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.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky gestures as he gives a press conference in Kyiv on Feb. 24, 2023, on the first anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (Photo by Genya Savilov/AFP via Getty Images)
President Volodymyr Zelensky will visit Saudi Arabia on June 1 to mobilize support for the global peace summit in Switzerland next month, the German news agency DPA reported on May 30, citing an undisclosed diplomatic source at the Ukrainian embassy in Riyadh.
Saudi Arabia hosted an international summit on the peace formula in August 2023. The country has also played an important role in negotiating prisoner exchanges with Russia, allowing Ukraine to achieve a major exchange involving nearly 300 people in September 2022.
The Ukrainian president will meet Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the monarchy's de facto ruler, and other senior officials during the visit to the port city of Jeddah, the source said.
The previous meetingbetween Zelensky and bin Salman was held in February. The parties discussed the implementation of Ukraine's peace formula, among other topics.
The peace summit will be held on June 15-16 in the Burgenstock resort in Switzerland. Some 90 countries have confirmed their participation in the event, according to Zelensky.
Kateryna Hodunova
