This week, the world watched in anticipation for Russia’s Victory Day parade after President Volodymyr Zelensky commented that he could not guarantee the safety of those attending. Meanwhile, the European Union moves one step forward to banning Russian gas from the European continent. It is also revealed this week that U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has fallen out of step with the White House.
"(Russian) President (Vladimir) Putin... doesn't want to have a ceasefire agreement with Ukraine, but rather wants to meet on Thursday, in Turkey, to negotiate a possible end to the bloodbath. Ukraine should agree to this, immediately," U.S. President Donald Trump said.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will travel to to Antalya, Turkey, for a NATO foreign ministers’ meeting from May 14–16, where he is expected to address the war in Ukraine and push for stronger Allied defense commitments.
The Kremlin said the leaders held a detailed discussion about the Russian initiative and Erdogan expressed full support, reiterating Turkey’s readiness to provide a venue and assist in organizing the negotiations.
Erdogan told Macron that international cooperation is critical for initiating peace negotiations and the "sensitive implementation" of Ukraine’s recovery and reconstruction processes, the Turkish Presidency reported.
The assault began around 2 a.m. on May 11, with Russian forces deploying 108 Shahed-type attack drones and decoy UAVs from multiple directions, Ukraine’s Air Force said.
Soldiers of the artillery battery of the 59th Motorized Brigade of the Ukrainian army fire artillery towards Russian positions to support front-line troops in the direction of Avdiivka, Donetsk Oblast, on Dec. 16, 2023. Ukrainian artillery units deployed in the Avdiivka direction, where heavy clashes have been continuing due to the intensification of Russian attacks, continue their intense firing activities. (Ozge Elif Kizil/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Russia has lost 373600 troops in Ukraine since the beginningof its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces reported on Jan. 18.
This number includes 780 casualties Russian forces suffered just over the past day.
According to the report, Russia has also lost 6,147 tanks, 11,410 armored fighting vehicles, 11,794 vehicles and fuel tanks, 8,835 artillery systems, 966 multiple-launch rocket systems, 653 air defense systems, 331 airplanes, 324 helicopters, 6,925 drones, 23 ships and boats, and one submarine.
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The Kyiv Independent news desk
