Have you missed the latest events on the war in Ukraine? 20 Minutes takes stock for you every evening. Here is the gist of this Saturday, May 16, 2026, on the 1,543rd day of the conflict.
Fact of the day
A few days after Donald Trump’s visit, it is the turn of Russian President Vladimir Putin to visit Beijing on May 19 and 20. This visit comes at a time when diplomatic efforts to find a solution to the conflict in Ukraine are at a standstill due in particular to the war in the Middle East.
While China regularly calls for peace talks, it has never condemned Russia for its offensive and presents itself as a neutral party. She refutes accusations of supplying lethal weapons to one side or the other, and of delivering military components to Russia for its defense industry. However, Beijing is the world’s leading buyer of Russian fossil fuels, including petroleum products, thus fueling the war machine.
Today’s statement
« You know that you can count on France! »
Emmanuel Macron and Volodymyr Zelensky spoke on the telephone this Saturday, according to messages published on social networks by the two presidents. “As always, I had a fruitful and constructive conversation with the President of the French Republic,” greeted the Ukrainian head of state on his X account, rejoicing at the “coordination” of Paris and kyiv “in all areas.”
“France is ready to work on its anti-ballistic missile capabilities. This is a strong decision and an important step,” Volodymyr Zelensky explained. The two leaders also discussed Ukraine’s accession to the European Union. “France supports Ukraine and understands the importance of this step for all Ukrainians,” assured the Ukrainian president. “Thank you, Volodymyr, for our constructive discussions. You know that you can count on France!”, Emmanuel Macron also reacted on X.
The number of the day
528. This Saturday, Russia returned 528 bodies presented as those of Ukrainian soldiers killed in combat, kyiv announced. Investigators and experts “will take all necessary steps to identify the repatriated deceased,” added the Ukrainian Center for Prisoners of War on social networks. The day before, the two belligerent countries carried out an exchange of 205 prisoners of war from each side.
Today’s trend
Russia in difficulty? The country’s economy contracted by 0.2% in the first quarter, according to official Russian statistics released Friday. This is the first quarterly decline in three years, as tensions rise linked to the war in Ukraine and sanctions against Moscow.
To finance its offensive, the Kremlin spent lavishly on what initially boosted Russian economic growth. But it has also boosted inflation and caused labor shortages in non-military economic sectors. On Thursday, the Russian central bank indicated that the contraction in GDP in the first quarter could be “one-off”, as heavy snowfall in January and February disrupted the construction sector and curbed consumption She also specified that the number of public holidays in the first quarter of this year was higher than that of the entire year 2025.
