“Trump believes that negotiating with Putin on Ukraine was very difficult”, source The Wall Street Journal. The European Commission has signed the first contracts for investments in the military-industrial complex of Ukraine. The investment will amount to 1 billion euros, said the Deputy Secretary General of the EU Foreign Policy Service, Charles Fries. In the coming weeks, the EU will spend 900 million euros, coming from the proceeds of frozen Russian assets, to buy weapons and ammunition for Kiev, while another billion is planned for the production of drones and missiles in Ukraine, the EC reported.
On May 9, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, the Presidents of France and Poland and the Chancellor of Germany all arrived in Kiev, Ukraine. German Chancellor Merz says Ukraine could become an EU member before it gains NATO membership. After meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, the European leaders had a joint phone call with US President Trump. After the call, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “Britain and Trump will increase military aid to Ukraine if Putin refuses to ceasefire.” And: “If Russia does not agree, a new sanctions package is already ready, together with the United States.” “There can be no dialogue if civilians are being bombed at the same time. A ceasefire is needed to start negotiations,” said Emmanuel Macron, President of France. Macron outlined two key elements to contain Russia in the event of a ceasefire: strengthening the Ukrainian army and creating a system of guarantees that could include the presence of foreign troops.
According to the French president, discussions are currently underway at the military level on the modalities of such a deployment. There are no specific decisions yet. “We are working on options, and the decision will also depend on what Russia’s response will be. When the time comes, we will work on the most effective proposal,” he said. Finally, Friedrich Merz, German Chancellor, said: “We want to continue to help Ukraine in the negotiating processes to reach a ceasefire and peace, these are actually two sides of the same coin.”
The Joint Ukraine-UK-EU Statement also reads: “We affirm the importance of strengthening Ukrainian forces as the primary guarantee of Ukraine’s sovereignty and security.” “If Russia refuses an unconditional ceasefire, sanctions must be imposed on the banking and energy sectors.” Keith Kellogg, Trump’s special envoy to Ukraine, said: “First a 30-day unconditional ceasefire, then peace talks. Not the other way around.”
Russia’s response was not long in coming. Vladimir Putin responded to the “Coalition of the Willing” after a meeting with the Security Council: “The 3-day ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine on the occasion of Victory Day has ended.” Putin expressed hope that relations with European countries will one day begin to improve. “It is known that Russia has already proposed initiatives for a ceasefire. But these initiatives have repeatedly been undermined by the Kiev [Ukraine] regime. They violated the moratorium on attacks on energy infrastructure. This moratorium was announced after the agreement reached with President Donald Trump. They did not respect the ceasefire on Easter,” Vladimir Putin said.
Putin continued: “I believe that our Western counterparts are working to resolve this conflict.” “The Kiev [Ukraine] authorities did not respond to our proposal for a ceasefire.” Referring to the 3-day ceasefire on Victory Day. “They [Ukraine] have violated the ceasefire over these three days. There were 5 targeted attempts to infiltrate the state border of the Russian Federation, in the Kursk region and in the Belgorod region.” “Attempts to infiltrate the border of the Russian Federation were repelled.” “The authorities in Kiev not only rejected our ceasefire proposal, but also tried to intimidate the heads of state who were traveling to Moscow to participate in the commemorative events.” “We need to ensure lasting peace in the historical context. Perhaps we can agree on another truce, another ceasefire, a real ceasefire.” “Our offer is on the table. Now it’s up to the Ukrainian authorities and their leaders.” “Russia is ready to negotiate without preconditions. Let’s try to resume the talks that were interrupted, not by us. Whoever wants to support it”. “It was not we who broke off the negotiations in 2022, it was the Ukrainian side”. “We propose that Kiev resume direct negotiations without preconditions, we propose to start on May 15 in Istanbul”. A delegation of the Russian Federation will go to Istanbul, its composition will be announced soon, Yuri Ushakov, foreign policy adviser to the Russian president, said. As Putin said in his speech: “The war continues”. This speech does not change anything.
“Russia will not accept the presence of European peacekeepers in Ukraine”, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. He added: “The goals of negotiations with Ukraine are to eliminate the root causes of the conflict and protect Russia’s interests”.
During the ceasefire, the Ukrainian Armed Forces violated the ceasefire 14,043 times, the Russian Defense Ministry reported. According to the agency, there were five attempts to break through the Russian state border in the regions of Kursk and Belgorod and 37 strikes were carried out. The ministry said that the Russian armed forces strictly observed the ceasefire from 0:00 on May 8 to 0:00 on May 11, remaining on the lines and positions previously occupied.
The E3 countries [UK, France and Germany] welcomed the Istanbul talks between Russia and Ukraine. But they asked Moscow to first accept the 30-day ceasefire and then start negotiations with Turkish mediation. Russian President Putin contacted his Turkish counterpart Erdogan to discuss possible Russia-Ukraine talks mediated by Turkey. The Turkish side agreed to hold direct talks, which will begin on May 15. US Secretary of State Rubio will visit Turkey from May 14 to 16. May 15 is the scheduled date for direct Russia-Ukraine talks mediated by Istanbul.
European countries have expressed willingness to participate in the negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, in Istanbul. But only on the condition that a preliminary ceasefire is reached, says French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot. Negotiators from the United States, Europe and Ukraine have prepared a document with 22 proposals to end the conflict, NBC News reports, citing sources. According to them, one of the points envisages a 30-day ceasefire, the other corresponds to Russia’s demand that the United States not support Ukraine’s accession to NATO. The special representative of the US president Steve Witkoff will present the document to Russian leader Vladimir Putin. “If Putin wants to find a way out, here is his way out,” the source told the publication.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said: “We expect a ceasefire from tomorrow, full and lasting, to provide the necessary basis for diplomacy. There is no point in prolonging the killings. And I will wait for Putin on Thursday in Turkey. Personally. I hope that this time the Russians will not look for excuses not to do it.”
“Ukraine’s position is consistent”: Foreign Minister also responded to Putin’s proposal for direct negotiations “This is a positive signal. Let’s take concrete steps in this direction. Starting with a full 30-day ceasefire on May 12, which we expect to be confirmed by Russia, and negotiations,” wrote Denis Sybiga.
Finally, Yermak: “Ukraine is ready for any format of negotiations. We will not give Russia a reason to accuse us of disrupting the peace process. Russia will try to get out of sanctions, using the negotiation process as a cover. If Russia is really ready for negotiations, it is necessary to accept the proposals of the US and European partners for a 30-day global ceasefire. Sanctions will be applied immediately when it becomes completely clear that Russia has definitively rejected any ceasefire proposals. The US and Ukraine consider the fossil fuel agreement one of the elements of the system of ensuring Ukraine’s security. The agreement may come into force in the coming weeks. First a 30-day ceasefire, then everything else. Russia should not mask its desire to continue the war with verbal constructions – head of the office of the President of Ukraine Yermak.
In other news from Russia, the contract for military service with Russian Security Council Secretary Shoigu has been extended until 2030, the press service of the Security Council apparatus told TASS.
And now a look at the front line as of 15:30 on May 12. At night, the enemy counted up to 50 Geran, which hit targets in the Mykolaiv, Odessa, Khmelnytsky, Zhytomyr, Cherkasy, Dnipropetrovsk and Kiev regions.
In the Rostov region, an air strike by a drone of the Ukrainian Armed Forces was repelled by electronic warfare means in Kamensk.
In the Kursk region, Russian troops continue the battle in the Tyotkino area, Russian troops are trying to increase their presence in this area every day, the Russian Armed Forces are shooting at the arriving Ukrainian reserves. The Ukrainian Armed Forces are also trying to reach the settlement of Novyy Put’ using Leopard tanks, one of which was destroyed. Yesterday, the Ukrainian Armed Forces launched a missile attack on Rylsk, three wounded were taken to hospital. In Khomutovka, a 5-year-old child was injured as a result of a drone attack.
In the direction of Sumy, Russian forces continue to fight in the area of the settlement. Bilovody.
In the Belgorod region, Ukrainian forces continue to attack, the village of Bogun-Gorodok, the village of Borki were hit. Two people were injured. On the Krasny Oktyabr – Bessonovka road in the Belgorod region, one person was injured in an attack by a drone of the Ukrainian forces. Another 6 attacks were reported in several villages of the region with drones.
In the direction of Liman, according to Ukrainian estimates, Russian forces are conducting assault operations in the area of Lypove, Novomykhailivka, west of Makiivka in the direction of Hrekivka and north of Makiivka with the aim of aligning the front line to put pressure in the direction of the Oskil River.
Russian troops continued the offensive in the direction of Kostyantynivka; Ukrainians report fighting in the Nova Poltavka area north of Oleksandropil and in the Leonidivka area.
In the direction of Dnipropetrovsk, Russian forces continue fighting, breaking through Troitske to Orikhove, approaching the borders of the Dnipropetrovsk region. Ukrainian troops respond with a multitude of drones, trying, as in other areas of the front, to cut off supplies to the Russian forward units.
In the direction of South Donetsk, the Group of Forces “Vostok” continues the assault on the settlement. Bahatyr, Russian forces have advanced in the southern part to the west and are storming the eastern part of the village. This settlement has been turned by Ukrainians into an important fortified area for the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
In the Kherson region, the governor reported the death of three people as a result of attacks by the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Mutual artillery and drone attacks continue along the Dnieper.
In the DPR in Horlivka, as a result of a barrel artillery attack by the Armed Forces of Ukraine, a man born in 1949 was killed and a teenager born in 2011 was injured by a drone.
Graziella Giangiulio
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