President Volodymyr Zelensky would not meet any other Russian official apart from Russian President Vladimir Putin in Istanbul this week, presidential advisor Mykhailo Podolyak said on the Breakfast Show program on May 13.
U.S. and European officials held talks on May 12, during which Washington made it clear that it wanted to allow talks between Russia and Ukraine before increasing pressure on Vladimir Putin, sources told Bloomberg.
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.
Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa is reportedly offering a deal that would give U.S. companies access to Syria's natural wealth, reminiscent of the minerals agreement Washington recently signed with Kyiv.
Russia attacked Ukraine with drones and guided bombs during the night, targeting multiple regions after the May 12 deadline for an unconditional ceasefire expired.
"Only member states can take out loans within the 150 billion euros instrument, but they can use these funds for joint procurement with Ukraine," EU Defense Commissioner Andrius Kubilius said.
"We agreed to pursue ambitious measures to reduce Russia's ability to wage war by limiting Kremlin revenues, disrupting the shadow fleet, tightening the Oil Price Cap, and reducing our remaining imports of Russian energy."
Zelensky on May 12 removed Lieutenant General Ivan Havryliuk from the Headquarters of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, the top command and control body for all branches of Ukraine's defense apparatus.
Ukraine remains the most mined country in the world. Nearly one-third of Ukraine's territory, approximately 174,000 square kilometers, had been mined since Russia began its full-scale invasion of the country in February 2022.
The phone call comes as Moscow once again rejected a 30-day ceasefire, with Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova claiming that a ceasefire would give "Kyiv a break to restore its military potential and continue its confrontation with Russia."
Flight MH17 departed from Amsterdam Schiphol Airport en-route to Kuala Lumpur International Airport on July 17, 2014. Three hours into the flight, the Boeing-777 was shot down by Russian proxy forces using a Buk surface-to-air missile above Ukraine’s Donetsk Oblast.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Oct. 17, 2023. (Viktor Orban / X)
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban met with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing on Oct. 17, Orban posted on X.
"Connectivity instead of decoupling: this is the Hungarian model. Our aim is to strengthen Hungarian-Chinese relations," Orban wrote on X.
"This is good for Hungary and good for the European economy," he added.
Xi told Orban that he was a "friend" to China, according to Reuters.
On Oct. 16, Orban held talks with Chinese Premier Li Qiang ahead of the Belt and Road Forum, which starts on Oct. 17
The two-day forum intends to highlight the successes of the Belt and Road Initiative, China's global infrastructure project that aims to connect trade and investment along what was once Silk Road routes.
Orban is the only leader from the European Union to attend the summit. Despite Hungary being a member of the EU and NATO, Orban has maintained ties with China, as well as Russia.
Also in attendance in Beijing is Russian leader Vladimir Putin, who arrived in China on Oct. 17 and is set to hold talks with President Xi on Oct. 18.
It marks Putin's second trip abroad since the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued a warrant for his arrest over his role in the illegal deportation of Ukrainian children.
On the same day that Putin meets with Xi, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will visit North Korea.
The visit follows reports from the U.S. that Pyongyang has already shipped over 1,000 containers of military equipment and ammunition to Moscow.
Katie Marie Davies
