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.
Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on the sidelines of the Third Belt and Road Forum in Beijing on Oct. 17, 2023. (Photo by Grigory Sysoyev / POOL / AFP)
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban met with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin in Beijing on Oct. 17, Orban posted on Facebook.
"Today, everyone in Europe is concerned with one question: will there be a ceasefire in Ukraine," Orban captioned a photo of the meeting.
"For us Hungarians, the most important thing is that the influx of refugees, the sanctions and the conflict ends," he added.
During the meeting, Putin said he was glad that relations with many European countries, including Hungary, "are being preserved and developed."
Orban told Putin in response that his government is interested in continuing economic cooperation with Russia "as long as this is possible," according to the Kremlin.
Neither Putin nor Orban explicitly mentioned Ukraine, instead referring to the difficult "situation" in Europe.
Orban and Putin are in China's capital for 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's government has maintained ties with both Russia and China.
Within the EU, Budapest has a history of opposing international sanctions against Russia while blocking funding for Ukraine.
Orban met with Chinese leader Xi Jinping earlier on Oct. 17, while Putin is set to meet Xi on Oct. 18.
It is 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 in March 2023.
Elsa Court
