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.
Swedish Defense Minister Pal Jonson participates in a medal ceremony for Swedish soldiers who served in the U.N. peacekeeping mission in Mali at Royal Tennis Hall on Dec. 16, 2022, in Stockholm, Sweden. (Michael Campanella/Getty Images)
Sweden will provide Ukraine with a military aid package worth almost $1.6 billion, Swedish Defense Minister Pal Jonson announced on March 31.
The latest package is Sweden's largest tranche of military assistance since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, according to Jonson.
"The package includes, among other things, support for Ukraine’s air defense, artillery, satellite communications, and maritime capacity," the minister said on X.
With this package, Sweden's support to Ukraine since 2022 amounts to 80 billion Swedish kronor ($8 billion), the country's government said. This assistance has included Archer self-propelled howitzers, Strv 122 tanks, and CV90 infantry fighting vehicles.
The latest package includes $912 million worth of equipment that will be procured from the Swedish defense industry and delivered to Ukraine in the span of "about 0-24 months."
It also encompasses a $465 million donation to international multilateral initiatives, the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, and purchases from the Ukrainian defense industry.
Kyiv will further receive material and spare parts from the Swedish Armed Forces worth about $93 million, including m/58 machine guns, ammunition, roughly 100 vehicles of various types for air base maintenance, and other support.
Stockholm is also allocating $46 million for an export guarantee to supplement procurement for donations to Ukraine, ensuring more Swedish companies can support Kyiv by providing requested material.
Finally, the Swedish Defense Materiel Administration, a state military procurement agency, "will also be tasked with identifying, testing and funding military solutions from small tech companies that need to be verified or scaled up for military purposes in Ukraine," Jonson said.
The package comes as European countries seek to bolster support for Ukraine as future backing from the U.S., the leading military donor, grows increasingly uncertain under President Donald Trump.
The Kyiv Independent news desk
