Washington has allowed some operations with Russian oil, explaining this by the need to stabilize energy markets. Ukraine criticized this decision, stating that any easing of sanctions gives Russia additional resources to continue the war. Against this background, discussions are ongoing in the US and Europe about the balance between economic interests, the security of allies and pressure on Moscow.
Putin said he was ready to meet with Zelensky in a third country
Russian President Vladimir Putin said he was ready to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky not only in Moscow, but also in a third country. At the same time, he emphasized that such a meeting, in his opinion, should become "the final point of the settlement process", and not a platform for negotiations.
“The meeting with Zelensky should be the final point of the settlement process, not negotiations,” Putin said.
He also said that the situation was supposedly moving towards “the completion of the Ukrainian conflict,” referring to the war launched by Russia against Ukraine.
In addition, Putin said that the European Union should delegate to the negotiations a person who “has not said anything nasty” about Russia. As a possible representative, he named former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, who is known for his ties to the Kremlin and work in the structures of Nord Stream 2 AG. Putin also claimed that on May 5, Russia handed over to Ukraine a list of 500 prisoners of war for an exchange, but was allegedly refused. A source in the Office of the President of Ukraine denied these statements and emphasized that work on the exchange in the “1000 for 1000” format is ongoing, and contacts with US mediation remain active.
US Allies Expect Further Reductions in US Troops in Europe
US European allies expect the administration of President Donald Trump to announce further reductions in the US military presence on the continent. According to Bloomberg, after the decision to withdraw 5,000 troops from Germany, NATO diplomats predict new steps that could affect other countries, including Italy. Also among the possible solutions is the cancellation of plans to deploy US long-range missiles in Germany. Sources note that such scenarios are being discussed against the backdrop of changes in Washington's approaches to the Alliance.
According to the agency's interlocutors, the US may also reduce participation in some military exercises or transfer troops to countries that the Trump administration considers more loyal. The White House drew attention to comments by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who stated that NATO's role should be reviewed in light of new strategic needs. Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani stressed that the US military presence in Europe remains important for the allies. Pentagon officials have officially declined to comment on possible further cuts.
Trump ready to send delegation to Moscow for talks on war
US President Donald Trump said, he is ready to send an American delegation to Moscow for talks on the war in Ukraine if it helps bring the conflict to an end. Speaking to reporters outside the White House, he said:
“Well, I would do it. I would really like this war to end.”
At the same time, Trump did not specify who exactly could be part of such a delegation or in what format the negotiations could take place. He also added that during his political life he had already “ended nine wars,” and the war between Russia and Ukraine “could be the tenth.”
The American president also said that a new prisoner exchange between Ukraine and Russia could take place in the near future. He also drew attention to the heavy losses of both sides in the war.
“I would very much like to see an end to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, where 25,000 young soldiers died last month. On average, 25,000 to 30,000 soldiers die every month,” Trump said.
His statement came amid active discussions in the United States and Europe about the possible restoration of diplomatic contacts with Moscow.
Rubio said that talks between Ukraine and Russia have reached an impasse
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said, that talks between Ukraine and Russia have reached an impasse for now, despite previous attempts by Washington to mediate. Speaking at the U.S. Embassy in Rome, he noted that the United States is ready to continue to assist in the diplomatic process if it has a practical result.
“We remain ready to play that role if it can be productive,” Rubio stressed.
According to him, the American side does not want to waste resources on a process that does not demonstrate progress.
Commenting on Russian attacks on civilian infrastructure in Ukraine, Rubio said that each report of attacks only confirms the need to end the war. He recalled that he had recently had a telephone conversation with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, but after that Russia continued the shelling.
“Every time I hear about these things, it just reminds us why this war has to end,” the US Secretary of State said.
Rubio stressed that Washington is ready to return to a more active role as a mediator if the conditions for this arise.
Merz said that it is important to maintain cooperation between the US and NATO
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said, that Berlin expects to maintain close cooperation with the US within NATO even after the decision to withdraw some US troops from Germany. During a press conference in Portugal, he stressed that the key factor is not the number of troops, but “unity of purpose” within the Alliance.
“We are still interested, and very interested, in having the American army and the American military on our side,” Merz said.
According to him, Germany seeks to preserve the transatlantic alliance in the long term.
Merz also commented on the situation around Iran and said that European states share the goal of preventing the emergence of Iranian nuclear weapons. At the same time, he stressed that European countries did not participate in US military actions against Iran.
“We know that there are some differences. We know that we all face difficulties, but our ultimate goal is to bring this conflict to an end and to ensure that Iran cannot develop nuclear weapons,” the Chancellor said.
He also stressed the importance of coordination between allies against the backdrop of global security challenges.
Photo: AP/Mindaugas Kulbis
Author: Danylo Pievchev