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.
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.
The aftermath of a Russian missile strike against Kryvyi Rih, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, July 31, 2023. (Source: Serhii Lysak/Telegram)
Infrastructure Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov announced on Aug. 1 that Ukrainians whose homes had been destroyed by Russia’s full-scale war can now apply for compensation.
Applications have to be submitted by the property owners through the government services application Diia.
Previously, Ukrainians had to apply for such compensation to the local authorities in person.
Commissions established by local authorities will review these applications and make a decision on whether to provide compensation.
The policy so far only applies to those whose homes were located in the territories currently under Ukrainian control.
However, a separate mechanism is being developed to allow Ukrainians whose homes are located in Russian-occupied territories to also receive compensation.
"We will not leave anyone in trouble, but it takes time to prepare an effective process," Kubrakov wrote on Facebook.
The authorities will provide the compensation in the form of an electronic housing certificate, which individuals can use to purchase housing. They will have the freedom to choose housing in any community in Ukraine without any restrictions on the location.
"The algorithm is highly digitized and has already been successfully tested,” Kubrakov said. “We expect that the process of application review, property inspection, and decision-making regarding compensation will be much faster and more efficient.”
According to the Kyiv School of Economics, as of Jan. 23, the number of damaged or destroyed residential buildings in Ukraine reached 149,300, comprising 131,400 private houses, 17,500 apartment buildings, and 280 dormitories.
As Russia's full-scale military invasion entered its second year, the documented damage to residential and non-residential real estate and other infrastructure has now surpassed $143.8 billion at replacement cost.
Sofiya Tryzub-Cook is an intern at the Kyiv Independent. She is also currently a Regional Editor for Eastern Europe at the European Correspondent. Prior to this role, she worked as an interviewer for Room for Discussion, conducting interviews with various economists, politicians, and scholars. Sofiya holds a BSc in Politics, Psychology, Law, and Economics from the University of Amsterdam.
Daria Shulzhenko
