This week, the world watched in anticipation for Russia’s Victory Day parade after President Volodymyr Zelensky commented that he could not guarantee the safety of those attending. Meanwhile, the European Union moves one step forward to banning Russian gas from the European continent. It is also revealed this week that U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has fallen out of step with the White House.
"(Russian) President (Vladimir) Putin... doesn't want to have a ceasefire agreement with Ukraine, but rather wants to meet on Thursday, in Turkey, to negotiate a possible end to the bloodbath. Ukraine should agree to this, immediately," U.S. President Donald Trump said.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will travel to to Antalya, Turkey, for a NATO foreign ministers’ meeting from May 14–16, where he is expected to address the war in Ukraine and push for stronger Allied defense commitments.
The Kremlin said the leaders held a detailed discussion about the Russian initiative and Erdogan expressed full support, reiterating Turkey’s readiness to provide a venue and assist in organizing the negotiations.
Erdogan told Macron that international cooperation is critical for initiating peace negotiations and the "sensitive implementation" of Ukraine’s recovery and reconstruction processes, the Turkish Presidency reported.
The assault began around 2 a.m. on May 11, with Russian forces deploying 108 Shahed-type attack drones and decoy UAVs from multiple directions, Ukraine’s Air Force said.
"Think of the hundreds of thousands of lives that will be saved as this never ending 'bloodbath' hopefully comes to an end... I will continue to work with both sides to make sure that it happens."
Zelensky talks to reporters while meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden in Dec. 2023. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
President Volodymyr Zelensky said on March 27 that Russian President Vladimir Putin would have no meaningful contribution to peace talks.
"I’ve never been afraid; it’s just Putin wanting war. What can a man who wants war say at peace talks?" Zelensky saidwhen asked by the French newspaper Le Monde.
Zelensky added that Putin is "not ready for direct talks." "I'm not going to swallow his narrative... I'm not interested," Zelensky added.
The U.S. has held separate meetings with Ukrainian and Russian delegations to kickstart peace negotiations. Before Zelensky's comments, Putin claimed Ukraine should be subject to a temporary government led by the United Nations.
On March 28, a White House National Security Council spokesperson dismissed the proposal, emphasizing that Ukraine's governance is determined by its constitution and its people.
Moscow has shown signs it is unwilling to move forward on a peace deal with Ukraine. Russian authorities have listed maximalist demands in ceasefire negotiations with Ukraine and the U.S.
Russia targeted energy infrastructure in Kherson on March 27, despite President Zelensky saying a temporary ceasefire on energy infrastructure has been in place since March 25. Russia claims its side of the deal has been in place since March 18.
Ukraine has agreedto a U.S.-proposed full 30-day ceasefire, saying on March 11 that Kyiv is ready if Russia also agrees to the terms. So far, Moscow has refused.
Volodymyr Ivanyshyn is a news editor for The Kyiv Independent. He is pursuing an Honors Bachelor of Arts at the University of Toronto, majoring in political science with a minor in anthropology and human geography. Volodymyr holds a Certificate in Business Fundamentals from Rotman Commerce at the University of Toronto. He previously completed an internship with The Kyiv Independent.
Alex Cadier
