"There is no point in prolonging the killings. And I will wait for Putin on Thursday in Turkey," President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
"We cannot allow NATO's military infrastructure to get that close to our borders," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said.
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.
Preliminary findings suggest that one of the men killed the other before taking his own life.
Western leaders dismissed the Kremlin's proposal for talks in Istanbul on May 15 as insufficient.
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.
The pope said he was praying to God to grant the world the "miracle of peace."
Ushakov’s comments follow Russian President Vladimir Putin's May 11 invitation for direct talks with Ukraine in Istanbul starting May 15.
The assault began around 2 a.m. on May 11, with Russian forces deploying 108 Shahed-type attack drones and decoy UAVs from multiple directions, Ukraine’s Air Force said.
Zelensky called a ceasefire the essential first step toward ending the war.
Ukrainian army retook 115 positions in April, Syrskyi says
The Ukrainian army retook 115 positions from Russian forces during April, Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi reported on May 1.
"We use active defence tactics: thanks to these actions, our soldiers regained a total of 115 positions over a month," Syrskyi wrote on Facebook.
The main task of the Ukrainian army now is to deter Russian troops in the "threatened areas," primarily Sumy, Kursk, Pokrovsk, and Novopavlivsk, he added.
Syrskyi highlighted the continued success of artillery, aviation, and UAVs. "In April, DeepStrike (long-range drones) hit 62 targets in Russia, destroying military facilities and undermining the aggressor's (Russian) military-industrial complex," he said.
He also noted that the "18-24" mobilization project is progressing, as is the transfer of military from non-combat units to combat ones, with 30,500 soldiers moving to combat roles using the "Army+" application.
Additionally, criminal offenses within the Ukrainian army have decreased by 43% compared to 2024, he said.
Earlier on May 1, Syrskyi also reported that Ukrainian drones struck and destroyed more than 83,000 Russian targets in April, an 8% increase from March.
Syrskyi said the growing success underscored the need to further expand drone operations.
Ukraine and Russia both rely heavily on drones for surveillance and strikes.
Kyiv has rapidly expanded domestic drone production, integrating them into reconnaissance and combat roles. On Feb. 9, Ukraine's Defense Ministry launched the "Drone Line" initiative to accelerate battlefield deployment.
Ukraine has also developed long-range missile-drone hybrids, such as the Palianytsia and Peklo models, which use turbojet engines as cruise missile alternatives.
President Volodymyr Zelensky has set a target of producing at least 30,000 long-range drones in 2025.Syrskyi emphasized that prioritizing drones allows Ukraine to inflict losses on Russian forces from a distance while preserving infantry lives.
Yana Prots
Most Popular
After 3 years of full-scale war in Ukraine, Europe announces plan to ban all Russian gas imports
Journalist Roshchyna's body missing organs after Russian captivity, investigation says
Ukrainian sea drone downs Russian fighter jet in 'world-first' strike, intelligence says
Ukraine is sending the war back to Russia — just in time for Victory Day
'Justice inevitably comes' — Zelensky on deaths of high-ranking Russian officials
Editors' Picks
How medics of Ukraine’s 3rd Assault Brigade deal with horrors of drone warfare
As Russia trains abducted children for war, Ukraine fights uphill battle to bring them home
'I just hate the Russians' — Kyiv district recovers from drone strike as ceasefire remains elusive
