"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.
"Our people are going to be going there," U.S. President Donald Trump 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.
Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, a major industrial and logistical hub, remains untouched by ground incursions but is under growing threat.
Presidential Office chief Andriy Yermak said Ukraine is "ready to discuss anything," but "only if a ceasefire is achieved."
A captive named Umit allegedly agreed to serve in the Russian army in exchange for Russian citizenship and a monetary reward of 2 million rubles ($25,000).
Russia's Buryatia Republic declared a state of emergency on May 13 over massive forest fires that have engulfed multiple regions in the Russian Far East.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko's statement came as Strong Shield 5 exercises involving military personnel from other NATO countries began in Lithuania.
"Amendments to the Budget Code are needed to implement the provisions on funding the U.S.-Ukrainian Reconstruction Investment Fund," lawmaker Roksolana Pidlasa said.
Trump names Matthew Whitaker as next US ambassador to NATO
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump named Matthew Whitaker, former acting attorney general, as the next U.S. ambassador to NATO, according to a statement released Nov. 20.
Trump, who takes office on Jan. 20, 25, has been assembling appointees for his upcoming administration, often prizing loyalty over policy expertise. Some nominees have raised alarm, particularly the choice of Fox News host Pete Hegseth as defense secretary and Congressman Mike Waltz as national security advisor.
Whitaker's nomination comes amid concerns that a Trump administration would dramatically reduce U.S. investment in the NATO alliance.
"Matt will strengthen relationships with our NATO Allies, and stand firm in the face of threats to Peace and Stability — He will put AMERICA FIRST," Trump's statement read.
There is little known about Whitaker's foreign policy positions. He worked as a U.S. attorney for the southern district of Iowa before joining the Justice Department in 2017 as Attorney General Jeff Sessions' chief of staff. He then served briefly as acting attorney general after Sessions resigned at Trump's request.
Whitaker has no evident experience in national security, diplomacy, or foreign policy.
Whitaker will be a key figure in selling Trump's much-touted peace deal between Russia and Ukraine to NATO member nations. Trump frequently promised to effect such a deal within "24 hours" of his election.
One idea Trump's team has put forth for ending Russia's war involves delaying Kyiv's NATO membership for at least 20 years in exchange for continued arms supplies, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on Nov. 6, citing three sources close to Trump.
Ukraine submitted a request for NATO membership in 2022 but has not received an invitation, in part because the country is actively at war.
NATO accession is also a core component of President Volodymyr Zelensky's five-part victory plan, but Kyiv's bid for membership received a cold response from U.S. President Joe Biden, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, and other leaders.
The Kyiv Independent news desk
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