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.
President Volodymyr Zelensky in his office. (Ukraine's Presidential Office)
Russian propaganda media reports about Moscow allegedly placing President Volodymyr Zelensky on a wanted list is a "sign of desperation," Ukraine's Foreign Ministry said on May 4.
Zelensky has been placed on a wanted list by the Russian Interior Ministry, which said he was being sought "under an article of the criminal code" without providing further details, Russian state-controlled media wrote earlier in the day.
Ukraine's Foreign Ministry said that such a move demonstrates "the desperation of the Russian state machine and propaganda, which are at a loss as to what else to invent to garner attention."
Russia also placed on the wanted list former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and Ukraine's Ground Forces Commander Oleksandr Pavliuk, according to the state-run news agency TASS.
"We would like to remind everyone that, unlike the worthless Russian announcements, the International Criminal Court's (ICC) warrant for the arrest of Russian dictator Vladimir Putin on war crimes charges is real and enforceable in 123 countries," the ministry's statement read.
The ICC issued arrest warrants on March 17, 2023, for Putin and Russian Children's Rights Commissioner Maria Lvova-Belova for the forced deportations of thousands of Ukrainian children to Russia.
Lieutenant General Sergei Kobylash and Admiral Viktor Sokolov "are each allegedly responsible" for a number of war crimes, including "directing attacks at civilian sites," the ICC said.
Russia previously placed on the wanted list Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas and Kyrylo Budanov, the head of Ukraine's military intelligence.
Chris York
