Germany’s chief of staff, Thorsten Frei, urges the EU to strengthen sanctions against Russia, advocating for measures such as halting gas and uranium imports and utilizing frozen Russian assets. He asserts that these impactful actions are necessary to pressure Russia, countering Putin’s perceived strategy of using time to achieve military objectives. Frei’s call follows the EU’s 17th sanctions package and reflects Chancellor Merz’s assessment of Putin’s lack of commitment to peace. Furthermore, Germany may increase military aid to Ukraine beyond the current €7 billion allocation.
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Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the creation of a security buffer zone along the border with Ukraine, a task currently underway by Russian armed forces. While the exact location remains unspecified, this follows Putin’s earlier claim of liberating the Russian settlement of Gornal in Kursk Oblast. The Ukrainian General Staff, however, refutes these claims of Russian territorial gains. The announcement was relayed via video link to government officials.
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President Trump, after speaking with European leaders and Vladimir Putin, acknowledged Putin’s unwillingness to end the war in Ukraine, a position contrary to Trump’s previous public statements. Despite initial suggestions of sanctions, Trump ultimately declined to increase pressure on Russia, citing US disengagement from the conflict. While this lack of US action solidified the need for continued European support for Ukraine, the conversations clarified Putin’s stance for all involved parties. European leaders, however, pressed for an unconditional ceasefire as a condition of any Vatican talks, a demand Trump resisted.
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Following a May 19th phone call between Presidents Trump and Putin, Russia, through Foreign Minister Lavrov, rejected calls for a Ukrainian ceasefire. Instead, Russia insisted on negotiating a future peace treaty addressing what it terms the “root causes” of the conflict. These negotiations, including a May 16th meeting, saw Russia reiterate maximalist demands, including Ukrainian concessions on Crimea and eastern territories, and featured a low-level Russian delegation, signaling a lack of commitment to meaningful progress. Lavrov accused Western leaders of pressuring Trump for stricter sanctions, further hindering peace efforts.
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Boris Pistorius criticized Trump’s initial approach to the Ukraine conflict, highlighting his premature concessions on NATO membership and territorial claims as a significant misstep. This weak negotiating stance, according to Pistorius, hinders prospects for peace or a ceasefire. While acknowledging a potential shift in Trump’s strategy, Pistorius suggests that relying solely on pressure tactics against Putin is unlikely to yield success. Ultimately, Pistorius believes Trump needs to adopt a more nuanced and effective approach.
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Following a two-hour call, Trump informed European leaders that Putin had only agreed to discuss a ceasefire, a statement that shocked them. This contradicted Trump’s claim of a successful conversation resulting in immediate ceasefire negotiations, leaving European leaders confused and questioning his assessment. Trump’s apparent willingness to disengage from brokering a deal and forgo further sanctions further surprised them. Zelensky also pointed out that Moscow had already agreed to negotiations.
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Following a phone call between Presidents Putin and Trump, during which a full ceasefire remained elusive, President Zelensky rejected Russia’s demand for Ukrainian troop withdrawal from occupied territories. Zelensky emphasized Ukraine’s right to its land and advocated for a ceasefire and Ukrainian involvement in any peace negotiations. A prisoner exchange is planned, and Zelensky mentioned potential future sanctions from the EU and US. Negotiations continue, with discussions of a broader meeting involving Ukraine, Russia, the US, and the EU.
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President Trump opted against further sanctions on Russia, citing the possibility of achieving a ceasefire despite Russia’s continued refusal. This decision followed a two-hour phone call with President Putin, who instead proposed negotiating a future peace treaty with Ukraine. Simultaneously, the EU, with U.S. coordination, is preparing a significant sanctions package against Russia for its refusal to implement a ceasefire. Ukraine is actively collaborating with the EU on these sanctions.
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A rare phone call between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump yielded contrasting interpretations. While Trump lauded the conversation as “excellent” and predicted imminent ceasefire negotiations, Putin, while acknowledging a “meaningful and frank” discussion, refused a US-proposed 30-day unconditional ceasefire. Putin reiterated Russia’s maximalist war aims, centering on addressing what he termed the “root causes” of the conflict, which include significant concessions from Ukraine. Despite Zelenskyy’s call for a full ceasefire and stronger sanctions against Russia if negotiations fail, no significant breakthrough emerged from the call.
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President Trump initiated ceasefire negotiations concerning the Ukraine conflict with a phone call to President Zelenskyy on May 19th, deviating from expectations of initially contacting Vladimir Putin. Following the Zelenskyy call, Trump subsequently spoke with Putin, as previously announced. The calls aimed to advance efforts toward ending the war between Russia and Ukraine. Trump’s planned diplomatic outreach also includes conversations with NATO allies.
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John Q. Hosedrinker