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.
The assault began around 2 a.m. on May 11, with Russian forces deploying 108 Shahed-type attack drones and decoy UAVs from multiple directions, Ukraine’s Air Force said.
Ukraine’s population is likely to decrease from today’s 41 million to 35 million by 2050, according to a report by the United Nations Ukraine. Ukraine is among the fastest-shrinking countries in the world, according to the UN.
Here are the reasons why:
Ukraine has high mortality rates – about one-third of Ukrainians die before the age of 65 due to poor quality of life, low living standards, and non-infectious diseases.
Ukraine has low fertility rates– it is one of the most rapidly aging nations in Europe. Many Ukrainians cannot have the desired number of children because the country lacks opportunities for women to combine careers and childcare.
Migration – An estimated 3 million Ukrainians are now working abroad, almost half of them are employed in low-skilled jobs for which they are overqualified. Ukrainians move to other countries hoping to find a better life and a job with decent pay, the UN said.
Brain drain is also a big issue in Ukraine. A third of the recent growth in migration is represented by Ukrainians under 35, who usually move abroad to study and are unlikely to return. It causes labor shortages in Ukraine.
Although Ukraine’s government cannot change the country’s fertility or mortality rates, it can invest in people, their security, and financial stability, the UN said.
Daryna Antoniuk is a tech reporter at the Kyiv Independent. She worked in the same role at the Kyiv Post and has focused on Ukrainian startups, investment and the fintech market. Antoniuk previously was a tech reporter for Forbes Ukraine. Her work has also been published at Sifted and The Record. She graduated from Taras Shevchenko National University in Kyiv with BA in journalism and communications.
