Ukraine war latest: 'Russia is trying to buy time to continue the war' — Zelensky says after Putin-Trump call
Key developments on May 20:
- 'Russia is trying to buy time to continue the war' — Zelensky says after Putin-Trump call
- EU approves 17th package of Russia sanctions, targets shadow fleet
- Rubio says US, NATO seek more Patriot air defense systems for Ukraine
- Kyiv to receive 400,000 more shells from Czech initiative, Ukraine's PM says
- Trump administration considers deporting nearly 200,000 Ukrainians using foreign aid funds, WP reports
Russia is trying to buy time to continue the war in Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on May 20, reacting to a recent call between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Zelensky's statement follows his call with Finnish President Alexander Stubb, during which the Ukrainian leader told his counterpart about his May 19 phone call with Trump, as well as the latter's talks with Putin.
"It is obvious that Russia is trying to buy time to continue the war and occupation," Zelensky said on X. "We are working with our partners to pressure the Russians to change their behavior."
Zelensky thanked partners who continue to impose sanctions on Russia for its aggression in Ukraine and stressed that the war should end at the negotiating table.
"Clear and realistic proposals must be on the table. Ukraine is ready for any effective negotiation format. And if Russia continues to put forward unrealistic conditions and undermine possible results, there must be harsh consequences," Zelensky said.
Axios reported on May 20 that Zelensky had to remind Trump that negotiations with Russia are already underway after Trump announced to EU leaders the Kremlin's readiness for talks, citing sources present at the call.
The exchange reportedly took place during a phone call involving Trump, Zelensky, and the leaders of Germany, France, Italy, Finland, and the European Union.
It followed Trump's earlier call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, in which the Russian leader provided vague assurances about peace efforts but again rejected a ceasefire in Ukraine.
Trump told the leaders that Putin agreed to start direct negotiations on a ceasefire immediately, which led to a few seconds of "puzzled silence" during the call, Axios' source said.
Zelensky then reminded Trump that Putin had previously agreed to this, and the first round of direct talks had already taken place on May 16 in Istanbul, marking the first direct talks between Kyiv and Moscow since 2022. Trump did not directly respond, the sources said.
The Ukrainian president and other leaders also pointed out to Trump that it had been his idea to start the peace talks with an immediate 30-day ceasefire, according to Axios.
Participants on the call reportedly seemed "surprised" that Trump was "relatively content" with what he heard from Putin. Even though the Kremlin's position has not changed, Trump presented this as a new development in the negotiation process.
EU approves 17th package of Russia sanctions, targets shadow fleet
The EU has formally approved its 17th package of sanctions imposed on Russia over aggression in Ukraine, including measures against almost 200 shadow fleet vessels, top EU diplomat Kaja Kallas announced on May 20.
"New measures also address hybrid threats and human rights. More sanctions on Russia are in the works," Kallas said on X.
The step comes as the U.S. signals disinterest in imposing additional sanctions against Russia, even as Moscow refuses Western-backed ceasefire proposals.
The 17th package was supported by EU ambassadors last week, but has since then been criticized as weak and watered down.
The new sanctions target members of Russia’s military and political elite and foreign entities in China or the United Arab Emirates, accused of helping the Kremlin evade already-imposed measures.
The EU will also sanction more than 20 entities and individuals disseminating disinformation, and 20 judges and prosecutors involved in legal cases against Russian opposition, specifically Vladimir Kara-Murza and late Alexei Navalny.
The package also targets components vital to Russia’s defense industry, namely chemicals, materials, and dual-use goods.
The EU has threatened Russia with additional sanctions unless President Vladimir Putin commits to a ceasefire and agrees to seriously engage in peace efforts. President Volodymyr Zelensky also announced that a new "strong EU sanctions package" is underway.
While European leaders have proclaimed that additional sanctions are coordinated with Washington, U.S. President Donald Trump, who held a phone call with Putin on May 19, said he does not intend to impose new measures on Moscow to avoid disrupting peace efforts.
Rubio says US, NATO seek more Patriot air defense systems for Ukraine
The United States is working with NATO partners to locate additional Patriot air defense systems for Ukraine, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on May 20 during Senate testimony on the State Department's budget.
Ukraine has consistently warned that its current air defense capacity is insufficient to counter the scale of Russia's intensified missile and drone attacks.
"The U.S. is looking for Patriot batteries to be able to transfer from other NATO nations into Ukrainian hands," Rubio told lawmakers, adding that no country is willing to give up these systems, and the U.S. cannot produce them quickly enough.
Kyiv has requested more Patriots to shield cities and critical infrastructure.
In an April 13 interview with CBS News, President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine is ready to buy 10 U.S.-made Patriot systems for $15 billion.
"We will find the money and pay for everything," he said.
Despite Kyiv's appeals, U.S. President Donald Trump dismissed the request, accusing Zelensky of "always looking to purchase missiles" and falsely blaming Ukraine for provoking the war.
The Patriot is a high-precision, U.S.-made surface-to-air missile platform capable of intercepting aircraft, cruise missiles, and ballistic threats. Zelensky has repeatedly said Ukraine needs at least seven more systems to defend its most at-risk regions.
The New York Times reported on May 4, citing unnamed U.S. officials, that a Patriot system currently based in Israel will be transferred to Ukraine following refurbishment. Western allies are also reportedly reviewing whether to reallocate systems from Germany or Greece.
Kyiv currently operates eight Patriot systems, though only six are functional, with two undergoing repairs, according to the publication.
Ukraine accepted a U.S.-proposed 30-day unconditional ceasefire back in March.
Moscow has continued its large-scale drone and missile strikes, including the largest drone assault of the war on May 18, when 273 drones entered Ukrainian airspace.
Kyiv to receive 400,000 more shells from Czech initiative, Ukraine's PM says
Ukraine will receive 400,000 additional artillery shells in 2025 through the Czech-led munitions initiative, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal announced on May 20 on Telegram.
The initiative, supported by contributions from Canada, Norway, the Netherlands, Denmark, and other nations, has significantly enhanced Ukraine's artillery capabilities. Launched in 2024, it has become a vital supplement to the country's firepower amid shell shortages.
Following a meeting with Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala, Shmyhal said Ukraine received around 1.5 million artillery shells of various calibers through the initiative in 2024.
He announced that Czechia has increased its annual aid allocation to Ukraine to over $43 million. Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022, Prague has provided $900 million in military assistance to Kyiv.
Fiala and Shmyhal also discussed expanding cooperation on weapons production, economic support, and humanitarian assistance.
"We will strengthen the integration of the Ukrainian and Czech defense industries," Shmyhal wrote. "In addition, we agreed to cooperate in training Ukrainian pilots of F-16 airplanes."
Czechia has played a leading role within the EU in rallying military support for Ukraine and has hosted hundreds of thousands of refugees since the start of the war.
The country's opposition party, ANO, has threatened to suspend the munitions initiative if it wins parliamentary elections in October 2025.
ANO deputy leader Karel Havlicek made the remarks in January, raising concerns about the future of one of Ukraine's most reliable arms pipelines.
Trump administration considers deporting nearly 200,000 Ukrainians using foreign aid funds, WP reports
Washington plans to spend about $250 million of foreign aid funds to repatriate people from active conflict zones, including about 200,000 Ukrainians and 500,000 Haitians, the Washington Post reported on May 20, citing the draft internal documents the newspaper obtained.
During Joe Biden's presidency, Ukrainians and Haitians were granted temporary protection, allowing them to stay in the U.S. if they could not return to their home country.
With the Trump administration coming to office, the U.S. has tightened its immigration policy. U.S. President Donald Trump previously pledged to impose harsher legislation on migrants and launch the "largest deportation program in U.S. history," aimed at removing 15 to 20 million migrants from the country.
According to the draft internal documents, the proposal was prepared after the Department of Homeland Security issued a statement on May 5. The statement read that those immigrants who voluntarily leave the U.S. for their home countries would be eligible for $1,000 in assistance.
Besides Ukrainians and Haitians, the draft documents also mention Afghans, Palestinians, Libyans, Sudanese, Syrians, and Yemenis, who could become other targets of the deportation program, the WP reported.
Tricia McLaughlin, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security spokesperson, verified the documents' authenticity, but described them as "outdated." McLaughlin added that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has not made a "final" decision on temporary protected status for Haiti or Ukraine.
According to the draft documents reviewed by the newspaper, the State Department's Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration (PRM) will fund the voluntary resettlement program using funds allocated by Congress for charter flights or commercial airfare.
The State Department has acknowledged that it is working with the Department of Homeland Security to provide "travel support and financial incentives" to encourage migrants to leave the country voluntarily.
The Trump administration's proposal has been criticized, including by former government officials who called it inhumane and counter to long-held U.S. ideals, the WP reported.
According to the plan's opponents, the Trump administration is forcing asylum seekers to return to countries where they are "at risk of being killed." They also questioned whether the plan constitutes an abuse of foreign aid funds intended primarily to support refugees and their resettlement.
In late January, Washington suspended acceptance of applications from Ukrainians for asylum under the Uniting for Ukraine program. This program allowed for two years of asylum in the U.S., as well as the right to work, study, and have health insurance, among other benefits.
There are about 200,000 Ukrainian refugees in the U.S., according to the United Nations.
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