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.
Minister of Defense of Ukraine Oleksii Reznikov holds up a military jacket during press conference on Aug. 28, 2023, in Kyiv. Reznikov gave press conference after a series of scandals involving the Ministry of Defense's procurement of food and ammunition at boosted prices. (Photo: Vitalii Nosach/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images)
Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov is likely to soon be dismissed, Ukrainska Pravda reported on Aug. 31, citing government sources.
His potential replacement is Rustem Umerov, the chairman of the State Property Fund of Ukraine, according to Ukrainska Pravda's sources.
The reports about Reznikov's likely dismissal come amidst a procurement scandal in the Defense Ministry.
Earlier in August, an investigation by Dzerkalo Tyzhnia said that the ministry had signed a contract with a Turkish company in September 2022 on the purchase of $33 million worth of "winter" clothes for the military, which were, in fact, summer clothes.
Dzerkalo Tyzhnia also uncovered that the documents accompanying the shipment had been manipulated. The price of some jackets worth around $29 was in another document reportedly "amended" to $86.
The investigation added to the pressure against the defense ministry's leadership, already facing several corruption scandals, such as the procurement of food products for the military at inflated prices uncovered in January.
Reznikov said on Aug. 25 that he is ready to resign if the reports that the military procured uniforms for an inflated price are confirmed.
Yaroslav Zhelezniak, a lawmaker for Holos, said on Telegram that Reznikov could be moved to the post of ambassador of Ukraine to the U.K.
President Volodymyr Zelensky dismissed Vadym Prystaiko, Ukraine's ambassador to the U.K., on July 21.
Reznikov was appointed Defense Minister in 2019, having previously held the position of Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Reintegration of Temporarily Occupied Territories.
The minister began his career as a lawyer and headed a high-profile law practice before entering politics in 2014 upon his election to Kyiv City Council.
In 2020, Reznikov became a member of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, following his appointment in 2019 to become a member of the Ukrainian delegation to the Trilateral Contact Group.
The group was a negotiation format that was formed in 2014 by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) to facilitate a resolution between Ukraine and Russia following Russia's invasion of Donbas.
Who is Umerov?
Umerov began his career in business, founding the investment company ASTEM. He was elected as a lawmaker for Holos in 2019.
Umerov is of Crimean Tatar origin and focused much of his political career on the rights of Crimean Tatars in Russian-occupied Crimea. He also worked as an adviser to Mustafa Dzhemiliev, the leader of the Crimean Tatar Assembly in Ukraine.
When Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022, Umerov was selected to join the Ukrainian negotiation delegation.
Ukrainska Pravda said that Umerov did not confirm nor deny whether he would move to a new post.
Martin Fornusek
