The sanctions appear to be in response to Russia's rejection of a 30-day ceasefire that the U.K., alongside Ukraine, France, Germany, and Poland, demanded during a visit to Kyiv on May 10.
"We now know for sure that the great fire of the Marywilska shopping centre in Warsaw was caused by arson ordered by the Russian special services," Prime Minister Donald Tusk said on X. "Some of the perpetrators have already been detained, all the others are identified and searched for."
The publications' latest report covers the period of February 24, 2022 to May 8, 2025. Since it was last updated at the end of April, 2,857 additional Russian military personnel have been confirmed killed.
Hungary cancelled a meeting planned for May 12 with a Ukrainian delegation on the rights of national minorities, Hungary's Deputy Foreign Minister said on May 11, amid a deepening spying scandal between the two countries.
Three were injured in Russia's Kursk Oblast when the town of Rylsk was allegedly struck by a missile attack on May 11, local governor Alexander Khinshtein claimed.
This week, the world watched in anticipation for Russia’s Victory Day parade after President Volodymyr Zelensky commented that he could not guarantee the safety of those attending. Meanwhile, the European Union moves one step forward to banning Russian gas from the European continent. It is also revealed this week that U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has fallen out of step with the White House.
"(Russian) President (Vladimir) Putin... doesn't want to have a ceasefire agreement with Ukraine, but rather wants to meet on Thursday, in Turkey, to negotiate a possible end to the bloodbath. Ukraine should agree to this, immediately," U.S. President Donald Trump said.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will travel to to Antalya, Turkey, for a NATO foreign ministers’ meeting from May 14–16, where he is expected to address the war in Ukraine and push for stronger Allied defense commitments.
The Kremlin said the leaders held a detailed discussion about the Russian initiative and Erdogan expressed full support, reiterating Turkey’s readiness to provide a venue and assist in organizing the negotiations.
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda (L) and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (R) at the Crimean Platform summit on Aug. 23, 2023. (Source: Presidential Office)
Ukraine has a clear vision on how to restore democratic life in Crimea upon its liberation from Russian occupation, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in his address at the Crimean Platform on Aug. 23.
"Whenever Russia gets involved, violence becomes the norm. We will ensure the rule of law," Zelensky said.
"Throughout the history of Crimea, its ports and roads have been connected to Ukraine and the whole world. Russia has caused the isolation of Crimea. We will return the whole world to Crimea."
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba stressed that the ongoing occupation of Crimea is a crime that must be and will eventually be punished: "A crime is a crime, no matter how much time has passed."
Zelensky said that Ukraine took the first steps in making the peninsula once again part of the global economy.
Companies like Ryanair and Royal Haskoning have reportedly announced their readiness to invest, and the restoration of Crimea "is supported by the World Tourism Organization and the World Council for Travel and Tourism, representing more than 200 companies," Zelensky noted.
Kyiv is hosting the third summit of the Crimean Platform, an international consultation and coordination format aimed at ensuring the liberation of the peninsula from the Russian occupation.
Since its inaugural summit on Aug. 23, 2021, it has gathered participants from dozens of countries in Europe, North America, Asia, and elsewhere, as well as non-governmental and intergovernmental organizations, including the EU.
According to Kuleba, this year's event has been joined by representatives of up to 67 countries and organizations, attending in person or via video calls. World leaders attending the summit have reaffirmed their commitment to Ukraine's territorial integrity and sovereignty, including the occupied peninsula.
"The sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity of Ukraine are unquestionable," said Hungarian President Katalin Novak, whose homeland has been at odds with Kyiv over Budapest's amicable stance toward Russia.
"The liberation of Crimea and restoration of Ukraine's full territorial integrity are necessary preconditions not just for the security of the Azov and Black Sea regions, but also for the stability of the global security architecture," Polish President Andrzej Duda said.
As Ukrainian forces continue their efforts to retake occupied territories, Zelensky said that the main goal of the Crimean Platform is the liberation of the peninsula, hinting at a military pathway.
"We understand how we will return to Crimea... In the year that has passed since the previous meeting on the Crimea Platform, Ukrainian soldiers have done extraordinary things," the president said during the forum.
"Ukraine has shown that the liberation of our land during military operations is not an accident."
In recent weeks, there have been a number of reports of strikes and explosions occurring on the occupied peninsula, with Ukraine claiming responsibility for some of the incidents. Kyiv officials have repeatedly said that the goal of Ukraine's military efforts is the liberation of the entire country, including Crimea.
Russia has been occupying the peninsula since 2014 after the Euromaidan Revolution ousted pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych.
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.
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