"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.
Erdogan told Macron that international cooperation is critical for initiating peace negotiations and the "sensitive implementation" of Ukraine’s recovery and reconstruction processes, the Turkish Presidency reported.
President Volodymyr Zelensky's spokesperson Sergii Nykyforov. (Presidential Office)
Ukraine is assembling a coalition of partners to create a working group aimed at bolstering its defense and forming a united diplomatic stance on ending the war, the president's spokesperson Serhii Nykyforov said on Dec. 9, as reported by Ukrainska Pravda.
"These are countries with long-range capabilities, significant investments in Ukrainian weapons production, and influence over Ukraine’s future NATO membership," Nykyforov said.
A meeting of participating nations is planned for December to coordinate their positions and ensure Ukraine’s strength “both in negotiations and on the battlefield.”
The announcement coincided with German opposition leader Friedrich Merz’s visit to Kyiv.
At a joint press conference with President Volodymyr Zelensky, Merz proposed a contact group comprising Germany, France, the U.K., and Poland to coordinate Europe’s strategy for ending the war and aligning it with U.S. policies.
Zelensky endorsed the proposal, emphasizing the importance of unity among allies in crafting a clear vision for Ukraine’s security and the diplomatic resolution of the conflict.
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.
Martin Fornusek
