The blockade ended at 10:30 p.m. local time. Truck traffic in both directions is now moving as usual, according to Ukraine's State Border Guard's statement.
Russia seems to be preparing a significant offensive in Ukraine as it is moving troops toward key positions on the front, the Financial Times reported on May 13, citing undisclosed Ukrainian intelligence officials.
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.
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.
U.S. President Joe Biden speaks during a news conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Indian Treaty Room of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building in Washington, DC, USA on Dec. 12, 2023. Illustrative purposes. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
U.S. President Joe Biden has submitted to Congress a statement of intent to cancel half of Ukraine's economic aid debt, a sum of around $4.65 billion, U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a press briefing on Nov. 20.
The supplemental security assistance package worth $61 billion that Congress provided to Ukraine in April included about $10 billion in economic aid as a loan, rather than a grant. The terms of the offer gave Biden the authority to forgive up to 50 percent of the loan.
"We have taken the step that was outlined in the law to cancel those loans, provide that economic assistance to Ukraine, and now Congress is welcome to take it up if they wish," Miller told reporters.
Miller said Biden's statement of intent was delivered to Congress within the last week.
While Congress does have the option to overturn the president's request, Miller said he expected U.S. lawmakers to support the debt cancellation.
"I would be surprised if Congress took that step (to overturn the request) given the overwhelming bipartisan support in Congress for providing assistance, but we will follow the law," he said.
With only two months until President-elect Donald Trump takes office, the Biden administration has pledged to shore up support for Kyiv before the presidential transition.
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.
Kateryna Hodunova
