Andriy Yermak, Zelensky's chief of staff, said that the new pontiff had a phone call with Zelensky on Monday, during which the pope expressed willingness to facilitate meetings between global leaders and vowed to support efforts for "a just and lasting peace."
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.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland on Jan. .16, 2024. (Hannes P Albert/picture alliance via Getty Images)
President Volodymyr Zelensky in his nightly address on Jan. 17 briefly commented on the leak of personal videos and calls of staff members of the investigative outlet Bihus.Info, saying that “any pressure on journalists is unacceptable.”
Bihus.Info reported on Jan. 16 that its employees had been under surveillance for months after a video appeared online showing some staff members of the outlet using drugs during a New Year's private party.
The video, published by a dubious online news outlet Narodna Pravda, included footage from a well-placed, hidden camera inside a building where the party took place, as well as video recordings taken from the street and tapped phone calls, where the staff members discuss purchasing drugs.
An investigation into Narodna Pravda found that the supposed news organization is likely fake, the Svidomi news outlet reported on Jan. 17.
Zelensky said he had held a meeting with law enforcement officials with the participation of Ukraine Security Service chief Vasyl Maliuk. Earlier the same day, the SBU said it had begun investigating the incident with Bihus.Info and opened criminal proceedings.
The news about the surveillance of Bihus.Info came a day after Yurii Nikolov, a prominent journalist known for investigating defense procurement corruption scandals, said he had received a threatening visit to his home by unknown men.
Mediarukh, a community that brings together journalists of leading Ukrainian media, urged Zelensky to condemn the pressure on journalists and to take control of the investigation.
Kateryna Denisova works as a News Editor at the Kyiv Independent. She previously worked as a news editor at the NV media outlet for four years, covering mainly Ukrainian and international politics. Kateryna holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Taras Shevchenko University of Kyiv. She also was a fellow at journalism schools in the Czech Republic and Germany.
Dinara Khalilova
