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.
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.
A school in Lviv, western Ukraine, damaged by Russia's mass missile attack on the early morning of Feb. 15, 2024. (Andrii Sadovyi/Telegram)
Editor's note: This is a developing story
Russia launched another mass missile attack against multiple Ukrainian regions in the early hours of Feb. 15, injuring at least 11 people as well as damaging homes and civilian infrastructure, regional officials reported.
Russian forces launched 26 missiles of various types at Ukraine, 13 of which were shot down by air defenses, Ukraine's Air Force said following the attack.
Russia used Kh-101/Kh-555/Kh-55 air-launched cruise missiles, Iskander-M/KN-23 ballistic missiles, Kalibr sea-launched cruise missiles, Kh-59 guided air-launched missiles, and S-300 anti-aircraft guided missiles, according to the Air Force.
The attack hit Zaporizhzhia's industrial area, according to Ivan Fedorov, the regional governor, who said that six people were confirmed injured as of around 10 a.m. local time.
An infrastructure facility, several apartment buildings, an educational institution, and a store were damaged in the Zaporizhzhia strike, acting Mayor Anatolii Kurtiev said on Telegram.
In the western city of Lviv, Russian missiles hit an infrastructure facility while the blast wave damaged apartment buildings nearby, two schools, and a kindergarten, Lviv Mayor Andrii Sadovyi reported.
Three people were injured and received medical assistance, added Sadovyi.
Several hours later, the Energy Ministry reported that the attack had damaged an electrical substation and other energy facilities in Lviv, leading to an infrastructure facility being cut off from power.
Civilian facilities were hit in Ukraine’s western Khmelnytskyi Oblast, acting Governor Serhii Tiurin reported on Facebook without providing any more details.
Tiurin later told Suspilne Khmelnytskyi media outlet that two people had been injured in the strike.
Russia targeted Kyiv and the region, where air defenses shot down all the missiles, according to local officials. No casualties have been reported.
Remains of the downed missiles fell in two settlements in Kyiv Oblast, damaging several houses and outbuildings, said Governor Ruslan Kravchenko.
Civilian infrastructure was also damaged in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, Serhii Lysak, the regional governor, said on Telegram.
Later, Lysak reported that two missiles were downed over the Nikopol and Novomoskovsk districts, but there were hits in the Dnipro district, where an infrastructure facility was damaged. No casualties were reported.
Russian forces struck a warehouse in the Myrhorod district in central Poltava Oblast, causing a fire, Governor Filip Pronin reported, adding there were no casualties.
Air defenses in western Ivano-Frankisvk Oblast downed Russian missiles during the morning attack, and its falling debris caused a fire, according to Svitlana Onyshchuk, the regional governor.
There was“significant damage" in the region but no casualties, Onyshchuk said.
Dinara Khalilova is a reporter at the Kyiv Independent, where she has previously worked as a news editor. In the early weeks of Russia’s full-scale invasion, she worked as a fixer and local producer for Sky News’ team in Ukraine. Dinara holds a BA in journalism from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv and a Master’s degree in media and communication from the U.K.’s Bournemouth University.
The Kyiv Independent news desk
