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Russia’s war against Ukraine
Russian President Vladimir Putin looks on as he meets with students in Sochi, Russia on May 19, 2025, after a telephone conversation with U.S. President Donald Trump. During the call, Putin again refused to agree to a full ceasefire in Ukraine, instead agreeing to prepare to negotiate a “memorandum regarding a potential future peace treaty.” (Alexander Kazakov / Russian state-controlled media outlet Sputnik / Pool / AFP via Getty Images)
After call with Trump, Putin still refuses full ceasefire, again cites Russia’s ‘root causes’ of war in Ukraine. The Russian president made no mention of an immediate and unconditional ceasefire — the key demand pushed by U.S. President Donald Trump and accepted by Ukraine back in March.
Ukraine eyes peace talks with Russia, US, and EU in neutral venue, possibly Vatican, Zelensky says. President Volodymyr Zelensky on May 19 said that Kyiv is exploring the possibility of a meeting with delegations from Ukraine, Russia, the United States, and the EU in Turkey, the Vatican, or Switzerland.
Zelensky dismisses Putin’s demand to withdraw troops from 4 Ukrainian regions. “It means that they (Russia) don’t want peace,” President Volodymyr Zelensky said. “If they demand what they know we won’t agree to,” he added.
Trump threatens to ‘back away’ from Ukraine-Russia peace talks if progress is not made. “I tell you, big egos involved, but I think something’s going to happen. And if it doesn’t, I just back away, and they’re going to have to keep going,” U.S. President Donald Trump said.
Trump says he will not impose new sanctions on Russia. “Because I think there’s a chance of getting something done, and if you do that, you could also make it much worse,” Trump told reporters from the Oval Office on May 19.
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‘Strong EU sanctions’ coming soon, US expected to sanction Russian banks, energy, Zelensky says. Ukraine knows the date that the EU package will go into effect, though the president did not share that detail in his remarks. Zelensky also said he expects the U.S. to impose sanctions ‘when they see fit.’
Trump says he trusts Putin, won’t sanction Russia. U.S. President Donald Trump, in separate statements, told reporters on May 19 that he trusts Russian President Vladimir Putin, will not sanction Russia, but will abandon Ukraine peace efforts if progress is not made.
Trump seeks direct peace talks between Ukraine, Russia, Zelensky says. “For Trump, the most important thing is direct talks between Ukraine and Russia,” President Volodymyr Zelensky said, adding that Defense Minister Rustem Umerov and Russian President Vladimir Putin’s adviser, Vladimir Medinsky, held a call on May 19 and discussed a 1,000-for-1,000 prisoner exchange.
EU to push G7 to lower Russian oil price cap, commissioner says. EU officials told Reuters they would propose bringing the cap down from $60 to $50 per barrel, as Brussels and its allies seek to further reduce the Kremlin’s revenue from fossil fuel exports.
Finland to send ammunition to Ukraine using proceeds from frozen Russian assets. Under the agreement, Finland will provide 90 million euros (approximately $100 million) worth of heavy ammunition procured from domestic suppliers.
Read our exclusives
Ukraine war latest: Putin refuses ceasefire after Trump call; Zelensky rejects Russia’s demand to withdraw troops from 4 regions
Russia continues to refuse to agree to a full ceasefire in Ukraine, with President Vladimir Putin instead prepared to negotiate a “memorandum regarding a potential future peace treaty,” he said following a two-hour call with U.S. President Donald Trump on May 19.
Photo: Contributor / Getty Images
‘It’s our land’ — Zelensky responds to Putin’s call with Trump
A source in the President’s Office told the Kyiv Independent that Trump and Zelensky spoke twice on May 19 — once before the scheduled call with Putin and again after it.
Photo: Sergei Supinsky / AFP
Romania’s new president faces daunting challenges after surprise victory over far-right upstart
There was a wave of euphoria and relief across Europe following the election of pro-European liberal Nicusor Dan as Romania’s new president.
Photo: Alexandra Corcode/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Ukraine ‘not yet in worst-case scenario,’ McCain Institute head says
In October of last year, just days before the U.S. presidential election, Head of the McCain Institute Evelyn Farkas told the Kyiv Independent that a Donald Trump victory would be the “worst-case scenario” for Ukraine.
Photo: Win McNamee / Getty Images
Human cost of Russia’s war
Russia detains 8 teenagers accused of plotting attacks on police during Victory Day. Russian authorities have detained nine residents of Stavropol Krai, accusing them of plotting an attack on security forces during May 9 celebrations, the Federal Security Service (FSB) said on May 19.
Opinions and insights
Aestheticized aggression — why Gosha Rubchinskiy’s ‘Victory Day’ photo book is Russian propaganda
Russia’s war against Ukraine is waged not only with missiles and tanks, but with distorted myths — powerful narratives that romanticize empire, rewrite history, and embolden Russian soldiers to reduce once prosperous cities to rubble.
Photo: Screenshots / Instagram
Ukraine’s mental health workers tackle war trauma and Soviet stigma in front-line regions
When the children arrive at a basement shelter in the Savyntsi Community Center, psychologist Olena Husman, in her blonde bob and tortoise-shell glasses, stoops down to greet a young girl in pigtails with a high five.
Photo: Chris Jones / The Kyiv Independent
International response
US allows Australia to send Abrams tanks to Ukraine despite private objections, media reports. Despite private protests, Washington eventually gave permission for Australia to begin shipping out the U.S.-made tanks to Ukraine, ABC reported.
Thousands protest in Hungary against Russia-style bill targeting media, NGOs. Protesters packed Kossuth Square outside Hungary’s parliament, denouncing the bill as an attack on civil society and democratic freedoms.
Poland heads to runoff between pro-EU Trzaskowski and Eurosceptic Nawrocki. Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski narrowly led Poland’s presidential election on May 18, but failed to secure an outright victory.
Russia declares Amnesty International an ‘undesirable organization.’ The agency accused the London-based headquarters of Amnesty International of being a hub for what it called “global Russophobic projects funded by supporters of the Kyiv regime.”
EU members preliminarily agree to launch 150-billion-euro defense fund, source says. The new mechanism, proposed by the European Commission in March, will allow member states to borrow money from the EU to purchase weapons and military equipment.
‘It is important that support for Ukraine continues’ — Zelensky congratulates Romania’s President-elect Dan after election. “We are deeply grateful for Romania’s contribution to protecting the lives of our people. It is important that support for Ukraine continues,” President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
EU coordinating next Russia sanctions with US, Germany says. Washington’s participation in a potential sanctions package would be “very central,” German government spokesperson Stefan Cornelius said.
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In other news
Ukrainian drones destroy Russian radar, supply depots on Black Sea gas platforms, SBU says. An aerial drone first struck one of the platforms, followed by a naval drone that delivered a secondary hit.
France rejects Telegram CEO’s accusations of Romanian election meddling. Durov, a Russian-born founder of the Telegram messaging app who also holds French citizenship, claimed that a “Western European government” requested the company to “silence conservative voices in Romania ahead of today’s presidential elections.”
Commander of Ukraine’s 59th Brigade replaced, media reports. Lieutenant Colonel Bohdan Shevchuk was dismissed as the commander of the 59th Brigade of the Unmanned Systems Forces and replaced by Colonel Oleksandr Sak, Ukrainska Pravda reported, citing its sources in the brigade.
Ukrainian detained in Poland for allegedly smuggling migrants across Belarus border. According to an official statement, Polish officers stopped a Mazda car for inspection and discovered the 36-year-old woman behind the wheel, along with five Afghan nationals in the vehicle.
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