Ukraine war latest: Poland's prime minister condemns NATO 'disintegration' as Trump says US will further reduce troop presence in Europe
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Key developments on May 2-3:
- Poland's prime minister condemns NATO 'disintegration' as Trump says US will further reduce troop presence in Europe
- Ukraine hits 2 Russian shadow fleet vessels near Novorossiysk port
- Ukraine strikes Russian Kalibr missile carrier, patrol boat in Leningrad Oblast, Zelensky says
- Zelensky arrives in Yerevan for European Political Community Summit, his first visit to Armenia
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk on May 2 condemned the "disintegration" of NATO from within as U.S. President Donald Trump said further reductions in American troops stationed in Europe are coming.
"The greatest threat to the transatlantic community are not its external enemies, but the ongoing disintegration of our alliance. We must all do what it takes to reverse this disastrous trend," Tusk said in a post to X.
The U.S. Department of Defense announced May 1 that the White House will withdraw about 5,000 troops from Germany amid rising tension between Washington and Berlin over the U.S. war with Iran.
"We're going to cut way down, and we're cutting a lot further than 5,000," Trump then said on May 2 outside Air Force One when asked why the U.S. is withdrawing troops from Germany, without explaining the decision.
The U.S. leader said on April 29 that while Washington did "not need" assistance with the Iran war, he was "very disappointed" that allies did not help.
Relations between the current White House administration and Europe have been tense in recent months amid U.S. threats to annex Greenland and U.S. tariffs. Transatlantic relations faced renewed strain in the face of U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran.
In an April 1 interview, Trump told the Telegraph he is strongly considering pulling the U.S. from NATO.
When asked whether he would reconsider the U.S. membership in the alliance after the war, Trump said, "Oh yes, I would say (it's) beyond reconsideration. I was never swayed by NATO."
Ukraine hits 2 Russian shadow fleet vessels near Novorossiysk port
Ukrainian forces attacked two Russian shadow fleet vessels near the entrance to the port in the Russian city of Novorossiysk in the Black Sea, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on May 3.
"These tankers were actively used to transport oil. Now they won't be," Zelensky said, publishing footage of the attack.
The attack is the latest in a series of strikes as Ukraine intensifies long-range attacks on Russia's energy sector, aiming to undermine a key source of funding for Moscow’s war effort.
The operation was led by the General Staff Chief Andrii Hnatov, with the involvement of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and the Navy.
"Ukraine's long-range capabilities will be developed comprehensively — at sea, in the air, and on land," Zelensky said.
Ukraine has repeatedly targeted Russia’s oil terminal in Novorossiysk.
Novorossiysk has become a central base for the Russian Black Sea Fleet after repeated Ukrainian strikes on occupied Crimea, increasing its importance as both a military and logistical hub.
Ukraine strikes Russian Kalibr missile carrier, patrol boat in Leningrad Oblast, Zelensky says
Ukrainian forces targeted a Russian Karakurt-class missile ship, a patrol boat, and a shadow fleet tanker in the port of Primorsk in Leningrad Oblast, acting head of Ukraine's Security Service Yevhen Khmara told the president on May 3.
"Significant damage has also been caused to the infrastructure of the oil-loading port," said President Volodymyr Zelensky.
A Karakurt-class missile ship is armed with various weapons, including Kalibr missiles.
"Every such result of ours limits Russia's war potential," Zelensky added.
The Kyiv Independent couldn't independently verify the reports.
The president said he had coordinated further "just responses" to Russian strikes on Ukraine with the country's security services, warning that "prolonging the war will only scale up our defensive operations."
Ukraine has intensified its attack on oil infrastructure in Leningrad Oblast, primarily targeting oil terminals in the port cities of Ust-Luga and Primorsk.
While Leningrad Oblast is located over 1,000 kilometers north of Ukraine's border, its location in western Russia and proximity to the Baltic Sea make it a prime target for Ukrainian attacks. Kyiv's broad development of its long-range striking capability in recent years has further exposed the region's vulnerabilities.
Zelensky arrives in Yerevan for European Political Community Summit, his first visit to Armenia
President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Yerevan on May 3 to attend a summit of the European Political Community.
Zelensky is expected to meet with the prime ministers of the U.K., Norway, Finland, and the Czech Republic.
According to the president's spokesperson Serhii Nykyforov, bilateral meetings will continue on May 4.
Leaders from more than 40 European countries will gather at the summit to discuss strategies for ending the wars in Ukraine and Iran.
"The key is more security and coordination for all of us," Zelensky said on social media after landing.
The visit marks Zelensky's first trip to Armenia since he took office in 2019. He first met Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in 2023 at a summit of the European Political Community in Spain.
While Pashinyan hasn't visited Kyiv during during Russia's full-scale war, his ex-wife, Anna Hakobyan, traveled to Ukraine's capital in 2023 for the Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen.
Pashinyan previously said that Armenia is seeking closer ties with the European Union, though full membership remains uncertain. Amid a widening rift with Russia, Armenian President Vahagn Khachaturyan signed a law last year to formally begin the country's path toward EU accession.
Kyiv has also maintained good relations with Azerbaijan, Armenia's primary regional rival, throughout Russia's war in Ukraine. Zelensky visited Azerbaijan in late April and signed cooperation deals with President Ilham Aliyev.
