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.
Illustrative purposes only: Ukrainian soldier operates a drone during training of the 22nd Brigade in Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine, 3 May 2024. (Diego Herrera Carcedo/Anadolu via Getty Images)
The Ukrainian military will get over 30,000 DeepStrike attack drones in 2025 within President Volodymyr Zelensky's resilience plan, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov announced on Dec. 5.
According to Umerov, DeepStrike drones are of the new generation, capable of "operating autonomously over long distances and hitting targets with high accuracy."
"We are demonstrating to the world that Ukraine is capable of innovation and technological independence. Even in wartime, we are developing cutting-edge production and strengthening our defense capabilities," Umerov said.
Zelensky presented a 10-point resilience plan to the Ukrainian parliament on Nov. 19, which includes measures to stabilize the front line, increase the technological capabilities of Ukrainian forces, and overcome bureaucracy in the army.
The production of part of the DeepStrike drones that will be supplied to the Ukrainian army next year was financed by international partners who invested in the Ukrainian defense industry, according to Umerov.
The minister did not say how these drones will be distributed among Ukrainian troops.
There is a "significant volume" of new and long-term orders for first-person-view (FPV) drones, reconnaissance drones, long-range drones, and missile-drones, Zelensky said on Dec. 3.
Kyiv employs long-range drones to strike deep into Russian territory, targeting military infrastructure such as airfields and logistics, as well as oil refineries and depots.
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.
Daria Svitlyk
