"Russia is ready for negotiations without any preconditions," Putin claimed in an address marking the end of the three-day Victory Day ceasefire. He invited Ukraine to begin talks in Istanbul on May 15.
Both men face charges related to terrorism and espionage. Daniil B. was detained in Lithuania, where he is in temporary custody, while Oleksandr V. remains at large in Russia.
Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Ukraine and its allies discussed tougher sanctions against Russia's banking sector, central bank, and energy industry.
"We are ready for all options. But of course, we are separately waiting for a response on the ceasefire," a source close to President Volodymyr Zelensky told the Kyiv Independent.
The EU plans to unveil on May 14 its next package of sanctions imposed against Russia over its aggression against Ukraine, an EU official told the Kyiv Independent on condition of anonymity.
Polish truckers plan to restrict freight traffic at the Yahodyn-Dorohusk checkpoint on the Ukrainian border, Ukraine's State Border Guard said on May 12.
"If the Russians are using this level of specialists in urban combat, they are probably facing some difficulties," Ivan Petrychak, spokesperson for the 24th Separate Mechanized Brigade, said.
Previously, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk accused the Russian intelligence services of orchestrating a May 2024 arson attack on the Marywilska shopping centre in Warsaw.
"Perhaps in some areas, the intensity decreased slightly to create an image of compliance with their own announcement. But in reality, (Russia) continued attacks every day, using all available weapons — including aircraft to drop guided bombs on Ukraine," Andrii Demchenko, spokesperson for Ukraine’s State Border Guard Service, said.
Beijing supports all efforts toward achieving peace in Ukraine, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on May 12 when asked about Kyiv and Europe's proposal for a 30-day truce.
"I invited His Holiness to make an apostolic visit to Ukraine. Such a visit would bring real hope to all believers and to all our people," Zelensky said.
Presidential Office chief Andriy Yermak voiced doubt about leading negotiations with anyone from Russia except President Vladimir Putin, implying only the Russian leader can make real decisions.
This includes at least seven people injured in drone attacks overnight on May 12, a date from which Kyiv and its allies put forward a demand for a 30-day unconditional truce, a step that Moscow continues to reject.
President Volodymyr Zelensky speaks on the phone with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on June 19, 2022, in Kyiv. (President's Office / Website)
Representatives from Ukraine, the United Kingdom, France, and the United States will meet in London on April 23 to continue talks on a potential ceasefire in Russia's war against Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on April 21.
"We are ready to move forward as constructively as possible, just as we have done before, to achieve an unconditional ceasefire, followed by the establishment of a real and lasting peace," Zelensky posted on X following a call with U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
The meeting comes as Ukraine faces mounting pressure to respond to a controversial U.S. proposal that includes provisions for recognizing Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea and barring Ukraine from joining NATO, the Wall Street Journal reported on April 20.
Senior Trump administration officials presented the plan to Ukrainian and European officials during the Paris talks on April 17.
The upcoming London meeting is expected to serve as a follow-up, with Ukrainian feedback playing a decisive role in whether the proposal will be formally introduced to Moscow.
U.S. Special Envoy to Ukraine Keith Kellogg told Fox News on April 20 that "NATO isn't on the table," further confirming that Washington is considering excluding Ukraine's potential accession as part of the peace deal.
Kyiv has consistently said it would not recognize Russia's occupation of any Ukrainian territory, including Crimea.
The U.S. proposal would mark a dramatic shift from a decade of bipartisan policy in Washington and contradict international law, which considers the 2014 annexation illegal.
U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters on April 21 that there is a "very good" chance of reaching a peace deal, citing recent talks as productive. Washington has previously signaled it may end its mediation efforts in the coming days if no meaningful progress is made.
Despite Trump's push for a ceasefire, Moscow has rejected a proposed 30-day truce and continues offensive operations. On April 19, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a one-day Easter ceasefire, which Zelensky said was violated around 3,000 times.
Kyiv has proposed a separate 30-day ceasefire focused on halting long-range drone and missile attacks on civilian infrastructure. Putin said the Kremlin needs to "look into" the proposal.
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.
Chris York
