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.
Ukraine set up its own trade route in August to move food exports out of its Black Sea ports near Odesa, defying Russian threats. (United Nations/Lisa Kukharska)
Since the Black Sea humanitarian corridor opened in August, 200 ships have passed through it, carrying 7 million metric tons of cargo from Ukrainian ports, including almost 5 million tons of Ukrainian agricultural products, Infrastructure Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov said on Dec. 4.
As of the time of his announcement, Kubrakov said that 31 ships are currently loading cargo at ports in Odesa Oblast, and another 30 are transiting through the corridor.
U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink said on Nov. 13 that the 100th ship had passed through the corridor and that 3.7 million metric tons of food and goods had been transported since it was opened.
Kubrakov's figure represented a significant increase in the total less than one month later.
The humanitarian corridor was opened after the Black Sea Grain initiative fell apart in July following Russia's unilateral withdrawal. Russia then threatened that all ships sailing to Ukrainian ports would be considered legitimate targets.
The corridor hugs the coastlines of Ukraine and NATO members Romania and Bulgaria rather than going directly towards the Bosphorus Strait.
Although many ships have passed through the corridor safely, their safety is not guaranteed. A Russian missile hit a civilian ship at a port in Odesa Oblast on Nov. 8, killing one crewmember and injuring four others.
Russian forces have also attacked Ukrainian infrastructure more than 20 times since the collapse of the initiative, damaging more than 160 infrastructure facilities, including 122 vehicles.
In addition, there is the danger of mines and other explosive devices that have been placed in the Black Sea.
Dominic Culverwell
