Performing their song "Bird of Pray," Ukrainian band Ziferblat passed the Eurovision semi-finals on May 13, qualifying Ukraine for the grand final on May 17.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed that a Russian delegation will be in Istanbul on May 15 for direct peace talks with Ukraine. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Putin’s foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov will likely represent Russia.
The move follows Ukraine's ratification of the minerals agreement, deepening U.S.-Ukraine economic ties and signaling expanded U.S. involvement in Ukraine's long-term recovery.
"Ukraine has initiated a coordinated campaign to vilify Hungary in order to undermine our initiative to hold a poll on (Kyiv's) EU membership," Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz warned that further concessions from Ukraine during negotiations would be unreasonable if Russia continues to attack civilian targets.
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.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said he will meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara, but said both leaders are ready to fly to Istanbul if Russian President Vladimir Putin chooses to attend the talks there.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (R) and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrive for the 2024 Ukraine Recovery Conference on June 11, 2024, in Berlin, Germany. (Sean Gallup/Getty Images)
President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Germany June 11 to take part in the Ukraine Recovery Conference and meet with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Zelensky announced.
The Ukraine Recovery Conference 2024, hosted in Berlin, will convene government officials, companies, and organizations to address Ukraine's ongoing reconstruction needs, focusing primarily on energy infrastructure.
"In the face of Russia's air terror, urgent solutions for Ukraine's energy sector will be our top priority," Zelensky said.
Zelensky and Scholz will discuss military assistance for Ukraine, expanding air defense capacity, and joint arms production, the president said. Zelensky will also meet with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Bundestag President Barbel Bas.
During his stay to Germany, Zelensky also plans to visit a military base where Ukrainian servicemembers are training.
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.
Liliane Bivings
