President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Albania on May 16 to attend the summit of the European Political Community, presidential spokesperson Serhii Nykyforov said, according to the state news channel Freedom TV.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on May 15 denied reports that the United States opposes President Volodymyr Zelensky's participation at the upcoming NATO summit in The Hague.
Key developments on May 15: * Zelensky sends Ukrainian delegation to Istanbul, as peace talks with Russia are expected on May 16 * Trump expects no progress in Russia-Ukraine peace talks until he meets Putin * Pro-Ukraine partisans sabotage railway track near Russia's Smolensk * Ukraine shows its latest 'ship-killer' Magura drone series to
Istanbul — it’s where Asia meets Europe, but as we now know, not where Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin.
"What's happened today is further evidence that it's Putin who is dragging his feet," U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said.
"Out of respect for President Trump, the high level of the Turkish delegation, and President Erdogan, and since we want to try to achieve at least the first steps toward de-escalation, an end to the war – namely a ceasefire – I have decided to send our delegation to Istanbul," Zelensky said.
The extension of the current defense plan, initially set for 2021–2025, was confirmed by the Kremlin, though specific details remain classified.
"Not the first time the Russian Foreign Ministry becomes a laughing stock," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi said after his Russian counterpart, Maria Zakharova, called Zelensky a "clown."
"Nothing's going to happen until Putin and I get together," U.S. President Donald Trump told journalists aboard Air Force One before landing in Dubai as part of his Middle Eastern tour.
Among those arriving in Turkey with Ukraine's president are Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) Chief Vasyl Malyuk, and General Staff Chief Andrii Hnatov.
President Volodymyr Zelensky's meeting with his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, began in Ankara on May 15, Turkey's state news agency Anadolu reported.
"We need to understand what the level of the Russian delegation is, what their mandate is, and whether they are capable of making decisions on their own," Zelensky said.
When asked by the Kyiv Independent, a source close to the Presidential Office did not confirm whether Ukraine would still hold the talks if Putin does not join.
"I think there is this window of opportunity this week, but also in the next 10 days, two weeks, to really bring the whole issue of Ukraine to a better place," NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said.
Nariman Dzhelial, deputy chair of the Crimean Tatar Mejlis, was released in a prisoner exchange with Russia on June 28, 2024.
European and U.S. officials, including Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, reportedly convinced Zelensky that attending the peace talks would reflect positively on Kyiv, diplomats told the Washington Post.
"I am waiting to see who will come from Russia, and then I will decide which steps Ukraine should take. So far, the signals from them in the media are unconvincing," President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
Key developments on May 14: * Trump says he's unsure whether Putin will attend Ukraine peace talks in Turkey as Kremlin stays silent * Russia likely preparing major offensive in Ukraine despite peace efforts, FT reports * Trump needs to understand that Putin lies, blocks peace efforts, Zelensky says * EU agrees on 17th
Later in the day on May 15, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio denied reports that the United States opposes Zelensky's participation at the upcoming NATO summit in The Hague.
Viktoria Roshchyna, 27, disappeared in August 2023 while reporting from Ukraine's Russian-occupied territories. Moscow admitted she was in Russian detention the following year.
The majority of Ukrainians, 71%, do not support holding elections before a full peace deal, even in the case of a ceasefire and security guarantees, according to a poll published by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) on May 14.
This marks Zelensky's highest trust rating recorded by KIIS since December 2023, when he enjoyed the confidence of 77% of respondents.
"Trump needs to believe that Putin actually lies," Zelensky told journalists in Kyiv. "And we should do our part. Sensibly approach this issue, to show that it’s not us that is slowing down the process."
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."
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.
Key developments on May 13: * Germany's Merz threatens 'significant tightening' of Russia sanctions ahead of Ukraine peace talks * Rubio to attend Ukraine, Russia peace talks in Istanbul, Trump says * Zelensky to meet Erdogan in Turkey where both will wait for Putin ahead of peace talks * Ukraine reports destroying Russian Buk
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.
Presidential Office chief Andriy Yermak said Ukraine is "ready to discuss anything," but "only if a ceasefire is achieved."
With just a day to go before Russian-proposed peace talks might begin in Istanbul, the Kremlin is still refusing to confirm whether or not President Vladimir Putin will attend the event. President Volodymyr Zelensky has already said he will meet Putin there, a move that puts the ball very much
President Volodymyr Zelensky would not meet any other Russian official apart from Russian President Vladimir Putin in Istanbul this week, presidential advisor Mykhailo Podolyak said on the Breakfast Show program on May 13.
Zelensky on May 12 removed Lieutenant General Ivan Havryliuk from the Headquarters of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, the top command and control body for all branches of Ukraine's defense apparatus.
President Volodymyr Zelensky's willingness to hold direct talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin this week in Istanbul sparked a question over whether such a move contradicts his earlier decree. In the fall of 2022, Zelensky signed a decree that "stated the impossibility of holding negotiations with Russian President Putin," as
Volodymyr Zelensky has been president of Ukraine since 2019. Born in Kryvyi Rih, an industrial city in central Ukraine, Zelensky was known as a media personality and actor before becoming Ukraine’s sixth president.
The 46-year-old’s transformation into a wartime leader saw his approval ratings rise from 37% before the full-scale invasion, to 90% in May 2022. His approval rating fell to 62% by the end of 2023.
Zelensky's five-year term officially ended in May 2024 but he remains president while martial law, enacted after the start of the full-scale invasion in February 2022, is in place. A February 2024 poll indicated that almost 70% of Ukrainians agree that Zelensky should remain in office and elections should be postponed until martial law is lifted.
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