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.
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.
An aerial view of over 18-klilometre-long queue that occurred near the Vysne Nemecke border crossing after the Polish protest against competition from Ukrainian drivers, near Vysne Nemecke, Slovakia on Nov. 11, 2023
The blockade of trucks at the Uzhhorod-Vysne Nemecke crossing on the Slovak-Ukrainian border had been suspended, Deputy Infrastructure Minister Serhii Derkach announced on Dec. 4.
Slovak truckers began blocking the checkpoint on Dec. 1, following the example of their Polish colleagues in protest against the EU's liberalization of the permit system for Ukrainian carriers.
"The passage of trucks through the Uzhhorod-Vysne Nemecke is being carried out as usual," Derkach wrote in a social media post shortly before midnight.
"We continue to work with our Slovak colleagues to prevent further protests."
Slovak carriers previously launched protests at the Uzhhorod-Vysne Nemecke crossing on Nov. 21. Derkach said a day later that Slovak authorities opposed the blockade and would investigate measures to prevent the protests.
The situation remains complicated at the Polish-Ukrainian border, where Polish protesters have blocked four crossings, causing huge lines on both sides.
Talks between Kyiv and Warsaw on Dec. 1 brought some results, as the parties agreed to open the Uhryniv-Dolhobychuv checkpoint for empty trucks.
Other steps agreed on between Ukraine and Poland included creating separate electronic passes for empty vehicles at the Yahodyn-Dorohusk and Krakivets-Korczowa crossing points and launching a pilot electronic queueing system.
Although Poland wants to return to the permit system – one of the key demands of Polish protesters – Derkach said that the European Commission does not plan changes in this regard and is ready to defend the transport visa-free regime with Ukraine.
Martin Fornusek is a news editor at the Kyiv Independent. He has previously worked as a news content editor at the media company Newsmatics and is a contributor to Euromaidan Press. He was also volunteering as an editor and translator at the Czech-language version of Ukraïner. Martin studied at Masaryk University in Brno, Czechia, holding a bachelor's degree in security studies and history and a master's degree in conflict and democracy studies.
Nina Mishchenko
