Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has stated that Moscow will not participate in negotiations with Ukraine at the Vatican.

Following his call with Russian ruler Vladimir Putin on 19 May, US President Donald Trump has announced that Ukraine and Russia will immediately start talks on a ceasefire.

US Vice President JD Vance, commenting on the upcoming telephone conversation between the leaders of the United States and Russia, has raised the possibility of Washington withdrawing from the negotiation process if it does not yield results.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has welcomed the direct talks between Ukraine and Russia held in Istanbul on 16 May.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has welcomed the first direct talks between Ukraine and Russia since 2022 in Istanbul on Friday 16 May.

Ukraine will send a delegation led by Defence Minister Rustem Umierov to Istanbul for talks with the Russians on 15 May.

Norwegian Defence Minister Tore O. Sandvik has confirmed that the delivery of the F-16 fighter jets pledged to Ukraine will be completed in 2025.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will not take part in potential talks with Ukraine that may take place in Türkiye on 15 May.

German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius has said he does not believe Russia will agree to a ceasefire and emphasised Europe’s determination to ramp up pressure on Moscow.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán accused Ukraine’s special services of attempting to disrupt a public survey among Hungarians on Ukraine’s accession to the European Union.

Keith Kellogg, US President Donald Trump’s special envoy for Ukraine, claims that as part of a potential resolution to the full-scale war between Russia and Ukraine, the deployment of foreign forces west of the Dnipro River is being discussed.

The United States and its European allies are working on a proposal to announce a 30-day ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine.

US President Donald Trump said he plans to talk to Volodymyr Zelenskyy on 8 May about the "economic partnership" agreement ratified by the Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian Parliament).

Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić has arrived in Moscow on the afternoon of 7 May to attend the Victory Day parade. [a Russian holiday commemorating the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany in 1945, celebrated on 9 May – ed.]

The European Commission finalised its proposal for the 17th package of sanctions against Russia on Tuesday 6 May.