Polish PM says will spend over 2.3 billion euros to fortify border with Ukraine

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk on Saturday (May 18) said that his country would invest over 2.3 billion euros ($2.5 billion) to strengthen its eastern border, the EU's eastern flank, against potential foes.

"We have taken the decision to invest 10 billion zlotys for our security and above all to secure our eastern border," he said, calling the project an "eastern shield".

Poland's eastern border comprises Belarus, Ukraine and the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad.

"The reinforcement of 400 kilometres (about 250 miles) of the border with Russia and Belarus will be an element of dissuasion, a strategy to push back the war at our frontiers," he said, adding that the work had not started.

Warsaw has strongly supported Kyiv since the beginning of Russia's offensive against Ukraine and has acted as a transit route for the weaponry being provided to Ukraine by its Western allies.

Warsaw has also revamped its army and raised the defence expenditure to four per cent of GDP, making it the European Union's highest percentage.

Russia captures another village in Ukraine Kharkiv

Meanwhile, Russia on Saturday said that it has captured a village in the vicinity of Kharkiv region's Vovchansk, where Moscow launched its new offensive last week.

"Units of the northern troop group liberated the village of Starytsya in the Kharkiv region, and continued to advance deep into the enemy's defences," the defence ministry said.

Zelensky meets military leaders in Kharkiv, says situation 'very difficult'

Zelensky on Thursday (May 16) said the current military situation in Kharkiv's northeastern region was "extremely difficult". However, he said it was still "under control".

His statement came following his meeting with the military chiefs near the front line.

"The situation in the Kharkiv region is generally under control, and our soldiers are inflicting significant losses on the occupier. However, the area remains extremely difficult. We are reinforcing our units," he said in a post on his official Telegram channel.

The Ukrainian military had earlier said that it had managed to halt Russia's advances in some of the places partially.

"Our defence forces have partially stabilised the situation. The advance of the enemy in certain zones and localities has been halted," army spokesman Nazar Voloshin said on state TV on Thursday.

In a daily briefing, Ukraine's General Staff said its forces had "significantly reduced the activity of the Russian occupiers."

"But the enemy is still trying to create the conditions for further advances," Voloshin warned.

(With inputs from agencies)