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.
A captive named Umit allegedly agreed to serve in the Russian army in exchange for Russian citizenship and a monetary reward of 2 million rubles ($25,000).
Russia's Buryatia Republic declared a state of emergency on May 13 over massive forest fires that have engulfed multiple regions in the Russian Far East.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky with Romania's President Klaus Iohannis prior to their meeting in Kyiv, on June 16, 2022. (Photo by Ukrainian Presidency / Handout/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will make a planned visit to Bucharest on Oct. 10, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis announced via a press release on Oct. 9.
Zelensky will be visiting Romania upon Iohannis' invitation, according to the press release.
The official visit confirms the "special nature of the bilateral relationship between Romania and Ukraine, its potential and the need to discuss, at the highest level, projects and themes common interest," the press release added.
On Oct. 2, Romanian Foreign Minister Luminita Odobescu attended a meeting of European Union foreign ministers in Kyiv, where she said Romania will continue to assist Ukraine with military aid, grain transit, and accession to the EU.
"Romania and some of the other (EU) members with the longest borders with Ukraine understand well the consequences of the war in Ukraine," Odobescu said, and referred to the discovery of debris from Russian drones on Romanian soil multiple times in September.
Romania introduced new security measures to protect the civilian population near the Danube River after the impact of Russian attacks on Ukrainian port infrastructure spilled over into its territory.
Debris from Russian attack drones have now been found in Romania at least three times.
While the attacks are not intentionally targeting Romania, the situation is still "unacceptable," Iohannis said on Sept. 21.
Joanna Kozlowska
