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.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said he will meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara, but said both leaders are ready to fly to Istanbul if Russian President Vladimir Putin chooses to attend the talks there.
Palestinians with dual citizenship while seeking permission to leave Gaza at the Rafah border crossing into Egypt in Rafah, Gaza, on Nov. 1, 2023. (Ahmad Salem/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
The evacuation of Ukrainian citizens from the besieged Gaza Strip began on Nov. 7, Ukraine's Ambassador to Egypt Mykola Nahornyi told Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.
"Yes, the evacuation has begun, it will last for several days. The situation is very unstable, there are many risks that can affect the process," Nahornyi said.
"Everything possible is being done to carry out a safe, organized, coordinated evacuation of Ukrainian citizens from Gaza."
Ukrainian Ambassador to Israel Yevhen Korniichuk said earlier on Nov. 7 that the first group of 101 Ukrainian citizens would be evacuated on this day.
Oleh Nikolenko, the spokesman for Ukraine's Foreign Ministry, said on Nov. 1 that 358 Ukrainian citizens had requested to be evacuated from the embattled Gaza Strip.
Egypt finally opened the Rafah border crossing on Nov. 1, allowing foreigners and wounded Palestinians to evacuate.
The fighting in Israel and the Gaza Strip broke out following Hamas' attack on Israeli settlements on Oct. 7.
Tel Aviv responded with retaliatory airstrikes against Gaza, a total blockade of the enclave, and limited ground operations. Thousands of people, mostly civilians, have been killed on both sides.
As of Oct. 23, more than 500 Ukrainians have been evacuated from Israel. Some 19 Ukrainian citizens have been confirmed as killed in Israel, and four others in Gaza, according to authorities.
Martin Fornusek is a news editor at the Kyiv Independent. He has previously worked as a news content editor at the media company Newsmatics and is a contributor to Euromaidan Press. He was also volunteering as an editor and translator at the Czech-language version of Ukraïner. Martin studied at Masaryk University in Brno, Czechia, holding a bachelor's degree in security studies and history and a master's degree in conflict and democracy studies.
Anastasiia Lapatina
