"When European unity becomes inconvenient, disinformation goes so far as to make a simple tissue look like drugs," the Elysee Palace reacted to a fake story pushed by Russia.
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.
President Volodymyr Zelensky in his office in Kyiv on July 21, 2023. (Photo: President's Office)
President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a law on July 28 changing the date of the Christmas state holiday in Ukraine from Jan. 7 to Dec. 25 as part of the efforts to "renounce Russian heritage," the president said.
As further changes, the Day of Ukrainian Statehood will be moved from July 28 to July 15, and Oct. 1 will mark the Day of Ukraine's Defenders and the Day of Intercession of the Holy Mother of God instead of Oct. 14.
On July 27, the independent (autocephalous) Orthodox Church of Ukraine adopted the revised Julian calendar, with the change taking effect on Sep. 1. The revised Julian calendar currently coincides with the Gregorian calendar.
This means that the date of religious celebrations of Christmas will move from Jan. 7 to Dec. 25.
Until recently, both the Orthodox Church of Ukraine and Ukrainian Greek Catholics had used only the older version of the Julian calendar, also used by the Russian Orthodox Church.
Roman Catholics use the Gregorian calendar, while the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople and most other autocephalous (independent) Orthodox churches use the revised Julian calendar, which currently coincides with the Gregorian calendar.
Previously the Orthodox Church of Ukraine and Ukrainian Greek Catholics had celebrated Christmas only on Jan. 7 - the same day as Russia. Most Orthodox churches and Roman Catholics celebrate Christmas on Dec. 25.
The developments come amid a backlash against the Russian Orthodox Church's Ukrainian branch.
