If confirmed, the decision would mark the first time since Russia's full-scale invasion that President Volodymyr Zelensky is absent, either physically or virtually, from a NATO summit.
The disclosure follows a warning from Digital Affairs Minister Krzysztof Gawkowski, who on May 6 said Moscow was carrying out an "unprecedented" interference campaign.
Brazilian President Lula da Silva claimed that Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha had appealed to his Brazilian counterpart, Mauro Vieira, to ask Putin if he was willing to conclude a peace agreement.
Earlier reporting from the Washington Post cited a former Russian official who claimed Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Putin’s foreign policy aide, Yuri Ushakov, would represent Moscow in the talks.
The Council of Europe on May 14 approved the creation of a special tribunal to prosecute Russia's top leadership for the crime of aggression against Ukraine, Ukrainian lawmaker Maria Mezentseva reported.
Viktoria Roshchyna, 27, disappeared in August 2023 while reporting from Ukraine's Russian-occupied territories. Moscow admitted she was in Russian detention the following year.
Dutch Justice Minister David van Weel speaks about the future of the EU-led special tribunal for the crime of aggression against Ukraine and its role in bringing Russia to justice.
Turkish officials told Bloomberg that while they don't expect Trump to visit Istanbul, they are not ruling it out, and preparations for any scenario are underway.
Melkonyants was arrested in August 2023 in connection with the activities of the European Network of Election Monitoring Organizations (ENEMO), which was co-founded by Golos's legal predecessor, the Golos association.
Ukraine's underground storage facilities are currently using 19.4% of their capacity. Almost 32%, or 2.79 bcm, less gas is available in the storages than in the previous year, according to the estimates.
The majority of Ukrainians, 71%, do not support holding elections before a full peace deal, even in the case of a ceasefire and security guarantees, according to a poll published by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) on May 14.
Friedrich Merz, Federal Chairman of the CDU and Chairman of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group, speaks at a security policy discussion at the Federal Academy for Security Policy (BAKS). (Carsten Koall/picture alliance via Getty Images)
Germany may consider joining a peacekeeping mission in Ukraine only with Russia's consent, Friedrich Merz, the opposition CDU/CSU alliance's chancellor candidate, said on Dec. 28, according to Die Zeit.
His comments followed reports that the U.K. and France are discussing sending troops to monitor a ceasefire in Ukraine, with similar proposals allegedly included in U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s peace plan.
Merz noted that Germany’s participation in peacekeeping operations requires a clear mandate under international law, emphasizing that Russia's agreement is essential.
"If a peace agreement is reached and Ukraine needs security guarantees, we can only discuss this if there is a clear mandate under international law. I don’t see it at the moment. I would like such a mandate to be given in consensus with Russia, not in conflict," Merz said.
Despite his criticism of Chancellor Olaf Scholz for hesitancy in supporting Ukraine—particularly regarding Taurus missiles — Merz’s stance on deploying troops aligns closely with Scholz's cautious approach. On Dec. 4, Merz described discussions about German troop deployment to ensure a ceasefire as "irresponsible."
Scholz has ruled out deploying German troops to Ukraine "at this stage," citing an agreement with Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and Defense Minister Boris Pistorius.
Pistorius left the door open for potential future peacekeeping operations, saying, "There are still too many unknowns."
Merz, whose CDU/CSU alliance leads in polls ahead of Germany’s Feb. 23 elections, recently visited Kyiv, pledging a more assertive stance on arming Ukraine.
His comments highlight ongoing debates within Germany about its role in post-war security guarantees for Ukraine.
Tim Zadorozhnyy is a news editor at The Kyiv Independent. Based in Warsaw, he is pursuing studies in International Relations, focusing on European Studies. Tim began his career at a local television channel in Odesa. After moving to Warsaw, he joined the Belarusian opposition media outlet NEXTA, starting as a news anchor and later advancing to the position of managing editor.
Olena Goncharova
