This week, the world watched in anticipation for Russia’s Victory Day parade after President Volodymyr Zelensky commented that he could not guarantee the safety of those attending. Meanwhile, the European Union moves one step forward to banning Russian gas from the European continent. It is also revealed this week that U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has fallen out of step with the White House.
"(Russian) President (Vladimir) Putin... doesn't want to have a ceasefire agreement with Ukraine, but rather wants to meet on Thursday, in Turkey, to negotiate a possible end to the bloodbath. Ukraine should agree to this, immediately," U.S. President Donald Trump said.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will travel to to Antalya, Turkey, for a NATO foreign ministers’ meeting from May 14–16, where he is expected to address the war in Ukraine and push for stronger Allied defense commitments.
The Kremlin said the leaders held a detailed discussion about the Russian initiative and Erdogan expressed full support, reiterating Turkey’s readiness to provide a venue and assist in organizing the negotiations.
Erdogan told Macron that international cooperation is critical for initiating peace negotiations and the "sensitive implementation" of Ukraine’s recovery and reconstruction processes, the Turkish Presidency reported.
The assault began around 2 a.m. on May 11, with Russian forces deploying 108 Shahed-type attack drones and decoy UAVs from multiple directions, Ukraine’s Air Force said.
"Think of the hundreds of thousands of lives that will be saved as this never ending 'bloodbath' hopefully comes to an end... I will continue to work with both sides to make sure that it happens."
President Volodymyr Zelensky and U.S. President Joe Biden sign the Ukraine-U.S. bilateral security agreement on June 13, 2024. (President of Ukraine)
U.S. President Joe Biden held a call with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky on Aug. 23 and announced a new aid package on the eve of the Independence Day of Ukraine.
The Associated Press reported the day before, citing unnamed American officials, that the U.S. was preparing to announce a military aid package worth about $125 million for Ukraine.
Biden said the package would include air defense missiles, counter-drone equipment and anti-armor missiles, ammunition for front-line soldiers, and mobile rocket systems, according to the White House's statement.
"Make no mistake: Russia will not prevail in this conflict. The independent people of Ukraine will prevail – and the United States, our allies, and our partners will continue to stand with them every step of the way," Biden said.
The Pentagon later released a statement confirming that the package was worth an estimated $125 million and contained HIMARS (High Mobility Artillery Rocket System) missiles, Javelins, anti-armor weaponry, counter-drone and counter-electronic systems, anti-tank missiles, and 155 mm and 105 mm artillery shells.
The new package will also include ambulances, small arms ammunition, demolitions equipment, and medical equipment.
On June 1, the U.S. gave Ukraine permission to use American-supplied weapons, including HIMARS rockets, to strike targets in Russia located near the border with Kharkiv Oblast, and over the past months, Ukraine's armed forces have used U.S.-supplied weapons to strike targets inside Russia.
Washington still prohibits Ukraine from using ATACMS and other long-range U.S.-supplied weapons for strikes deeper inside Russia, according to U.S. officials.
The new military package will come from the Presidential Drawdown Authority, a mechanism that allows the president to deliver weaponry to allies from current U.S. stockpiles.
Kateryna Denisova
