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.
President Volodymyr Zelensky delivers a video address on Dec. 20, 2024. (Volodymyr Zelensky / Facebook)
President Volodymyr Zelensky announced the approval of over 30 Ukrainian ambassadorial appointments abroad during his evening address on Dec. 20.
The appointments follow a significant reshuffle within Ukraine's diplomatic and governmental framework earlier this year.
“I approved more than 30 decisions, including Nariman Dzhelyal to Turkey, Alyona Getmanchuk as Ukraine's representative to NATO, and Andrii Melnyk as Ukraine's representative to the UN,” Zelensky said.
He added that the formal decrees will follow soon, adhering to diplomatic procedures.
Key appointments include:
Nariman Dzhelyal: Deputy chairman of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People and a former political prisoner recently released from Russian captivity in June 2024.
Alyona Getmanchuk: Ukrainian foreign policy analyst, Director of the New Europe Center, and Associate Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council.
Andrii Melnyk: Former Ukraine's Ambassador to Germany, currently serving as Ukraine's Ambassador to Brazil.
Ukraine's parliament on Sept. 5 confirmed Andrii Sybiha as the new foreign minister after Dmytro Kuleba's resignation, marking a shift in Kyiv's diplomatic team amid the ongoing challenges posed by war.
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.
Tim Zadorozhnyy
