Recognizing Russia’s control of Crimea would mark a significant win for Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has long pushed for international legitimacy over the territory.
As U.S. officials continue to push for a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, five Ukrainian territories have emerged as a central focus — and sticking point — in the negotiations. “This peace deal is about these so-called five territories,” U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff said in comments to Fox News
The swap will reportedly involve 246 POWs from each side, as well as 46 injured soldiers, an undisclosed source told Sky News.
With the start of Donald Trump's second term in office, NATO finds itself on shaky ground — reports that the U.S. president might cut the alliance's funding do little to ease fears. A leaked White House memo revealed plans to slash the U.S. State Department funding for the next
Key developments on April 18: * U.S. proposes leaving occupied areas under Russian control, easing sanctions, Bloomberg reports * 'You're fools' — US may 'take a pass' on Ukraine-Russia talks if either side stalls, Trump says * "Not our war" — US may drop Russia-Ukraine ceasefire efforts unless progress is made, Rubio says * Kremlin
"If for some reason one of the two parties makes it very difficult, we're just going to say: 'you're foolish, you're fools, you're horrible people,' and we're just going to take a pass. But hopefully we won't have to do that," U.S. President Donald Trump said.
"There are already some developments, but, of course, there are still many complicated discussions ahead," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said.
Following the start of Russia's full-scale war in 2022, Hrishenkov defended Mariupol, where he was injured. After 86 days of defending the encircled city under heavy Russian bombardment, he and about 2,500 other fighters left the Azovstal steel plant after Ukrainian commanders ordered the defending garrison to lay down their arms.
One of the officials told Bloomberg that the U.S. plans, which require further discussion with Kyiv, would not be a final settlement and that European allies would not recognize the occupied territories as Russian.
The aerial war between Russia and Ukraine is explosive in every sense. But beyond the physical dimension, it is also a battle of morale and information. Both sides are locked in a continuous back-and-forth of public statements and dramatic videos claiming hits and damage to the other side. There’s
"I want to update the prime minister (Giorgia Meloni) on some of the negotiations between Russia and Ukraine... even in the past 24 hours, we think we have some interesting things to report on," U.S. Vice President JD Vance said.
Japan's funds will be disbursed over 30 years and directed toward budgetary needs and to support reconstruction and development.
"We are now working in parallel with our and American legal teams and are trying to remove many technical issues to narrow them down to the most sensitive ones that will require a political decision," Deputy Economy Minister and Trade Representative Taras Kachka said.
The new sanctions target 39 individuals and 60 legal entities, some based in Russia and China. The measures include asset freezes, trade restrictions, bans on property acquisition, termination of licenses and permits, and transit prohibitions.
These included service members killed in the Kurakhove, Pokrovsk, Bakhmut, Vuhledar, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, Sumy, and Kharkiv sectors of the front, as well as those in Russian morgues.
Ukrainian airline SkyUp Airlines has made its first regular flight since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion, flying on the Chisinau-Paris route on April 18, the Ain outlet reported, citing the company's press service.
In a video released by Russian state-run RIA Novosti, the detainee, whose identity was not disclosed, said he was born in 2000 and is a citizen of Belarus.
U.S. officials said they expect tangible progress soon, while European participants pushed Washington to prepare a harsher response if Moscow fails to engage, Bloomberg reported.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian rejected the claims at a regular news conference, saying China has never made lethal weapons available to any party in the war.
The Ukrainian government on April 18 published the text of a recently signed memorandum outlining a pending minerals agreement with the United States.
Speaking after meeting European and Ukrainian officials for ceasefire talks, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that Trump is interested in reaching a deal but has other priorities.
Moscow's forces launched an Iskander-M ballistic missile, five Iskander-K cruise missiles, and 37 attack and decoy drones against Ukraine overnight, the Air Force reported.
"Under the current circumstances, it is simply unrealistic to talk about a (full) ceasefire at this stage," Russia's U.N. Ambassador Vasily Nebenzya said.
The number includes 1,530 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.
“According to preliminary information, the strikes on Kharkiv were carried out with ballistic missiles equipped with cluster munitions. That is why the affected areas are so extensive," Mayor Ihor Terekhov wrote.
President Volodymyr Zelensky met with pro-Ukraine Republican U.S. Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick on April 17, to discuss peace and security guarantees for Ukraine.
"For a long time, we feared that the Europeans would not be around the table. Well, today, it is in Paris that the Europeans, the Americans, and the Ukrainians have met for the first time," French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said.
"It is important that we reaffirm through our agreements the desire of the American people to invest together with the Ukrainian people in a free, sovereign, and secure Ukraine," Deputy Prime Minister and Economic Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko said.
"(U.S.) President (Donald) Trump and the United States want this war to end, and have now presented to all parties the outlines of a durable and lasting peace," U.S. State Department Spokesperson Tammy Bruce said.
"We have been defending the freedom of Ukraine together," Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said.
Key developments on April 17: * China provides weapons to Russia, Zelensky says * Ukraine repels Russian offensive near Pokrovsk, killing 200 Russian soldiers, Zelensky says * Ukrainian forces liberate 16 square kilometers near Pokrovsk in Donetsk Oblast, Syrskyi says * Ukrainian drones attack Russian brigade linked to Sumy strike for second day in
“Excuse me, but this is a murder. This strike went to the (city) center, it did not go to the front line,” President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
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