukraine is the most concrete proposal regarding an integration format that has ever been on the table in the EU. And it is probably the best proposal that will be discussed in the near future with regard to Ukraine," Thoms stressed in an interview with European Pravda.

When asked a clarifying question by European Pravda about the Lithuanian idea – "acceding state" status – he emphasised that he was speaking specifically about the best realistic proposal currently available.

He stressed that Berlin seeks Ukraine's EU accession as quickly as possible and that Merz's proposal is aimed at accelerating this process and giving Ukraine additional opportunities to be represented in Brussels even before accession.

"This is not second-class membership. This is not an interim status that will then become permanent. Rather, it is an additional proposal developed for Ukraine on its path to full EU membership," Thoms stressed.

He also dismissed concerns that Ukraine could become stuck in a "semi-member" status as a result of the proposal.

Thoms is convinced that Merz's proposal only expands the opportunities Ukraine has within the "standard" path to the EU. "You get some additional benefits, signs of membership, without waiting for accession. Right now! And no other candidate country will have this opportunity," the ambassador argued.

"You will be represented in the College of Commissioners, you will have members in the European Parliament, you will have the right to participate in the European Council and even your own observer judge in the European Court, and you will gradually be able to benefit from the application of the acquis communautaire. In short, we are offering Ukraine full EU membership, as Zelenskyy wants, plus something extra on top," he argued.

Thoms said that the special status could come into effect immediately once all member states agree to the idea – and provided that official Kyiv supports it.

"And let me stress: (...) it is not predetermined that all EU member states will definitely agree to this German proposal. No, Germany and Ukraine still need to work on its approval together. Germany feels an obligation to do this," Thoms said.

The ambassador noted that Germany is prepared to change the original name of the idea – "associate membership" – to another that will not invite criticism.

"This incident represents a serious and irresponsible escalation by the Russian Federation. Romania will take the necessary diplomatic measures in response to this critical violation of international law and its airspace," the Romanian Foreign Ministry stated on social media.

The ministry noted that the drone, which had been involved in attacks on infrastructure facilities in Ukraine, crashed in Galați, causing a fire on the roof of a residential building. Two people suffered minor injuries and residents were evacuated.

Romania informed its allies and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte about the incident and requested that measures be taken to expedite the delivery of anti-drone defence systems to the country.

The ministry added that Russia is an aggressor state conducting an illegal war which has serious consequences for regional security and the safety of civilians and that the Russian Federation bears direct responsibility for these actions.

It stated that Romania would act with the utmost determination to increase international pressure on Russia in order to achieve an immediate and comprehensive ceasefire.

A drone struck a 10-storey building in the Romanian city of Galați amid a Russian attack on Ukraine on the night of 28-29 May. Two people were hospitalised and around 70 residents were evacuated.

The Romanian Defence Ministry reported that drone debris has been found on Romanian territory 47 times since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.