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.
"Think of the hundreds of thousands of lives that will be saved as this never ending 'bloodbath' hopefully comes to an end... I will continue to work with both sides to make sure that it happens."
The aftermath of a Russian strike against Avdiivka on Jan. 3, 2024. (Governor Vadym Filashkin/Telegram)
Nine villages close to the front line in Donetsk Oblast have been added to those settlements under a mandatory evacuation order due to constant Russian shelling, regional Governor Vadym Filashkin said on Jan. 29.
The villages fall under the front-line Marinka and Ocheretyne communities,both in areas where Russian forces have intensified offensive operations in recent months.
“I insist that the residents of the oblast, especially families with children and people with disabilities, should evacuate to safer regions of Ukraine,” Filashkin wrote on Telegram, saying the authorities cooperate with international partners and organizations.
According to the Reintegration Ministry, 135 people, including 73 children and 62 family members, will be evacuated to Zhytomyr and Zakarpattia Oblasts. The ministry said they would be accommodated free of charge and provided with shelter, social benefits, humanitarian aid, and psychological support.
As of the end of December 2023, more than 100,000 people have moved to safe regions of Ukraine as part of the mandatory evacuation from Donetsk Oblast.
Donetsk Oblast, partially occupied by Russian forces since 2014, suffers regular attacks, and local officials report losses among the civilian population virtually on a daily basis.
Filashkin said that on Jan. 28, Russian forces fired at settlements in Donetsk Oblast 12 times, including Bakhmut, Kramatorsk, and Pokrovsk districts.
Francis Farrell
