**Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Calls for Global Action Against Russia**
In a ministerial meeting held in London on May 12, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha called on Western allies to take action against Russia for its continued attacks on Ukraine. The meeting, which was convened by UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy, brought together counterparts from the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Poland, and the European Union via video link.
Sybiha expressed gratitude to Lammy for organizing the meeting, calling it an “effective and regular format” for coordinating peace efforts with international partners. He emphasized that this week would be crucial in determining whether Russia would honor a proposed ceasefire or continue its aggression against Ukraine. The Ukrainian Foreign Minister also shared intelligence from Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi, confirming that Russian forces had not respected the agreed-upon truce and were continuing to attack Ukrainian positions.
**Russian Aggression Continues**
The past 24 hours have seen at least 22 people injured in Russia’s attacks on Ukraine. This includes seven individuals who were injured during drone attacks overnight on May 12 – a day that marked the supposed start of a 30-day unconditional truce. Sybiha condemned Moscow for missing an opportunity to put an end to the violence, stating, “Moscow is once again missing a chance to end the killing.”
Despite this, President Volodymyr Zelensky remains open to meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin on May 15 in Turkey, as previously proposed by Putin. Ukraine has reiterated its demand for a complete and unconditional ceasefire starting from May 12.
**International Pressure Mounts**
Germany had given Russia until the end of May 12 to agree to the ceasefire, warning that failure to comply would trigger preparations for new sanctions. Poland’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Pawel Wronski confirmed that Western allies were considering tougher measures against Russia’s banking sector, central bank, and energy industry.
The West is now weighing options for increased pressure on Russia. Poland’s ministers are set to hold a joint phone call with their counterparts from the US and Turkey to discuss organizing potential peace talks between Ukraine and Russia in Istanbul.
