"Perhaps in some areas, the intensity decreased slightly to create an image of compliance with their own announcement. But in reality, (Russia) continued attacks every day, using all available weapons — including aircraft to drop guided bombs on Ukraine," Andrii Demchenko, spokesperson for Ukraine’s State Border Guard Service, said.
Beijing supports all efforts toward achieving peace in Ukraine, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on May 12 when asked about Kyiv and Europe's proposal for a 30-day truce.
"I invited His Holiness to make an apostolic visit to Ukraine. Such a visit would bring real hope to all believers and to all our people," Zelensky said.
Previously, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk accused the Russian intelligence services of orchestrating a May 2024 arson attack on the Marywilska shopping centre in Warsaw.
Presidential Office chief Andriy Yermak voiced doubt about leading negotiations with anyone from Russia except President Vladimir Putin, implying only the Russian leader can make real decisions.
This includes at least seven people injured in drone attacks overnight on May 12, a date from which Kyiv and its allies put forward a demand for a 30-day unconditional truce, a step that Moscow continues to reject.
"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."
President Volodymyr Zelensky greets Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on arrival at Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Canada, on Sept. 22, 2023. (Dave Chan / AFP via Getty Images)
President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau about the evacuation of Ukrainian citizens from Gaza in a phone call on Oct. 16, the president said via Telegram.
Zelensky said that he and Trudeau were "in constant contact," and thanked the prime minister for "his willingness to help with the evacuation of our people from the Gaza Strip."
Around 260 Ukrainian nationals remained trapped in the besieged region of northern Gaza. Despite claims that the Rafah border crossing into Egypt would be opened for foreigners and humanitarian aid deliveries on the morning of Oct. 16, Israel denied any such agreement.
Ukraine's Human Rights Commissioner Dmytro Lubinets called the situation in Gaza a "humanitarian catastrophe" on Oct. 14.
Zelensky also said the conversation with Trudeau touched on agreements made during his visit to Canada in September.
The leaders discussed "hydroelectric power generation" as well as plans to complete a museum dedicated to the Holodomor, along with ongoing "defense cooperation."
Zelensky said he invited a Canadian representative to the next meeting regarding Ukraine's peace formula, which he said would be held soon.
On Oct. 11, Canada pledged a new aid package worth $19 million, intended to help Ukraine during the winter months.
Abbey Fenbert is a senior news editor at the Kyiv Independent. She is a freelance writer, editor, and playwright with an MFA from Boston University. Abbey served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ukraine from 2008-2011.
Anastasiia Lapatina
