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.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk in Warsaw, Poland, on March 28, 2024. (PM Denys Shmyhal/Telegram)
Poland cannot transfer any Patriot systems to Ukraine as it lacks reserves of its own, but will provide other forms of assistance in terms of air defense, Prime Minister Donald Tusk told reporters on April 22.
Ukraine is facing a shortage of air defense systems amid an uptick in Russian attacks on population centers and energy infrastructure. U.S.-made Patriot systems are highly effective at intercepting Russia's ballistic and cruise missiles.
Poland has a Patriot system installed at Rzeszow airport in southeastern Poland, a key logistics hub for defense aid deliveries into Ukraine.
Sending this system to Ukraine is not an option, as it was installed by the U.S. military to protect the airfield, Tusk said.
"We don't have this reserve when it comes to Patriots," Tusk said.
Poland can provide other types of weapons that help defend Ukraine from Russian missile and drone attacks, Tusk said, without providing further details.
Germany announced on April 13 that it would provide Kyiv with an additional Patriot system, the third Patriot system Berlin has provided. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz then called on other NATO allies to do the same.
Poland has so far committed 4.301 billion euros ($4.578 billion) in support to Ukraine, 3 billion euros ($3.2 billion) of which is military aid, according to the Kiel Institute for the World Economy.
Chris York
