This week, the world watched in anticipation for Russia’s Victory Day parade after President Volodymyr Zelensky commented that he could not guarantee the safety of those attending. Meanwhile, the European Union moves one step forward to banning Russian gas from the European continent. It is also revealed this week that U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has fallen out of step with the White House.
"(Russian) President (Vladimir) Putin... doesn't want to have a ceasefire agreement with Ukraine, but rather wants to meet on Thursday, in Turkey, to negotiate a possible end to the bloodbath. Ukraine should agree to this, immediately," U.S. President Donald Trump said.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will travel to to Antalya, Turkey, for a NATO foreign ministers’ meeting from May 14–16, where he is expected to address the war in Ukraine and push for stronger Allied defense commitments.
The Kremlin said the leaders held a detailed discussion about the Russian initiative and Erdogan expressed full support, reiterating Turkey’s readiness to provide a venue and assist in organizing the negotiations.
Erdogan told Macron that international cooperation is critical for initiating peace negotiations and the "sensitive implementation" of Ukraine’s recovery and reconstruction processes, the Turkish Presidency reported.
The assault began around 2 a.m. on May 11, with Russian forces deploying 108 Shahed-type attack drones and decoy UAVs from multiple directions, Ukraine’s Air Force said.
"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."
Ukrainian oligarch Ihor Kolomoisky during the court session on Sept. 15, 2023 in Kyiv, Ukraine. (Yan Dobronosov/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images)
Ukrainian oligarch Ihor Kolomoisky will remain in custody until March 2 with a bail set at Hr 2.65 billion ($71 million), Suspilne reported on Jan. 22, citing the Shevchenkivskyi district court’s decision.
Kolomoisky was charged with fraud and laundering over Hr 500 million ($13.3 million) between 2013 and 2020, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) reported on Sept. 2, 2023.
A few days later, the oligarch and five other associates were accused of embezzling Hr 9.2 billion ($246 million) from PrivatBank, Ukraine's largest bank formerly owned by Kolomoisky.
Under separate charges, Kolomoisky is also suspected of creating a criminal group with PrivatBank's employees and illegally acquiring Hr 5.8 billion ($155 million) between 2013 and 2014.
During the hearing on Jan. 22, Kolomoisky said that he needed a medical examination as his health conditions got worse. His lawyers insisted on allowing Kolomoisky to move from custody to house arrest in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast.
The court refused to release the oligarch on bail, extending his detention as the pre-trial investigation continues.
Kolomoisky controlled Ukrtatnafta, Ukraine's largest refining company, until it was seized by the government in November 2022 as a "critical national resource" during martial law. The company reportedly refused to pay Hr 3.2 billion ($85.5 million) in taxes in 2022.
Kolomoisky also co-owned PrivatBank, nationalized in 2016, leaving a $5.5 billion hole in its balance sheet due to its fraudulent activities.
He faces various lawsuits and charges in the U.K., U.S., Israel, and Ukraine.
