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.
A captive named Umit allegedly agreed to serve in the Russian army in exchange for Russian citizenship and a monetary reward of 2 million rubles ($25,000).
Russia's Buryatia Republic declared a state of emergency on May 13 over massive forest fires that have engulfed multiple regions in the Russian Far East.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko's statement came as Strong Shield 5 exercises involving military personnel from other NATO countries began in Lithuania.
"Amendments to the Budget Code are needed to implement the provisions on funding the U.S.-Ukrainian Reconstruction Investment Fund," lawmaker Roksolana Pidlasa said.
During reconnaissance in an unspecified front-line sector, Special Operations Forces' operators detected Buk-M3 and Uragan-1 on combat duty, the unit said.
Latvian Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins is talking with the German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, the NATO general secretary Jens Stoltenberg, the Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Hjalmar Ed Kristersson, and the Finish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo prior the start of the first day of an EU Summit, in the EU Council headquarter on June 29, 2023 in Brussels, Belgium. (Thierry Monasse/Getty Images)
At a June 29 summit in Brussels, European Union leaders declared they would contribute to long-term security commitments to Ukraine and swiftly consider approaches to such contribution.
"These commitments will be taken in full respect of the security and defense policy of certain member states and taking into account the security and defense interests of all member states," reads a statement adopted at the summit.
The EU also reiterated its readiness to provide Ukraine with military aid "for as long as it takes," in particular, through the EU Military Assistance Mission and the European Peace Facility.
The bloc's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell suggested that the European Peace Facility, an off-budget fund used to finance defense assistance to Ukraine and other EU partners, could serve as the basis for the said security commitments.
According to Borrell, as cited by Reuters, the EU could create a Ukrainian Defense Fund modeled after the Peace Facility.
"The military support to Ukraine has to (be for the) long haul," Borrell told reporters in Brussels. "The training has to continue, the modernization of the army has to continue. Ukraine needs our commitment to continue ensuring their security during the war and after the war."
Ukraine has said that the best security guarantee for it would be to become a full-fledged NATO member after Russia's war ends. Kyiv hopes to receive a decisive signal at the upcoming Vilnius NATO summit in July.
However, allies reportedly remain divided on Ukraine's NATO accession. Some Eastern and Central European allies have supported proposing a simplified accession process for Ukraine, while others remain hesitant.
Dinara Khalilova is a reporter at the Kyiv Independent, where she has previously worked as a news editor. In the early weeks of Russia’s full-scale invasion, she worked as a fixer and local producer for Sky News’ team in Ukraine. Dinara holds a BA in journalism from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv and a Master’s degree in media and communication from the U.K.’s Bournemouth University.
Martin Fornusek
