Zelensky ready to meet Putin in Turkey, calls for immediate ceasefire

On May 11, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky declared his readiness to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin for direct negotiations in Turkey on May 15. Stressing the urgency of ending hostilities, Zelensky stated, “There is no point in prolonging the killings,” and confirmed he would be present in Turkey on Thursday, regardless of whether Moscow agrees to a ceasefire in advance. He reiterated Ukraine’s position that any negotiations must begin with a complete, unconditional, and long-term ceasefire to create a foundation for serious diplomatic progress.

Despite mounting international pressure, the Kremlin has rejected a proposed 30-day unconditional ceasefire, instead offering to start talks in Istanbul without halting attacks. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov dismissed the truce as potentially advantageous to Ukraine, while Russian officials have maintained maximalist demands, including Ukraine’s military demobilization and recognition of Russia’s control over occupied territories. Ukraine, however, has supported the U.S.-backed ceasefire proposal since March 11 and continues to push for it alongside its European allies.

Zelensky, emphasizing Ukraine’s openness to dialogue, criticized Moscow's lack of commitment, saying Ukraine is prepared for "any format" of talks but awaits a genuine Russian response on the ceasefire. Former U.S. President Donald Trump also weighed in, urging both sides to accept the Istanbul talks, calling them an opportunity to halt the ongoing bloodshed. Still, with no sign of de-escalation from Russia, the path to meaningful peace remains uncertain.

Ukraine's air defence downed 55 Russian drones overnight

On the night of May 11–12, Russian forces launched a massive drone attack on Ukraine, deploying a total of 108 Shahed-type and decoy UAVs across multiple regions. According to Ukraine’s Air Force, 55 of the drones were successfully downed by air defence systems as of 08:30 the following morning.

The attack targeted Odesa, Mykolaiv, Donetsk, and Zhytomyr oblasts. Ukrainian defence forces mobilized aircraft, anti-aircraft missile units, electronic warfare systems, and mobile fire groups to counter the threat. The Air Force also reported that 30 of the Russian decoy drones disappeared from radar without causing damage, indicating a likely use of electronic countermeasures by Ukrainian defenders.

This large-scale drone offensive underscores Russia’s continued reliance on UAV swarms to pressure Ukrainian air defences and test their resilience across multiple fronts.

Russians hit Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi in Odesa Oblast

On the morning of May 12, Russian forces launched an attack on the city of Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi in Odesa Oblast, damaging multiple civilian infrastructure facilities and injuring one person. The Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi City Council reported that residential buildings were among the sites affected by the strike.

Local authorities have established an operational response headquarters at the city council building to coordinate recovery efforts and assess damage. Initial casualty reports are still being confirmed, though the Head of Odesa Oblast Military Administration, Oleh Kiper, later clarified that a man sustained injuries in one of the damaged residential buildings and is currently receiving medical care.

According to Kiper, the strike also affected an administrative building and a fire station, underscoring the continued targeting of non-military infrastructure in Ukrainian cities by Russian forces.

EU insists that a complete ceasefire by Russia is necessary for negotiations to begin

The European Union has reiterated that any peace negotiations regarding Russia’s war against Ukraine must be preceded by an unconditional ceasefire from Moscow. Speaking at a briefing in Brussels on May 12, European Commission spokeswoman Anitta Hipper emphasized that peace talks cannot begin until Russia clearly and fully halts its military aggression.

Hipper reaffirmed the EU's support for a proposed 30-day ceasefire beginning immediately, noting that President Volodymyr Zelensky has accepted the initiative without any preconditions. She urged Moscow to respond with the same clarity and commitment. "A ceasefire is urgently needed for the peace talks to take place," she said, adding that "in order to go into any peace talks, we should have a clear, unconditional ceasefire."

The spokeswoman also highlighted the EU’s continued skepticism toward Russian intentions. Citing EU foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas, Hipper warned that Russia is "playing games" and that President Vladimir Putin "cannot be trusted," underscoring the need for sustained pressure on the Kremlin.