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.
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.
The aftermath of a Russian attack on the city of Zaporizhzhia on Sept. 24, 2024. (Ivan Fedorov/Telegram)
Russian attacks against Ukraine killed four people and injured 39 over the past day, regional authorities said on Sept. 24.
Ukrainian forces downed 66 out of 81 Shahed-type drones launched by Russia overnight, the Air Force reported. Thirteen more drones were "lost" in a few regions, according to the statement.
Russian forces also launched an Iskander-M ballistic missile, two Kh-59/69 cruise missiles and one missile of a type yet to be determined.
A Russian overnight attack on the city of Zaporizhzhia killed one person and injured at least seven others, including a 15-year-old boy and a 13-year-old girl, according to Governor Ivan Fedorov.
The strike targeted a critical infrastructure facility and a residential neighborhood. A house was destroyed and more than 70 apartment buildings were damaged, Fedorov said.
In Kharkiv Oblast, an attack on Kupiansk killed an 82-year-old woman, Governor Oleh Syniehubov reported.
Another woman, aged 59, suffered injuries after Russian forces attacked the village of Osynovo, the governor said.
A total of 18 people suffered injuries in the region over the past day, he added.
In Kherson Oblast, Russian forces targeted 23 settlements, including the regional center of Kherson. Thirteen people were injured, Governor Oleksandr Prokudin reported.
Kateryna Denisova works as a News Editor at the Kyiv Independent. She previously worked as a news editor at the NV media outlet for four years, covering mainly Ukrainian and international politics. Kateryna holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Taras Shevchenko University of Kyiv. She also was a fellow at journalism schools in the Czech Republic and Germany.
The Kyiv Independent news desk
