U.S. and European officials held talks on May 12, during which Washington made it clear that it wanted to allow talks between Russia and Ukraine before increasing pressure on Vladimir Putin, sources told Bloomberg.
According to Steve Witkoff, the key topics in the peace discussions are the fate of the five partially or fully occupied Ukrainian regions, the status of the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, and Ukraine's access to the Dnipro River and the Black Sea.
Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa is reportedly offering a deal that would give U.S. companies access to Syria's natural wealth, reminiscent of the minerals agreement Washington recently signed with Kyiv.
Russia attacked Ukraine with drones and guided bombs during the night, targeting multiple regions after the May 12 deadline for an unconditional ceasefire expired.
"Only member states can take out loans within the 150 billion euros instrument, but they can use these funds for joint procurement with Ukraine," EU Defense Commissioner Andrius Kubilius said.
"We agreed to pursue ambitious measures to reduce Russia's ability to wage war by limiting Kremlin revenues, disrupting the shadow fleet, tightening the Oil Price Cap, and reducing our remaining imports of Russian energy."
Zelensky on May 12 removed Lieutenant General Ivan Havryliuk from the Headquarters of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, the top command and control body for all branches of Ukraine's defense apparatus.
Ukraine remains the most mined country in the world. Nearly one-third of Ukraine's territory, approximately 174,000 square kilometers, had been mined since Russia began its full-scale invasion of the country in February 2022.
The phone call comes as Moscow once again rejected a 30-day ceasefire, with Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova claiming that a ceasefire would give "Kyiv a break to restore its military potential and continue its confrontation with Russia."
Flight MH17 departed from Amsterdam Schiphol Airport en-route to Kuala Lumpur International Airport on July 17, 2014. Three hours into the flight, the Boeing-777 was shot down by Russian proxy forces using a Buk surface-to-air missile above Ukraine’s Donetsk Oblast.
"I am grateful for the support and the readiness at the highest level to promote diplomacy," President Volodymyr Zelensky said of the phone conservation with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. "We share the same view on the need for a ceasefire."
The convictions mark a significant development in Britain's efforts to counter Russian intelligence operations amid heightened tensions stemming from Moscow's war against Ukraine and repeated Kremlin threats toward Kyiv's allies.
Moldovan President and candidate for Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS) party Maia Sandu casts her ballots for the presidential election and referendum on joining the European Union, at a polling station on Oct. 20, 2024, in Chisinau. (Daniel Mihailescu/AFP via Getty Images)
Moldova's parliament voted on April 17 to hold elections on Sept. 28 – a vote that could potentially threaten the majority currently held by pro-Western President Maia Sandu's party.
The motion to hold elections in September was approved by 57 lawmakers, with 32 abstaining. The elections are expected to be highly competitive, as Sandu's pro-European Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS) faces a growing challenge from the pro-Russian opposition.
Last year, Russia spent nearly 200 million euros ($220 million) to buy votes in the Moldovan presidential race and the EU referendum, hoping to oust Sandu from office and end the country's EU aspirations. While Sandu scraped by with a narrow victory, her opponent — former Prosecutor General Alexandr Stoianoglo — is now leading a coalition of three parties to contest PAS's majority in parliament.
According to parliament Speaker Igor Grosu, the September elections will be "crucial" in deciding Moldova's future.
"Either we throw away everything w'’ve achieved on our path to modernization and EU integration, or we move forward toward peace and development," Grosu said.
"Our goal is to ensure that Moldova stays on the road to peace, avoids falling under Kremlin influence, and preserves its sovereignty and freedom," he added.
Throughout her tenure, Sandu has steered Moldova toward a pro-European trajectory, overseeing the country's European Union accession process. Moldova formally launched accession negotiations with the EU in June 2024, two years after applying for membership alongside Ukraine.
Simultaneously, the country has grappled with overt Russian interference, as Moscow seeks to pull it back into its orbit.
In September, Moldova will once again decide whether it will continue on its European path, or whether it will move closer to Russia.
Maria Yeryoma
