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).
Russian attacks on Sumy Oblast destroy several residential building, killing three while injuring four others on Feb. 9, 2024. (Sumy Oblast Military Administration/Telegram)
Russian attacks on settlements in Sumy Oblast on Feb. 9 resulted in the death of three civilians, while injuring four others, the Sumy Regional Prosecutor's Office reported.
Russian forces dropped seven KAB guided arial bombs on the communities of Yunakivka, Khotin, and Mykolaiv at 1:45 p.m. local time. The attack destroyed at least four residential buildings, as well as the workshop of an agricultural firm.
Two men and one woman were killed in the attack. No additional information was provided about the status of the injured victims.
Emergency rescue workers are on scene to clear the remaining debris. Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) has been called in to investigate the attack.
Shelling is a daily occurrence for the communities near Ukraine's northeastern border with Russia. Over the past 24 hours, Russian forces launched41 attacks on Sumy Oblast, targeting 11 communities, and causing at least 251 explosions in the area.
Dmytro Basmat is a senior news editor for The Kyiv Independent. He previously worked in Canadian politics as a communications lead and spokesperson for a national political party, and as a communications assistant for a Canadian Member of Parliament. Basmat has a Master's degree in Political Management from Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada, and a Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Governance from Toronto Metropolitan University.
Olena Goncharova
