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.
A captive named Umit allegedly agreed to serve in the Russian army in exchange for Russian citizenship and a monetary reward of 2 million rubles ($25,000).
Russia's Buryatia Republic declared a state of emergency on May 13 over massive forest fires that have engulfed multiple regions in the Russian Far East.
The aftermath of Russian shelling of Kherson on Dec. 15, 2023. (Kherson Oblast Military Administration/Facebook)
A Russian artillery attack against the Dniprovsky municipal district of Kherson on Dec. 15 injured two women in their homes, Governor Oleksandr Prokudin reported.
A 78-year-old woman suffered explosive injuries and contusion, while a 63-year-old woman sustained fractures and bruises, the governor said.
Both the victims were reportedly transported to the hospital, both of them are in moderate condition.
According to the General Prosecutor's Office, Russia launched the attack at around 12:50 p.m. local time.
Photographs published by officials capture significant damage to residential buildings as a result of the attack.
Ukraine's Armed Forces liberated Kherson and other regional settlements on the western bank of the Dnipro River in November 2022.
Russian troops were pushed to the eastern bank, from where they have since been firing at the liberated territories, regularly resulting in civilian deaths and injuries.
The Kyiv Independent news desk
