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.
U.S. President Donald Trump leaves after a meeting with European Union officials on the sidelines of a NATO summit in Brussels, Belgium, on May 24, 2027. (Thierry Charlier/AFP via Getty Images)
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump wants European troops to monitor a potential ceasefire in Ukraine, the Wall Street Journal reported on Dec. 12, citing undisclosed official sources.
Trump reportedly made the comments during his Dec. 7 meeting with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky and French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris, making it clear he wants to see Europe take up the leadership in deterring Russian aggression.
Trump, who has pledged to end the war within "24 hours" and reduce U.S. involvement in Ukraine, is reportedly drafting proposals with his transition team, though key decisions will be finalized after his national security team is in place.
The idea of deploying European peacekeepers was reportedly discussed by British and French officials, and Macron was said to have presented the idea to Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk in Warsaw on Dec. 12. Tusk later dismissed the notion during a press conference, saying that no such proposal is on the table for Poland.
During the Paris meeting, Trump reportedly reiterated his opposition to Ukraine joining NATO but emphasized his desire for Ukraine to remain strong and well-armed after the war. Kyiv continues to insist on an invitation to the alliance.
Trump also urged European leaders to pressure China into influencing Russia to end the conflict, suggesting tariffs on Chinese goods as a potential lever.
Earlier reports from the Wall Street Journal on Nov. 6 indicated that Trump’s team is considering a plan to delay Ukraine’s NATO membership by at least 20 years in exchange for continued Western arms supplies.
Speaking to Time magazine, Trump indicated he does not plan to "abandon" Ukraine but instead use U.S. support as leverage to pressure Moscow to the negotiating table. At the same time, he criticized the Biden administration for allowing long-range strikes inside Russia.
Tim Zadorozhnyy is a news editor at The Kyiv Independent. Based in Warsaw, he is pursuing studies in International Relations, focusing on European Studies. Tim began his career at a local television channel in Odesa. After moving to Warsaw, he joined the Belarusian opposition media outlet NEXTA, starting as a news anchor and later advancing to the position of managing editor.
Sonya Bandouil
