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.
"Think of the hundreds of thousands of lives that will be saved as this never ending 'bloodbath' hopefully comes to an end... I will continue to work with both sides to make sure that it happens."
U.S. State Department Spokesperson Tammy Bruce called for "concrete proposals from both sides" in order for Washington to "move forward" in peace negotiations.
"If they speak to each other in Russian, he doesn't know what they are saying," one Western official told NBC News. Michael McFaul, former U.S. ambassador to Russia, called Witkoff's approach "a very bad idea."
Tougher sanctions "should be applied to (Russia's) banking and energy sectors, targeting fossil fuels, oil, and the shadow fleet," the leaders of Ukraine, the U.K., France, Germany, and Poland said in a joint statement.
"Russia is ready for negotiations without any preconditions," Putin claimed in an address marking the end of the three-day Victory Day ceasefire. He invited Ukraine to begin talks in Istanbul on May 15.
While serving as a bishop in Peru, Robert Prevost, now Pope Leo XIV, called the full-scale war "a true invasion, imperialist in nature, where Russia seeks to conquer territory for reasons of power."
Bulgaria's Foreign Minister Mariya Gabriel welcomes Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky in Sofia, Bulgaria, July 6, 2023. (Source: Foreign Minister Mariya Gabriel/Twitter)
President Volodymyr Zelensky has arrived in Sofia, Bulgaria, to discuss military support and the NATO summit, among other key topics, the president's press service announced on July 6.
"I will hold thorough talks with Prime Minister Nikolai Denkov, meet President Rumen Radev, government officials, parliamentarians, politicians, journalists," Zelensky wrote on Telegram.
As the key points of his visit, the president listed "defense support, the NATO summit, security guarantees, and the implementation of the peace formula."
The Bulgarian newspaper 24 Chasa reported on July 4 that Zelensky is scheduled to arrive in Bulgaria at the invitation of its government.
Bulgaria announced its second military aid package for Ukraine on June 27 without specifying its content. On June 15, Bulgarian Defense Minister Todor Tagarev told Politico that Sofia wanted to join the European Union's initiative to supply Ukraine with one million artillery shells.
Bulgaria's President Rumen Radev has consistently opposed providing Ukraine with large-scale defense assistance. He has been accused of having a pro-Moscow stance and called Crimea "Russian" during a 2021 presidential debate.
After parliament approved arms supplies to Kyiv in December last year, the interim cabinet provided the first package of military aid, but further aid was reportedly blocked by Radev.
However, the new government, which was formed in early June under Prime Minister Mykola Denkov, appears to be taking active steps to help Ukraine repel Russian aggression.
Martin Fornusek
