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.
The measures target almost 200 ships of Russia's "shadow fleet," 30 companies involved in sanctions evasion, 75 sanctions on entities and individuals linked to the Russian military-industrial complex, and more.
"Trump needs to believe that Putin actually lies," Zelensky told journalists in Kyiv. "And we should do our part. Sensibly approach this issue, to show that it’s not us that is slowing down the process."
The EU plans to significantly increase tariffs on Ukrainian goods after the current duty-free deal lapses on June 6, the Financial Times reported on May 14, citing undisclosed diplomatic sources.
The blockade ended at 10:30 p.m. local time. Truck traffic in both directions is now moving as usual, according to Ukraine's State Border Guard's statement.
Russia seems to be preparing a significant offensive in Ukraine as it is moving troops toward key positions on the front, the Financial Times reported on May 13, citing undisclosed Ukrainian intelligence officials.
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.
Andriy Yermak, Zelensky's chief of staff, said that the new pontiff had a phone call with Zelensky on Monday, during which the pope expressed willingness to facilitate meetings between global leaders and vowed to support efforts for "a just and lasting peace."
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.
A Ukrainian child on a train being evacuated from Bakhmut, Donetsk Oblast, in February 2023. (Photo by Wolfgang Schwan/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
There are 89 children still living in front-line settlements in Donetsk Oblast, Governor Pavlo Kyrylenko said in a television broadcast on Aug. 27, according to Suspilne News.
Kyrylenko said local authorities are working to evacuate the children in the coming weeks.
"All services are working hard in the hottest areas, including Kramatorsk and Bakhmut districts, and settlements along the front line," Kyrylenko said.
He also said that mandatory evacuation of children from the region has been in effect since August of 2022, and that "the government approved the decision to force evacuation" in March 2023.
On Aug. 5, officials announced the forced evacuation of 130 children from nine settlements in Donetsk Oblast.
Kyrylenko said that persuading parents to leave their homes with their children has been difficult, but that authorities are working to get residents to cooperate.
"We tell the parents of children about the possible dire consequences of being under fire, and if they refuse to evacuate, they are warned about administrative and criminal liability," Kyrylenko said.
Mandatory evacuations have been carried out in multiple regions of Ukraine as Russia's full-scale invasion continues into its second year.
Abbey Fenbert is a senior news editor at the Kyiv Independent. She is a freelance writer, editor, and playwright with an MFA from Boston University. Abbey served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ukraine from 2008-2011.
Francis Farrell
