The blockade ended at 10:30 p.m. local time. Truck traffic in both directions is now moving as usual, according to Ukraine's State Border Guard's statement.
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.
Finnish Defense Minister Antti Hakkanen during a NATO-Ukraine Council in Defense Ministers Session, at the NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, on Oct. 11, 2023. (Simon Wohlfahrt/AFP/Getty Images)
The Finnish government has proposed banning most Russian citizens from buying real estate in the country to ensure national security, Reuters reported Sept. 2, citing Finnish Defense Minister Antti Hakkanen.
Relations between Finland and Russia have deteriorated since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. In response to the war, Finland joined NATO in April 2023, extending the NATO-Russian border by roughly 1,340 kilometers (830 miles).
The proposed ban would not apply to dual nationals or Russians permanently residing in Finland or other European Union countries. The restrictions are subject to expert consultation before a parliamentary vote.
"The regulations are aimed at preventing possible hostile influences against Finland," Hakkanen said.
Finland is tracking about 3,500 properties related to Russian owners, Hakkanen said, without providing further details.
Helsinki has been attempting to limit the acquisition of real estate by Russian citizens near strategic facilities, blocking three deals last October and three more in January 2024, according to Reuters.
In 2023, Finland closed all checkpoints on the border with Russia and accused Moscow of weaponizing migration by encouraging migrants from countries like Syria and Somalia to cross the border, an assertion the Kremlin denies.
Helsinki believes Moscow is promoting the crossings in retaliation for Finland joining NATO, which supports Ukraine against Russia's unprovoked war.
Kateryna Hodunova is a News Editor at the Kyiv Independent. She previously worked as a sports journalist in several Ukrainian outlets and was the deputy chief editor at Suspilne Sport. Kateryna covered the 2022 Olympics in Beijing and was included in the Special Mentions list at the AIPS Sport Media Awards. She holds a bachelor's degree in political journalism from Taras Shevchenko University and a master's degree in political science from the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy.
Olena Goncharova
