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.
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.
Russian President Vladimir Putin's Press Secretary, Dmitry Peskov, attends a bilateral meeting at the Ritz Hotel on July 3, 2024, in Astana, Kazakhstan. (Contributor/Getty Images)
On May 13, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed that a Russian delegation will be in Istanbul later this week for direct peace talks with Ukraine.
Russian President Vladimir Putin invited Ukraine to engage in direct talks in Istanbul after rejecting calls a 30-day unconditional ceasefire backed by Europe, Ukraine, and the United States.
While Putin's attendance has not been confirmed, Peskov promised that the Kremlin will send a delegation to the peace talks.
"Our delegation will be there and will wait for the Ukrainian side," Peskov said, speaking to a Russian state media correspondent.
The Kremlin has yet to announce who will join the Russian delegation, and will only announce it once Putin "deems it necessary."
However, according to a former Russian official who spoke to the Washington Post, Moscow will be represented by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Putin’s foreign policy aide, Yuri Ushakov.
The U.S. will also be represented at the peace talks in Istanbul.
U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed on May 13 that Secretary of State Marco Rubio will attend. Trump's envoys, Steve Witkoff and Keith Kellogg, will also travel to Istanbul to observe the negotiations.
Trump, who is currently on a tour of the Middle East, suggested he might join the peace talks; however, his attendance would "largely depend" on Putin's presence.
If the Putin-Zelensky meeting does occur, it would be the first face-to-face meeting between the two leaders since 2019. Since Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022, there have been no direct meetings between the two.
Chris York
