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.
Photo for illustrative purposes. Yalta, Crimea, on June 18, 2023. (Olga Maltseva/AFP via Getty Images)
Editor's note: This is a developing story and is being updated.
Russia claims its forces downed 21 Ukrainian drones over occupied Crimea and the Black Sea early on July 23, while local Telegram channels reported explosions on the peninsula.
Residents reported hearing sounds of explosions in the community of Dzhankoi in northern Crimea, the Telegram channel Crimean Wind wrote.
Traffic was also reportedly halted on the Kerch Bridge connecting mainland Russia with occupied Crimea, Astra reported.
The drones attacked a ferry ship at the Port of Kavkaz, which lies in the Kerch Strait separating the peninsula from Russia's Krasnodar Krai, the region's governor, Veniamin Kondratyev, claimed.
"Emergency services are on the scene. The fire is localized, there is no danger of its spreading," Kondratyev said on Telegram, adding, "Unfortunately, there are injured and one killed among crew members and port employees."
The official did not provide details on the damage dealt to the vessel.
Ukraine has not commented on the claims, which could not be independently verified.
The ferry crossing, representing a key logistical connection between the occupied peninsula and mainland Russia, was hit several times in late May with Ukrainian drones and missiles.
Earlier in the night, occupation authorities claimed that 15 Ukrainian drones were downed over the Black Sea.
The Russian Defense Ministry said later in the morning that as many as 21 drones were shot down over the occupied peninsula and the sea.
The occupied peninsula has been repeatedly targeted by Ukrainian drone and naval strikes, forcing Russian forces to withdraw much of its naval power and beef up air defenses.
Nate Ostiller
