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.
Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump speaks at a campaign event at Crotona Park in New York City, on May 23, 2024 (JB Lacroix/GC Images)
Russia is likely seeking to influence the upcoming U.S. presidential election in favor of Republican nominee Donald Trump, NBC News reported on July 30, citing an unnamed U.S. intelligence official.
Authorities say that Russia remains the most significant threat in terms of election disinformation, while there are signs that Iran is increasing its activities and China is taking a cautious approach regarding the 2024 election.
U.S. officials have said that Russia engaged in a widespread campaign of digital disinformation and hacking in the past two American presidential elections, with particular effort dedicated to the 2016 election.
Russia has also been accused of meddling in the U.K.'s 2016 Brexit referendum.
The official, who is associated with the U.S. Foreign Malign Influence Center, said that Iran will likely continue to oppose Trump and that China does not have a preference.
The comments were "the clearest sign yet that the U.S. believes Trump remains Russia’s preferred candidate even after President Joe Biden dropped out of the race and (Vice President Kamala) Harris became the presumptive nominee," NBC wrote.
It was the latest in a series of warnings about Russia's malicious intentions toward the upcoming U.S. election from American intelligence officials.
The previous day, top U.S. intelligence officials said that the Kremlin is using unsuspecting Americans and commercial public relations firms in Russia to spread disinformation about the race.
Elsa Court
