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.
French Minister of the Armed Forces Sebastien Lecornu (center) on Feb. 29, 2024. (Sebastien Lecornu/X)
France will order 100 drones from the French company Delair that will arrive in Ukraine this summer, French Minister of the Armed Forces Sebastien Lecornu announced on Feb. 29.
"Through an innovative program, France is ordering 100 remotely operated munitions from Delair, which will arrive in Ukraine this summer," Lecornu stated on X. "In total, 2,000 remotely operated munitions will be ordered from our defense industry. For the needs of our armies and the needs of Ukraine."
Drones have been a key tool in Ukraine's defense against Russia's war. In his nightly address on Jan. 29, President (Volodymyr) Zelensky noted that one of Ukraine's top priorities for 2024 is the production of drones.
Ukrainian military intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov previously said the intensity of drone use and minefields "made it impossible" for both Russia and Ukraine to conduct offensive operations.
Budanov also highlighted the importance of electronic warfare systems to counter enemy drones, which Commander-in-Chief Valerii Zaluzhnyi had called “the key to victory in the drone war.”
Rachel Amran is a news editor at the Kyiv Independent. She previously worked on the Europe and Central Asia team of Human Rights Watch investigating war crimes in Ukraine. Rachel holds a master's degree in Russian, Eastern European, and Eurasian Regional Studies from Columbia University.
Kateryna Hodunova
