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."
An apartment building in Bilopillia, Sumy Oblast, damaged by Russian shelling in March 2023. (Photo by Andriy Kramchenkov/Suspilne Ukraine/JSC "UA:PBC"/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images)
Russian forces launched 19 attacks at communities along the Sumy Oblast border on Aug. 25, causing a total of 164 explosions, local military administration reported on Telegram.
The Russian military shelled six communities, inlcuding Esman, Krasnopillia, Bilopillia, Khotin, Seredyna-Buda and Shalyhyne.
Multiple weapons were deployed against the region over the course of the day, including mortars, tanks, artillery, and unmanned aerial vehicles, according to the Ukrainian military. The Shalyhyne community was attacked the most with 38 explosions reported over the past day.
There were no casualties or damage to civilian infrastructure.
On Aug. 24, the Russian army fired 39 times at the settlements of Sumy Oblast. There were 269 explosions. Bilopillia and Khotin communities was attacked with drones and mortars but no damages were reported.
Sumy Oblast is located on Ukraine's northeastern border with Russia. It has been the target of daily Russian shelling and attacks from across the border since parts of the oblast were liberated from Russian troops in early April 2022.
The Kyiv Independent news desk
