The blockade ended at 10:30 p.m. local time. Truck traffic in both directions is now moving as usual, according to Ukraine's State Border Guard's statement.
Russia seems to be preparing a significant offensive in Ukraine as it is moving troops toward key positions on the front, the Financial Times reported on May 13, citing undisclosed Ukrainian intelligence officials.
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.
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.
Mariana Bezuhla, MP and member of the Ukrainian Committee on National Security seen during the Warsaw Security Forum, in Warsaw, Poland, on Oct. 4, 2022. (Attila Husejnow/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
The Ukrainian parliament's Committee on Rules of Procedure supported a resolution to dismiss Mariana Bezuhla, a member of parliament from President Volodymyr Zelensky's party, from her post as deputy head of the National Security and Defense Committee, lawmaker Yaroslav Zhelezniak said on Jan. 8.
Following this unanimous decision, the parliament will consider Bezuhla's dismissal on Jan. 10, Zhelezniak added. At least 226 lawmakers must back the resolution, and she would remain a member of the committee even if dismissed as its deputy head.
Bezuhla made headlines last November when she called for the dismissal of Valerii Zaluzhnyi, the commander-in-chief of Ukraine's Armed Forces.
Her statement came during a precarious time as rumors about an alleged dispute between Zaluzhnyi and Zelensky's office began to surface.
In response, several of Bezuhla's colleagues from the Servant of the People party demanded her expulsion.
The party's spokesperson said in a comment for the media at the time that Bezuhla "is responsible for her own words."
The National Security and Defense Committee decided on her dismissal on Jan. 5.
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.
Elsa Court
