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.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell speaks to reporters after a closed-door lunch meeting with Senate Republicans at the U.S. Capitol Oct. 24, 2023 in Washington, DC. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell's impending departure from his leadership role in November signals a significant shift in Republican support for Ukraine. McConnell, a prominent advocate for aiding Kyiv against Russian aggression, has played a pivotal role in securing military assistance and funding, Politico reports.
McConnell of Kentucky, who is the longest-serving Senate caucus leader in history, said on Feb. 28 that he will step down in November. He plans to keep his seat in the chamber.
Over the past two years, McConnell has been vocal in urging for military aid to Ukraine while criticizing President Joe Biden's perceived delays in providing support. He emphasized the economic benefits of aiding Ukraine, highlighting how such funding also supports American defense manufacturers and creates jobs across multiple states.
Despite McConnell's forthcoming exit from the leadership, he remains committed to U.S. global leadership, emphasizing the importance of a recent $95 billion emergency spending bill to aid Ukraine, Taiwan, and Israel.
The Senate's recent bipartisan efforts to approve security assistance to Ukraine faced resistance within the Republican ranks.
After months of bipartisan negotiations, the Senate approved a foreign aid bill that allocates $60 billion for Ukraine. Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson has thus far refused to put the bill to a vote in the House, instead calling a recess until the end of the month.
With McConnell's departure, the dynamics surrounding Republican support for Ukraine funding are expected to shift, Politico writes. Potential successors to McConnell, such as Senators John Thune, John Cornyn, and John Barrasso, may bring differing perspectives on this matter, potentially impacting future decisions on aiding Ukraine.
Olena Goncharova is the Head of North America desk at The Kyiv Independent, where she has previously worked as a development manager and Canadian correspondent. She first joined the Kyiv Post, Ukraine's oldest English-language newspaper, as a staff writer in January 2012 and became the newspaper’s Canadian correspondent in June 2018. She is based in Edmonton, Alberta. Olena has a master’s degree in publishing and editing from the Institute of Journalism in Taras Shevchenko National University in Kyiv. Olena was a 2016 Alfred Friendly Press Partners fellow who worked for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette for six months. The program is administered by the University of Missouri School of Journalism in Columbia.
The Kyiv Independent news desk
