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."
Ukrainian artillerymen of Aidar battalion fire a 122mm D30 howitzer artillery field gun, at a front line near Bakhmut, in the Donetsk region, on April 22, 2023, amid the Russian invasion on Ukraine.ANATOLII STEPANOV/AFP via Getty Images)
Ukraine's preparations for an upcoming counteroffensive are "coming to an end" as the military undergoes training on Western-provided weapons, Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov said on April 28, as cited by Ukrainska Pravda media outlet.
"The equipment has been announced, prepared, and partially delivered. There is equipment on which the training programs are at the final stage. The crews will arrive (in Ukraine) with it when the time and place will be determined," Reznikov said at a press conference.
"But let's say it like this: in a global sense, we are ready by a high percentage," he said, adding that the decision on the date and place of the counteroffensive will be made by the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces.
As of today, Ukraine has reportedly received almost all of the military supplies, including combat vehicles, promised to them by NATO. The equipment is intended to support Ukraine's anticipated spring counteroffensive, which some U.S. officials believe could begin in May.
At the same time, "complex measures" of Ukraine's planned counteroffensive are "already underway" in the east, according to Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar's comments on national television on April 19. Maliar added that the counteroffensive should not be reduced to specific dates and actions.
The outcome of the counteroffensive is expected to be a critical turning point in the war that will determine whether Ukraine reclaims more of its territory or is pressured by allies to meet with Russia at the negotiating table.
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The Kyiv Independent news desk
