Slovakia delivers 4 Zuzana howitzers to Ukraine.

10:14 PM

War update

Ukraine war latest: Zelensky sends delegation to Istanbul, as peace talks with Russia are expected on May 16

10:04 PM

Peace Talks

'It's a mess' — after all the hype, Ukraine-Russia peace talks in Istanbul descend into name-calling shambles

Istanbul — it’s where Asia meets Europe, but as we now know, not where Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin.

5:06 PM  (Updated:  May 15, 2025 10:03 pm)

Zelensky sends Ukrainian delegation to Istanbul, as peace talks with Russia are expected on May 16.

"Out of respect for President Trump, the high level of the Turkish delegation, and President Erdogan, and since we want to try to achieve at least the first steps toward de-escalation, an end to the war – namely a ceasefire – I have decided to send our delegation to Istanbul," Zelensky said.

10:01 PM

Who really funds the Kyiv Independent?

A closer look at how the Kyiv Independent is financed and how our reader-revenue funding model works.

9:41 PM

Putin appoints Russian Ground Forces Commander Saliukov to Security Council role.

It remains unclear who will replace General Oleg Saliukov as commander of the Ground Forces.

9:25 PM

Level of Russian delegation 'not indicative' of breakthrough in Istanbul peace talks, Rubio says.

U.S. State Secretary Marco Rubio said that meaningful progress would likely only come through a meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

8:45 PM

Putin delays ceasefire by snubbing peace talks with Zelensky, Starmer says.

"What's happened today is further evidence that it's Putin who is dragging his feet," U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said.

7:32 PM

Norway to complete F-16 deliveries to Ukraine by end of 2025, minister says.

The country confirmed in July 2024 that it would donate several of the U.S.-made aircraft as part of Western efforts to strengthen Ukraine’s air defenses.

7:13 PM

US proposes reviving NATO-Russia Council, Bloomberg reports.

The United States is proposing to revive the NATO-Russia Council as part of a broader American plan to end the war in Ukraine, Bloomberg reported on May 15, citing unnamed sources.

4:51 PM

Putin extends Russia’s current defense strategy to 2027 amid expected peace talks with Ukraine in Turkey.

The extension of the current defense plan, initially set for 2021–2025, was confirmed by the Kremlin, though specific details remain classified.

4:44 PM

Ukraine Reforms Tracker Weekly — Issue 25

4:04 PM

‘My heart goes out to the beloved people of Ukraine’ — Pope Leo XIV receives list of Ukrainian POWs at Vatican.

The Ukrainian delegation present in the Vatican included the head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, Sviatoslav Shevchuk, who congratulated Pope Leo XIV on his election.

3:56 PM

'Bark from Moscow' — Kyiv hits back as Russian Foreign Ministry insults Zelensky.

"Not the first time the Russian Foreign Ministry becomes a laughing stock," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi said after his Russian counterpart, Maria Zakharova, called Zelensky a "clown."

3:35 PM

Trump expects no progress in Russia-Ukraine peace talks until he meets Putin.

"Nothing's going to happen until Putin and I get together," U.S. President Donald Trump told journalists aboard Air Force One before landing in Dubai as part of his Middle Eastern tour.

2:52 PM

SBU chief, defense minister join Zelensky in Turkey for potential peace talks.

Among those arriving in Turkey with Ukraine's president are Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) Chief Vasyl Malyuk, and General Staff Chief Andrii Hnatov.

2:44 PM

Russia seeks to 'remove root causes of conflict,' not ceasefire — Lavrov on Istanbul peace talks.

Moscow's goal in the expected peace talks with Ukraine in Istanbul is achieving "sustainable peace" by addressing the "root causes of the conflict" rather than a ceasefire, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on May 15.

1:46 PM

Russian fighter jet 'violated NATO territory' after Estonia tried to detain 'shadow fleet' tanker.

"The Russian Federation is ready to protect the 'shadow fleet'... the situation is really serious," Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said on May 15.

1:38 PM

Zelensky meets Turkey's Erdogan in Ankara.

President Volodymyr Zelensky's meeting with his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, began in Ankara on May 15, Turkey's state news agency Anadolu reported.

1:24 PM

Ukraine shows its latest 'ship-killer' Magura drone series to the public for the first time.

The Magura drones, as well as the Sea Baby drones of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), were pivotal in turning the tide of the war in the Black Sea, destroying or damaging Russian ships and other assets.

9:35 PM  (Updated:  May 15, 2025 12:56 pm)

Updated: NATO reportedly not inviting Zelensky to The Hague summit to appease Trump.

If confirmed, the decision would mark the first time since Russia's full-scale invasion that President Volodymyr Zelensky is absent, either physically or virtually, from a NATO summit.

12:11 PM

Zelensky decries Russia's 'sham' delegation ahead of potential peace talks in Turkey.

"We need to understand what the level of the Russian delegation is, what their mandate is, and whether they are capable of making decisions on their own," Zelensky said.

12:09 PM

Kremlin rules out Putin's visit to Turkey for talks with Zelensky.

Russian President Vladimir Putin will not visit Istanbul for a meeting with President Volodymyr Zelensky on May 15, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said.

11:51 AM

'Slap in the face' — Estonia blasts Russia's low-level peace delegation in Istanbul.

Russian President Vladimir Putin's decision to send junior aides for peace talks with Ukraine in Istanbul is like a "slap in the face," Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said on May 15.

11:13 AM

Ukraine plans to discuss only ceasefire with Russia at Istanbul talks, media reports.

When asked by the Kyiv Independent, a source close to the Presidential Office did not confirm whether Ukraine would still hold the talks if Putin does not join.

10:45 AM

Trump says he might join Russia-Ukraine peace talks on May 16 if progress is made.

U.S. President Donald Trump said he might still go to the potential Russia-Ukraine peace negotiations in Istanbul on May 16 if there is progress toward a deal, the BBC reported.