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.
"Think of the hundreds of thousands of lives that will be saved as this never ending 'bloodbath' hopefully comes to an end... I will continue to work with both sides to make sure that it happens."
The Russian Defense Ministry headquarters in Moscow on April 17, 2023. Photo for illustrative purposes. (Alexander Nemenov/AFP via Getty Images)
Editor's Note: This story was updated to correct some of the wording and emphasize that the existence of the alleged plan couldn't be independently confirmed by the Kyiv Independent.
Russia may try to convey to U.S. leadership its plan for a new world order up to the year 2045, including a scheme to break Ukraine up into three parts, the Interfax Ukraine news agency reported on Nov. 20, citing its sources in a Ukrainian intelligence agency.
A Ukrainian intelligence source also separately told the Kyiv Independent they know of such a plan.
The Kyiv Independent couldn't independently verify this information.
Moreover, it's not clear what is the status of the Russian document obtained by the Ukrainian intelligence — whether it's an actual plan of the Russian leadership, a draft proposal, or something else. Its exact author is also unknown. Ukraine's intelligence claimed that it was developed by the Russian Defense Ministry.
According to the alleged document, which intelligence sources described to the media, Russia wants Ukraine divided into thirds. The country's eastern regions, including partially and fully Russian-occupied territories, would be annexed by Russia. The western lands would be "disputed territories" that could be claimed by neighboring countries, including Poland, Hungary, and Romania. The remaining territory, including Kyiv, would become a Russian-controlled puppet state.
The document envisages the effective dissolution of the independent Ukrainian state.
The document also puts forward four different scenarios of global world order development — two seen as favorable to Moscow and two disadvantageous.
Two of the scenarios, labeled "Formation of a multipolar world and the division of spheres of influence by leading actors" and "Regionalization/chaotization," involve a Russian victory over Ukraine.
The others, "Dominance of the U.S. and the West" and "Acquisition by China of the status of the world's leading power," presuppose a military defeat in Ukraine.
The alleged plan, if proved real, would mark another Russian attempt to put forward suggestions for the disruption and recreation of a global world order.
The Kremlin convened meetings in 2022 and 2023 to find ways to dismantle the post-World War II global financial system and undermine U.S. power over global transactions, according to documents obtained by the Washington Post.
"One of the most important tasks is to create a new world order," one of the documents dated April 3, 2023, reportedly said.
"Western countries led by the United States have tried to impose their own structure, based on their dominance."
The alleged new plan's proposed breakup of Ukraine reflect the maximalist goals of Russia's full-scale invasion, which included regime change in Kyiv and "demilitarization" of the Ukrainian state.
Boldizsar is a former Reuters correspondent for Hungary, currently based in Kharkiv, reporting for the Kyiv Independent and various other outlets. He holds degrees in political science, philosophy, and development policy.
Chris York
