President Volodymyr Zelensky would not meet any other Russian official apart from Russian President Vladimir Putin in Istanbul this week, presidential advisor Mykhailo Podolyak said on the Breakfast Show program on May 13.
U.S. and European officials held talks on May 12, during which Washington made it clear that it wanted to allow talks between Russia and Ukraine before increasing pressure on Vladimir Putin, sources told Bloomberg.
According to Steve Witkoff, the key topics in the peace discussions are the fate of the five partially or fully occupied Ukrainian regions, the status of the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, and Ukraine's access to the Dnipro River and the Black Sea.
Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa is reportedly offering a deal that would give U.S. companies access to Syria's natural wealth, reminiscent of the minerals agreement Washington recently signed with Kyiv.
Russia attacked Ukraine with drones and guided bombs during the night, targeting multiple regions after the May 12 deadline for an unconditional ceasefire expired.
"Only member states can take out loans within the 150 billion euros instrument, but they can use these funds for joint procurement with Ukraine," EU Defense Commissioner Andrius Kubilius said.
"We agreed to pursue ambitious measures to reduce Russia's ability to wage war by limiting Kremlin revenues, disrupting the shadow fleet, tightening the Oil Price Cap, and reducing our remaining imports of Russian energy."
Zelensky on May 12 removed Lieutenant General Ivan Havryliuk from the Headquarters of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, the top command and control body for all branches of Ukraine's defense apparatus.
Ukraine remains the most mined country in the world. Nearly one-third of Ukraine's territory, approximately 174,000 square kilometers, had been mined since Russia began its full-scale invasion of the country in February 2022.
The phone call comes as Moscow once again rejected a 30-day ceasefire, with Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova claiming that a ceasefire would give "Kyiv a break to restore its military potential and continue its confrontation with Russia."
Flight MH17 departed from Amsterdam Schiphol Airport en-route to Kuala Lumpur International Airport on July 17, 2014. Three hours into the flight, the Boeing-777 was shot down by Russian proxy forces using a Buk surface-to-air missile above Ukraine’s Donetsk Oblast.
The Latvia/Belarus border near Krivanda, Eastern Latvia is pictured on August 8, 2023, during a visit by the President of Latvia. (Photo by GINTS IVUSKANS/AFP via Getty Images)
Latvia will close one of its two border crossing points with Belarus due to the ongoing Minsk-engineered migrant crisis, the Latvian government announced on Sept. 19.
Latvia has suspended the operation of its Silene border crossing point, while its second checkpoint with Belarus will remain open for freight transport, urgent humanitarian movement, and emergencies.
Beginning in 2021, Minsk engineered a migrant crisis at its borders with Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland, having funneled thousands of migrants from the Middle East and Africa under the false promise of easy asylum in the European Union.
Over the past week, Latvian border guards intercepted nearly 900 people trying to cross the border from Belarus, bringing the total number to 1,773 for September so far, according to LETA, Latvia's main news agency.
On Sept. 11, the Latvian Radio reported that the State Border Guard would ask the government to close the Silene crossing so that more personnel would be available to secure the border.
Tensions between Belarus and its EU neighbors have been mounting since 2021.
However, the Wagner mercenary group’s presence in Belarus, increased Belarusian military drills near its borders, and Minsk’s involvement in Russia’s full-scale war have escalated tensions.
In response to the Wagner Group’s presence in Belarus, Lithuania announced on Aug. 18 that it would close two out of six border crossings with Belarus.
Ukraine’s State Border Guard Service has said that since the reported death of Wagner's leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, on Aug. 23, the number of Wagner Group mercenaries stationed in Belarus is gradually decreasing.
Polish Interior Minister Mariusz Kaminski said at a summit in Warsaw on Aug. 28 that a “critical situation” would lead to Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland shutting their borders with Belarus entirely.
The only remaining crossing point between Belarus and Latvia is at Paternieki.
Martin Fornusek
