Russia likely preparing major offensive in Ukraine despite peace efforts, FT reports

Russia seems to be preparing a significant offensive in Ukraine as it is moving troops toward key positions on the front, the Financial Times reported on May 13, citing undisclosed Ukrainian intelligence officials.

These reported preparations indicate Moscow's efforts to escalate the war despite expected ceasefire talks this week and calls by Kyiv and its partners for an unconditional 30-day truce.

Russia has rejected ceasefire proposals unless accompanied by a halt on military aid for Ukraine and continues ground assaults along the front and long-range strikes on Ukrainian infrastructure.

Some 163 clashes were recorded at the front over the past day, the Ukrainian military reported on the morning of May 14. The DeepState monitoring group said that Russian forces recently advanced in Toretsk and near Pokrovsk in Donetsk Oblast.

Kyiv has been warning about a major Russian spring offensive aimed at seizing as much territory as possible to strengthen its position in potential negotiations. Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said last month this campaign had "effectively already begun" with the intensification of Russian assaults.

President Volodymyr Zelensky is traveling to Turkey this week and has invited Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss a ceasefire in what would be their first meeting since 2019.

U.S. President Donald Trump, who pledged to broker a peace deal between Moscow and Kyiv, voiced optimism about the potential talks and dispatched Secretary of State Marco Rubio and special envoys Steve Witkoff and Keith Kellogg to attend.

The Kremlin has not confirmed whether Putin will attend the talks himself, but the Washington Post reported that Moscow will be represented by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Putin’s foreign policy aide, Yuri Ushakov.

Andriy Yermak, Zelensky's chief of staff, said on May 13 that if Putin does not come to Turkey, it will be "the last signal" that Russia "does not want to end the war and is not ready for any negotiations."

As Ukraine, Russia peace talks loom, all eyes are on Putin’s next move

With just two days to go before Russian-proposed peace talks might begin in Istanbul, the Kremlin is still refusing to confirm whether or not President Vladimir Putin will attend the event. President Volodymyr Zelensky has already said he will meet Putin there, a move that puts the ball very much into the Kremlin’s court. Upping the pressure further, U.S. President Donald Trump said on May 12 that he believes that “both leaders” will be there, thrusting Putin into a delicate diplomatic dilemma

The Kyiv IndependentChris York