The Kyiv Independent [unofficial]
Russia’s war against Ukraine
Athletes participate in the ‘Unbroken Games’ competition for military personnel and veterans of the war in Lviv, Ukraine on May 10, 2025. The Unbroken Games are competitions that unite combatants who were injured or wounded in the line of duty in various sports. (Michael Sorrow/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Zelensky ready to meet Putin in Turkey, calls for immediate ceasefire. “There is no point in prolonging the killings. And I will wait for Putin on Thursday in Turkey,” President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
‘Have the meeting, now!’ — Trump urges Ukraine, Russia to hold direct talks
“(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.
Russia pushes for resuming peace talks in Istanbul based on 2022 terms, situation on the ground, Ushakov says. Ushakov’s comments follow Russian President Vladimir Putin’s May 11 invitation for direct talks with Ukraine in Istanbul starting May 15.
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Turkey ready to host Russia-Ukraine peace talks, Erdogan tells Macron. 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.
US, European leaders resoundingly reject Russia’s proposal for talks without ceasefire first. Western leaders dismissed the Kremlin’s proposal for talks in Istanbul on May 15 as insufficient.
Russia rejects European peacekeepers, NATO infrastructure in Ukraine amid potential peace talks, Peskov says. “We cannot allow NATO’s military infrastructure to get that close to our borders,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said.
UK to unveil additional sanctions on Russia on May 12 amid EU Foreign Ministers meeting. The sanctions appear to be in response to Russia’s rejection of a 30-day ceasefire that the U.K., alongside Ukraine, France, Germany, and Poland, demanded during a visit to Kyiv on May 10.
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Ukraine war latest: Zelensky ready to meet Putin in Turkey, calls for immediate ceasefire
President Volodymyr Zelensky on May 11 said he is ready to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Turkey on May 15.
Photo: Paul Morigi/Getty Images
Ukraine calendar: What will happen this week
This article is an on-site version of KI Insights’ public newsletter The Week Ahead, covering events from May 12-18. Sign up to start your week with an agenda of Ukraine-related events delivered directly to your inbox every Sunday.
Photo: Ray Baseley
Human cost of Russia’s war
Over 107,000 Russian soldiers killed in Ukraine identified by media investigation. The publications’ latest report covers the period of February 24, 2022 to May 8, 2025. Since it was last updated at the end of April, 2,857 additional Russian military personnel have been confirmed killed.
Ukraine allegedly targets Russia’s Kursk Oblast in missile attack, Russian official claims. Three were injured in Russia’s Kursk Oblast when the town of Rylsk was allegedly struck by a missile attack on May 11, local governor Alexander Khinshtein claimed.
International response
Pope Leo XIV urges global peace in first Sunday address, calls for end to war in Ukraine. The pope said he was praying to God to grant the world the “miracle of peace.”
Putin, Erdogan discuss proposed Russia-Ukraine peace talks in phone call. 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.
Rubio to visit Turkey amid renewed push for Russia-Ukraine peace talks in Istanbul. 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.
Hungary cancels meeting on national minorities with Ukraine over spying scandal. Hungary cancelled a meeting planned for May 12 with a Ukrainian delegation on the rights of national minorities, Hungary’s Deputy Foreign Minister said on May 11, amid a deepening spying scandal between the two countries.
Tusk says Russia ordered 2024 arson attack on Warsaw shopping centre. “We now know for sure that the great fire of the Marywilska shopping centre in Warsaw was caused by arson ordered by the Russian special services,” Prime Minister Donald Tusk said on X. “Some of the perpetrators have already been detained, all the others are identified and searched for.”
Putin’s Victory Day and White House chaos | Ukraine This Week
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@thekyivindependent_unofficial If #putin comes to #istanbul on Thursday, it would be the best opportunity to catch it for the next #thanksgiving. And no Presidential #turkey pardon for this animal