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.
US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin (L) shakes hands with President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, during a Meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group in Brussels on Oct. 11, 2023. (Olivier Matthys/Pool/AFP via Getty Images)
U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin announced the delivery of a new $200 million package of military support for Ukraine on Oct. 11.
The package includes AIM-9 munitions for a "new air defense system" soon to be delivered to Ukraine, as well as artillery and rocket ammunition, precision aerial munitions, anti-tank weapons, and equipment to counter Russian drones, Austin said.
The announcement came at the 16th Ukraine Defense Contact Group in Brussels, which was also attended by President Volodymyr Zelensky for the first time in person, among other NATO officials and international partners.
Austin addressed concerns that the U.S. would have difficulty supporting allies Israel and Ukraine simultaneously. He declared that U.S. support for Israel's security "will remain ironclad," but also that the U.S. "will stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes."
As winter approaches, Austin stressed that Ukraine's primary needs are strengthening air defense and securing more ammunition. The latest round of support was aimed at addressing those specific issues.
In addition, Austin added that he wanted to see more forward-thinking from Ukraine's allies about how to help achieve long-term goals. After successful coalition building on specific platforms, such as the procurement of Leopard tanks, Austin said the next steps should be coalition building on wider capabilities.
This latest package puts the total support from the U.S. at almost $44 billion since the beginning of the full-scale invasion.
Despite the U.S.'s considerable commitment, Austin noted that more than 12 of the coalition's 50 partners had already donated a higher percentage of their GDP than the U.S.
"Unity will remain the beating heart of this coalition," he emphasized in his concluding remarks.
Nate Ostiller is a former News Editor at the Kyiv Independent. He works on special projects as a researcher and writer for The Red Line Podcast, covering Eastern Europe and Eurasia, and focused primarily on digital misinformation, memory politics, and ethnic conflict. Nate has a Master’s degree in Russian and Eurasian Studies from the University of Glasgow, and spent two years studying abroad at Kyiv-Mohyla Academy in Ukraine. Originally from the USA, he is currently based in Tbilisi, Georgia.
Nate Ostiller
