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.
The Swedish Air Force's JAS-39C Gripen during the International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford on July 21, 2019, in Fairford, U.K. (Photo credit: Matthew Horwood/Getty Images)
Ukrainian pilots have successfully tested Swedish Gripen fighter jets as Stockholm is considering sending the planes to Ukraine, Swedish Radio reported on Sept. 14, citing the country's Defense Minister Pål Jonson.
According to the report, Ukraine's pilots have undergone orientation training which includes flights in the aircraft, simulators, and instructions for ground personnel.
Jonson said that the results of the training should help the Swedish government decide on the possibility of sending Gripens to Ukraine.
Kyiv has been seeking to obtain modern Western fighter jets to bolster its Air Force in the fight against Russian aggression.
The Swedish leadership has been previously reluctant to pledge its Gripen fighters, arguing that it has to consider its own defense needs as Sweden is not yet a NATO member.
Recently, Stockholm appears to have softened its stance. The Swedish Radio reported on Sept. 12 that the government has ordered the military to investigate the possibility of transferring Gripens to bolster Ukraine.
Gripens are not the only Western jets that Ukraine seeks to acquire. Denmark, Norway, and the Netherlands have already pledged to transfer some of their F-16 planes and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said that Kyiv is also interested in French-made Rafale jets.
Martin Fornusek is a news editor at the Kyiv Independent. He has previously worked as a news content editor at the media company Newsmatics and is a contributor to Euromaidan Press. He was also volunteering as an editor and translator at the Czech-language version of Ukraïner. Martin studied at Masaryk University in Brno, Czechia, holding a bachelor's degree in security studies and history and a master's degree in conflict and democracy studies.
