The blockade ended at 10:30 p.m. local time. Truck traffic in both directions is now moving as usual, according to Ukraine's State Border Guard's statement.
Russia seems to be preparing a significant offensive in Ukraine as it is moving troops toward key positions on the front, the Financial Times reported on May 13, citing undisclosed Ukrainian intelligence officials.
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.
Andriy Yermak, Zelensky's chief of staff, said that the new pontiff had a phone call with Zelensky on Monday, during which the pope expressed willingness to facilitate meetings between global leaders and vowed to support efforts for "a just and lasting peace."
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.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken answers questions by the media at Stanford University, California on Oct. 17, 2022. (Getty Images)
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken called recent Russian drone strikes a "sign of increased desperation by Russia."
Blinken promised to continue adjusting U.S. aid to fit the Ukrainian needs at a press conference at Stanford University in California on Oct. 17.
"You're seeing these drone attacks. What are they doing? They're attacking civilians. They're attacking critical infrastructure, like power plants, hospitals, and things that people need in their daily lives that are not military targets," Blinken said in a comment to The Kyiv Independent.
The comment referenced the recent drone attacks in Ukraine on Oct. 10 and Oct. 17.
Russia launched its first-ever attack on the Ukrainian capital using Iranian-made Shahed-136 drones early on Oct. 17. The bodies of five civilians, including a pregnant woman, have been found under the rubbles of a destroyed residential building, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported.
The drone attack came exactly a week after Russia's massive barrage of missile strikes during Monday rush hour claimed at least 20 lives nationwide.
Blinken called Russia's strategy "a sign of the levels that they will stoop to, as we have seen repeatedly when it comes to harming civilians and civilian infrastructure."
Blinken emphasized the consistency of U.S. support to help Ukraine fight.
The U.S. is re-adjusting its military aid as the "nature of the aggression has changed," he said. "It's moved to different places, different terrain, and different weapons are being used."
"We've adjusted every step along the way, in very close collaboration with our Ukrainian partners, as well as with many countries around the world, to try to make sure that based on what Ukraine actually needed," Blinken added. "We were doing as much as we could to get into their hands as quickly as possible."
He used Ramstein as an example of successful coordination between the countries and emphasized the need to ensure that the provision of new technologies comes with training Ukrainian forces on the use and maintenance of the weapons.
The New York Times reported on Sept. 29, citing U.S. military officials, the U.S. Defense Department plans to establish a new command based in Germany that will coordinate the equipment and training of Ukraine's military.
The new command will involve about 300 people and report to General Cavoli, the top American officer in Europe.
In the coming months, the U.S. "wants to make sure that we are doing everything possible to help Ukrainians defend themselves against this aggression, even as they are pushing the Russians back," Blinken said.
U.S. European allies have undertaken similar measures to train Ukrainian soldiers.
As part of the British Interflex program, launched in July, about 10,000 Ukrainians are expected to be trained in the U.K. Over 5,000 Ukrainian troops have already completed training.
On Oct. 15, Le Parisien newspaper reported that "up to 2,000 Ukrainian soldiers to be welcomed in France" for training.
Anastasiia Malenko is a reporter at the Kyiv Independent. Before joining the team, Anastasiia covered Russia’s war against Ukraine at The Wall Street Journal. She has also written for USAFacts and the Ukrainian media outlet Studway. Anastasiia graduated from Stanford University with a degree in political science and economics.
