Andriy Yermak, Zelensky's chief of staff, said that the new pontiff had a phone call with Zelensky on Monday, during which the pope expressed willingness to facilitate meetings between global leaders and vowed to support efforts for "a just and lasting peace."
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.
Ukrainian soldiers walk in the Ukrainian-controlled city of Sudzha, in Kursk Oblast, Russia, on Aug. 18, 2024. (Ed Ram/For The Washington Post via Getty Images)
Russian authorities confirmed on Nov. 26 the capture and detention of James Scott Rhys Anderson, a U.K. national fighting for Ukraine in Russia's Kursk Oblast.
The Russian Investigative Committee charged Anderson with "terrorism" and "mercenarism," following its long-standing practice of persecuting foreign volunteers that end up in Russian captivity.
A video purportedly showing the captured volunteer surfaced on Telegram channels on Nov. 24. Speaking with an English accent, the man identified himself as Anderson, a 22-year-old ex-British army signalman who, in his own words, came to Ukraine and joined the International Legion.
Russia often presents foreign volunteers fighting for Ukraine as "mercenaries" and claims they are not entitled to protection as prisoners of war.
Scott Anderson, the 22-year-old's father, told the Daily Mail that he "was in complete shock and in tears" when the fighter's commander sent him the video.
"I could see straight away it was him. He looks frightened, scared, and worried," Scott Anderson said, voicing fears that his son would be tortured in prison.
Two other Britons, Aiden Aslin and Shaun Pinner, were captured by Russian forces in Mariupol in 2022 and sentenced to death before being released in a prisoner exchange.
Russia has ramped up pressure in Kursk Oblast to dislodge Ukrainian troops holding positions there since early August. Reuters reported on Nov. 23 that Ukraine had lost over 40% of territory previously captured during the incursion.
Martin Fornusek is a news editor at the Kyiv Independent. He has previously worked as a news content editor at the media company Newsmatics and is a contributor to Euromaidan Press. He was also volunteering as an editor and translator at the Czech-language version of Ukraïner. Martin studied at Masaryk University in Brno, Czechia, holding a bachelor's degree in security studies and history and a master's degree in conflict and democracy studies.
Martin Fornusek
