Key developments on May 14: * Trump says he's unsure whether Putin will attend Ukraine peace talks in Turkey as Kremlin stays silent * Russia likely preparing major offensive in Ukraine despite peace efforts, FT reports * Trump needs to understand that Putin lies, blocks peace efforts, Zelensky says * EU agrees on 17th
"He'd like me to be there, and that's a possibility. ... I don't know that he would be there if I'm not there. We're going to find out," U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One while traveling to Qatar, Reuters reported.
"Trump needs to believe that Putin actually lies," Zelensky told journalists in Kyiv. "And we should do our part. Sensibly approach this issue, to show that it’s not us that is slowing down the process."
According to Steve Witkoff, the key topics in the peace discussions are the fate of the five partially or fully occupied Ukrainian regions, the status of the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, and Ukraine's access to the Dnipro River and the Black Sea.
Key developments on May 12: * Trump says 'both leaders' will be at Russia-Ukraine peace talks in Istanbul * Russia ignores May 12 ceasefire proposal, Ukraine tells allies at London meeting * 'Clock is ticking' — Germany gives Russia until midnight to implement ceasefire, threatens sanctions * EU to unveil new sanctions against Russia on
Russian President Vladimir Putin may have gotten more than he bargained for when, on May 11, he rejected calls for a 30-day unconditional ceasefire and invited Ukraine to engage in direct talks in Istanbul later this week. In what may have been a surprise for the Russian leader, Ukrainian President
In the middle of the night, Russian President Vladimir Putin gathered Russian state TV to inform them that he is ready to begin direct peace talks with Ukraine on May 15. A day later, President Volodymyr Zelensky said he'll be waiting for Putin in Turkey. "We expect Russia to confirm
"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."
"Ukraine and all allies are ready for a complete unconditional ceasefire on land, in the air, and at sea for at least 30 days, starting as early as Monday," Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha wrote.
U.S. President Donald Trump has acknowledged in private that Russia is difficult to negotiate with because they "want the whole thing," referring to Ukraine, the WSJ reported, citing sources familiar with the comments.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov rejected the idea of a 30-day ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, claiming in an interview with ABC News on May 10 that it would be "an advantage" for Ukraine.
President Volodymyr Zelensky had a "constructive" phone call with United States President Donald Trump on May 8, discussing the war, continued pressure on Russia, and a potential ceasefire.
Washington’s involvement may also help mitigate political opposition in Europe, while giving the U.S. strategic visibility over future Russian energy flows, sources told Reuters.
If Ukraine’s military resistance to Russia’s full-scale invasion stunned the world, its economic resilience in the face of a larger, better-equipped enemy is a lesser-known story of the war. A combination of rapid state expansion, prudent monetary policy, active civil society in Ukraine, and crucial external funding from
When pressed about whether he would invite Russia back to the group, President Donald Trump responded that "it's not good timing now," contradicting previous statements on the matter.
Trump said that Russia has grown more willing to negotiate an end to its war against Ukraine following a sharp decline in oil prices.
Criticizing the White House, former U.S. Vice President Mike Pence said Putin "only understands power."
"I think Russia, with the price of oil right now, oil has gone down, we are in a good position to settle, they want to settle. Ukraine wants to settle," U.S. President Donald Trump said.
Polish President Andrzej Duda said the United States has tools that can effectively influence the Kremlin, arguing that only President Donald Trump has real leverage over Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Putin's Victory Day truce "doesn't sound like much, but it's a lot, if you know where we started from," Trump told reporters at the White House on May 5.
"It requires the continuation of contacts between Moscow and Washington, which have been launched and are now ongoing," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said.
News of Victoria Roshchyna’s brutal death at the hands of Russian captors shocked Ukraine and the world last week. Her body was returned mutilated — eyes gouged out, brain removed — bearing evidence of unspeakable brutality. It wasn’t an accident of war. It was a signature of it. This is
In an interview with NBC’s Meet the Press, Trump also claimed a peace deal was "fairly close."
The sanctions will target Russia's energy sector, including state-owned energy giant Gazprom. Major entities in the natural resources and banking sectors will also be targeted.
When asked about the current state of negotiations with Russia and Ukraine, Vice President JD Vance told Fox News "the first and necessary step of getting the Russia-Ukraine conflict solved is to get each of them to make a peace proposal.”
According to New York Post sources, U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff has even used Kremlin translators during discussions with Putin — a breach of standard U.S. diplomatic practice.
Russia has used information warfare to promote its interests and undermine opponents across the world as a part of its foreign policy for decades. The Russian state was spending an estimated $1.5 billion annually on its foreign disinformation campaigns, Christopher Walker, National Endowment for Democracy vice president for studies
After the deadliest attack on Kyiv since last summer killed 13 civilians, U.S. President Donald Trump appeared to lose patience with Russia, posting on social media, “Vladimir, Stop! 5,000 soldiers a week are dying. Let’s get the peace deal done!” Trump repeated a number he’s cited
President Volodymyr Zelensky reportedly pressed U.S. President Donald Trump to return to his original proposal of an unconditional ceasefire as the starting point for peace talks.
One source told Bloomberg that negotiations have reportedly reached an impasse and require "direct contact between Putin and Trump" to make further progress.
U.S. President Donald Trump's promise to negotiate peace in Ukraine within his first 100 days in office collided with reality by April 30 — a slew of Russian missile and drone attacks during this time have spiked civilian death tolls, and a peace deal with Moscow that is still out
The Kyiv Independent's Natalia Yermak speaks to James Rubin, a former diplomat who led the Global Engagement Center in 2022-2024, about how deeply the Russian propaganda influences U.S. politics and why the center's closure "disarms" the country in the information war.
(Updated: )
