Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, May 18. Comprehensive Xinhua News Agency reporters abroad reported: The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on the 18th that Russia will expel the French, Spanish and Italian diplomats in Russia as an unfriendly move towards the above-mentioned countries. 's response.

On the same day, the Finnish and Swedish ambassadors to NATO presented their applications for NATO membership to NATO Secretary-General Stoltenberg at a ceremony at NATO headquarters in Brussels.

　　——The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on the 18th that Russia will expel 34 French diplomats and 27 Spanish diplomats as a response to the two countries' declaration of Russian diplomats as "persona non grata".

The Russian side stressed that the unfriendly actions of France and Spain will damage the bilateral relations between Russia and the two countries.

In addition, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zakharova confirmed to Russian media on the 18th that in response to Italy's previous expulsion of 30 Russian diplomats, Russia will expel 24 Italian diplomats.

　　——The ambassadors of Finland and Sweden to NATO submitted their applications to join NATO to NATO Secretary-General Stoltenberg at a ceremony held at the NATO headquarters in Brussels on the 18th.

After accepting the application, Stoltenberg said the move was a "historic step" in the context of Russia's conflict with Ukraine.

He said NATO would assess the application as soon as possible and consider the next steps on the road to NATO between the two countries.

NATO must take into account the security interests of all allies, resolve all issues and draw swift conclusions on both countries' applications.

　　——According to the Ukrainian State News Agency on the 18th, citing information from military departments across Ukraine, as of that morning, the entire Luhansk region had been shelled by Russian troops on a large scale, and the fighting in the Donetsk region was going on along the entire line of contact.

The Russian army launched two missile attacks on the city of Dnieper that morning, destroying part of the local transportation infrastructure.

At the same time, the Russian army continued to carry out artillery and missile attacks on Kherson, Sumy, Nikolayev and other areas.

　　——The General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces posted on social media on the 18th that as of the 18th, the Russian army had lost 28,300 personnel, 1,235 tanks, 3,009 armored vehicles, 586 artillery systems, and multiple rocket launchers in the operation against Ukraine. 199 sets, 91 sets of air defense systems, 202 fixed-wing aircraft, 167 helicopters, 441 tactical drones, 102 cruise missiles, 13 ships/patrol boats, and 2,137 vehicles and fuel carriers.

　　——Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Konashenkov issued a report on the 18th that in the past day and night, 694 Ukrainian troops and Ukrainian military forces "Azov Battalion" who were besieged in the Azov steel plant in Mariupol, Ukraine surrendered, including 29 wounded.

Since May 16, a total of 959 militants have surrendered, including 80 wounded, 51 of whom required hospitalization were placed in hospitals in Novayask, Donetsk region.

He said that since the launch of the special military operation, the Russian army has destroyed 172 Ukrainian aircraft, 125 helicopters, 927 drones, 311 anti-aircraft missile systems, 3,139 tanks and other armored vehicles, 389 multiple rocket launchers, 1,548 Field artillery and mortars and 2997 special military vehicles.

　　——Russian presidential press secretary Peskov said on the 18th that the militants walking out of the Azov steel plant in Mariupol, Ukraine, can only be seen as they lay down their weapons and surrender.

He emphasized that the surrender of these armed men has little to do with the negotiation process between Russia and Ukraine, and the Russian side believes that the Ukrainian side has no willingness to continue negotiations at present.

　　——Ukrainian Prime Minister Shmegar posted on social media on the 18th that the EU has adopted a plan to support Ukraine’s reconstruction.

Under the plan, the EU will provide Ukraine with 9 billion euros in macro-financial assistance.

This move shows that the EU will play a key role in Ukraine's future reconstruction plan.

(Participating reporters: Li Ming, Li Dongxu, Liu Kai, Zhao Bing, Ren Ke)