This week, the world watched in anticipation for Russia’s Victory Day parade after President Volodymyr Zelensky commented that he could not guarantee the safety of those attending. Meanwhile, the European Union moves one step forward to banning Russian gas from the European continent. It is also revealed this week that U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has fallen out of step with the White House.
"(Russian) President (Vladimir) Putin... doesn't want to have a ceasefire agreement with Ukraine, but rather wants to meet on Thursday, in Turkey, to negotiate a possible end to the bloodbath. Ukraine should agree to this, immediately," U.S. President Donald Trump said.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will travel to to Antalya, Turkey, for a NATO foreign ministers’ meeting from May 14–16, where he is expected to address the war in Ukraine and push for stronger Allied defense commitments.
The Kremlin said the leaders held a detailed discussion about the Russian initiative and Erdogan expressed full support, reiterating Turkey’s readiness to provide a venue and assist in organizing the negotiations.
Erdogan told Macron that international cooperation is critical for initiating peace negotiations and the "sensitive implementation" of Ukraine’s recovery and reconstruction processes, the Turkish Presidency reported.
The assault began around 2 a.m. on May 11, with Russian forces deploying 108 Shahed-type attack drones and decoy UAVs from multiple directions, Ukraine’s Air Force said.
"Think of the hundreds of thousands of lives that will be saved as this never ending 'bloodbath' hopefully comes to an end... I will continue to work with both sides to make sure that it happens."
Ukrainian soldiers during combat coordination exercises in May, 2023 in Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine. (Photo by Perun/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images)
On Sept. 25, Russian forces failed in ground attacks near Avdiivka and Marinka on the western outskirts of Donetsk, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reported.
"Russian forces continued their fruitless ground assaults along the Avdiivka-Donetsk City line," the ISW said.
Russian forces were also unable to retake lost ground near Novomykhailivka, 36 kilometers southwest of Adviivka.
Russian troops conducted failed strikes near Klishchiivka, as well as to the east and southeast of Bohdanivka (seven kilometers northwest of Bakhmut), according to reports from the Ukrainian military.
On Sept. 24 and 25, a number of Russian military commentators claimed that Russian troops had driven Ukrainian soldiers from their positions in Orikhovo-Vasylivka (10 kilometers northwest of Bakhmut)and were now in charge of the settlement. Another Russian commentator claimed that Ukrainian forces launched a counterattack nearby after Russian forces apparently secured the village.
However, the ISW has not obtained visual evidence to support reports that Russian troops have taken taken Orikhovo-Vasylivka.
The ISW reported that Russian forces made no confirmed gains in their offensives near Bakhmut.
Captain Ilya Yevlash, a spokesperson for Ukrainian forces fighting on the eastern front, reported that Ukrainian troops liberated an additional two kilometers of land in the direction of Bakhmut.
Francis Farrell
