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.
Illustrative purposes only: NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg (L) and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban arrive at a joint press conference in Karmelita monastery, the Prime Minister's office in Budapest on June 12, 2024. ( Attila Kisbenedek/AFP via Getty Images)
Hungary will not join NATO's planned steps in support of Ukraine, but it will not obstruct them either, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on June 12 after talks with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.
Stoltenberg visited Budapest less than a month before the allied summit in Washington, where NATO members plan to decide on long-term support for Kyiv in the face of Russian aggression.
"I expect allies will agree on a leading role for NATO in coordinating and providing security assistance and training for Ukraine. I also expect allies will agree on a long-term financial pledge to provide military support," Stoltenberg said.
"Prime Minister Orban has made it clear that Hungary will not participate in these NATO efforts, and I accept this position, and I'm glad that today the prime minister and I have agreed on modalities for Hungary's nonparticipation in NATO's support to Ukraine."
Budapest will not contribute any funds or personnel to these efforts. At the same time, Stoltenberg said Orban assured him that "Hungary will not oppose these efforts, enabling other allies to move forward."
Budapest has repeatedly opposed Ukraine's accession to NATO and the EU, sanctions on Russia, undermined Western aid efforts for Ukraine, and maintained close relationswith Moscow throughout the full-scale war.
Hungary has also criticized NATO's initiative in support of Ukraine, calling the alliance's long-term plan a "crazy mission." Orban said in an interview in late May that Budapest is looking for ways to opt-out from any actions outside of the alliance's territory, allegedly fearing an escalation with Russia.
Stoltenberg said on June 11 that during the upcoming summit, NATO allies must decide to take a leading role in the support for Ukraine and called on the members to maintain the level of assistance, which amounts to 40 billion euros ($43 billion) per year.
Martin Fornusek is a news editor at the Kyiv Independent. He has previously worked as a news content editor at the media company Newsmatics and is a contributor to Euromaidan Press. He was also volunteering as an editor and translator at the Czech-language version of Ukraïner. Martin studied at Masaryk University in Brno, Czechia, holding a bachelor's degree in security studies and history and a master's degree in conflict and democracy studies.
Kateryna Denisova
