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.
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.
Yevhen Borysov, the former head of the Odesa military enlistment office, during a court session on July 25, 2023, in Kyiv, Ukraine. (Andriy Zhyhaylo/Obozrevatel/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images)
A court set the bail for Yevhen Borysov, the former head of Odesa Oblast's military enlistment office, at Hr 140 million ($3.4 million), Ukraine's State Bureau of Investigation said on May 30.
Borysov has been under investigation for corruption since July 2023 and is accused of illegally enriching himself with more than Hr 142 million ($3.5 million) through his official position.
Besides the bail announcement, the State Bureau of Investigation also said that Borysov had been served an indictment on charges of illegally enriching himself on May 29.
Following an investigation by Ukrainska Pravda that alleged Borysov had bought a property in Marbella, Spain, during the full-scale war valued at almost four million euros ($4.4 million), he was dismissed from his position. Borysov claimed that the property was for his retired mother.
Borysov was detained again on May 28 after he posted a Hr 12 million bail ($297,000) after the State Bureau of Investigation said it had received information that he was planning to hide and possibly flee the country following his release.
The fallout from the news prompted President Volodymyr Zelensky to order a probe into the practices of military enlistment offices throughout the country, which revealed widespread abuses. Zelensky ordered the heads of all the regional offices to be dismissed as a result.
Beyond the two charges of illegally enriching himself, Borysov is also accused of failing to show up for military duty and evasion of military service through deception.
If convicted of all four offenses, he could face up to 24 years in prison.
Kateryna Hodunova
