President Volodymyr Zelensky would not meet any other Russian official apart from Russian President Vladimir Putin in Istanbul this week, presidential advisor Mykhailo Podolyak said on the Breakfast Show program on May 13.
U.S. and European officials held talks on May 12, during which Washington made it clear that it wanted to allow talks between Russia and Ukraine before increasing pressure on Vladimir Putin, sources told Bloomberg.
According to Steve Witkoff, the key topics in the peace discussions are the fate of the five partially or fully occupied Ukrainian regions, the status of the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, and Ukraine's access to the Dnipro River and the Black Sea.
Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa is reportedly offering a deal that would give U.S. companies access to Syria's natural wealth, reminiscent of the minerals agreement Washington recently signed with Kyiv.
Russia attacked Ukraine with drones and guided bombs during the night, targeting multiple regions after the May 12 deadline for an unconditional ceasefire expired.
"Only member states can take out loans within the 150 billion euros instrument, but they can use these funds for joint procurement with Ukraine," EU Defense Commissioner Andrius Kubilius said.
"We agreed to pursue ambitious measures to reduce Russia's ability to wage war by limiting Kremlin revenues, disrupting the shadow fleet, tightening the Oil Price Cap, and reducing our remaining imports of Russian energy."
Zelensky on May 12 removed Lieutenant General Ivan Havryliuk from the Headquarters of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, the top command and control body for all branches of Ukraine's defense apparatus.
Ukraine remains the most mined country in the world. Nearly one-third of Ukraine's territory, approximately 174,000 square kilometers, had been mined since Russia began its full-scale invasion of the country in February 2022.
The phone call comes as Moscow once again rejected a 30-day ceasefire, with Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova claiming that a ceasefire would give "Kyiv a break to restore its military potential and continue its confrontation with Russia."
Flight MH17 departed from Amsterdam Schiphol Airport en-route to Kuala Lumpur International Airport on July 17, 2014. Three hours into the flight, the Boeing-777 was shot down by Russian proxy forces using a Buk surface-to-air missile above Ukraine’s Donetsk Oblast.
Italy's Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, Poland's Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski, Spain's Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares Bueno, U.K. Foreign Secretary David Lammy, European Union High Representative Kaja Kallas, Germany's Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, and French Junior Minister for Europe Benjamin Haddad in London on May 12, 2025. (Carlos Jasso/WPA Pool/Getty Images)
Ukraine's European allies called for an unconditional 30-day ceasefire and threatened additional sanctions against Russia in a joint statement issued May 12.
The foreign ministers of France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, and the United Kingdom, along with EU High Representative Kaja Kallas, convened in London for a meeting of the Wemair+ group dedicated to Euro-Atlantic security and Russian aggression against Ukraine.
"We joined Ukraine in calling for an immediate, full, unconditional 30-day ceasefire to create space for talks on a just, comprehensive, and lasting peace," the officials wrote in a joint statement published after the summit.
Earlier in the day, Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha joined the meeting via video link and confirmed that Russian forces have not honored the proposed ceasefire set to begin May 12. Ukraine and its top European allies warned Russia on May 10 that it would impose harsher sanctions if the Kremlin did not accept the 30-day truce.
The ministers detailed some of the promised penalties in their statement.
"We agreed to pursue ambitious measures to reduce Russia's ability to wage war by limiting Kremlin revenues, disrupting the shadow fleet, tightening the Oil Price Cap, and reducing our remaining imports of Russian energy," they wrote.
"We will keep Russian sovereign assets in our jurisdictions immobilized until Russia ceases its aggression and pays for the damage caused."
The ministers also affirmed their commitment to strengthening Ukraine's military, providing "robust security guarantees," and promoting a strong NATO.
Russian President Vladimir Putin countered the allied demand for a ceasefire by inviting Ukraine to participate in direct negotiations in Istanbul starting May 15. According to Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov, these talks would be based on the terms of the 2022 Istanbul discussions and the "current situation on the battlefield."
President Volodymyr Zelensky said he was prepared to meet Putin in Turkey and has reiterated the demand for a full and unconditional ceasefire.
An undisclosed Ukrainian official told Axios that Zelensky will be in Turkey on May 15 even if Moscow does not agree to the ceasefire proposal.
Asked by the Kyiv Independent whether Zelensky plans to make the trip even if Russia does not support the truce, a source close to the Presidential Office said: "We are ready for all options. But of course, we are separately waiting for a response on the ceasefire."
Putin has yet to formally confirm his attendance on May 15.
Germany threatened to introduce new sanctions on Moscow if it did not implement a ceasefire by the end of May 12. The EU also plans to unveil another round of sanctions against Russia on May 14,an EU official told the Kyiv Independent.
The Weimar+ group was formed in February 2025, expanding from the regional alliance of France, Germany, and Poland to include the U.K., Spain, Italy, and the European Commission. The group's establishment came in response to shifting U.S. policy toward Ukraine and Russia following the inauguration of U.S. President Donald Trump.
Asami Terajima
