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.
According to the Verkhovna Rada's website, Ukraine completed the ratification of the U.S.-Ukraine minerals agreement on May 12. President Volodymyr Zelensky signed the deal.
"I myself have heard relatives talking: our village is being attacked, let's roll the car out of the garage, maybe they will shell it — at least we will get money. The car is old, we can't sell it," Belgorod Oblast Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said.
The new tranche brings total recent EU defense support for Ukraine to 3.3 billion euros ($3.6 billion), marking a significant expansion of European efforts to boost Kyiv's defense industry.
President Volodymyr Zelensky attends a press conference during meeting of ‘Coalition of the willing’ on May 10, 2025 in Kyiv, Ukraine (Viktor Kovalchuk/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images)
Ukraine is "ready for all options" as it gears up for a possible meeting between President Volodymyr Zelensky and Vladimir Putin of Russia in Istanbul this week, a source close to the President’s Office told the Kyiv Independent on May 12.
After a flurry of diplomatic developments over the weekend, Putin rejected an immediate ceasefire called for by Kyiv and its European allies, instead suggesting direct peace talks be held in Istanbul on May 15.
In response, Zelensky said he is ready to meet Putin “himself,” though whether or not the Russian president will attend remains to be seen.
"There is no point in prolonging the killings. And I will wait for Putin on Thursday in Turkey," Zelensky said.
"We expect a ceasefire from tomorrow — this proposal is on the table. A complete and unconditional ceasefire — long-term, to provide the necessary basis for diplomacy — could bring peace much closer," he added in a separate statement.
Asked by the Kyiv Independent whether Zelensky plans to make the trip even if Russia does not support the truce or if Putin declines to attend, a source close to the president said "We are ready for all options. But of course, we are separately waiting for a response on the ceasefire."
Russia's proposal to hold talks came after demands for an unconditional 30-day ceasefire resulting from talks between Ukraine, France, the U.K., Germany, and Poland at the weekend.
After Putin's counterproposal, U.S. President Donald Trump urged Russia and Ukraine to hold peace talks "immediately" as efforts by the White House have thus far failed to establish a ceasefire.
"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," Trump said earlier on May 11.
"At least they will be able to determine whether or not a deal is possible, and if it is not, European leaders, and the U.S., will know where everything stands, and can proceed accordingly!" he added.
Ukraine has already agreed to a U.S.-proposed full 30-day ceasefire, saying on March 11 that Kyiv is ready if Russia also agrees to the terms. So far, Moscow has refused.
Martin Fornusek
