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.
President Volodymyr Zelensky talks to media during an EU Summit in the Justus Lipsius building, the EU Council headquarter in Brussels, Belgium, on Oct. 17, 2024. (Thierry Monasse/Getty Images)
At least six Ukrainian mayors and community heads remain in Russian captivity, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Dec. 5 during an address to the human rights community.
Zelensky confirmed that Yevhenii Matvieiev, the mayor of occupied Dniprorudne in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, died in Russian captivity. Zaporizhzhia Oblast Governor Ivan Fedorov said that Matvieiev was tortured to death.
Matvieiev was captured in March 2022 while trying to assist residents of his community.
"They are among thousands of Ukrainians who are innocent but have been in captivity for years. And not only since 2022, but also since 2014," Zelensky said.
The president assured that Ukraine is doing everything possible to secure the release of its citizens. Over 19,500 Ukrainian children remain in Russian captivity, while only 3,767 have been freed.
Zelensky criticized the global response, noting the lack of significant action to stop Russia’s crimes and punish those responsible.
"There are still few voices in the world that speak about Ukrainian children abducted by Russia," Zelensky said, adding that discussions about "freezing" the war often ignore the fate of millions of Ukrainians and hundreds of thousands of children in occupied territories.
The president expressed regret over the fading international focus on Russian war crimes.
"Even the most large-scale Russian war crimes are gradually being forgotten by many in the world and in Europe, at the political level, among those who could act to fix everything," he emphasized.
Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, at least 177 Ukrainian prisoners have died in captivity, according to Victoria Tsymbaliuk of the Ukrainian Coordination Center for the Treatment of Prisoners of War.
Tim Zadorozhnyy is a news editor at The Kyiv Independent. Based in Warsaw, he is pursuing studies in International Relations, focusing on European Studies. Tim began his career at a local television channel in Odesa. After moving to Warsaw, he joined the Belarusian opposition media outlet NEXTA, starting as a news anchor and later advancing to the position of managing editor.
Kateryna Hodunova
