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.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said he will meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara, but said both leaders are ready to fly to Istanbul if Russian President Vladimir Putin chooses to attend the talks there.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky attends a joint press conference with Norway's Prime Minister in Oslo on Dec. 13, 2023. (Javad Parsa / NTB / AFP via Getty Images)
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban did not give President Volodymyr Zelensky an answer when asked why Budapest wants to block Ukraine's entry into the EU, Zelensky said at the Nordic-Ukraine Summit in Oslo on Dec. 13.
Zelensky and Orban were seen talking on the sidelines of the inauguration of Argentina's President Javier Milei on Dec. 10, which Zelensky previously described as a "frank" conversation.
"I asked him to tell me one reason, not three, five, 10, tell me one reason" as to why talks should not begin, Zelensky said at the press conference in Oslo. "I'm still waiting for (an) answer."
Orban is openly opposed to the launch of Ukraine's EU accession negotiations, claiming that Ukraine is "light years" away from joining the block. The European Commission announced on Nov. 8 that Ukraine was ready for talks to begin.
"The European Commission has not completed the preparatory work that could guarantee that Ukraine will continue accession negotiations in a mutually beneficial way," Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto claimed on Dec. 11.
"The European Commission has practically no idea about the impact of Ukraine's membership in the EU would have on the whole community," Szijjarto claimed.
Budapest has previously said that Kyiv's alleged "discrimination" against the Hungarian community in Ukraine is one of the obstacles on Kyiv's path toward the EU.
Hungarians in Ukraine are thought to number around 80,000, most of whom live in the western oblast of Zakarpattia. Representatives of the group sent a letter to Orban on Dec. 11, asking him not to block the launch of Ukraine's EU accession talks.
"The new draft law adopted by the Ukrainian parliament significantly reflects the interests of national minorities and enjoys our full support," the representatives said, countering Budapest's claims of discrimination.
The letter referred to changes made to Ukraine's 2017 language law, which were based on recommendations of the Venice Commission, an advisory body of the Council of Europe.
The European Commission said on Nov. 8 that Ukraine's language laws should be further strengthened to protect minority rights in education and media, but significant progress has been made in the sphere of minority protection in Ukraine so far.
Since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Hungary has repeatedly obstructed EU funds for Kyiv while opposing sanctions against Russia, straining relations between Budapest and Kyiv.
Martin Fornusek
