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.
Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. (Photo by Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
The United States House of Representatives voted to remove Kevin McCarthy from his role as speaker, CNN reported on Oct. 3.
The move follows a tense battle over funding legislation that nearly resulted in a government shutdown. Funding for Ukrainian military aid became a focal point of the legislative fight, with some House Republicans refusing to pass a bill that included funds for Ukraine.
McCarthy managed to avert a shutdown with a stopgap funding bill that did not include any Ukrainian aid.
In a White House released shortly after the House passed the bill, the administration suggested the lack of aid was a temporary measure.
"We fully expect (House) Speaker McCarthy—who has stated his support for funding to support Ukraine in its fight against Russia’s illegal and unjustified war of aggression—will bring a separate bill to the floor shortly," the statement said.
Representative Matt Gaetz, part of a group of far-right conservatives in the Republican party who oppose increased military aid to Ukraine, brought forth the motion to oust McCarthy as speaker.
The motion passed by a vote of 216-210, with eight Republicans voting to remove McCarthy.
This is the first time a House speaker has lost their position due to successful passage of a motion to remove them.
Abbey Fenbert is a senior news editor at the Kyiv Independent. She is a freelance writer, editor, and playwright with an MFA from Boston University. Abbey served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ukraine from 2008-2011.
Daniil Ukhorskiy
