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.
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.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko's statement came as Strong Shield 5 exercises involving military personnel from other NATO countries began in Lithuania.
"Amendments to the Budget Code are needed to implement the provisions on funding the U.S.-Ukrainian Reconstruction Investment Fund," lawmaker Roksolana Pidlasa said.
During reconnaissance in an unspecified front-line sector, Special Operations Forces' operators detected Buk-M3 and Uragan-1 on combat duty, the unit said.
The suspect quit his job at the Rivne NPP before the full-scale war began. In the spring of 2025, a GRU liaison contacted him and offered cooperation in exchange for money.
President Volodymyr Zelensky would not meet any other Russian official apart from Russian President Vladimir Putin in Istanbul this week, presidential advisor Mykhailo Podolyak said on the Breakfast Show program on May 13.
U.S. and European officials held talks on May 12, during which Washington made it clear that it wanted to allow talks between Russia and Ukraine before increasing pressure on Vladimir Putin, sources told Bloomberg.
Italy's Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, Poland's Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski, Spain's Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares Bueno, U.K. Foreign Secretary David Lammy, European Union High Representative Kaja Kallas, Germany's Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, and French Junior Minister for Europe Benjamin Haddad in London on May 12, 2025. (Carlos Jasso/WPA Pool/Getty Images)
Ukraine's European allies called for an unconditional 30-day ceasefire and threatened additional sanctions against Russia in a joint statement issued May 12.
The foreign ministers of France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, and the United Kingdom, along with EU High Representative Kaja Kallas, convened in London for a meeting of the Wemair+ group dedicated to Euro-Atlantic security and Russian aggression against Ukraine.
"We joined Ukraine in calling for an immediate, full, unconditional 30-day ceasefire to create space for talks on a just, comprehensive, and lasting peace," the officials wrote in a joint statement published after the summit.
Earlier in the day, Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha joined the meeting via video link and confirmed that Russian forces have not honored the proposed ceasefire set to begin May 12. Ukraine and its top European allies warned Russia on May 10 that it would impose harsher sanctions if the Kremlin did not accept the 30-day truce.
The ministers detailed some of the promised penalties in their statement.
"We agreed to pursue ambitious measures to reduce Russia's ability to wage war by limiting Kremlin revenues, disrupting the shadow fleet, tightening the Oil Price Cap, and reducing our remaining imports of Russian energy," they wrote.
"We will keep Russian sovereign assets in our jurisdictions immobilized until Russia ceases its aggression and pays for the damage caused."
The ministers also affirmed their commitment to strengthening Ukraine's military, providing "robust security guarantees," and promoting a strong NATO.
Russian President Vladimir Putin countered the allied demand for a ceasefire by inviting Ukraine to participate in direct negotiations in Istanbul starting May 15. According to Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov, these talks would be based on the terms of the 2022 Istanbul discussions and the "current situation on the battlefield."
President Volodymyr Zelensky said he was prepared to meet Putin in Turkey and has reiterated the demand for a full and unconditional ceasefire.
An undisclosed Ukrainian official told Axios that Zelensky will be in Turkey on May 15 even if Moscow does not agree to the ceasefire proposal.
Asked by the Kyiv Independent whether Zelensky plans to make the trip even if Russia does not support the truce, a source close to the Presidential Office said: "We are ready for all options. But of course, we are separately waiting for a response on the ceasefire."
Putin has yet to formally confirm his attendance on May 15.
Germany threatened to introduce new sanctions on Moscow if it did not implement a ceasefire by the end of May 12. The EU also plans to unveil another round of sanctions against Russia on May 14,an EU official told the Kyiv Independent.
The Weimar+ group was formed in February 2025, expanding from the regional alliance of France, Germany, and Poland to include the U.K., Spain, Italy, and the European Commission. The group's establishment came in response to shifting U.S. policy toward Ukraine and Russia following the inauguration of U.S. President Donald Trump.
Asami Terajima
