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.
A captive named Umit allegedly agreed to serve in the Russian army in exchange for Russian citizenship and a monetary reward of 2 million rubles ($25,000).
Russian dictator Vladimir Putin during a meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow on Aug. 2, 2023. (Photo by Alexander Kazakov/Pool/AFP via Getty Images)
Russian State Duma deputies have brought forth a bill proposing the confiscation of personal property from those convicted of spreading "fake news" about Russia's war in Ukraine, a move aimed to increase censorship ahead of the 2024 Russian presidential election, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) assessed in its latest report on Jan. 15
Citing reports from independent Russian outlet Meduza, the ISW notes that lawmakers from the ruling United Russia party have proposed a bill targeting activities "against the security of the state," seeking to confiscate assets like computers, tablets, or mobile phones owned by individuals convicted under this legislation.
The draft bill, first proposed through the Government Commission on Legislative Activities was supported without any objections. The legislation is now set to go to the State Duma, the lower house of the Russian Federal Assembly, for consideration.
The ISW assesses the proposed bill as an attempt to quell any brewing dissent and silence concerned relatives who would otherwise be outspoken about their support for troop demobilization. Recently, women-led protests have emerged throughout Russia, with wives and mothers of mobilized Russian soldiers advocating for the demobilization of Russian troops from Ukraine.
Russian dictator Vladimir Putin is seeking a fifth term in office, in a vote that is likely to be heavily rigged. Analysts have predicted that Putin has sough to minimize decisions that irritate Russia's electorate ahead of the upcoming Russian presidential election, including the issue of mass mobilization.
Last November, Putin signed a law restricting media freedom during the presidential election, only allowing journalists who have an employment contract with registered media outlets to cover election commission meetings.
Dmytro Basmat is a senior news editor for The Kyiv Independent. He previously worked in Canadian politics as a communications lead and spokesperson for a national political party, and as a communications assistant for a Canadian Member of Parliament. Basmat has a Master's degree in Political Management from Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada, and a Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Governance from Toronto Metropolitan University.
Alexander Khrebet
