The comments came after Trump urged Ukraine to agree to direct negotiations with Russia, which has invited Kyiv to peace talks in Istanbul on May 15, without first agreeing to halt military operations.
A Russian drone hit a civilian freight train in Donetsk Oblast on May 12 and injured its driver, Ukrainian Railways said amid Kyiv's calls for a ceasefire.
Moscow and Hanoi agreed to negotiate and sign agreements to construct nuclear power plants in Vietnam, the two countries said in a joint statement on May 11.
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.
President Volodymyr Zelensky stands outside the presidential Mariinskyi Palace in Kyiv on Feb. 21, 2023. (President's Office)
President Volodymyr Zelensky said he was not aware of the specifics of China's peace plan it wants to present on Feb. 24, adding that he is counting on the support of the Ukrainian peace formula, the European Pravda reported.
"It seems to me that our document, our peace formula, which has already been backed by a large number of states, and we expect further support for it... I think it is important to have one position," Zelensky said during a joint press conference with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni during her visit to Kyiv on Feb. 21.
The 10-point peace plan, which Zelensky introduced at a G20 summit meeting in November 2022, includes the immediate withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukrainian territory, the establishment of a Russian war crimes tribunal, the release of all prisoners and forcibly relocated people, and the prevention of ecocide.
The UN General Assembly will hold a vote on a resolution regarding the Ukrainian peace formula on Feb. 23, according to Ukraine's president.
Zelensky emphasized that he "has not officially seen any document (from China) disclosing the details of its peace plan.
"We are interested in all states – European, worldwide, certainly India, Africa, China – being involved in ending this war, in supporting our, I think, fair formula for peace," Zelensky said.
At the Munich Security Conference on Feb. 18, China's top diplomat Wang Yi said that his country would launch its peace initiative on the one-year anniversary of Russia's all-out war on Feb. 24, as quoted by the Guardian.
According to Wang, this plan will underline the need to respect the principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the UN Charter, considering the security interests of all countries, including Russia.
Western officials have expressed skepticism about Bejing's announced peace plan.
According to multiple reports, U.S. officials are concerned that China might consider supplying Moscow with "lethal support," such as weaponry.
We are the news team of the Kyiv Independent. We are here to make sure our readers get quick, essential updates about the events in Ukraine. Feel free to contact us via email with feedback and news alerts.
