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."
A truck driver looks out the window of his truck at the Rava-Ruska border checkpoint on the Ukrainian-Polish border, April 18, 2023. (Yuriy Dyachyshyn / AFP via Getty Images)
Polish truckers on strike have blocked about 1,700 trucks from passing through the Polish-Ukrainian border at three different checkpoints, said Andrii Demchenko, a spokesperson of Ukraine's State Border Guard Service, at a Ukrinform press conference on Nov. 9.
Movement for cargo trucks was blocked at the Yavhodyn– Dorohusk, Rava-Ruska– Hrebenne crossings, and Krakivets-Korczowa border crossings, but cars, buses, and humanitarian aid were allowed to pass.
Nonetheless, Demchenko said during a press conference on Nov. 8 that it could affect the delivery of humanitarian goods, as the blocking of the crossings has slowed all traffic.
Half of the trucks were stuck at the Yavhodyn – Dorohusk crossing, Demchenko said.
According to data posted by Poland's National Revenue Administration, the waiting time at the Yavhodyn-Dorohusk was 41 hours, and 150 hours at Rava-Ruska – Hrebenne.
It was previously reported on Nov. 7 that the strikes had completely blocked the Yahodyn – Dorohusk and Rava-Ruska – Hrebenne crossings.
Poland has been one of Ukraine's biggest backers and a key transit partner since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Protesters are demanding renewed restrictions on the number of Ukrainian trucks permitted in Poland, claiming that the lack of such restrictions was hurting business for Polish drivers. They are also calling for a ban on transportation companies from outside the European Union.
According to Serhii Derkach, a deputy minister at Ukraine's Infrastructure Ministry, Ukrainian officials were working with their Polish colleagues to resolve the situation.
"Polish colleagues confirm that the return of permits (for Ukrainian trucks) is one of the key requirements of truckers. For us, it is unacceptable in the conditions of war, with broken logistics chains and a (Black) Sea blockade," Derkach wrote on Facebook.
The deputy minister also pointed out that the Polish truckers' demands are in violation of the agreement on the liberalization of transport signed between Ukraine and the European Union in June 2022 and set to remain in force until July 2024.
"It is impossible for Poland to cancel it (the agreement). And we will work on its continuation," Derkach said.
Michael Richter
