TOP STORIES 

• Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met Germany's Chancellor Olaf Scholz and President Frank-Walter Steinmeier after securing a big boost in military aid on his first visit to the country since the conflict began. READ MORE BELOW

• During the Eurovision song contest on Saturday night in Liverpool in the UK, Russian missiles hit the western Ukrainian city of Ternopil, home to the electro-pop duo Tvorchi, this year's contestants from Ukraine. READ MORE BELOW

• Two Russian fighter jets and two military helicopters were shot down on Saturday close to the Ukrainian border, Russian news outlet Kommersant has reported. 

• Ukrainian forces intercepted and destroyed three missiles and 25 drones overnight in the latest aerial attack on the country, Ukraine's air force said.

• Russian-installed officials in the eastern Ukrainian region of Luhansk has accused Kyiv of firing missiles at an industrial complex in the region's main city, around 100 kilometers behind the frontlines.

• The Group of Seven (G7) industrial powers and the European Union will ban Russian gas imports on routes where Moscow has cut supplies, the Financial Times has reported.

• UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will push other global leaders to pledge more support for Ukraine when he attends international summits next week.

• South Africa's presidential security advisor said the country was "actively non-aligned" in the Russian and Ukraine conflict, after U.S. allegations it had supplied weapons to Moscow led to a diplomatic crisis this week.

• Zelenskyy said he spoke to South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Saturday, urging him to help implement Kyiv's peace plan to end the conflict with Russia.

• Ukrainian troops are advancing in two directions in the eastern city of Bakhmut but the situation in the city center is more complicated, according to deputy defense minister Hanna Malyar.

IN DETAIL

Zelenskyy steps up EU charm offensive in Berlin after Rome

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held talks Sunday with German leaders in his first visit to the country since the conflict began with Russia, as Berlin offered emphatic support in the form of a huge new military package.

"Weapons. Powerful package. Air defense. Reconstruction. EU. NATO. Security," Zelenskyy wrote on Twitter.

Zelenskyy's trip comes as Kyiv is preparing a much-anticipated counter-offensive and follows a day of meetings in Rome with Italian leaders and Pope Francis.

Ukrainian forces have been training troops and stockpiling Western-supplied munitions and hardware that analysts say will be key to reclaiming territory captured by Russia. 

Once accused of reticence in supplying military gear to Ukraine, Germany has since become a major contributor of tanks, rockets and anti-missile systems.

Zelenskyy was greeted by President Frank-Walter Steinmeier at the Bellevue Palace, where he wrote in the guestbook. It said: "In the most challenging time in the modern history of Ukraine, Germany proved to be our true friend and reliable ally.

"It stands decisively side-by-side with the Ukrainian people in the struggle to defend freedom and democratic values."

The Ukrainian leader then met Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who greeted him with military honors. Scholz said Berlin would support Ukraine "as long as needed."

Zelenskyy is also expected to head to the western German city of Aachen, which this year is awarding him and the Ukrainian people the Charlemagne prize – an honor for efforts to foster European unity.

It has been a choppy year of relations with Germany, but Ukraine heard on Saturday they would receive more firing units and launchers for the Iris-T anti-missile system, 30 additional Leopard 1 tanks, more than 100 armored combat vehicles and over 200 surveillance drones.

Cloud over Eurovision with attack on band's city  

Meanwhile, as the Eurovision song contest was under way in Liverpool, UK on Saturday night, Russian missiles hit the western Ukrainian city of Ternopil, home to the electro-pop duo Tvorchi, this year's contestants from Ukraine.

Local authorities, writing on Telegram, said the strike had hit warehouses owned by commercial enterprises and a religious organization, injuring two people.

Russia has launched hundreds of rocket and missile attacks against Ukrainian targets since last October.

Melinda Simmons, Britain's ambassador to Kyiv, praised Tvorchi for their Eurovision 2023 entry.

"The staging was brilliant. And poignant as their university home town of Ternopil was targeted by Russian missiles this evening," she tweeted.

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