Russia seems to be preparing a significant offensive in Ukraine as it is moving troops toward key positions on the front, the Financial Times reported on May 13, citing undisclosed Ukrainian intelligence officials.
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.
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.
Handmade crochet toys are sold at a charity fair in Kyiv on Sept. 30, 2023. (Zinchenko/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images)
Ukrainians can now officially open stores on the Etsy online marketplace following the launch of the Etsy payment system in Ukraine, Digital Transformation Minister Mykhailo Fedorov announced on Oct. 18.
“The launch of Etsy payments in Ukraine is an important part of the systematic work of the Digital Transformation Ministry to scale up the participation of Ukrainians in the international e-commerce ecosystem,” Fedorov wrote on his Telegram channel.
The Etsy marketplace allows millions of crafters and artists to sell mostly handmade and vintage goods to over 90 million active buyers around the world.
Ukrainian entrepreneurs had been selling on Etsy for years but without the official purchase protection system that guarantees buyers will receive refunds if products are damaged or fail to arrive.
The payment system will allow sellers in Ukraine to access the Etsy purchase protection system, 24/7 support, manage their store's financial information, and receive funds directly to their bank accounts.
Buyers of Ukrainian products will be able to access different payment options, including the ability to pay in their local currency.
"This will give Ukrainians the opportunity to open new stores without the help of intermediaries," Yulia Pavlenko, director of the international operations department of Ukrposhta, told Forbes Ukraine.
The ministry will continue to ensure that there are more opportunities for Ukrainian entrepreneurs, Fedorov said.
Etsy has been a vocal support of Ukraine since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, providing information to its customers on how to support Ukrainian sellers.
Dominic is the business reporter for the Kyiv Independent. He has written for a number of publications including the Financial Times, bne IntelliNews, Radio Free Europe/Liberty, Euronews and New Eastern Europe. Previously, Dominic worked with StopFake as a disinformation expert, debunking Russian fake news in Europe.
Dominic Culverwell
