Kiev could hope for a “multi-year program of assistance,” the secretary general has said NATO is poised to commit to long-term support of Ukraine while making efforts to bring the embattled country closer to eventual membership in the US-led military bloc, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Friday.

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German industrial production unexpectedly fell in May, raising fears of a prolonged downturn in the EU’s top economy, data from the federal statistics agency Destatis showed on Friday. Output slipped by 0.2% compared to the previous month, as a 13% drop in pharmaceuticals outweighed increased vehicle production.