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.
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).
Ukraine's first domestic demining machine in Kharkiv Oblast, Oct. 27, 2023. (Oleh Syniehubov/Telegram)
Developers in Kharkiv have delivered Ukraine's first domestic demining machine to the Kharkiv Oblast Military Administration to prepare the ground for demining, Oblast Governor Oleh Syniehubov reported on Oct. 27.
The machine has undergone a year of testing and was officially certified on Aug. 2.
Syniehubov said the equipment was "significantly cheaper than foreign counterparts," but no less efficient. The machine is reportedly capable of defusing 95% of mines.
The new machine weighs 16 tons and is fitted with an automatic control panel and four surveillance cameras. It operates at a distance of 300 meters, reducing risks for operators.
Syniehubov said the prototype underwent four months of testing in combat conditions, during which it neutralized over 300 anti-personnel mines.
The governor said the administration had purchased two of the vehicles, and will receive the second one by the end of November. After operators have been thoroughly trained, the machines will be sent to the work in heavily contaminated areas.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Oct. 14 that mines and unexploded ordnance have rendered a third of Ukrainian territory unsafe. Since Russia launched its war against Ukraine, the country has become one of the most heavily mined nations in the world.
Abbey Fenbert is a senior news editor at the Kyiv Independent. She is a freelance writer, editor, and playwright with an MFA from Boston University. Abbey served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ukraine from 2008-2011.
Rich Wordsworth
