Andriy Yermak, Zelensky's chief of staff, said that the new pontiff had a phone call with Zelensky on Monday, during which the pope expressed willingness to facilitate meetings between global leaders and vowed to support efforts for "a just and lasting peace."
In an interview with French broadcaster TF1 on May 13, Macron discussed new Russia sanctions and stationing French nuclear weapons in other European countries as a deterrent against Russia.
Performing their song "Bird of Pray," Ukrainian band Ziferblat passed the Eurovision semi-finals on May 13, qualifying Ukraine for the grand final on May 17.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed that a Russian delegation will be in Istanbul on May 15 for direct peace talks with Ukraine. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Putin’s foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov will likely represent Russia.
The move follows Ukraine's ratification of the minerals agreement, deepening U.S.-Ukraine economic ties and signaling expanded U.S. involvement in Ukraine's long-term recovery.
"Ukraine has initiated a coordinated campaign to vilify Hungary in order to undermine our initiative to hold a poll on (Kyiv's) EU membership," Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz warned that further concessions from Ukraine during negotiations would be unreasonable if Russia continues to attack civilian targets.
U.S. President Donald Trump's special envoys, Steve Witkoff and Keith Kellogg, will travel to Istanbul for possible peace talks between Ukraine and Russia, Reuters reported on May 13, citing three undisclosed sources.
Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba addresses an international conference dubbed "Restoring Justice for Ukraine" bringing together senior ministers and officials from Ukraine, The Netherlands, and European institutions, on April 2, 2024 in The Hague, the Netherlands. (Government of the Netherlands)
Over 40 countries called for a special tribunal to hold Russia accountable for war crimes committed in Ukraine at the Restoring Justice for Ukraine conference held in the Netherlands on April 2.
The conference addressed point seven of President Volodymyr Zelensky's 10-point peace formula, "restoring justice." The Netherlands, host country to the International Criminal Court (ICC), has agreed to take the lead on this point of Ukraine's peace plan.
"We’re prepared to take all steps necessary to ensure the perpetrators are brought to justice. If necessary at international level," Dutch Foreign Minister Hanke Bruins Slot said in a press statement.
"And all steps necessary to ensure that the crime of aggression is addressed by a special tribunal; and that Russia pays for the damage it has inflicted."
The conference published a political declaration, signed by 44 countries, condemning Russian aggression in Ukraine and advocating for the establishment of a special tribunal to investigate and prosecute Russian crimes.
The declaration also called on Russia to pay compensatory damages for crimes inflicted on Ukrainians, and supported exploring the use of frozen Russian assets to pay these damages.
The Netherlands extended conditional offers to host both the tribunal and a compensation mechanism, according to the document.
Bruins Slot announced that the compensation mechanism, officially called the Register of Damage for Ukraine, allows Ukrainians to enter claims for damages to their property caused by Russia's invasion. She said the register is now operational and has already processed over 100 claims.
The conference was chaired by Bruins Slot along with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, Dutch Justice Minister Dilan Yesilgoz, and European Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders.
Ukrainian officials have documented thousands of war crimes committed by Russian forces, including deliberate attacks on civilians, attacks on cultural sites or medical institutions, torture, and deportations.
The Prosecutor General's Office reported on March 18 that Ukraine has collected pretrial information on over 128,000 victims of war crimes.
Abbey Fenbert is a senior news editor at the Kyiv Independent. She is a freelance writer, editor, and playwright with an MFA from Boston University. Abbey served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ukraine from 2008-2011.
Vladyslav Kudryk
