Andriy Yermak, Zelensky's chief of staff, said that the new pontiff had a phone call with Zelensky on Monday, during which the pope expressed willingness to facilitate meetings between global leaders and vowed to support efforts for "a just and lasting peace."
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.
The aftermath of Russian attacks against Kherson on the morning of Dec. 5, 2023. (Kherson Oblast Military Administration/Screenshot)
One of the two people killed in Russia’s morning attack on Kherson was Ruslan Anisenko, a volunteer of the Spravzhni organization, the regional Governor Oleksandr Prokudin reported on Dec. 5.
The deadly attack coincided with International Volunteer Day, mandated by the UN General Assembly to pay tribute to volunteers worldwide.
Since the start of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2014, local charities and volunteers have played a critical role in providing the Ukrainian military with supplies and helping civilians affected by the war.
Russian forces struck Ukraine’s southern city of Kherson early on Dec. 5, killing two people and wounding another four, according to the regional authorities.
Three doctors suffered minor injuries in an attack that targeted a local medical facility, the authorities said. A 72-year-old man was also reportedly injured and hospitalized.
Ukraine's Armed Forces liberated Kherson and other regional settlements on the west bank of the Dnipro River in the fall 2022 counteroffensive.
Russian forces were pushed to the river's east bank, from where they have since been firing at the liberated territories, regularly resulting in civilian deaths and injuries.
Russian attacks against Kherson Oblast on Dec. 4 and overnight killed one person and injured five others, Prokudin said earlier.
Igor Kossov
