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.
An IDF soldier jumps off the front of a tank on Oct. 21, 2023, in Southern Israel. (Alexi J. Rosenfeld/Getty Images)
Israel is expanding its ground operations in the Gaza Strip, Daniel Hagari, a spokesperson for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), announced on Oct. 27 following hours of heavy bombardment, the Washington Post reported.
It's still unclear if the announcement means the launch of a full-scale Israeli ground invasion of the Gaza Strip or a more limited operation. Peter Lerner, another spokesperson for the IDF, has denied that the expanded Israeli operations in the Gaza Strip are the official ground invasion that has been expected, ABC News reported.
A U.S. official told ABC News Israel is launching a more limited incursion.
The announcement comes amid a massive internet and cellular blackout that hit much of Gaza several hours ago, according to witnesses and monitoring groups.
Hagari said that Israel will continue its strikes in Gaza City and its surroundings in the north of the Palestinian enclave and called on its residents to move to the southern areas "where it is much safer."
The U.S. has reportedly urged Israel to rethink its plans for a major ground invasion, instead suggesting "surgical" operations using aircraft and special forces against high-value Hamas targets, the Washington Post reported, citing five U.S. officials.
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Oct. 25 that the IDF would soon launch its long-prepared ground offensive into Gaza in order to destroy Hamas after the terrorist group launched an attack on Israeli settlements on Oct. 7.
Israel's forces have been carrying out limited incursions into the enclave for the past two nights. Hamas' attack and Israel's retaliatory strikes have already cost thousands of lives on both sides.
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.
Anastasiia Lapatina
