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.
Ivan Mykolaichuk and Larisa Kadochnikova, who played the main roles in Sergei Parajanov’s ‘Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors’ (Frame from the film).
The Ukrainian embassy in France appealed to local authorities after the "Another Russia" (Une autre Russie) organization included the Ukrainian film "Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors" by Sergei Parajanov into the program of the Russian film festival in Paris and Taverny, the embassy's press service reported on Facebook on March 13.
"Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors" is a 1964 Ukrainian film based on the eponymous novel by Ukrainian writer Mykhailo Kotsiubynsky that tells the tragic love story of Marichka and Ivan from rival families.
The film's Armenian-born director, Parajanov, was persecuted and imprisoned by Soviet authorities in attempts to suppress his art.
"Another Russia" held the Russian film festival for the 10th time in 2024. This year, it is meant to commemorate Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who died on Feb. 16 in a penal colony in Russia's far northern Yamal-Nenets Autonomous District.
"Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors" was presented as part of "Russian culture" in the festival's invitation.
"We think that even during turbulent times, despite the abuse from the ruling (Russia's) government, it is necessary to continue protecting and promoting Russian culture, including the film industry," the invitation said.
The Ukrainian embassy calledthe inclusion of Parajanov's film "a cultural appropriation."
"A cultural appropriation or, in other words, the stealing of someone else's cultural heritage is a traditional part of the Russian hybrid arsenal," the embassy said.
"Culture is still being used for legitimizing Russian aggression. It is known that through the years, the festival of 'Russian films' has been supported by the Russian government," the embassy added.
The Ukrainian diplomats also told Ukrainian media outlet Ukrinform on March 14 that they would ask French authorities to "sort out the situation and restore justice."
Except for Parajanov's "Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors," the Russian film festival also included a retrospective of films by Ukrainian director Larysa Shepitko. The Ukrainian embassy did not mention her in its address.
Larysa Shepitko was born in Bakhmutin Donetsk Oblast, occupied by Russian forces in May 2023. Since then, Russian troops have advanced, taking control of the nearby city of Avdiivkaand the villages of Stepoveand Lastochkyne.
Kateryna Hodunova is a News Editor at the Kyiv Independent. She previously worked as a sports journalist in several Ukrainian outlets and was the deputy chief editor at Suspilne Sport. Kateryna covered the 2022 Olympics in Beijing and was included in the Special Mentions list at the AIPS Sport Media Awards. She holds a bachelor's degree in political journalism from Taras Shevchenko University and a master's degree in political science from the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy.
Kate Tsurkan
