Russia out of Kharkiv + Ukraine wins ESC + NATO meets in Berlin | Ukraine Update

After weeks of heavy bombardment, Kharkiv is breathing a sigh of relief. The Ukrainian military claims to have driven Russian troops out of the area around the country's second-largest city. The shelling, according to regional authorities, has stopped. But Ukraine's president says his forces elsewhere still lack the means to tip the scales in their favor. Volodomyr Zelenskyy told a visiting U.S. Senate delegation he needs more powerful weapons.
And in a victory on stage, the Ukrainian band Kalush Orchestra has won the Eurovision Song Contest. The group was a favorite going into the final round with their song Stefania, which blends traditional folk music with modern-day hip-hop. The band was in fourth place after the jury voted, but swept to victory thanks to overwhelming support from fans across Europe.
Usually, Ukrainian TV would broadcast the competition from a studio in Kyiv. But after the war broke out, producers moved the broadcast to a secret location underground. DW correspondent Amien Essif joined the crew on what was to be a very special night.
Foreign ministers from NATO countries are in Berlin for talks dominated by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Representatives from Sweden and Finland are ALSO in town to discuss their intentions to gain membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. But not all NATO members are keen to let the Scandinavian countries become part of the defense alliance.