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.
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.
The suspect quit his job at the Rivne NPP before the full-scale war began. In the spring of 2025, a GRU liaison contacted him and offered cooperation in exchange for money.
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.
U.S. and European officials held talks on May 12, during which Washington made it clear that it wanted to allow talks between Russia and Ukraine before increasing pressure on Vladimir Putin, sources told Bloomberg.
Keir Starmer, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, speaks during a joint press conference with President Volodymyr Zelensky on Jan. 16, 2025 in Kyiv. (Ihor Kuznietsov/Novyny LIVE/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images)
The United Kingdom will play its "full part" in supporting efforts to maintain an enduring peace in Ukraine, U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer told Sky News on Jan. 16.
Starmer's remarks followed his meeting with President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv, where the leaders signed a historic 100-year partnership agreement between Ukraine and the U.K.
When asked if the U.K. was prepared to deploy peacekeeping troops to Ukraine to monitor a potential ceasefire, Starmer said he had discussed the matter with Zelensky during his visit.
"I've been discussing this with a number of allies ... including President Zelensky here today," Starmer said in an interview with Sky News.
"But we will play our full part. We have always been one of the leading countries in relation to the defense of Ukraine, so you can read into that that we will be playing our full part."
Starmer said he did not want to "get ahead of ourselves" in terms of specific plans but said the U.K. was committed to taking a leading role in ensuring a lasting peace in Ukraine.
"Because this isn't just about sovereignty in Ukraine ... If Russia succeeds in its aggression, it will impact us for a very long time," he said.
London and Paris have already begun discussing the possibility of deploying French and U.K. troops to monitor a ceasefire along the front line in Ukraine, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) reported in December. Starmer on Jan. 16 confirmed that he and French President Emmanuel Macron have discussed the issue.
The idea of deploying a peacekeeping force on the ground in Ukraine has gained traction in recent months as European nations prepare to play a greater role in Kyiv's defense once U.S. President-elect Donald Trump takes office on Jan. 20.
Trump reportedly supports the idea and told Zelensky and Macron during their trilateral meeting on Dec. 7 that he wants European troops to monitor a future ceasefire.
Ahead of Zelensky's meeting with Starmer, the president spoke with Macron on Jan. 14 regarding "practical steps" for implementing such a plan.
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.
Dominic Culverwell
