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.
Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi and General Oleksandr Tarnavskyi (Oleksandr Syrskyi/Telegram)
All settlements that Russian forces are trying to occupy remain under control of Ukraine's Armed Forces, despite the difficult situation in the eastern sector, Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi reported on March 13, following a visit to the front line.
Syrskyi's statement came after the Russian Defense Ministry claimed on March 12 its troops had allegedly captured the village of Nevelske in Donetsk Oblast, which Dmytro Lykhovii, a spokesperson for Ukraine's Tavria Group, denied in a comment to Liga.net outlet.
The general worked with two brigades and met Oleksandr Tarnavskyi, commander of Ukraine's forces fighting in the southeast, in a sector where he said "the situation is gradually becoming more complicated and there is a threat of Russians moving forward."
Russia continues to advance near the settlements of Terny, Ivanivske, Berdychi, Tonenke in Donetsk Oblast and Verbove and Robotyne in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, the commander-in-chief reported.
In other sectors of the front, which Syrskyi did not specify, the activity of Russian forces "has noticeably decreased," the general said, suggesting that this followed "extremely heavy losses" of Moscow after two weeks of fierce fighting.
"This happened due to timely managerial decisions to strengthen the defense of this sector of the front, timely replacement of units which lost their combat capability, as well as due to the courage and resilience of our soldiers," Syrskyi said.
He also said that decisions had been made to reinforce the troops with reserves, ammunition, and electronic warfare equipment, needed for further defense.
Lykhovii reported on March 4 that Ukrainian forces have stalled the Russian military's advances in some areas west of the recently captured city of Avdiivka, while Russia controlled parts of Berdychi and Tonenke, according to him.
President Volodymyr Zelensky told French broadcaster BFMTV on March 11 that the situation on the frontline "is better than it has been in the past few months."
Ukraine was forced to withdraw from Avdiivka, a key front-line city in Donetsk Oblast, on Feb. 17 and from other nearby villages weeks later. Russia is intensifying offensive actions along the front as Ukraine's Armed Forces face severe ammunition shortages due to delays in U.S. aid.
Kateryna Denisova works as a News Editor at the Kyiv Independent. She previously worked as a news editor at the NV media outlet for four years, covering mainly Ukrainian and international politics. Kateryna holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Taras Shevchenko University of Kyiv. She also was a fellow at journalism schools in the Czech Republic and Germany.
Francis Farrell
