U.S. and European officials held talks on May 12, during which Washington made it clear that it wanted to allow talks between Russia and Ukraine before increasing pressure on Vladimir Putin, sources told Bloomberg.
According to Steve Witkoff, the key topics in the peace discussions are the fate of the five partially or fully occupied Ukrainian regions, the status of the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, and Ukraine's access to the Dnipro River and the Black Sea.
Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa is reportedly offering a deal that would give U.S. companies access to Syria's natural wealth, reminiscent of the minerals agreement Washington recently signed with Kyiv.
Russia attacked Ukraine with drones and guided bombs during the night, targeting multiple regions after the May 12 deadline for an unconditional ceasefire expired.
"Only member states can take out loans within the 150 billion euros instrument, but they can use these funds for joint procurement with Ukraine," EU Defense Commissioner Andrius Kubilius said.
"We agreed to pursue ambitious measures to reduce Russia's ability to wage war by limiting Kremlin revenues, disrupting the shadow fleet, tightening the Oil Price Cap, and reducing our remaining imports of Russian energy."
Zelensky on May 12 removed Lieutenant General Ivan Havryliuk from the Headquarters of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, the top command and control body for all branches of Ukraine's defense apparatus.
Ukraine remains the most mined country in the world. Nearly one-third of Ukraine's territory, approximately 174,000 square kilometers, had been mined since Russia began its full-scale invasion of the country in February 2022.
The phone call comes as Moscow once again rejected a 30-day ceasefire, with Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova claiming that a ceasefire would give "Kyiv a break to restore its military potential and continue its confrontation with Russia."
Flight MH17 departed from Amsterdam Schiphol Airport en-route to Kuala Lumpur International Airport on July 17, 2014. Three hours into the flight, the Boeing-777 was shot down by Russian proxy forces using a Buk surface-to-air missile above Ukraine’s Donetsk Oblast.
"I am grateful for the support and the readiness at the highest level to promote diplomacy," President Volodymyr Zelensky said of the phone conservation with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. "We share the same view on the need for a ceasefire."
The convictions mark a significant development in Britain's efforts to counter Russian intelligence operations amid heightened tensions stemming from Moscow's war against Ukraine and repeated Kremlin threats toward Kyiv's allies.
President Volodymyr Zelensky at a press conference on Aug. 27, 2024 in Kyiv, Ukraine. (Yan Dobronosov/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images)
President Volodymyr Zelensky has revealed Donald Trump told him during a call in July he is "very supportive," and would do "everything to strengthen Ukraine" if elected president.
In a preview clip of an interview with CNN to be aired on Sept. 15, Zelensky said Trump also told him "he understands how difficult it is to survive during the war."
The comments are at odds with Trump's previous public statements on Ukraine.
During the presidential debate on Sept. 10, the former president reiterated earlier statements that his primary concern was ending the war – which he has previously claimed he could do in 24 hours – but refrained from providing any concrete details.
Media reports indicated that Trump privately suggested he would end Russia’s war by pressuring Ukraine to cede occupied Crimea and Donbas to Moscow.
He voiced strong criticism of American aid to Ukraine at a campaign rally in Detroit on June 15, describing Zelensky as "maybe the greatest salesman of any politician that's ever lived" for securing substantial financial support from the U.S.
The U.S. has provided historic levels of foreign aid to Ukraine since the start of the full-scale invasion, sending over $100 billion in military assistance and budget support critical to fighting off Russia and helping the government continue to operate.
During the debate, Trump also refused to answer whether Ukraine being victorious was in the best interests of the U.S., instead insisting that it was in America’s “best interest to get this war finished and negotiate a deal."
Trump's vice-presidential running mate Sen. J.D. Vance said in an interview on Sept. 12 that Donald Trump's plan to end Russia's war could include the establishment of a special demilitarized zone between Ukraine and Russia, among other arrangements.
When asked by CNN's Fareed Zakaria how Zelensky understands Trump's comments that he would end the war in 24 hours, Zelensky dismissed the comments as "election messages," that may not reflect what his actual policies will be if he is elected president.
"I can't understand it for today because I don't know the details — what he means and what does it mean," Zelensky said, referring to Trump's alleged plan.
"My position is that the election period and election messages are election messages. Sometimes they are not very real," Zelensky said during a clip of the interview, which is set to be fully published on Sept. 15.
Zelensky did however acknowledge that Trump's statements have made some Ukrainians "nervous."
Zelensky will visit the U.S. later this month to present President Joe Biden with a “victory plan,” which he told CNN would also be presented to Vice President Kamala Harris and Trump, ahead of the upcoming November presidential election.
Ukrainian officials, including Zelensky, have stressed that Kyiv will continue to cooperate productively with any U.S. administration, regardless of the outcome of the November election.
Dmytro Basmat is a senior news editor for The Kyiv Independent. He previously worked in Canadian politics as a communications lead and spokesperson for a national political party, and as a communications assistant for a Canadian Member of Parliament. Basmat has a Master's degree in Political Management from Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada, and a Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Governance from Toronto Metropolitan University.
Kate Tsurkan
