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.
"(Russian) President (Vladimir) Putin... doesn't want to have a ceasefire agreement with Ukraine, but rather wants to meet on Thursday, in Turkey, to negotiate a possible end to the bloodbath. Ukraine should agree to this, immediately," U.S. President Donald Trump said.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will travel to to Antalya, Turkey, for a NATO foreign ministers’ meeting from May 14–16, where he is expected to address the war in Ukraine and push for stronger Allied defense commitments.
The Kremlin said the leaders held a detailed discussion about the Russian initiative and Erdogan expressed full support, reiterating Turkey’s readiness to provide a venue and assist in organizing the negotiations.
Erdogan told Macron that international cooperation is critical for initiating peace negotiations and the "sensitive implementation" of Ukraine’s recovery and reconstruction processes, the Turkish Presidency reported.
Zelensky holds a phone call with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Jan. 29, 2024. (Volodymyr Zelenskyy / X)
President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke with U.S. President Donald Trump during the Group of Seven (G7) online meeting on Feb. 24.
"As for Donald Trump... We have just had a conversation. It was a very good conversation within the framework of the G7 meeting led by Canada," Zelensky said, thanking Ottawa for organizing the event.
The Ukrainian president expressed hope that the U.S. would maintain its support for Ukraine, emphasizing the need to preserve unity between Washington and European allies.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, along with a dozen European leaders and top officials, visited Kyiv on Feb. 24 to mark three years since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion.
Zelensky's remarks come amid growing concerns that Trump is attempting to sideline Ukraine and Europe in favor of direct negotiations with Russia.
U.S. and Russian officials held talks in Saudi Arabia on Feb. 18 without Ukrainian participation, with a follow-up meeting scheduled for Feb. 25.
While no formal peace proposals were announced, Trump's outreach to Moscow has coincided with increasingly hostile rhetoric toward Ukraine.
Trump has accused Zelensky of being a "dictator without elections," echoing Russian propaganda narratives about his legitimacy.
His remarks ignore the fact that Ukraine's constitution prohibits elections during martial law, which has been in effect since Russia launched its full-scale invasion.
His administration has also pushed Kyiv to sign a minerals deal, which Zelensky has criticized for lacking security guarantees.
The initial U.S. proposal reportedly sought a 50% stake in Ukraine's natural resources, including critical minerals, oil, and gas, as well as stakes in ports and other key infrastructure through a joint investment fund.
The U.S. president has also called for Russia's reinstatement into the G7, arguing on Feb. 13 that Moscow's 2014 expulsion following its illegal annexation of Crimea was a "mistake."
Tim Zadorozhnyy is a news editor at The Kyiv Independent. Based in Warsaw, he is pursuing studies in International Relations, focusing on European Studies. Tim began his career at a local television channel in Odesa. After moving to Warsaw, he joined the Belarusian opposition media outlet NEXTA, starting as a news anchor and later advancing to the position of managing editor.
