INSIDE RUSSIA
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva held a phone call during a technical stop of a Brazilian government plane in Moscow on its way from China.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva held a phone call during a technical stop of a Brazilian government plane in Moscow on its way from China, and the Russian leader expressed gratitude to the leadership of Brazil and China for their desire to contribute to the settlement of the conflict in Ukraine, the Kremlin said on Tuesday.
“Vladimir Putin expressed gratitude to the leadership of Brazil and China for their sincere desire to make a constructive contribution to finding ways to resolve the [Ukraine] conflict,” the Kremlin said.
Silva told Putin that he intended to do everything possible to promote the success of direct talks between Russia and Ukraine on May 15 in Istanbul, the statement said, adding that the leaders confirmed their commitment to developing the Russian-Brazilian strategic partnership.
Putin Calls Malaysia ‘Reliable, Significant’ Partner of Russia
MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Russian President Vladimir Putin at a meeting with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim in Moscow on Wednesday called Malaysia a reliable and important partner for Russia.
The Malaysian prime minister arrived in Moscow for an official visit on Tuesday.
“Dear Mr. Prime Minister, dear friends, allow me to welcome you cordially in Moscow. Malaysia is our long-standing, very reliable and significant partner both in general and in Southeast Asia,” Putin said during the meeting.
Economic ties between Russia and Malaysia are stable, the Russian president said, adding that although bilateral trade decreased only insignificantly last year, it remains good.
“The Intergovernmental Commission should pay attention to this, look for reasons and do everything to get to a positive trend of development,” Putin added.
Russia hosting major Islamic economic summit
The annual ‘KazanForum’ event has attracted politicians and businessmen from a record number of countries
A major summit aimed at strengthening economic cooperation between Russia and the Islamic world has opened in Kazan, drawing participants from a record 103 countries.
The 16th international ‘Russia-Islamic World: KazanForum’ is running from May 13 to 18 in the capital of Tatarstan Republic, central Russia. Business sessions will officially start on Thursday, with more than 140 conferences and around 200 events scheduled under the main theme ‘Digitalization and the New Reality’, according to the organizers.
In a message to the participants, President Vladimir Putin said Russia continues to “successfully and consistently” expand its global ties despite the “challenging international environment.” He added that “deepening dialogue and partnership” would help to effectively counter terrorism, extremism, and the escalation of local conflicts.
This year’s forum is expected to attract a high-level international presence, including ministers from Malaysia, Iraq, Qatar, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Chad, Indonesia, Pakistan, Nigeria, Senegal, Somalia, and Guinea-Bissau, along with ambassadors from more than 20 countries. Last year’s event hosted over 20,000 participants from 87 countries.
According to Andrey Belyaninov, secretary general of the Eurasian and African Peoples’ Assembly, representatives from Western countries are also taking part. He said the forum will serve as a lead-up to the first World Public Assembly, set to be held in Moscow in September 2025.
Forum participants will also discuss the expansion of cargo transit routes along the International North–South Transport Corridor (INSTC) – a 7,200-kilometer multimodal network integrating sea, rail, and road transport to facilitate trade between India, Iran, Azerbaijan, Russia, Central Asia, and Europe.
Organizers say several international agreements are expected to be signed.
OUTSIDE RUSSIA
Russian Delegation Will Wait for Ukrainian Side in Istanbul – Kremlin
MOSCOW (Sputnik) – The Russian team will be in Istanbul on May 15, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday.
“Indeed, the Russian delegation will be waiting for the Ukrainian delegation in Istanbul on May 15, Thursday, that is, tomorrow,” Peskov told reporters.
The Kremlin has not yet announced the composition of the Russian delegation, but will do so when it receives the appropriate instructions from President Vladimir Putin, the official said.
“I can only confirm once again that everything the president said in his statement on May 11 remains relevant,” he added.
Europe To Become Less Secure Because of Nuclear Proliferation
In other matters, the proliferation of nuclear weapons in Europe will not add security to the European continent, the Kremlin spokesman said.
On Tuesday, French President Emmanuel Macron said that his country is ready for dialogue on the deployment of its nuclear-armed aircraft in other EU countries.
“The proliferation of nuclear weapons on the European continent is something that will not add security, predictability and stability to the European continent,” Peskov told reporters.
Countries possessing nuclear weapons face significant efforts to form a strategic security architecture in Europe, the official said, adding that the architecture of strategic security in Europe is now in a deplorable state.
On Putin’s Foreign Policy Activities
The exact dates of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Iran have not yet been agreed upon, but he has a valid invitation to visit the country, Peskov said on Wednesday.
“Indeed, Russian President Vladimir Putin has a valid invitation to pay an official or working visit to Iran … The dates have not yet been agreed upon. As soon as they are agreed upon, we will inform you,” Peskov told reporters.
Russia highly values partnership relations with Iran, the official added.
Moscow will also inform about possible contacts of Russian President Vladimir Putin and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva if they are planned in some form, he added.
“At the moment I cannot say anything about this. If contacts are agreed upon in some form, we will inform you immediately,” Peskov told reporters.
Islamic world shows keen interest in Russian cybersecurity solutions — MFA
“We’ve noticed growing attention both from the countries of the Islamic world and from the states of the global South,” Director of the Foreign Ministry’s International Information Security Department and Special Presidential Representative for International Cooperation in the Field of Information Security said
KAZAN, May 14. /TASS/. The states of the Islamic world are highly interested in Russian developments in the field of information security, ArturLyukmanov, Director of the Foreign Ministry’s International Information Security Department and Special Presidential Representative for International Cooperation in the Field of Information Security, stated in response to a TASS question.
“The interest in our approaches and developments – including in the area of import substitution for cybersecurity products – that we’re seeing at the forum shows our efforts are in demand. We’ve noticed growing attention both from the countries of the Islamic world and from the states of the global South,” he pointed out.
The 16th International Economic Forum Russia – Islamic World: KazanForum runs from May 13 to 18 in Kazan, with TASS serving as the general information partner.
SPECIAL MILITARY OPERATION IN UKRAINE
What Are Russia, the US and Ukraine’s Agendas Ahead of Istanbul Talks?
Vladimir Putin has an abundance of trump cards up his sleeve and has conspicuously explained his position, Ralph Bosshard, a retired lieutenant colonel of the General Staff of the Swiss Armed Forces and an expert in political and military strategy, told Sputnik.
“He wants the negotiations to take place in Turkiye and he wants his partners from the Global South at his side. Above all, however, he wants the negotiations to continue where they left off in spring 2022: with a de facto capitulation by [Volodymyr] Zelensky,” the expert clarified.
US President Trump is mostly concerned about money working for the US economy and is most likely ready to use geopolitical turmoil to this end.
“The most important thing for Trump here is that these are deliveries of weapons that are in the possession of US allies. Let them give the weapons they paid for to Ukraine and then procure replacements in the US – that is probably his calculation,” the expert underscored.
Meanwhile, the Kiev regime is stuck in political stalemate since open negotiations with Russia imply that Zelensky “will go down as the most unsuccessful president in the history of his country”.
“Zelensky is caught up in this evil game and can no longer expect a happy ending to his presidential comedy,” the expert concluded.
Putin announces team for Russia-Ukraine talks in Türkiye: Live Updates
Moscow and Kiev have not held direct negotiations since meeting in Istanbul in April 2022
The first direct talks between Russia and Ukraine in more than three years are scheduled to take place in Türkiye’s largest city, Istanbul, on Thursday.
On Sunday, Russian President Vladimir Putin offered to resume direct dialogue between Moscow and Kiev in order to find a lasting settlement to the ongoing conflict that would address its root causes.
After US President Donald Trump supported the proposal and said Kiev should accept it “immediately,” Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky, who had previously ruled out any talks with Moscow, also expressed his readiness to travel to Istanbul.
Kiev had earlier stated that the only official from Moscow that Zelensky would talk to is Putin. However, the Russian president has so far made no indication that he is planning to travel to Türkiye.
Moscow and Ukraine last talked to each other in April 2022, also in Istanbul. Russia, which initially expressed satisfaction with the results of that meeting and withdrew its forces from the outskirts of Kiev as a goodwill gesture, later accused Ukraine of backtracking on the progress achieved in Türkiye, saying it had lost trust in Kiev’s negotiators.
Russian officials, including President Putin, later blamed the West and, in particular, then-UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson for derailing the peace process, saying he had urged Kiev to “just continue fighting.”
Delegation Members
The delegation will be led by:
- Vladimir Medinsky – Presidential Aide (Head of Delegation)
- Mikhail Galuzin – Deputy Foreign Minister
- Igor Kostyukov – Chief of the General Staff’s Main Directorate
- Alexander Fomin – Deputy Defense Minister
Supporting Experts
The delegation will also include:
- Andrey Zorin (General Staff, Information Directorate)
- Ekaterina Podobreveskaya (Presidential Office, Humanitarian Policy)
- Alexander Polishchuk (Foreign Ministry, CIS Affairs)
- Vladimir Shevtsov (Defense Ministry, International Military Cooperation)
The composition mirrors Russia’s 2022 negotiation team.
Russian troops breaching Ukrainian defenses near Krasnoarmeysk in Donetsk region
According to Andrey Marochko, the Russian troops are moving at quite a fast pace towards Dobropolye
LUGANSK, May 14. /TASS/. Russian troops are advancing near Krasnoarmeysk (called Pokrovsk by Ukraine) in the Donetsk People’s Republic and gradually breaching Ukrainian defenses in that frontline area, military expert Andrey Marochko told TASS on Wednesday.
“The seizure of Mikhailovka is of strategic importance. First of all, because the [Ukrainian] combat group stationed in Dzerzhinsk is being gradually cut off just as the combat group in Krasnoarmeysk. That is, our troops are outflanking Ukrainian militants, breaching their defenses and moving at quite a fast pace towards Dobropolye. And this actually means death for those Ukrainian militants who are entrenched in Krasnoarmeysk,” the military expert said.
Russia’s Defense Ministry reported on May 14 that Russian troops had captured the settlement of Mikhailovka. The Russian army liberated Kotlyarovka on May 12 and Mirolyubovka on May 13 in the Krasnoarmeysk direction.
Russian troops liberate Mikhailovka community in Donetsk region over past day
Russia’s Battlegroup Center inflicted more than 525 casualties on Ukrainian troops and destroyed two enemy artillery guns in its area of responsibility over the past day
MOSCOW, May 14. /TASS/. Russian troops liberated the community of Mikhailovka in the Donetsk region over the past day in the special military operation in Ukraine, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported on Wednesday.
“Battlegroup Center units liberated the settlement of Mikhailovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic through decisive operations,” the ministry said in a statement.
Kiev loses over 1,395 troops in all frontline areas in past day
The Ukrainian army lost more than 1,395 troops in battles with Russian forces in all the frontline areas over the past 24 hours, according to the latest data on the special military operation in Ukraine released by Russia’s Defense Ministry.
The latest figures indicate that the Ukrainian army lost more than 185 troops and a tank in the responsibility area of Russia’s Battlegroup North, roughly 220 troops and a tank in the responsibility area of the Battlegroup West, about 220 troops and three armored combat vehicles in the responsibility area of the Battlegroup South, more than 525 troops in the responsibility area of the Battlegroup Center, over 175 troops and two armored combat vehicles in the responsibility area of the Battlegroup East and roughly 70 troops in the responsibility area of the Battlegroup Dnepr.
Russian forces strike Ukrainian military airfields, ammo depots over past day
Russian forces struck Ukrainian military airfields, ammunition depots and a storage site of uncrewed boats over the past day, the ministry reported.
“Operational/tactical aircraft, attack unmanned aerial vehicles, missile troops and artillery of the Russian groups of forces struck infrastructure facilities of military airfields, a storage site of uncrewed boats, ammunition depots and temporary deployment areas of Ukrainian armed formations and foreign mercenaries in 141 locations,” the ministry said.
Russia’s Battlegroup North inflicts over 185 casualties on Ukrainian army in past day
Russia’s Battlegroup North inflicted more than 185 casualties on Ukrainian troops and destroyed an enemy tank and two armored combat vehicles in its area of responsibility over the past day, the ministry reported.
“Battlegroup North units inflicted losses on massed manpower and equipment of a mechanized brigade, a tank brigade, an air assault brigade, two assault regiments of the Ukrainian army and a territorial defense brigade in areas near the settlements of Belopolye, Vorozhba, Iskriskovshchina, Sadki, Pavlovka, Proletarskoye and Bessalovka in the Sumy Region,” the ministry said.
The Ukrainian army lost more than 185 personnel, a tank, two armored combat vehicles, six motor vehicles and four field artillery guns in that frontline area over the past 24 hours, it specified.
In addition, Russian forces destroyed an electronic warfare station, a surveillance radar and a materiel depot of the Ukrainian army, it said.
Russia’s Battlegroup West inflicts 220 casualties on Ukrainian army in past day
Russia’s Battlegroup West inflicted roughly 220 casualties on Ukrainian troops and destroyed an enemy tank and a Croatian-made multiple launch rocket system in its area of responsibility over the past day, the ministry reported.
“Battlegroup West units improved their tactical position and inflicted losses on formations of four mechanized brigades of the Ukrainian army, a territorial defense brigade, a National Guard brigade and the Stugna special operations detachment in areas near the settlements of Glushchenkovo, Druzhelyubovka, Kupyansk-Uzlovoi, Sobolevka and Senkovo in the Kharkov Region, Kirovsk and Karpovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic,” the ministry said.
The Ukrainian army lost an estimated 220 personnel, a tank, 10 motor vehicles, two artillery guns and a Croatian-made RAK-SA-12 multiple rocket launcher in that frontline area over the past 24 hours, it specified.
In addition, Russian forces destroyed two ammunition depots of the Ukrainian army, it said.
Russia’s Battlegroup South inflicts 220 casualties on Ukrainian army in past day
Russia’s Battlegroup South inflicted roughly 220 casualties on Ukrainian troops and destroyed three enemy armored combat vehicles in its area of responsibility over the past day, the ministry reported.
“Battlegroup South units gained better lines and positions and inflicted losses on manpower and equipment of six mechanized brigades and an assault brigade of the Ukrainian army in areas near the settlements of Seversk, Vasyutinskoye, Verolyubovka, Aleksandro-Shultino, Druzhkovka, Ivanopolye, Zarya, Dyleyevka and Konstantinovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic,” the ministry said.
The Ukrainian army lost an estimated 220 personnel, three armored combat vehicles, five motor vehicles and a field artillery gun in that frontline area over the past 24 hours, it specified.
In addition, Russian forces destroyed an electronic warfare station, two ammunition depots and a materiel depot of the Ukrainian army, it said.
Russia’s Battlegroup Center inflicts over 525 casualties on Ukrainian army in past day
Russia’s Battlegroup Center inflicted more than 525 casualties on Ukrainian troops and destroyed two enemy artillery guns in its area of responsibility over the past day, the ministry reported.
During the last 24-hour period, Battlegroup Center units “inflicted losses on formations of three mechanized brigades, an assault brigade, a jaeger brigade of the Ukrainian army and a marine infantry brigade in areas near the settlements of Krasnoarmeysk, Novoaleksandrovka, Ulyanovka, Novaya Poltavka, Mirolyubovka, Dimitrov, Petrovskoye and Novosergeyevka in the Donetsk People’s Republic,” the ministry said.
The Ukrainian army lost more than 525 personnel, 11 pickup trucks and two artillery guns in that frontline area over the past 24 hours, it specified.
Russia’s Battlegroup East inflicts over 175 casualties on Ukrainian army in past day
Russia’s Battlegroup East inflicted more than 175 casualties on Ukrainian troops and destroyed two enemy armored combat vehicles in its area of responsibility over the past day, the ministry reported.
“Battlegroup East units kept advancing deep into the enemy’s defenses and inflicted losses on manpower and equipment of two mechanized brigades, an air assault brigade of the Ukrainian army and a territorial defense brigade in areas near the settlements of Temirovka and Novogrigorovka in the Zaporozhye Region, Bogatyr and Volnoye Pole in the Donetsk People’s Republic,” the ministry said.
The Ukrainian army lost more than 175 personnel, two armored combat vehicles, 10 motor vehicles, two field artillery guns and an electronic warfare station in that frontline area over the past 24 hours, it specified.
Russia’s Battlegroup Dnepr destroys 70 Ukrainian troops in past day
Russia’s Battlegroup Dnepr destroyed roughly 70 Ukrainian troops and a British-made self-propelled artillery system in its area of responsibility over the past day, the ministry reported.
“Battlegroup Dnepr units inflicted losses on formations of two mechanized brigades, a mountain assault brigade and a coastal defense brigade of the Ukrainian army, a marine infantry brigade and a territorial defense brigade in areas near the settlements of Orekhov, Kamenskoye and Novodanilovka in the Zaporozhye Region, Dneprovskoye and Tokarevka in the Kherson Region,” the ministry said.
“As many as 70 [Ukrainian] military personnel, five motor vehicles, a British-made 155mm Braveheart self-propelled artillery system, an electronic warfare station and two ammunition depots were destroyed,” it said.
Russian air defenses destroy 162 Ukrainian UAVs, five JDAM smart bombs over day
Russian air defense forces shot down 162 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and five American-made JDAM smart bombs over the past day, the ministry reported.
“Air defense capabilities shot down five JDAM guided aerial bombs and a rocket of the HIMARS multiple launch rocket system of US manufacture, and also 162 fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles,” the ministry said.
Overall, the Russian Armed Forces have destroyed 662 Ukrainian warplanes, 283 helicopters, 57,106 unmanned aerial vehicles, 605 surface-to-air missile systems, 23,319 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 1,563 multiple rocket launchers, 24,872 field artillery guns and mortars and 35,442 special military motor vehicles since the start of the special military operation, the ministry reported.
INSIGHTS
Why the Russia-Ukraine peace talks are doomed before they begin
And why every ceasefire attempt in the Ukraine conflict so far has collapsed
Diplomatic tensions are rising once again. Just days ago, the focus was on Moscow’s 80th anniversary Victory Day parade. Now, all eyes are suddenly on Istanbul, where direct talks between Russia and Ukraine – the first since the spring of 2022 – could take place as early as Thursday.
The significance of these prospective talks has snowballed. What began with Russian President Vladimir Putin responding to a Western call for a 30-day ceasefire starting May 12 has now escalated into a high-stakes international spectacle. Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky initially appeared ready to reject the proposal outright, but after pressure – bordering on an ultimatum – from Donald Trump, he reversed course.
Zelensky, however, introduced his own conditions. He demanded that talks be held at the highest level immediately, or not at all, and threatened new sanctions against Russia if his terms were ignored.
As a result, expectations for the Istanbul meeting have soared. But are they realistic? Are we truly on the verge of a breakthrough?
In short: no. Thursday’s meeting, if it happens at all, is almost certain to fail – for two clear reasons.
- The conditions for real peace talks simply don’t exist.
Militarily, Ukraine’s situation remains precarious. While its forces are still holding defensive lines in the Donbass, morale and manpower are faltering. Some positions are visibly collapsing. Yet politically, Kiev continues to act as though it holds the upper hand, buoyed by support from the so-called ‘Coalition of the Willing’ – Britain, France, and Germany. These European states have consistently obstructed any serious effort by Washington to push for a quick peace.
Zelensky’s current strategy is transparent: appease Trump just enough to avoid backlash, but stop short of agreeing to anything that might commit Ukraine to a negotiated settlement. Even in a weakened state, Kiev shows no willingness to make meaningful concessions – or even to engage directly with Moscow.
On the Russian side, there is little incentive to indulge a Western-managed process designed to give President Trump a diplomatic win. Russia is holding firm on the front line and continues to expand its gains methodically. There is no reason to offer a ceasefire now, just when progress is being made.
Moscow’s current approach is clear: test Kiev’s seriousness through exploratory contacts, but avoid binding itself to any formal ceasefire until the military campaign yields stronger leverage. There’s a pragmatic desire in the Kremlin to buy time – finish the job this spring and summer, and then talk from a position of strength.
The recent flurry of ultimatums exchanged between Kiev, Moscow, and Washington wasn’t diplomacy. It was a game of political brinkmanship. Each side hoped to provoke the other into rejecting talks, thereby gaining the moral upper hand. In reality, no one was particularly eager to negotiate sincerely.
- All previous ceasefire attempts have failed – and this one will too.
Let’s not forget the fate of earlier efforts: the naval ceasefire, the moratorium on energy strikes, and the much-hyped ‘Easter’ and ‘Victory Day’ ceasefires. Each of these collapsed under the weight of unrealistic expectations, conflicting interpretations, and total lack of enforcement mechanisms.
Since the start of the year, the US has been juggling multiple contradictory peace tracks, hoping to fashion a settlement from irreconcilable demands. But no formal agreements have been reached, no unified documents signed, and no real monitoring structures put in place. Each side has its own idea of what a ceasefire entails. The result? All rhetoric, no results.
The build-up to Istanbul bears a strong resemblance to these previous failures. No one really knows what’s on the agenda. There is no clarity on whether the two sides even share a common understanding of what they’re meeting to discuss. The level of the delegations is also in flux – even the question of who’s coming remains unanswered.
Zelensky insists he will attend in person, but only if he can meet directly with Putin. He says he wants to discuss the 30-day ceasefire – and nothing else. Putin, meanwhile, seems uninterested in performative diplomacy. He has no reason to show up merely to satisfy Western optics, and is more likely to focus on concrete treaty discussions, if and when the moment is right.
So far, the Russian side is expected to be represented by presidential aide Yuri Ushakov. Trump, currently in Saudi Arabia, has said he “might” fly to Istanbul – if he feels like it. If not, Secretary of State Marco Rubio could lead the US team, alongside advisers Keith Kellogg and Steve Witkoff.
What does this all mean in practical terms?
At best, the delegations from Moscow and Kiev will arrive in Istanbul, hold separate meetings with US and Turkish intermediaries, and leave with a vague commitment to “continue discussions.” At worst, they’ll fail to meet at all – speaking only to the Americans and Turks before departing and blaming each other for sabotaging the process.
In the best-case scenario, the long-dormant corpse known as the “Ukrainian peace process” might be kept breathing a little longer. In the worst-case scenario, we can pronounce it officially dead – and any hopes for real progress will be shelved.
Whether that’s a tragedy or a relief depends on your point of view. But one thing is certain: on Thursday no peace deal is coming. The Istanbul summit will be another chapter in the long and cynical theater of diplomacy, where each player enters the stage knowing full well how the scrip.
