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.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky during the press conference in Warsaw, Poland on April 5, 2023. (Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
A reset of Ukraine’s leadership is necessary and could involve several personnel shakeups beyond the military, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a Feb. 4 interview, according to Italian media outlet Rai News.
Responding to a question about a rumored dismissal of Commander-in-Chief Valerii Zaluzhnyi, President Zelensky said he had a serious reset in mind that was not about a single person, but about the general direction of the country’s leadership.
The change could involve replacing a series of state leaders, he said, according to Rai News.
The remarks came during an interview broadcast by Italy’s TG1 television program.
Zaluzhnyi has served in his role as commander-in-chief since 2021 and enjoys overwhelming support among Ukrainians.
A December 2023 poll found that 72% of Ukrainians would disapprove of his resignation.
However, the relationship between Zelensky and Zaluzhnyi has appeared to be strained for weeks, particularly after Nov. 1, when Zaluzhnyi described a potential “trap” of a prolonged war during an interview with the Economist.
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Elsa Court
