Free Republic

Vice President J.D. Vance came face-to-face with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for the first time since their Oval Office showdown earlier this year. The two attended Pope Leo XIV's first Sunday mass after being elected the new leader of the Catholic Church – and the first American to ever hold the top post in Vatican City. After the service, Secretary of State Marco Rubio joined Vance and Zelensky in Rome for talks aimed at advancing the goal of ending the war between Russia and Ukraine. 'The leaders discussed their shared goal of ending the bloodshed in Ukraine and provided updates...

Ukrainia's military intelligence agency said that Russia was planning to conduct a "training and combat" launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile late on Sunday to intimidate Ukraine and the West. The GUR agency said in a statement on the Telegram app that the launch was ordered to be implemented from Russia's Sverdlovsk region, adding that the flight range for the missile was more than 10,000 kilometers (6,200 miles).

Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Ukrainian President Vlodomyr Zelenskyy in Rome Sunday for ongoing peace talks as the war between Russia and Ukraine continues. "During our talks we discussed negotiations in Istanbul to where the Russians sent a low-level delegation of non-decision-makers. I reaffirmed that Ukraine is ready to be engaged in real diplomacy and underscored the importance of a full and unconditional ceasefire as soon as possible," Zelenskyy shared on X of the meeting. "We have also touched upon the need for sanctions against Russia, bilateral trade, defense cooperation, battlefield situation and...

Nine people have been killed in a Russian drone attack on a civilian minibus in north-eastern Ukraine, officials say. Regional military leaders said seven others were also injured in the attack on Saturday morning in Bilopillia as a minibus travelled to Sumy, the regional capital close to Russia's border. The strike occurred just hours after Russia and Ukraine held their first face-to-face talks in more than three years. Little was achieved but a prisoner swap was agreed. Ukraine president Volodymr Zelensky said the attack on the bus was "a deliberate killing of civilians". Russia has not commented but state media...

The below is attributable to Spokesperson Tammy Bruce: Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov today. Secretary Rubio welcomed the prisoner exchange agreement reached during the May 16 Ukraine-Russia talks in Istanbul and delivered President Trump’s strong message: the United States is committed to achieving a lasting end to the Russia-Ukraine war. The comprehensive peace plan proposed by the United States outlines the best way forward. The Secretary emphasized President Trump’s call for an immediate ceasefire and an end to the violence.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will attend the inaugural mass of newly elected Pope Leo on May 18, along with many other world leaders, the Vatican said. The mass in St Peter’s Square will formally install Pope Leo, who was born in Chicago but lived for many years in Peru, as the leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Roman Catholics. US Vice-President J.D. Vance, who clashed fiercely with Mr Zelensky in the White House in February, will lead the US delegation, which also includes Secretary of State Marco Rubio.