Americans apprehended in Ukraine may face the death penalty; 'Calm before the storm'

Ukraine is in a tense week as it awaits word on whether it will be admitted as a candidate country to the European Union.

Ukraine's President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has stated that he expects Russia to escalate its attacks on his country while the EU makes its decision. Russia's ground and tactical air operations in eastern Ukraine remained focused over the weekend, and Russian artillery shelled more villages near the twin cities of Severodonetsk and Lysychansk on Monday.

In other news, there is growing concern about the fate of two US military veterans detained in Ukraine, after Russian President Vladimir Putin's spokesman stated that Moscow would not guarantee their release.