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.
Kaja Kallas, Prime Minister of Estonia, speaks at a conference of the Friedrich August von Hayek Foundation entitled "80 years of the "Road to Serfdom" in Berlin, Germany, on March 19, 2024. (Bernd von Jutrczenka/picture alliance via Getty Images)
Kaja Kallas resigned as the Estonian prime minister along with other government on July 15, the ERR public broadcaster reported.
The prime minister, known for her resolute support for Ukraine against Russian aggression, is stepping down to take up the job of the EU's top diplomat later this year.
Kallas will technically continue to serve as the prime minister until the next government is formed, which is most likely to take place in early August, ERR wrote. She has led Estonia since 2021 in three separate governments, most recently after being reelected in March 2023.
Estonia's head of government was picked as the EU's chief diplomat in the wake of the European elections in June. Kallas has been one of the most vocal voices in Europe warning against Russian expansionism and calling for a united and decisive approach in aiding Ukraine.
While popular on the international scene, Kallas's support at home has been dropping, as only 19% of Estonians said they trusted her in a February survey. She faced a scandal in 2023 due to continued business operations by a company partially owned by her husband.
Martin Fornusek is a news editor at the Kyiv Independent. He has previously worked as a news content editor at the media company Newsmatics and is a contributor to Euromaidan Press. He was also volunteering as an editor and translator at the Czech-language version of Ukraïner. Martin studied at Masaryk University in Brno, Czechia, holding a bachelor's degree in security studies and history and a master's degree in conflict and democracy studies.
Dmytro Tuzhanskyi
