The Kremlin continues to leave open who will travel to the negotiations. EU states agree on new sanctions against Russia. The measures are primarily aimed at the Russian oil industry and the shadow fleet. All developments on the liveblog. Brazilian President Luis Inácio Lula da Silva is reportedly trying to persuade Russian President Vladimir Putin to personally participate in the negotiations with Ukraine scheduled for this Thursday in Istanbul. Putin had initiated the negotiations himself. The Interfax news agency reported Wednesday afternoon that a Brazilian Air Force plane, which is used for government delegations, had landed in Moscow.
It had arrived from Beijing and was scheduled to fly to Brazil on Wednesday. Putin's spokesman told the news agency that information would be provided if there was contact between the Russian and Brazilian presidents. "I will try to talk to Putin," Lula da Silva had said before his departure from Beijing. "It doesn't cost me anything to say: 'Hey, Comrade Putin, go to Istanbul and negotiate, dammit.'" China and Brazil had described direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine on Tuesday as the "only way to end the conflict," but the joint statement does not mention who should lead them.
So far, Moscow has remained silent on who should be part of its delegation. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wants to travel to Turkey, but only to negotiate personally with Putin. US President Donald Trump has made his visit dependent on the chances of the meeting's success. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha had asked Brazil on Tuesday at Platform X to "use its authoritative voice in the dialogue with Russia so that the direct meeting can take place at the highest level." Lula da Silva was invited to Putin's parade last Friday to commemorate the anniversary of the 1945 victory in Moscow. Ukraine says it will only commit to further steps in the planned talks in Istanbul when it is clear who will represent Russia. "I am waiting to see who arrives from Russia," says President Volodymyr Zelensky in his evening video address.
"The signals in the media are not convincing so far," says Zelensky. He accuses Putin of not thinking about talks, but rather of continuing to attack Ukraine. It is now clearer than ever for the whole world that the only obstacle to peace is Russia's unwillingness to do so. According to Estonian information, a Russian military aircraft has violated the airspace of the EU and NATO Baltic country. The Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jet illegally entered the airspace on the evening of May 13 over the Baltic Sea, near the Juminda Peninsula in northern Estonia, and remained there for a short time, the Estonian military said.
Portuguese Air Force F-16 fighter jets, which are stationed at the Estonian military airfield of Ämari to monitor NATO airspace over the Baltic countries, reacted to this and conducted a reconnaissance flight. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Tallinn summoned the Russian embassy's charge d'affaires regarding the incident and handed him a diplomatic note.
"From the Estonian point of view, this is a very serious and regrettable incident that is in no way acceptable," said Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna. According to the military, it was Russia's first airspace violation this year: it lasted less than a minute. The fighter jet had not transmitted a flight plan, had turned off its electronic identification, and had not maintained radio contact with Estonian air traffic control. Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania do not have their own fighter jets. Therefore, NATO allies take turns securing Baltic airspace.
