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.
US President Donald Trump chats with Russian President Vladimir Putin during the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in Danang, Vietnam, on Nov. 11, 2017. (Mikhail Klimentyev / Sputnik / AFP / Getty Images)
Moscow has pledged to help Washington in dealing with Iran over the Islamic Republic's nuclear program and its support for regional anti-American proxies, Bloomberg reported on March 4, citing its undisclosed sources.
Since returning to the White House, Trump has been trying to restore relations with Russia, which were severed under the previous administration when the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022.
Trump voiced his interest in negotiations with Iran to Putin during a phone call in February. A few days later, the U.S. and Russian delegations discussed this issue during talks in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Bloomberg reported.
Moscow has long been partners with Tehran, but their cooperation only intensified after the outbreak of Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine in 2022. Iran has provided Russia with thousands of Shahed drones used in attacks against Ukrainian cities, as well as short-range ballistic missiles.
With Iran's assistance, Russia has begun producing its own variants of Shahed drones called Geran-2.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said earlier that Russia believes the U.S. and Iran should "resolve all problems through negotiations," and Moscow is "ready to do everything in its power to achieve this goal."
When asked whether Russia offered to mediate between Tehran and Washington, Esmail Baghai, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson, said that it was "natural" for countries to offer their assistance.
"Given the importance of these issues, it is quite possible that many parties will show goodwill and willingness to help in solving various problems," Baghai said during a televised press conference in Tehran on March 3.
"From this point of view, it is only natural that countries will offer assistance if it is needed," he added.
Since taking office, Trump has distanced the U.S. from its traditional role as Ukraine's primary supporter, instead questioning Kyiv's commitment to peace and implying that Ukraine shares the blame for the ongoing war.
Russian officials have openly praised Trump's stance, with Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov calling him "the first, and so far, the only Western leader" to acknowledge what Moscow considers the true cause of the war.
Other Kremlin figures, including the deputy chair of Russia's Security Council, applauded Trump for taking a harsher tone toward President Volodymyr Zelensky, even labeling Ukraine's leader a "dictator."
Meanwhile, Secretary of State Marco Rubio suggested that once the war ends, Washington and Moscow could pursue "potentially historic economic partnerships," including cooperation on Arctic development and rare earth mining.
Chris York
