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.
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.
Oil pumping jacks at an oilfield near Sokolovka, Russia, on Nov. 20, 2020. (Andrey Rudakov/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
India's state-run refiners are in talks with Russia about a long-term oil import deal, Reuters reported on July 11, citing an undisclosed government source.
India became one of the chief buyers of Russian oil following Western sanctions, although pressure from U.S. sanctions increasingly threatens this trade.
India and Russia need to finalize agreements, such as the payment currency for the imports, the source told Reuters. Indian private refiners may also join the negotiations.
Indian private refiners Reliance Industries and Nayara Energy, partially owned by Russia's state-controlled oil company Rosneft, have already made deals for Russian oil imports, Reuters reported.
Asia's third-largest economy is searching for "predictable and stable" oil supplies to extend its refining capacity further to meet rising fuel demand, the source said.
New Delhi has been calling for a diplomatic solution to Russia's war against Ukraine while at the same time fostering close economic ties with Moscow. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow in early July.
By the end of Modi's visit, the two countries had identified nine key areas for closer cooperation, ranging from nuclear energy to medicine. They also aim to increase bilateral trade by more than half to reach $100 billion by 2030, according to Reuters.
Kateryna Hodunova is a News Editor at the Kyiv Independent. She previously worked as a sports journalist in several Ukrainian outlets and was the deputy chief editor at Suspilne Sport. Kateryna covered the 2022 Olympics in Beijing and was included in the Special Mentions list at the AIPS Sport Media Awards. She holds a bachelor's degree in political journalism from Taras Shevchenko University and a master's degree in political science from the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy.
Sushant Singh
