- Ukraine’s deputy prime minister said it was “very difficult” to negotiate with Russia to withdraw fighter jets from the besieged Azovstal factory in Mariupol.
- The White House says it is “working to clarify Turkey’s position” after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan objected Finland Sweden joins NATO.
- Russia will suspend power supply to Finland from Saturday amid tensions over an expected Finnish bid for NATO, a supplier said.
- Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin urges Ukraine for ‘immediate ceasefire’ first meeting With his Russian counterparts since the beginning of the war.
Here are all the latest updates:
U.S. and ASEAN leaders pledge to respect Ukraine’s sovereignty
The United States and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have confirmed their “respect for the sovereignty, political independence and territorial integrity” of Ukraine.
The statement came after a major summit at the White House — For the first time in 45 years.
Singapore is the only country in the G-10 to join the US-led sanctions targeting Russia against Ukraine, although most countries – except Laos and Vietnam – voted at the UN General Assembly to condemn the invasion.
No one can predict the length of the war, Zelensky says
Zelensky has said that while the Ukrainians are doing everything they can to expel Russian troops, “no one today can predict how long this war will last”.
“Unfortunately, it’s not just up to our people, who have tried their best,” he said in a video address to the nation at night. “It will depend on our partners, European countries and the whole free world.”
He added that he thanked all those working to tighten sanctions against Russia and increase military and financial support for Ukraine.
Russia is provoking ‘massive food crisis’: Zelensky
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that Russia’s blockade of Ukrainian ports is provoking a “massive food crisis”.
“The world has come to realize that the Russian blockade of our ports and this war are causing a massive food crisis,” Zelensky said.
“Russian officials are also openly threatening the world with a famine in dozens of countries. What are the consequences of this famine? What kind of political instability and emigration will this lead to? So how much will it cost you to overcome the consequences?”
Ukraine ready to return bodies of Russian soldiers: official
Ukrainian military authorities have loaded refrigerated rail cars with the bodies of Russian soldiers collected after fighting in the Kyiv and Chernihiv regions.
Volodymr Liamzin, head of Ukraine’s military-civilian cooperation, said Ukraine was acting in accordance with international law and was ready to return the remains to Russia.
“In accordance with the norms of international humanitarian law, which Ukraine strictly adheres to, after the positive phase of the conflict ends, both sides must return the remains of the troops of other countries,” he said.
“Ukraine is ready to return the bodies to the invaders.”
Russian shelling kills civilians in Donetsk: Governor
A civilian in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine was killed and 12 others were injured in a Russian shelling.
“On May 13, the Russians killed another Donbass civilian – in [the city of] Avdivka. Twelve more people were wounded today due to Russian shelling,” Pavlo Kyrylenko wrote on Telegram.
The Donetsk region, one of two regions that make up the Donbass, has seen some of the heaviest fighting of the war in recent weeks.
Ukraine prepares war crimes case against Russian soldiers: prosecutors
Ukraine’s attorney general said her office was preparing 41 war crimes cases against Russian soldiers.
“We have 41 suspects and we will be ready to go to court,” Iryna Venediktova said during a live briefing on Ukrainian TV. “All of this is about Section 438. [Ukrainian] War Crimes Penal Code, but different types of war crimes. Civilian infrastructure was bombed, civilians were killed, raped and looted. “
It is unclear how many suspects will be tried in absentia.
Ukraine held First War Crimes Indictment In Kyiv, a 21-year-old Russian soldier is on trial for killing an unarmed Ukrainian civilian early in the war. Venediktova said two other suspects in Ukraine could face preliminary hearings next week.
Talks with Russia over Azovstal withdrawal ‘very difficult’: Ukrainian official
Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said negotiations with Russia to withdraw fighter jets from the besieged Azovstal factory in Mariupol were “very difficult”.
Vereshchuk also stressed that Ukraine wants to save them all.
Russian power supplier says it will suspend supply to Finland
Russia will suspend power supply to Finland this weekend as tensions rise over Helsinki’s NATO bid, a supplier said.
“We were forced to suspend electricity imports from May 14,” said RAO Nordic, a subsidiary of Russia’s state energy holding company Inter RAO. “RAO Nordic cannot pay for electricity imported from Russia.”
Finland’s grid operator says it can survive without Russian power.
Iran sees protests over rising bread prices
Soaring bread prices have sparked protests in Iran, with an estimated 300 people gathering in the largest demonstration in Dezful, the oil-rich southwestern province of Khuzestan, according to the official IRNA news agency.
IRNA said 15 people had been arrested for “trying to cause chaos in the city”.
The protests were sparked by a government cut in subsidies for imported wheat, causing prices of various flour-based staples to rise by as much as 300 percent.
Global wheat prices have risen sharply since Russia began its invasion of Ukraine in February, raising the cost of subsidies for Iran.
U.S. ‘seeks clarification’ on Turkey’s stance on NATO expansion: White House
White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said Washington was “working hard” after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed opposition to Finland and Sweden joining NATO during the Ukraine war Clarify Turkey’s position”.
The idea of the two countries becoming members of a U.S.-led alliance has “widespread support among NATO members,” Psaki said.
But Erdogan said before NATO member Turkey has no “positive view” of the European countries’ expected efforts to seek accession, accusing them of being “hotels for terrorist groups”.
Hello and welcome to Al Jazeera’s ongoing coverage of the war in Ukraine.
Read all updates for Friday, May 13 here.