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.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban arrives prior to the start of a European Council meeting at the European headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, on Feb. 1, 2024. (Ludovic Marin/AFP via Getty Images)
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban presented Budapest's proposal on how to achieve peace between Russia and Ukraine in a letter sent to European leaders, a Hungarian government official said in an interview published on July 15.
Speaking to the government-friendly outlet Magyar Nemzet, the prime minister's political director, Balazs Orban (no relation), said that Hungary's plan "is based on a realistic situation assessment, realistic goals, and realistic schedule."
Shortly after Hungary took over the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU, Viktor Orban set off for what he dubbed a "peace mission" in Kyiv, Moscow, and Beijing, concluding the tour by meeting the presumptive Republican nominee for the U.S. presidential election, Donald Trump.
Orban's visit to Moscow and, namely, his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin has sparked outrage across the EU, with Brussels stressing that the venture has in no way represented the bloc.
While the prime minister acknowledged that the EU presidency does not give him a mandate to lead negotiations, Balazs Orban said in the interview that the six months of Hungary's chairmanship should be used to "create conditions for peace."
Hungary has maintained close relations with Moscow throughout the full-scale war, obstructed sanctions against Russia, and delayed military aid to Kyiv, alleging that it merely "prolongs" and "escalates" the war.
Balasz Orban hinted that other actors on the international stage are worth engaging to work toward peace without naming specific countries. The official also praised Trump as a person committed to peace while criticizing the current EU and U.S. leadership as "pro-war," reiterating Budapest's long-standing narrative.
Trump, who has recently survived an assassination attempt, has repeatedly pledged to end the war in Ukraine within 24 hours without elaborating on what steps he would take. According to various media reports, this could include pressing Ukraine to cede territory to Russia.
"(Viktor) Orban's plan is now on the desk of every EU prime minister. Our approach is based on a realistic situation assessment, realistic goals, and an appropriate schedule," Balazs Orban said without revealing any details of the proposal.
Martin Fornusek is a news editor at the Kyiv Independent. He has previously worked as a news content editor at the media company Newsmatics and is a contributor to Euromaidan Press. He was also volunteering as an editor and translator at the Czech-language version of Ukraïner. Martin studied at Masaryk University in Brno, Czechia, holding a bachelor's degree in security studies and history and a master's degree in conflict and democracy studies.
Martin Fornusek
