In an interview with French broadcaster TF1 on May 13, Macron discussed new Russia sanctions and stationing French nuclear weapons in other European countries as a deterrent against Russia.
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.
Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi attends a meeting of Ukraine's Defense Minister Rustem Umierov with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Oct. 21, 2024, in Kyiv, Ukraine. (Yan Dobronosov/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images)
Ukrainian troops are holding back one of Russia's "most powerful" offensives since the start of Moscow's full-scale war, Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said on Nov. 2.
Throughout 2024, Ukraine has faced a challenging situation in its defense of the front line, particularly in Donetsk Oblast, where Russia has consistently concentrated its offensive potential.
After a meeting with a delegation of the Czech Armed Forces, Syrskyi described the situation on the battlefield as difficult.
"Active hostilities that continue in certain areas require constant renewal of the resources of Ukrainian units," he said.
Since the beginning of the day, 126 clashes between Ukrainian and Russian forces have taken place along the front line, Ukraine's General Staff said in its latest update on Nov. 2.
Russia continues to press forward on its offensives across the eastern front, primarily on the Toretsk, Kurakhove, and Pokrovsk axes in Donetsk Oblast, where outnumbered and outgunned Ukrainian soldiers are forced to withdraw little by little.
In recent weeks, the Ukrainian military warned that Russia is escalating its operations in southern Zaporizhzhia Oblast.
In Kharkiv Oblast, Ukrainian forces liberated and "cleared out" in mid-October the village of Kruhliakivka, which Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) described as important for the defense of Kupiansk.
In the meantime, Russian troops are reportedly attempting to establish crossings near the Oskil River to advance toward the city of Kupiansk.
The reports came as Russia is planning to involve North Korean troops to aid its war effort, with more than 7,000 soldiers deployed near the Ukrainian border.
In a recent interview, President Volodymyr Zelensky blasted Ukraine's partners "zero" response to deployment of North Korean troops for the war in Ukraine. He said that if Kyiv had permission to use Western long-range weapons on Russian territory, it could preemptively target "every camp" where North Korean troops are gathering.
Kateryna Denisova works as a News Editor at the Kyiv Independent. She previously worked as a news editor at the NV media outlet for four years, covering mainly Ukrainian and international politics. Kateryna holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Taras Shevchenko University of Kyiv. She also was a fellow at journalism schools in the Czech Republic and Germany.
Chris York
