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.
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.
During reconnaissance in an unspecified front-line sector, Special Operations Forces' operators detected Buk-M3 and Uragan-1 on combat duty, the unit said.
U.K. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer speaks during the annual Lord Mayor's Banquet at The Guildhall on Dec. 2, 2024 in London, U.K. ( Carl Court/Getty Images)
The United Kingdom must continue supporting Ukraine's defense against Russia, in order to "put Ukraine in the strongest possible position for negotiations," U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said in a speech delivered Dec. 2 and published Dec. 3.
Starmer's remarks come as Europe prepares to step up military support for Ukraine ahead of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration in January. Trump is expected to push Kyiv into negotiations with Moscow.
"So we must continue to back Ukraine and do what it takes to support their self-defense for as long as it takes," Starmer said at the annual Lord Mayor's Banquet in London.
"To put Ukraine in the strongest possible position for negotiations so that they can secure a just and lasting peace on their terms that guarantees their security, independence, and right to choose their future."
Starmer said that support for Ukraine was in the best interest of not only the U.K., but all of Europe, arguing that unchecked Russian aggression posed to great a threat to international security.
"The further Russian troops advance, the closer the threat becomes," he said.
"The more land they control, the more they control grain prices and energy sources, and the more confident (Russian President Vladimir) Putin becomes."
With Trump's return to Washington imminent, both the U.K. and France are reportedly exploring options to support Ukraine in potential peace talks with Russia. A senior NATO official said on Dec. 2 that one scenario could include deploying U.K. and French troops to monitor a ceasefire along the contact line.
Abbey Fenbert is a senior news editor at the Kyiv Independent. She is a freelance writer, editor, and playwright with an MFA from Boston University. Abbey served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ukraine from 2008-2011.
The Kyiv Independent news desk
