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.
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."
President Volodymyr Zelensky at a meeting on the Ukraine Compact during the NATO Summit in Washington, D.C., U.S., on July 11, 2024. (Chris Kleponis/CNP/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
President Volodymyr Zelensky will meet with U.S. President Donald Trump on Feb. 28 to finalize a critical minerals deal between Ukraine and the United States, the president confirmed in his evening address on Feb. 26.
"Our teams are working with America, we are preparing for talks this Friday," Zelensky said in a video posted to his official Telegram channel.
"An agreement with America. ... I will meet with President Trump. It is important for me and all of us in the world that America's assistance is not stopped."
Following a series of intensive negotiations, Washington and Kyiv agreed on a deal to establish a fund to which Ukraine will contribute 50% of proceeds from the "future monetization" of state-owned mineral resources, including oil, gas, and logistics infrastructure.
Ukraine's Cabinet of Ministers approved the decision to sign the mineral resources agreement on Feb. 26, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said.
The agreement does not lay out any concrete security guarantees in exchange for U.S. access to Ukraine's mineral resource revenues. Zelensky told reporters that although specific measures are not included in the current agreement, guarantees will be discussed in future negotiations.
"Guarantees of peace and security are the key to ensuring that Russia no longer destroys the lives of other nations," he said in his Feb. 26 address.
Zelensky initially rejected a proposed U.S. minerals agreement because it lacked security guarantees for Ukraine, something Kyiv has said is essential to any deal. Zelensky's rejection triggered backlash from the Trump administration, which put increasing pressure on Ukraine to sign the deal even as it made overtures toward Moscow.
The White House has characterized the agreement as a way for the U.S. to "recoup" the financial aid it has directed to Kyiv since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion. Trump said on Feb. 25 that the deal offers Ukraine "military equipment and the right to fight on."
In his remarks on Feb. 26, Zelensky said the agreement is a sign of U.S. support.
"It is important for me and all of us in the world that America's assistance is not stopped," he said.
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.
The Kyiv Independent
