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.
PFM-1 “Butterfly” mines lay strewn on the ground April 29, 2002 at the Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan. Russia has been using these difficult-to-detect mines in its war against Ukraine. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Ukraine and Croatia have signed a bilateral agreement on joint demining operations in the war-torn country, the Cabinet of Ministers announced Oct. 10.
"The intergovernmental agreement on cooperation in the field of demining begins a new stage of cooperation between governments, experts, specialists in the field of demining, manufacturers of both countries. Cooperation, the ultimate goal of which is to clear the territory of Ukraine from mines, ensure the safety of Ukrainians, and restore and develop our country,” First Deputy Prime Minister Yuliya Svyrydenko said.
Specifics in the agreement include the transfer of technical expertise and special safety equipment, as well as educational programs for civilians and capability development.
Croatia has already disbursed over 1 million euro for demining operations in Ukraine.
"Ukraine is extremely grateful to the Croatian people and the Government of Croatia for the political, military, financial and humanitarian support that our state and Ukrainians have been receiving since the beginning of the large-scale invasion.”
Lance Luo (Li P. Luo) is a news editor at the Kyiv Independent. Previously, he worked at Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and Hromadske Television in Kyiv. He also spent three years in finance and strategy consulting. Mr. Luo graduated from the University of Southern California and serves as an arbitrator at FINRA.
Martin Fornusek
