Russia seems to be preparing a significant offensive in Ukraine as it is moving troops toward key positions on the front, the Financial Times reported on May 13, citing undisclosed Ukrainian intelligence officials.
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.
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.
Slovakia's Foreign Minister Juraj Blanar in Prague, Czech Republic, on Nov. 6, 2023. (Michal Cizek / AFP via Getty Images)
Having assessed the progress of Ukraine's reforms, Slovakia is "ready to support the opening of accession negotiations," Slovak Foreign Minister Juraj Blanar said in Brussels on Dec. 12.
The statement comes days before a European Council summit on Dec. 14, where Hungary is expected to try to block the launch of Ukraine's EU membership talks. Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico is an ally of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.
The European Commission published its official recommendation on Nov. 8 that Ukraine was ready for talks to begin.
According to Blanar, Ukraine still has a "long and thorny road ahead, so that all the necessary measures are not only adopted, but also implemented."
Peace and rebuilding of Ukraine should bring the country closer to the EU, Blanar said.
Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba described Blanar's statement as a positive signal from Slovakia.
Kuleba, who was speaking on air on the afternoon of Dec. 12, said that he believes Hungary does not want to block Ukraine's EU membership, but wants a "slower accession process and a more careful study of the consequences of this accession."
"There is not a single EU country that does not want to see Ukraine as part of the European Union," Kuleba said.
Kuleba said that on top of the positive signal from Slovakia, he had received a "cautious signal" from Hungary following his meeting with his Hungarian counterpart Peter Szijjarto on Dec. 11. "Everything will be decided at the last minute," Kuleba said.
Ukrainian and Western leaders and officials are seeking to sway Budapest away from blocking the start of Ukraine's membership talks.
Following their meeting, Hungarian Foreign Minister Szijjarto claimed that Hungary's position was unchanged.
Szijjarto and Kuleba's meeting on Dec. 11 was the first time the two met in person since the start of the full-scale invasion. Szijjarto has visited Russia five times since February 2022.
Martin Fornusek
