"There is no point in prolonging the killings. And I will wait for Putin on Thursday in Turkey," President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
News Feed
Sunday, May 11
This week, the world watched in anticipation for Russia’s Victory Day parade after President Volodymyr Zelensky commented that he could not guarantee the safety of those attending. Meanwhile, the European Union moves one step forward to banning Russian gas from the European continent. It is also revealed this week that U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has fallen out of step with the White House.
"(Russian) President (Vladimir) Putin... doesn't want to have a ceasefire agreement with Ukraine, but rather wants to meet on Thursday, in Turkey, to negotiate a possible end to the bloodbath. Ukraine should agree to this, immediately," U.S. President Donald Trump said.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will travel to to Antalya, Turkey, for a NATO foreign ministers’ meeting from May 14–16, where he is expected to address the war in Ukraine and push for stronger Allied defense commitments.
Preliminary findings suggest that one of the men killed the other before taking his own life.
Western leaders dismissed the Kremlin's proposal for talks in Istanbul on May 15 as insufficient.
The Kremlin said the leaders held a detailed discussion about the Russian initiative and Erdogan expressed full support, reiterating Turkey’s readiness to provide a venue and assist in organizing the negotiations.
Erdogan told Macron that international cooperation is critical for initiating peace negotiations and the "sensitive implementation" of Ukraine’s recovery and reconstruction processes, the Turkish Presidency reported.
The pope said he was praying to God to grant the world the "miracle of peace."
Ushakov’s comments follow Russian President Vladimir Putin's May 11 invitation for direct talks with Ukraine in Istanbul starting May 15.
The assault began around 2 a.m. on May 11, with Russian forces deploying 108 Shahed-type attack drones and decoy UAVs from multiple directions, Ukraine’s Air Force said.
Zelensky called a ceasefire the essential first step toward ending the war.
The number includes 1,310 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.
"Think of the hundreds of thousands of lives that will be saved as this never ending 'bloodbath' hopefully comes to an end... I will continue to work with both sides to make sure that it happens."
"An unconditional ceasefire is not preceded by negotiations," French President Emmanuel Macron told reporters on May 11.
News Feed
National Bank: Ukraine’s GDP to fall by one third in 2022; Russian attacks on energy system imperil economy
• 1 min read
Ukraine’s economy will grow more slowly than expected in 2023 due to Russian mass attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure, according to the National Bank's report presented on Dec. 27 by Kateryna Rozhkova, the bank’s deputy head.
Ukraine’s GDP will fall by nearly a third by the end of this year, according to the National Bank.
Constant Russian large-scale attacks and destruction of the country’s energy infrastructure increase the risks for financial stability.
“Although the financial sector works without interruption, it suffers corresponding losses. These are lost revenues and additional costs for arranging branches to work during blackouts,” said Rozhkova.
Russian attacks on Ukraine’s critical infrastructure also reduce the demand for banking services and lead to additional credit losses, according to the official.
Meanwhile, the international aid Ukraine has received is allowing it to reduce the budget’s monetary financing rate, Rozhkova said, adding that NBU hopes “to avoid such a tool altogether next year.”
Russian forces have fired more than 1,000 missiles and drones at Ukrainian energy infrastructure since Oct. 10, according to Ukrenergo head Volodymyr Kudrytskyi. The attacks killed dozens of people and forced authorities to impose blackouts.
The Kyiv School of Economics reported that Russia had inflicted $136 billion damage to Ukraine’s residential and non-residential real estate and other infrastructure as of November.
Intensified Russian attacks on Ukraine infrastructure unlikely to achieve Kremlin's goals
Most Popular
After 3 years of full-scale war in Ukraine, Europe announces plan to ban all Russian gas imports
Journalist Roshchyna's body missing organs after Russian captivity, investigation says
Ukrainian sea drone downs Russian fighter jet in 'world-first' strike, intelligence says
Ukraine is sending the war back to Russia — just in time for Victory Day
'Justice inevitably comes' — Zelensky on deaths of high-ranking Russian officials
Editors' Picks
How medics of Ukraine’s 3rd Assault Brigade deal with horrors of drone warfare
As Russia trains abducted children for war, Ukraine fights uphill battle to bring them home
'I just hate the Russians' — Kyiv district recovers from drone strike as ceasefire remains elusive
