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.
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.
"Think of the hundreds of thousands of lives that will be saved as this never ending 'bloodbath' hopefully comes to an end... I will continue to work with both sides to make sure that it happens."
Photo for illustrative purposes. A thermal power plant worker stands outside a thermal power plant that was extensively damaged after a Russian missile attack at an undisclosed location in Ukraine, on April 12, 2024. (Andrew Kravchenko/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned Russia’s latest targeted attack on Kherson’s thermal power plant on April 4, marking yet another assault on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.
The strike, carried out by a Russian FPV drone, demonstrates a blatant disregard for international commitments, Zelensky said in his evening address.
"Such attacks cannot be an accident," he noted, pointing out that Russia is fully aware of the target's critical energy role. Zelensky emphasized that these facilities should be safeguarded against any strikes, in line with promises made by Russia to the United States.
"All Russian assurances end in missiles, drones, bombs, or artillery," Zelensky reiterated. The president criticized Moscow’s refusal to cease hostilities, adding that Russia’s actions render diplomacy futile. "Diplomacy means nothing to them," he said.
The Ukrainian leader also noted that a ceasefire could have been achieved by now, had it not been for Russia’s consistent rejection. "Since March 11, Russia has refused to agree to a ceasefire," Zelensky pointed out, emphasizing that it is Moscow’s leadership that desires war, not peace.
Ukraine has already agreed to a full 30-day ceasefire, proposed by the United States, provided that Russia also agrees to the terms. Kyiv made its position clear on March 11, adding its readiness to take this step if Russia reciprocates. However, despite these efforts, Russia has continued its strikes against civilian and military targets, casting doubt on Moscow’s commitment to peace.
On April 3, Kremlin negotiator Kirill Dmitriev reported "significant progress" in discussions with U.S. officials regarding a ceasefire.
Dmitriev, who heads the state-controlled Russian Direct Investment Fund, praised the administration under U.S. President Donald Trump for its constructive and respectful dialogue with Russia and said the two nations plan to restore and deepen their ties, including with further economic cooperation.
American businesses are prepared to return to Russia and fill the vacancies left after European companies withdrew in the wake of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Dmitriev added.
Olena Goncharova is the Head of North America desk at The Kyiv Independent, where she has previously worked as a development manager and Canadian correspondent. She first joined the Kyiv Post, Ukraine's oldest English-language newspaper, as a staff writer in January 2012 and became the newspaper’s Canadian correspondent in June 2018. She is based in Edmonton, Alberta. Olena has a master’s degree in publishing and editing from the Institute of Journalism in Taras Shevchenko National University in Kyiv. Olena was a 2016 Alfred Friendly Press Partners fellow who worked for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette for six months. The program is administered by the University of Missouri School of Journalism in Columbia.
Tim Zadorozhnyy
