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.
U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan speaks during a press conference at the White House on Nov. 13, 2023. (Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
The U.S. Congress needs to approve the White House's request for aid to Ukraine as soon as possible in order to prevent serious consequences for Ukraine's defense, U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said in a press briefing Nov. 13.
"Each week that passes, our ability to fully fund what we feel is necessary to give Ukraine the tools and capacities it needs to both defend its territory and continue to make advances, that gets harder and harder," Sullivan told reporters.
"So, for us, the window is closing."
Sullivan said President Joe Biden had submitted a funding request to Congress that included funding for Ukraine, Israel, and U.S. border security.
Republican lawmakers in the House of Representatives have stonewalled financial support for Ukraine, excluding additional military aid from their most recent proposed budget. If a budget agreement is not reached by Nov. 17, the U.S. once more faces a government shutdown.
The House passed a stopgap budget agreement on Sept. 30 to keep the government open another 45 days. That bill also excluded funds for Ukraine.
Sullivan said the lack of funding has already impacted Ukraine's ability to defend itself against Russia's full-scale invasion.
"It is already having an effect on our ability to give Ukraine everything that it needs, and that effect will only compound over time," he said.
While Sullivan said the U.S. was currently still able to supply the military aid Ukraine has asked for, full funding would ensure that the support remains consistent and effective.
Sullivan also discussed Biden's upcoming meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in San Francisco on Nov. 15. He said Russia's war against Ukraine would be a part of the leaders' talks.
"President Biden has had a number of candid conversations with President Xi about the question of military support to the Russian Federation in the conduct of its war in Ukraine," he said.
Abbey Fenbert is a senior news editor at the Kyiv Independent. She is a freelance writer, editor, and playwright with an MFA from Boston University. Abbey served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ukraine from 2008-2011.
Katie Marie Davies
