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.
Ukraine's Defense Minister Rustem Umerov (L) and Head of the President's Office Andriy Yermak before the meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France on Oct. 10, 2024. (Ludovic Marin / AFP via Getty Images)
Presidential Office head Andriy Yermak, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, and Defense Minister Rustem Umerov arrived in London on April 23 to discuss a potential ceasefire with U.S. and European officials as a first step toward peace.
The meeting will take place at a lower level than planned, as top U.S. and European diplomats are skipping the event amid reported disagreements on key points of the U.S. peace plan.
"Despite everything, we continue working for peace. As agreed in Paris, we will meet with American and European counterparts who are currently in the British capital," Yermak said on X.
Ukraine, the U.S., France, and Germany previously held a meeting in Paris on April 17.
"Today, we will discuss ways to achieve a full and unconditional ceasefire as the first step toward a comprehensive settlement and the achievement of a just and lasting peace," Yermak noted.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff were originally expected to attend but later canceled their visit. The move coincided with President Volodymyr Zelensky rejecting legal recognition of Russian occupation of Crimea, reportedly a key point in the U.S.'s peace proposal unveiled to Kyiv last week.
Axios reported that Kyiv hopes to discuss a proposed 30-day ceasefire deal in London rather than Trump's peace plan. The U.S. and Ukraine agreed on a full 30-day truce in March, but Moscow has rejected the proposal.
Zelensky then extended another offer of a 30-day pause on all long-range strikes against civilian targets, with Moscow yet to respond.
The U.S. delegation at the meeting will be led by Special Envoy for Ukraine Keith Kellogg. Germany will be represented by National Security Advisor Jens Plotner, and France by presidential advisor Emmanuel Bonne and senior diplomat Frederic Mondoloni, the media reported.
While in London, Sybiha is also expected to hold a bilateral meeting with his U.K. counterpart, David Lammy.
Martin Fornusek is a news editor at the Kyiv Independent. He has previously worked as a news content editor at the media company Newsmatics and is a contributor to Euromaidan Press. He was also volunteering as an editor and translator at the Czech-language version of Ukraïner. Martin studied at Masaryk University in Brno, Czechia, holding a bachelor's degree in security studies and history and a master's degree in conflict and democracy studies.
Kateryna Hodunova
