The sanctions appear to be in response to Russia's rejection of a 30-day ceasefire that the U.K., alongside Ukraine, France, Germany, and Poland, demanded during a visit to Kyiv on May 10.
"We now know for sure that the great fire of the Marywilska shopping centre in Warsaw was caused by arson ordered by the Russian special services," Prime Minister Donald Tusk said on X. "Some of the perpetrators have already been detained, all the others are identified and searched for."
The publications' latest report covers the period of February 24, 2022 to May 8, 2025. Since it was last updated at the end of April, 2,857 additional Russian military personnel have been confirmed killed.
Hungary cancelled a meeting planned for May 12 with a Ukrainian delegation on the rights of national minorities, Hungary's Deputy Foreign Minister said on May 11, amid a deepening spying scandal between the two countries.
Three were injured in Russia's Kursk Oblast when the town of Rylsk was allegedly struck by a missile attack on May 11, local governor Alexander Khinshtein claimed.
This week, the world watched in anticipation for Russia’s Victory Day parade after President Volodymyr Zelensky commented that he could not guarantee the safety of those attending. Meanwhile, the European Union moves one step forward to banning Russian gas from the European continent. It is also revealed this week that U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has fallen out of step with the White House.
"(Russian) President (Vladimir) Putin... doesn't want to have a ceasefire agreement with Ukraine, but rather wants to meet on Thursday, in Turkey, to negotiate a possible end to the bloodbath. Ukraine should agree to this, immediately," U.S. President Donald Trump said.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will travel to to Antalya, Turkey, for a NATO foreign ministers’ meeting from May 14–16, where he is expected to address the war in Ukraine and push for stronger Allied defense commitments.
The Kremlin said the leaders held a detailed discussion about the Russian initiative and Erdogan expressed full support, reiterating Turkey’s readiness to provide a venue and assist in organizing the negotiations.
Russian ambassador Gennady Gatilov gave a speech during an urgent debate on the Ukraine conflict at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on March 3, 2022. (Fabrice Coffrini/AFP via Getty Images)
Donald Trump's victory in the U.S. election will do "little to alter" Washington's policy toward Moscow but might open up a chance for a dialogue, Russia's ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva said on Nov. 14, Reuters reported.
Trump's imminent return to the White House has prompted anxiety in Ukraine and European allies over the president-elect's amiable views on Russian President Vladimir Putin.
"The only shift (that) might be possible is (a) dialogue between our countries, something that has been lacking during the last several years," Ambassador Gennady Gatilov said, according to Reuters.
At the same time, Gatilov does not expect any tectonic shift in future relations between the U.S. and Russia.
"Regardless of domestic political shifts, (Washington) consistently pursues a sense of containing Moscow...the change of administration does little to alter it," the ambassador added.
"Trump promised to settle the Ukrainian crisis overnight. OK, let him try. But we are realistic people; of course, we understand that this will never happen," Gatilov said, adding that Moscow would welcome Trump's initiative but stressed that any talks must reflect "realities on the ground."
In the past, Trump has called Russian President Vladimir Putin a "genius" and someone who "respects" him.
Trump also claimed on Oct. 14 that he "(got) along very well with Putin" during his first presidential term in 2017-2021. He implied that the Russian leader told him about his ambitions to control Ukraine.
"It (Ukraine) was the apple of his eye; he used to talk about it. But I said, 'You're not going in,' and he wasn't going in," Trump said at a campaign event.
In a phone call shortly after his electoral victory, Trump allegedly warned Putin not to escalate the war, but the Kremlin later flat-out denied that the call took place.
U.S.-Russia relations sank over Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, rendering Putin a persona non grata in much of the Western countries.
Boldizsar is a former Reuters correspondent for Hungary, currently based in Kharkiv, reporting for the Kyiv Independent and various other outlets. He holds degrees in political science, philosophy, and development policy.
Sławomir Sierakowski
