Presidential Office chief Andriy Yermak voiced doubt about leading negotiations with anyone from Russia except President Vladimir Putin, implying only the Russian leader can make real decisions.
This includes at least seven people injured in drone attacks overnight on May 12, a date from which Kyiv and its allies put forward a demand for a 30-day unconditional truce, a step that Moscow continues to reject.
"When European unity becomes inconvenient, disinformation goes so far as to make a simple tissue look like drugs," the Elysee Palace reacted to a fake story pushed by Russia.
The comments came after Trump urged Ukraine to agree to direct negotiations with Russia, which has invited Kyiv to peace talks in Istanbul on May 15, without first agreeing to halt military operations.
A Russian drone hit a civilian freight train in Donetsk Oblast on May 12 and injured its driver, Ukrainian Railways said amid Kyiv's calls for a ceasefire.
Moscow and Hanoi agreed to negotiate and sign agreements to construct nuclear power plants in Vietnam, the two countries said in a joint statement on May 11.
The sanctions appear to be in response to Russia's rejection of a 30-day ceasefire that the U.K., alongside Ukraine, France, Germany, and Poland, demanded during a visit to Kyiv on May 10.
"We now know for sure that the great fire of the Marywilska shopping centre in Warsaw was caused by arson ordered by the Russian special services," Prime Minister Donald Tusk said on X. "Some of the perpetrators have already been detained, all the others are identified and searched for."
The publications' latest report covers the period of February 24, 2022 to May 8, 2025. Since it was last updated at the end of April, 2,857 additional Russian military personnel have been confirmed killed.
Hungary cancelled a meeting planned for May 12 with a Ukrainian delegation on the rights of national minorities, Hungary's Deputy Foreign Minister said on May 11, amid a deepening spying scandal between the two countries.
Three were injured in Russia's Kursk Oblast when the town of Rylsk was allegedly struck by a missile attack on May 11, local governor Alexander Khinshtein claimed.
Ukrainian soldiers from the mortar group of the "Karpatska Sich" battalion carry out combat operations and target Russian military with a 120 mm mortar on Nov. 11, 2024 in Toretsk, Ukraine. Toretsk, in the Donetsk region, remains a hotspot as Russia forces advance in parts of Ukraine's east. (Kostiantyn Liberov/Libkos/Getty Images)
The EU does not anticipate potential negotiations or a ceasefire deal between Ukraine and Russia in the near future, a high-ranking EU official told the Kyiv Independent on Dec. 18.
The official also said that there are no discussions currently ongoing at the EU level on sending European troops to Ukraine to enforce a potential ceasefire.
Western leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron and U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, have reportedly considered deploying peacekeepers to monitor a potential ceasefire in Ukraine.
Trump on Dec. 12 reiterated his view that European troops should lead efforts to monitor a ceasefire, which is in line with other previous statements of his that Europe must assume more responsibility in addressing Russian aggression and European security.
The EU official's comments contrast with statements made by Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk on Dec. 10, who expressed optimism that peace negotiations to end the war in Ukraine could start as early as this winter.
President Volodymyr Zelensky has made it clear that Kyiv would only consider peacekeeping proposals after securing a clear timeline for NATO membership.
Tim Zadorozhnyy is a news editor at The Kyiv Independent. Based in Warsaw, he is pursuing studies in International Relations, focusing on European Studies. Tim began his career at a local television channel in Odesa. After moving to Warsaw, he joined the Belarusian opposition media outlet NEXTA, starting as a news anchor and later advancing to the position of managing editor.
Boldizsar Gyori
