Explosions reported in Kyiv

9:43 AM

Israeli Airlines El Al resumes Russia flights after 4-month suspension.

The airline halted its Moscow route in late December 2024 following the downing of an Azerbaijani aircraft during a drone attack, which killed 38 people.

9:24 AM

Trump reportedly shifts tone on Putin after UK, France apply diplomatic pressure.

Donald Trump was told Putin was "disrespecting him by consistently breaking the ceasefire he claimed to be implementing," one source told Politico.

8:14 AM

General Staff: Russia has lost 953,190 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022.

The number includes 1,230 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.

7:54 AM

US signed minerals deal with Ukraine 'to be protected,' Trump says.

"I wanted to be protected... I didn’t want to be out there and look foolish," U.S. President Donald Trump said, referring to a minerals deal signed between Ukraine and the U.S. on April 30.

6:48 AM

'Russia must come to the table in good faith,' Canadian PM says.

"This war must end — and Canada will continue our efforts among allies to bring about freedom, peace, and security for Ukraine," Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said.

5:31 AM

Russian drone attack kills 2, injures 5 in Odesa despite ceasefire efforts.

Two have been killed, and five injured in a Russian drone attack on Odesa overnight on May 1. Fires have been reported throughout the city.

4:33 AM

US won't abandon peace talks, Ukraine agrees to de facto territorial concessions, Kellogg says.

"The Ukrainians have already said they're willing to give up the land... not de jure, forever, but de facto because the Russians actually occupy it... That's what they're willing to go to, they told me that last week," U.S. Special Envoy Keith Kellogg said.

1:44 AM

Oil prices set for largest monthly drop since 2021, Reuters reports.

The decline in crude prices started in early April when U.S. President Donald Trump announced new tariffs on imports. China responded with its own tariffs, sparking a trade war between the world's biggest oil consumers.

12:52 AM  (Updated:  May 1, 2025 1:04 am)

Ukraine, US sign minerals deal.

Ukraine and the United States on April 30 signed a long-awaited minerals agreement that establishes a joint investment fund for reconstruction in Ukraine.

12:34 AM

Zelensky congratulates new Canadian PM.

President Zelensky and Mark Carney also discussed "the necessity of continuing strong sanctions" against Russia as well as Kyiv's air defense needs.

2:43 PM  (Updated:  April 30, 2025 11:21 pm)

Ukraine ready to sign minerals deal with US on April 30, source in President's Office confirms.

According to the source, the final version of the deal includes a 50-50 investment structure between the two countries and contains "a lot of good details."

11:17 PM

War analysis

Can Russia's war machine survive without outside aid?

11:05 PM

War update

Ukraine war latest: Kremlin says Russia ready for mass mobilization 'at any moment'

6:43 PM  (Updated:  April 30, 2025 10:52 pm)

Minerals deal faces last-minute delay amid dispute, Financial Times reports.

Reuters reported on April 30 that Washington expects Ukraine to sign two additional documents along with the minerals deal, while Kyiv maintains those texts are not yet finalized.

10:36 PM

EU will not recognize Crimea as part of Russia, Kallas says.

EU’s top diplomat Kaja Kallas said the EU is also drawing up a “plan B” to maintain economic sanctions on Russia in case the Trump administration pulls out of Ukraine peace negotiations and moves to restore ties with Moscow.

9:17 PM

Putin admits Ukrainian soldiers remain in Kursk Oblast after boasting about region's recapture.

Despite declaring victory, Russian President Vladimir Putin acknowledged on April 30 that Ukrainian soldiers remain in the region, Russian state-controlled media reported.

8:16 PM

Interview

‘There's an information war, and we’ve disarmed ourselves’ — ex-US diplomat on Trump cuts to counter Russian disinformation

8:11 PM

Europe struggles to find troops for Ukraine's 'deterrence force,' the Times reports.

European nations would struggle to deploy even 25,000 troops to Ukraine as part of a proposed multinational “deterrence” force, far short of the 64,000-strong target suggested by U.K. defense officials, the Times reported on April 30 citing undisclosed European defense sources.

7:04 PM

Trump claims 5,000 Russian, Ukrainian soldiers killed each week. Here’s what the numbers say

6:55 PM

Ukraine Business Roundup — How Russia steals Ukrainian coal

5:37 PM

Video

Crunch time for Republicans on Ukraine, says ex-US State Senator.

The Kyiv Independent's Francis Farrell sits down with retired U.S. Army officer and former Nebraska State Senator Tom Brewer in the front-line city of Kramatorsk, Donetsk Oblast, to discuss U.S.-Ukraine relations under the Trump administration, why Nebraska is interested in Ukraine's post-war recovery and why it's important for U.S. politicians to visit Ukraine to counter myths by Russian propaganda.

7:29 PM  (Updated:  April 30, 2025 5:20 pm)

Trump & Ukraine

Trump promised peace in Ukraine in first 100 days, but Russia's violence only escalated

5:17 PM

Zelensky urged Trump to toughen stance on Putin during Vatican meeting, Axios says.

President Volodymyr Zelensky reportedly pressed U.S. President Donald Trump to return to his original proposal of an unconditional ceasefire as the starting point for peace talks.

4:28 PM

Kremlin says Russia ready for mass mobilization like in WWII 'at any moment'.

"If a great country needs to stand up, it will stand up at any moment," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said.

2:36 PM

3 killed, 70 injured in Russian attacks on Ukraine over past day.

"Russian drones continue flying in the skies over Ukraine all morning. And so it goes every day," President Volodymyr Zelensky posted on X, calling for stronger sanctions against Russia.