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.
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.
Russian forces struck a residential area in downtown Kharkiv on May 5, 2024, injuring at least 15 people on Orthodox Easter Sunday, according to local authorities. (Kharkiv Oblast Prosecutor's Office/Telegram)
Russian forces struck a residential area in downtown Kharkiv on May 5, injuring at least 15 people on Orthodox Easter Sunday, according to local authorities.
Kharkiv Oblast Governor Oleh Syniehubov initially said at 2 p.m. local time that five people were injured as Russia struck the Shevchenkivskyi district of Ukraine’s second-largest city with a guided bomb, without specifying the type of bomb.
The Kharkiv Oblast Prosecutor's Office later clarified that Russian forces attacked the city with three newly-developed UMPB D-30 SN glide bombs.
Russia typically uses laser-guided or satellite-guided KAB bombs, with payloads ranging from 250 to 1,500 kilograms, against Ukrainian military and civilian targets.
Soviet-era dumb bombs are fitted with cheap gliding kits, allowing them to fly much further and more accurately.
Following the attack reported in the afternoon, city mayor Ihor Terekhov said in a Telegram post that two more people had been injured as they were in their house.
Later, the regional governor said in a separate post that the medics are helping 10 people as Russian forces in downtown Kharkiv, damaging houses and cars.
As Ukraine marked Orthodox Easter, Russia deployed Shahed kamikaze drones against Ukraine overnight on May 5, injuring six more people in the Kharkiv drone attack. Debris from shooting down the drones in the Osnovianskyi district of the city reportedly set fire to eight private homes in the area.
That night, Ukrainian air defense shot down 23 of the 24 Shahed-type drones that Russia launched overnight, the Air Force reported on May 5.
The drones were launched from the neighboring Kursk Oblast of Russia, as well as from Cape Chauda in occupied Crimea.
Alexander Khrebet
