This week, the world watched in anticipation for Russia’s Victory Day parade after President Volodymyr Zelensky commented that he could not guarantee the safety of those attending. Meanwhile, the European Union moves one step forward to banning Russian gas from the European continent. It is also revealed this week that U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has fallen out of step with the White House.
"(Russian) President (Vladimir) Putin... doesn't want to have a ceasefire agreement with Ukraine, but rather wants to meet on Thursday, in Turkey, to negotiate a possible end to the bloodbath. Ukraine should agree to this, immediately," U.S. President Donald Trump said.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will travel to to Antalya, Turkey, for a NATO foreign ministers’ meeting from May 14–16, where he is expected to address the war in Ukraine and push for stronger Allied defense commitments.
The Kremlin said the leaders held a detailed discussion about the Russian initiative and Erdogan expressed full support, reiterating Turkey’s readiness to provide a venue and assist in organizing the negotiations.
Erdogan told Macron that international cooperation is critical for initiating peace negotiations and the "sensitive implementation" of Ukraine’s recovery and reconstruction processes, the Turkish Presidency reported.
The assault began around 2 a.m. on May 11, with Russian forces deploying 108 Shahed-type attack drones and decoy UAVs from multiple directions, Ukraine’s Air Force said.
The aftermath of a strike by a Russian guided aerial bomb on the city of Vovchansk, Kharkiv Oblast, on March 7, 2024. (Governor Oleh Syniehubov/Telegram)
A Russian airstrike on the city of Vovchansk in Kharkiv Oblast around 10:00 a.m. local time on March 7 killed a 40-year-old woman and injured a 67-year-old woman, Governor Oleh Syniehubov said.
Civilians in Kharkiv Oblast’s settlements are subjected to frequent attacks by Russian forces due to their proximity to the front line and the border with Russia.
The guided aerial bomb destroyed at least 12 homes and caused a fire, which the governor said had been contained.
The woman was killed after the bomb directly struck her home, and the wounded woman suffered light injuries and did not need hospitalization, according to Syniehubov.
Synehiubov said that first responders were at the site of the attack, and more information was being gathered.
Nate Ostiller is a former News Editor at the Kyiv Independent. He works on special projects as a researcher and writer for The Red Line Podcast, covering Eastern Europe and Eurasia, and focused primarily on digital misinformation, memory politics, and ethnic conflict. Nate has a Master’s degree in Russian and Eurasian Studies from the University of Glasgow, and spent two years studying abroad at Kyiv-Mohyla Academy in Ukraine. Originally from the USA, he is currently based in Tbilisi, Georgia.
The Kyiv Independent news desk
