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Russia’s war against Ukraine
Russian airstrikes with FAB-250 bombs struck a residential area in Kramatorsk, Donetsk Oblast, late on May 26, damaging homes, vehicles, and a substation. Around 856 customers remain without power as restoration efforts continue. (Jose Colon/Anadolu via Getty Images)
After 3 days of consecutive attacks on Ukraine, Russia calls UN meeting over alleged European ‘threats to peace.’ Moscow requested a meeting of the U.N. Security Council over Europe’s alleged “threats to international peace and security,” Russia’s U.N. envoy, Dmitry Polyansky, said on May 27, only a day after Russia launched its largest drone attack against Ukraine.
Trump admits to protecting Russia from ‘really bad things‘ during Ukraine peace talks. Trump’s comments come amid growing pressure on the U.S. administration to respond to escalating Russian attacks.
‘Istanbul is very good‘ — Lavrov backs Turkey again for next round of Russia-Ukraine peace talks. “If you ask me, I would turn to our Turkish friends again — Istanbul is very good,” Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.
Turkey’s FM reportedly to visit Kyiv after discussing Ukraine peace efforts with Putin. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan met with Russian President Vladimir Putin on May 26 to discuss recent peace initiatives and the May 16 talks in Istanbul, Reuters reported.
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Russia ordered 307,900 death certificates for soldiers’ families since 2022, media reports. Before the full-scale war against Ukraine, the number of certificates for deceased soldiers’ relatives had consistently declined.
Russia changes drone tactics to bypass Ukraine’s air defense, Air Force says. Russia’s new tactic is to launch the drones at high altitudes, more than 2 kilometers (1.4 miles) above the ground, and keep changing the drones’ routes. Then, the drones swoop down directly onto the target, Air Force spokesperson Yurii Ihnat said.
Despite Kremlin claims, 82% of Russian-speaking Ukrainians view Russia negatively, poll shows. The results come as Russia continues to invoke the supposed plight of Russian-speaking communities to justify its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Russia builds power lines to connect occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant to its grid, NYT reports. The Zaporizhzhia plant, the largest nuclear facility in Europe and one of the ten largest globally, has been under Russian occupation since March 2022.
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Bracing for more Russian attacks, an anxious Ukraine waits for Trump to do… something
Since the attacks, Donald Trump has used a lot of language, but has yet to show any strength. In a post on social media, he said President Vladimir Putin had gone “absolutely crazy” and could be triggering “the downfall of Russia,” adding he was “not happy” with him.
Photo: Michael M. Santiago / Getty Images
As Russia’s war shows no sign of slowing, Trump mulls more sanctions. But do they work?
Sanctions on their own won’t end the war, but they are a crucial tool in the West’s efforts to pressure Putin to the negotiation table. Washington’s seesawing on its sanctions strategy has alarmed Brussels, but Europe and others remain united on the effort.
Photo: Getty Images
Ukraine war latest: Trump admits to protecting Russia from ‘really bad things’
“What Vladimir Putin doesn’t realize is that if it weren’t for me, lots of really bad things would have already happened to Russia, and I mean really bad. He’s playing with fire,” Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Photo: Brendan Smialowski / AFP via Getty Images
If Germany sends Taurus missiles to Ukraine, Russia has a major Crimean Bridge problem
Germany’s policy of not sending Ukraine Taurus missiles was largely driven by Olaf Scholz. Ukraine has been using U.S.-made ATACMS for over a year and U.K.-French Storm Shadows for more than two.
Photo: Sebastian Pieknik / AFP via Getty Images
Human cost of Russia’s war
At least 206 Ukrainian soldiers died in Russian captivity amid brutal treatment, AP reports. At least 206 of the 5,000 Ukrainian soldiers repatriated to Ukraine died in Russian captivity, the Associated Press (AP) reported on May 27.
International response
Trump’s patience wears thin as Russia delays Ukraine peace memo, CNN reports. During a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin last week, Trump was told that a “memorandum of peace” outlining conditions for a ceasefire would be delivered shortly. As of May 27, no such document has been received.
US, EU no longer coordinating enforcement of Russia sanctions, media reports. EU sanctions chief David O’Sullivan noted that there is “no more outreach” between the two sides on sanctions evasion and that G7 cooperation has “also lost momentum” in this regard, according to an internal report from an EU ministerial meeting in Brussels on May 20, Suddeutsche Zeitung reported.
UK to funnel $3 billion to Ukraine’s arms, hardware repairs under G7 loan covered by Russian assets. The funds will be used to purchase foreign-made defense products, repair and maintain military equipment, implement joint projects with Ukrainian and international defense companies, and purchase other critical materials, including Ukrainian-made products.
China denies Ukraine’s allegations of supplying arms, defense components to Russia. China’s reaction follows remarks by the head of Ukraine’s Foreign Intelligence Service, Oleh Ivashchenko, about Beijing allegedly providing defense components to 20 Russian military-industrial manufacturing facilities.
US blocks G7 push to tighten Russian oil price cap, Financial Times reports. The proposal was dropped after U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent reportedly declined to support it.
Hungary accuses Ukraine of ‘information operations,’ signals continued obstruction of EU accession. Hungary’s European Affairs Minister Janos Boka claimed on May 27 that it is “extremely difficult” to lead constructive negotiations with Ukraine on its EU accession as Kyiv is allegedly conducting “information and intelligence” on Hungary’s territory.
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