"Hopefully Russia and Ukraine will make a deal this week. Both will then start to do big business with the United States of America, which is thriving, and make a fortune."
"We remain committed to achieving a full and comprehensive ceasefire," a U.S. State Department spokesperson said on April 20.
Key developments on April 19-20: * Multiple Russian ceasefire violations reported from front line during Easter ceasefire, Zelensky says * Ukraine brings home 277 POWs in swap with Russia * Ukraine advances in Russia's Belgorod Oblast, Zelensky says * Republican US Congressman Fitzpatrick visits Ukraine’s front line, signs a shell for Putin * Russia
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Iran maintains that its nuclear program is purely peaceful and has indicated a willingness to accept limited restrictions in return for the lifting of international sanctions.
"I encourage all my colleagues in Congress to come here," U.S. Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick, a pro-Ukraine Republican representing Pennsylvania, said during his visit to the front line.
The U.S. indicated during recent talks in Paris that it has developed a draft concept for how a comprehensive ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia might be monitored if one can be achieved, a Western official said.
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
"There are already some developments, but, of course, there are still many complicated discussions ahead," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said.
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.
"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.
"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.
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.
Raiffeisen Bank International has suspended efforts to sell its unit in Russia amid warming ties between Moscow and Washington, the Financial Times (FT) reported on April 18, citing undisclosed sources.
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.
The closures include Mission Support Site Green Village, MSS Euphrates, and a smaller unnamed facility. U.S. commanders will reportedly decide within 60 days whether to further reduce the troop presence.
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.
"We have a minerals deal, which I guess is going to be signed on Thursday, next Thursday," U.S. President Donald Trump said on April 17.
Jonathan Shrier, acting U.S. representative to the U.N. Economic and Social Council, said Washington opposed the resolution because of repeated statements about the war in Ukraine that the U.S. considers “unhelpful in advancing the cause of peace.”
“I believe Mr. Witkoff has adopted the strategy of the Russian side,” President Volodymyr Zelensky said. “Consciously or not, he is spreading Russian narratives."
Glavproduct, a canned food producer originally founded by Los Angeles-based businessman Leonid Smirnov, is the only U.S. company to fall under Russian state control since the start of Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine.
U.S. President Donald Trump's candidate for U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, Ed Martin, frequently offered views on RT and Sputnik that aligned with Kremlin narratives, including echoing Moscow's grievances about NATO and the war against Ukraine.
"We have a common interest with the United States to bring Zaporizhzhia NPP under Ukrainian control and start the operation of this nuclear power plant," Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko said.
Presidential Office head Andriy Yermak, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, and Defense Minister Rustem Umerov arrived in Paris on April 17 to discuss security guarantees for Ukraine and meet visiting U.S. officials.
"You know, there is such a person, he lives in the States, (Elon) Musk, who, you could say, raves about Mars," Russian President Vladimir Putin said.
"I am continuing for one year the national emergency with respect to the Russian Federation and the emergency authority relating to the regulation of the anchorage and movement of Russian-affiliated vessels to United States ports," a U.S. Federal Register document says.
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