Ukrainian actor and TV presenter Maksym Nelipa was killed in action on May 12, his friends and family reported on May 14. The details of his death have not been disclosed.
European and U.S. officials, including Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, reportedly convinced Zelensky that attending the peace talks would reflect positively on Kyiv, diplomats told the Washington Post.
"We discussed in detail the logic of further steps and shared our approaches... It is critical that Russia reciprocate Ukraine's constructive steps. So far, it has not. Moscow must understand that rejecting peace comes at a cost," Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said.
"I am waiting to see who will come from Russia, and then I will decide which steps Ukraine should take. So far, the signals from them in the media are unconvincing," President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
The air raid was announced at around 2:30 p.m. local time, while the explosion sounded around 2:50 p.m. The number of victims killed rose to three, Sumy Oblast Governor Oleh Hryhorov reported at 8:42 p.m.
If confirmed, the decision would mark the first time since Russia's full-scale invasion that President Volodymyr Zelensky is absent, either physically or virtually, from a NATO summit.
The disclosure follows a warning from Digital Affairs Minister Krzysztof Gawkowski, who on May 6 said Moscow was carrying out an "unprecedented" interference campaign.
Donald Trump leaves the stage after taking part in a roundtable discussion hosted by Building America's Future in Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania, on Oct. 29, 2024. (Charly Triballeau/ AFP) (Pugliano/Getty Images) #voteupdate
U.S. President Donald Trump will not attend Ukraine-Russia peace talks to be held on May 15, Reuters reported on May 14, citing an unnamed U.S. official.
Trump's special envoys, Steve Witkoff and Keith Kellogg, will reportedly travel to Istanbul for the planned peace talks between Ukraine and Russia. President Volodymyr Zelensky has called for Trump to join the negotiations in Turkey.
Trump will not attend the peace talks, as Russian President Vladimir Putin skips the negotiations, the U.S. official said after Russia unveiled who will be a part of its delegation.
The Kremlin announced that their delegation would be headed by presidential advisor and propaganda architect, Vladimir Medinsky.
The Russian delegation will also consist of Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin, Director of Russian Military Intelligence Igor Kostyukov, and Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Fomin.
The delegation is notably void of the Kremlin's top politicians, including Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
Following Putin's calls for direct peace talks, Zelensky on May 11 said he will attend the negotiations and invited Putin to meet him in Turkey.
In his address, Zelensky called for Trump to attend the peace talks.
"(W)e also hear that President Trump is considering attending the meeting in Turkey. That could become the strongest argument," he said.
Trump has said that the U.S. may consider implementing additional sanctions against Russia if it does not reach a peace deal with Ukraine to end the war.
Volodymyr Ivanyshyn is a news editor for The Kyiv Independent. He is pursuing an Honors Bachelor of Arts at the University of Toronto, majoring in political science with a minor in anthropology and human geography. Volodymyr holds a Certificate in Business Fundamentals from Rotman Commerce at the University of Toronto. He previously completed an internship with The Kyiv Independent.
Dominic Culverwell
