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.
An aerial view of reconstruction in Irpin, a suburb in Kyiv Oblast, on Feb. 7, 2024. (Masha Lavrova/The Kyiv Independent)
Ukraine’s economy grew by 4.2% year-on-year in the first 10 months of 2024 thanks to the construction, transportation, and manufacturing sectors, the country's Economy Ministry said on Nov. 18.
The 4.2% growth aligns with earlier government forecasts. Russia's invasion caused a major hit to Ukraine's economy, which suffered a whopping 29.1% fall in GDP in 2022.
Recovery programs aimed at rebuilding damaged and destroyed housing boosted the construction industry, fueling the growth.
The transportation and manufacturing sectors were also among the drivers, mainly thanks to the restored Black Sea trade corridor and increased defense production, respectively, First Deputy Economy Minister Oleksii Sobolev said in a statement.
Ukraine's GDP grew by 1.3% between October 2023 and the same month this year. According to the ministry, this figure was negatively affected by a lower-than-usual output of agriculture this time of the year due to an early harvest.
"By October, farmers had already finished harvesting some crops," the ministry said.
The economy stabilized faster than expected in 2023 due to several successful government programs, as well as international support, and grew by 5.3% in 2023. In July 2024, the Economy Ministry reported a 4.1% growth over the past six months compared to the first six months of 2023.
Boldizsar is a former Reuters correspondent for Hungary, currently based in Kharkiv, reporting for the Kyiv Independent and various other outlets. He holds degrees in political science, philosophy, and development policy.
Kateryna Hodunova
