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.
Ukrainian servicemen of the Azov brigade are seen at an artillery position near the city of Lyman in Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine, on April 7, 2024. (Wolfgang Schwan/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Russia has lost 621,550 troops since the beginning of its full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces reported on Sept. 5.
This number includes 1,200 casualties Russian forces suffered over the past day.
According to the report, Russia has also lost 8,624 tanks, 16,869 armored fighting vehicles, 24,044 vehicles and fuel tanks, 17,725 artillery systems, 1,177 multiple launch rocket systems, 940 air defense systems, 368 airplanes, 328 helicopters, 14658 drones, 28 ships and boats, and one submarine.
We are the news team of the Kyiv Independent. We are here to make sure our readers get quick, essential updates about the events in Ukraine. Feel free to contact us via email with feedback and news alerts.
Dinara Khalilova
