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.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz warned that further concessions from Ukraine during negotiations would be unreasonable if Russia continues to attack civilian targets.
U.S. President Donald Trump's special envoys, Steve Witkoff and Keith Kellogg, will travel to Istanbul for possible peace talks between Ukraine and Russia, Reuters reported on May 13, citing three undisclosed sources.
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.
Defense Minister Rustem Umerov meets with Norwegian Defense Minister Bjorn Arild Gram on the sidelines of the Ramstein summit in Germany on Jan. 9, 2025. (Rustem Umerov / Facebook)
Norway has allocated 2 billion euros ($2.1 billion) for military aid to Ukraine in 2025, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said following a meeting with his Norwegian counterpart on Jan. 9.
Norway has been one of Ukraine's staunchest supporters in Europe. Previously, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere on Dec. 16 announced 2.7 billion Norwegian kroner ($242 million) to bolster Ukraine's navy and help it deter Russian threats in the Black Sea.
Umerov met with Norwegian Defense Minister Bjorn Arild Gram on the sidelines of the Ramstein summit in Germany on Jan. 9. According to Umerov, the 2025 assistance to Ukraine will mark the largest military aid package in Norway's history.
The two ministers discussed how to prioritize Norway's assistance.
"Special attention was given to the strengthening of air defense — a critical area where we count on Norway's support," Umerov saidin a social media post following the summit.
Norway will continue investing in Ukraine's domestic military production and joint projects, particularly ammunition production, he added.
Norway has pledged a new funding mechanism for Ukraine, the "Norwegian model," meant to complement an existing "Danish model" of defense spending. The Danish model aims to purchase arms from Ukrainian manufacturers rather than providing materiel shipments.
Denmark became the first country to offer to donate arms to Ukraine via direct purchases from the Ukrainian defense industry, as Kyiv's defense budget does not match the capacities of domestic weapons production.
Ukraine's other allies also reaffirmed their support at the Ramstein summit, the last such meeting under U.S. President Joe Biden.
Volodymyr Ivanyshyn is a news editor for The Kyiv Independent. He is pursuing an Honors Bachelor of Arts at the University of Toronto, majoring in political science with a minor in anthropology and human geography. Volodymyr holds a Certificate in Business Fundamentals from Rotman Commerce at the University of Toronto. He previously completed an internship with The Kyiv Independent.
Martin Fornusek
