USA

May 6, 2025 3:17pm

Ukraine Russia Photos USA

Reading Time: 14 minutes

Ben Borges

Ukrainian Alina Petrauskaite has chosen to live her life in the service of God. Although she once dreamed of having a family, a deeper calling led her to the convent to serve as a nun.

In their daily prayers, many Catholic believers worldwide pray for Ukraine, and were previously led by Pope Francis until his death last month.

Now, during the election for the new pope, Alina and her fellow nuns are intensifying their prayers so that the cardinals can choose a good pope.

"We desire the Holy Spirit to show them who it should be," she said.

The death of Pope Francis has revived discussions about the Vatican's role in the world’s most pressing conflicts. In the case of Russia’s war against Ukraine, the Holy See has long walked a diplomatic tightrope, criticized for ambiguity – yet it continues to maintain dialogue with both Kyiv and Moscow.

Unlike other world powers, the Vatican offers no weapons, only moral leverage — and increasingly, it is using it to help Ukraine reclaim prisoners, deported children, and even the remains of fallen soldiers.

With protocol-breaking moments like Zelenskyy’s placement at the papal funeral, quiet signals from Moscow – such as the Kremlin’s restrained reaction to papal appeals for peace – and even a brief, symbolic meeting with Trump, the Vatican is emerging as an unlikely but important ally for Ukraine — and a rare channel of dialogue in a polarized world.

Alina is a Roman Catholic nun who belongs to the Congregation of the Little Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. It was founded in Poland in 1888 and began operating in Ukraine in 1969. She and her fellow sisters serve God and do charitable work through social, educational, and pastoral activities. They do not wear traditional monastic habits like other nuns to stay closer to other people and serve among them.

Just like priests, nuns prepare for life in a monastery, which can take several years, gradually discerning their calling. After that, the nuns have to take three vows – of purity, poverty, and obedience – pledging to dedicate themselves to God, community, and service to others.

Alina now serves in Kyiv at the Catholic Media Centre. She is the editor-in-chief of the official website of the Roman Catholic Church in Ukraine. She has commented on Pope Francis' foreign trips, meetings, and solemn services on major holidays. They also cover the activities and life of the Roman Catholic Church in Ukraine.

Ukraine is a predominantly Orthodox country where traditional Catholicism represents a small share of the population – just 1 percent. In addition, about 9 percent of the population identify as Greek Catholics, mostly in western Ukraine. Most Ukrainians belong to Orthodox churches – around 70 percent.

But Christians and non-Christians all around the world are awaiting the election of the next pope – and its geopolitical consequences. Alina says she doesn’t focus on individual candidates — she believes that the most worthy one will be chosen.

The Pope is elected during a conclave, a secret vote of cardinals in the Sistine Chapel. Only cardinals under 80 can vote, and the winning candidate has to gain a majority of two-thirds of the votes in order to be elected. After a successful conclave, white smoke comes out of the Chapel's chimney, to signal that a new pope has been chosen.

Whoever the next Pope is, there will be consequences for Ukraine, as different candidates have different views on the war.

Possible Papal Candidates:

1. Pietro Parolin: Many believe that the most likely successor to Pope Francis is his former chief advisor, the Vatican Secretary of State. Parolin recognizes Ukraine's right to self-defense, but is cautious about Western military support for fear of escalation. In 2024, he visited Kyiv, and in 2025, he supported the idea of negotiations with Russia for a just and lasting peace.

   

2. Luis Antonio Tagle: The Filipino would be the first ever Asian pope if selected. Tagle has spoken about the war mainly in a humanitarian context, without mentioning Russia.

“No gun can kill hope, the goodness of the spirit in the human person. There are so many testimonies to this… The mission to always remind the world that every conflict, every disaster has a human face…. For example, the war in Ukraine and conflicts in other countries of the world are generally presented as political, military conflicts but people are forgotten!” said Tagle in an interview.

3. Matteo Zuppi: Zuppi – who was chosen by Pope Francis to lead an initiative for peace in Ukraine – has visited Kyiv and Moscow, but has avoided condemning Russian aggression, speaking instead of suffering and the need for peace. Like Tagle, he’s known for being progressive but also cautious in their statements about Ukraine and Russia.
   

4. Peter Tarkson: Hailing from Ghana, Tarkson avoids political statements. Calls for prayer for peace and often blames world leaders for nuclear threats, but does not directly condemn Russia.

“With war, everything is lost; but with peace, there is everything to gain. The devastation of Ukraine corresponds to Russia's wobbling economy, Germany's recession & U.S.A's mounting domestic debt etc. But talk about Economic malaise skips pain their economies cause in Ukraine,” Tarkson wrote on Twitter.

5. Péter Erdő: сlose to Hungarian Prime Minister Orban - a close ally of Russia. For example the cardinal has largely avoided critisizing Orban over democratic backsliding and rule-of-law concerns, including the controversial 2021 anti-LGBT law that closely mirrors Russian legislation, and shares his cautious rhetoric on the war.
   
   Although not openly pro-Russian, he refrains from criticizing Russia and maintains a dialogue with both Russian Orthodox Church and the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

6. Pierbattista Pizzaballa: Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Pizzaballa expressed concern over the war in Ukraine. In 2022, he performed a rite of consecration of Ukraine and Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary – a symbolic request to help the two peoples to rebuild trust, without which, according to him, peace is impossible – and called for the restoration of trust between nations.

“So that they may listen to each other again, that she may help them to rebuild relationships of trust between them, without which there will be no future," said Pizzaballa in 2022.

The conclave will begin on May 7th, and many predict it will not last long, Andrii Yurash, Ukraine's Ambassador to the Holy See, explained that there are different views in the modern church.

"I think that in this situation, it would be more logical for the Church to choose someone who can represent and be acceptable to those groups that envision and plan the future development of the Church. So, a centrist would currently seem to have the strongest prospects," Yurash said.

Today’s cardinals are divided into different groups. Some seek to continue Pope Francis' socially progressive course, others want to return to traditional forms of church life, while some centrists try to combine these approaches, he told The Counteroffensive.

Far from the cardinals’ deliberations in Rome, Alina’s journey into religious life began in Kyiv.

The monk who founded this group believed that sisters should serve in the areas where they came from. That is why Alina continues her ministry in Ukraine.It wasn’t always easy for Alina to become a nun. Alina was baptised in a Catholic church. She attended church with her family only on major holidays. But her life changed when, at age 15, her friends invited her to participate in religious classes at St Alexander Church in the centre of Kyiv.

“At that time, being closer to the church, I realized that I also wanted to be like the nuns I had seen, that I wanted to be in the church like them, and serve God more in this way,” Alina told.

Since then, she has seen the Church as a place of personal faith and a global voice in the world’s most challenging moments.

The Vatican is not involved in military conflicts and does not support any side with arms. Instead, it acts as a moral mediator in wars and conflicts.

Although Alina mentioned that the Pope’s position may not directly influence the aid level, she believes it still matters.

“It’s not just about Pope Francis — this is a long-standing Vatican policy, developed over centuries, with its justification and tradition. Pope Francis, in particular, was more of a pastor at heart than a diplomat,” Alina explained.

Pope Francis's statements have often been quite controversial among Ukrainians. His messages about fraternal nations and the importance of a truce, even with territorial concessions from Ukraine, were not universally popular.

"They are brothers, cousins. Let them come to an understanding! War is always a defeat. Peace to the whole world!" said Pope Francis, addressing the bishops, clergy and religious of the French island of Corsica in December 2024.

“Perhaps we [Ukrainians] wanted to put our words in the pope's mouth and expected the pope to say precisely that. But we see that certain things have now opened up to what the pope did. I realized one thing: Evaluating the pope's words and actions is challenging because we don't know the truth and the mechanisms,” Alina told The Counteroffensive.

Russia has systematically taken steps to develop relations with the Holy See for centuries.

“It was [Francis’] dream because no pope had ever been to Moscow, and he wanted to establish closer contacts, ” Yurash said.

After 2014, when Russia annexed Crimea and launched a war in Eastern Ukraine, the Vatican found itself in a difficult diplomatic position, trying to balance condemnation of aggression with maintaining a dialogue with Moscow.

The ‘Pope for Ukraine’ initiative was created to allow people worldwide to donate funds for Ukrainians affected by the war in the country's east. In its first two years, the initiative raised around €16 million, including a personal contribution from Pope Francis.

During the full-scale invasion, a special humanitarian mission, headed by Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, was established. Ten such missions have been carried out since March 2022.

The Pope had general audiences every Wednesday and Sunday, and speeches were broadcast all over the world. In almost all of his speeches, he reminded people about the war in Ukraine, Alina explained.

" While the whole world has forgotten, the news doesn't talk about it anymore, because the bombings are not so tragic, the casualties are not so great, we are all used to the same shelling, but the Pope kept saying ‘Ukraine, Ukraine, Ukraine.’”

Even in his last Easter address in 2025, Francis mentioned Ukraine.

"Pope Francis, in his Urbi et Orbi [traditional Pope`s address to the ‘city and the world’] address, spoke to the world about the most painful places. He said, "We pray and call on everyone to support martyred Ukraine and to establish a just and lasting peace," Yurash told The Counteroffensive.

Pope Francis died on Monday, 21 April, as a result of a stroke and cardiac arrest. He was 88.

According to the rules, the funeral seating arrangements for world leaders are allocated alphabetically by their country's name in French, the traditional language of diplomacy in which protocols were established.

As President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy should have been seated in the third row or even further back. Instead, he was put in the front row, 11 seats away from Donald Trump, who sat to his right, and next to French President Emmanuel Macron.

The Vatican broke protocol and ensured the Ukrainian president was at the centre of attention at the ceremony. Zelenskyy was also greeted with spontaneous applause when he took his seat in St Peter's Square after a brief meeting with Trump in St Peter's Basilica.

Despite previous agreements between the two sides, this “would not have happened without coordination with the Vatican,” because everything that happens on Vatican territory must be agreed upon in advance, explained Tetiana Izhevska, a former ambassador for Ukraine to the Holy See. “This is definitely an exception to the general rule.”

The meeting lasted 15 minutes and took place in private before the farewell ceremony. Details of the conversation were not disclosed, but Volodymyr Zelenskyy called it good. “It was a very symbolic meeting that could become historic if we achieve joint results,” the Ukrainian President wrote in his Telegram channel.

As the Cardinals weigh the future direction of the Catholic Church, many believers in Ukraine carry their faith through darkness, far from the Vatican.

The Pope's position has not always been clear to all Ukrainians, but perhaps this was his strength - his choice to act not loudly but carefully, considering each life.

“It seems that Pope Francis was given to us at this time to show that the church should be merciful, simple, and close to everyone,” Alina told The Counteroffensive.

NEWS OF THE DAY:

Good morning to readers; Kyiv remains in Ukrainian hands.

RUSSIA TRIES TO INFLUENCE POLAND'S ELECTIONS: Poland is witnessing unprecedented attempts by Russia to interfere in the presidential election, according to Minister of Digital Affairs Krzysztof Gawkowski.

According to him, Moscow is using disinformation and hybrid attacks on critical infrastructure, such as water utilities, thermal power plants and government agencies, to paralyze the state. The number of cyber attacks has doubled since last year, and dozens of incidents were recorded during his speech alone.

Gawkowski believes its support for Ukraine has made it a target for Russian sabotage. Poland has already faced cyber attacks on its space agency and state media, and accuses Russia of arson and sabotage in Europe.

PRICE OF RUSSIAN OIL FALLS TO RECORD LOW: The average price of Russian Urals and ESPO crude oil fell to 3,987 rubles per barrel, more than 40 percent below the planned budget level and the lowest in two years. This collapse is due to the growth of global reserves, OPEC+'s decision to increase production, and expectations of a slowdown in the global economy. In March, oil cost more than 5,000 rubles, and in April it was 4,562 rubles.

The collapse in prices forced the Russian government to cut its energy revenue forecast by a quarter and raise the expected budget deficit for 2025. At the same time, Moscow is increasing military spending to a record 6.3 percent of GDP, which is putting more pressure on finances. Analysts believe that the Kremlin will have to raise taxes, cut social spending, or increase borrowing if it does not plan to reduce funding for the war.

LITHUANIA TO INVEST €1.1 BILLION TO PROTECT THE BORDER WITH RUSSIA, BELARUS: Lithuania plans to invest €1.1 billion to strengthen the defense of its eastern border over the next decade. The bulk of the funds - 800 million euros - will be spent on installing anti-tank mines to deter possible aggression from Russia or Belarus. The measure is aimed at blocking and slowing down a potential invasion, in particular through the strategically important Suwalki corridor.

Vilnius also announced an increase in the defense budget to 5-6 percent of GDP starting in 2026. In March, Lithuania, along with Latvia, Estonia, and Poland, announced its intention to withdraw from the Ottawa Convention, which bans anti-personnel mines, which provoked a sharp reaction from Moscow.

DOG OF WAR:

Today’s Dog of War is the cute dog Myroslava saw in the coffee shop near our office.

Stay safe out there.

Best,
Myroslava

May 6, 2025 3:00pm

Ukraine Russia USA

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Ben Borges

In a significant move, European Union nations are positioned to ramp up their military aid to Ukraine, should President Donald Trump not successfully convince Vladimir Putin to swiftly end the conflict, according to EU Defense Commissioner Andrius Kubilius. To date, the EU and the U.S. have jointly provided Ukraine with military assistance totaling approximately €40 billion annually; however, Kubilius emphasizes the potential to utilize these funds more efficiently. This strategy could effectively double the weaponry supply to Ukraine without increasing the budget.

Kubilius highlighted a newer tool available for EU countries to assist Ukraine, suggesting that the concept of "Peace through strength" could be put into tangible practice. "Loans are strength for Ukraine!" he proclaimed, underscoring the plan.

As part of an extensive rearmament plan adopted this year, the European Commission is earmarking €150 billion in loans to ensure rapid joint procurement and production of weaponry. These financial avenues enable EU nations to invest in Ukraine's arms manufacturing or collaborate with local companies—integrating Ukraine's defense industry with Europe's.

According to a recent report by The Washington Post, a growing number of EU countries are considering investments into Ukraine's defense sector rather than direct arms shipment. This shift comes amid dwindling weapon supplies across Europe after three years of conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

In terms of tangible contributions, the European Union has already provided Kyiv with €1 billion to bolster howitzer production. Ukrainian manufacturers are rolling out both self-propelled and towed "Bohdana" howitzers, with over 85 percent of components produced domestically. By year’s end, this figure is expected to rise to 95 percent, marking a scale of local production unprecedented in Europe according to Kubilius.

May 6, 2025 1:43am

Ukraine Russia Climate Photos USA

Reading Time: 12 minutes

Ben Borges

Oil prices have slipped below $60 per barrel, adding pressure to a strained Russian economy. At the same time, China—Moscow’s largest trading partner—is locked in a high-stakes tariff war with the United States, triggered by the new U.S. administration. These converging disruptions are unlikely to leave Russia's economic footing - and by extension, its capacity to fund the war in Ukraine—unaffected.

To better understand the current landscape, we once again spoke with Vladimir Milov, former Russian Deputy Minister of Energy and a prominent critic of the Putin regime. An economist and energy expert, Milov was a close ally of opposition leader Alexei Navalny and currently serves as Vice President of the Free Russia Foundation. Our previous conversation with him took place in December 2024. In this latest interview, we revisit his earlier forecasts and examine how recent developments have altered Russia’s economic trajectory.

Question (Q): There’s increasing talk about a potential easing of economic sanctions on Russia—at least from the U.S. While a full rollback seems unlikely, some form of relief may be on the horizon. In your view, could this act as a lifeline for the Kremlin, enabling it to sustain the war effort?

Answer (A): I have written about it in much detail in a recent op-ed for The Insider - please have a look. Long story short - Trump won't be able to reverse Western sanctions policy, and European actions matter more than those of the U.S. Before the 2022 full-scale invasion, Europe was Russia's key investor and trade partner - over 67% of accumulated FDI stock came from Europe and around 50% of Russian exports went to Europe. The U.S. - 1% and 4% respectively. Russia needs markets and investment, and the U.S. won't provide that - even in better times, American investors didn't particularly like Russia.

However, Russia may get some benefits from U.S. sanctions being lifted, which will help to keep Putin's ailing economy afloat for a bit longer. Crucial thing is access to the U.S. technology which may boost the Russian military production - this assessment is shared in a brilliant recent report by the Kyiv School of Economics on the status of the Russian military industries - quite worth a read, I strongly recommend

Another problem is that Europe doesn't have anything comparable to the U.S. global sanctions enforcement mechanism - experienced agencies like the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control and Bureau of Industry and Security. If the U.S. lifts sanctions against Russia - or simply continues the crackdown on its own Government institutions like that executed by DOGE - the EU, Britain, and other Western democracies simply don't have its own institutional capacities to secure proper sanctions enforcement on a global scale, as currently provided by the U.S. There will be a major sanctions enforcement vacuum which Putin will inevitably use for his own benefit, boosting sanctions circumvention.

(Q): The U.S.-China tariff war has dominated headlines in recent weeks, signaling historic geopolitical and economic shifts. While Russia isn't directly involved, key trade partners like China are heavily impacted. Beyond oil, should we expect any spillover effects on the Russian economy?

(A): Yes, there's so much more than just oil. China's economic slowdown closed their market for many Russian products, due to which major Russian industries suffer badly. For once, China-oriented Russian coal industry is collapsing right in front of our eyes. Fisheries suffer from contraction of Chinese imports of Russian fish. Russian steelmakers face output contraction and sharply falling profits because cheap Chinese steel is flooding global markets - Chinese economic slowdown turned China from being a major importer to a net exporter of steel. And so on. Russian non-energy and non-commodity exports are down by about a quarter compared to pre-2022 levels, and are not rebounding - China doesn't allow Russia to access its market, and it won't change once Chinese economic growth slows down.

Tariff war will obviously exacerbate Chinese slowdown. The slower Chinese growth - the less market for Russian goods. Share of China in the total Russian exports is as high as a third now - we're heavily dependent on this market and its well-being.

(Q): In a recent interview, you mentioned that further declines in oil prices might actually benefit Russia more than if prices remain stagnant just below a certain threshold—an idea that might seem counterintuitive to many. Could you explain how that works?

(A): Biggest loser from the falling oil prices is not Russia, and not OPEC - its the American shale oil industry. Oil production costs in the U.S. are significantly higher than in Russia or OPEC. This means that, if global oil prices fall below $50, large part of the U.S. oil production will be wiped off the market, and prices will quickly rebound. We already saw these effects after 2014 and 2020 oil price crashes.

Russians know that, which is why they weren't too scared with Trump's threats to "radically bring down the oil prices". Their strategy is to wait out for mass extinction of the U.S. oil production under $50/bbl, and to wait for prices to rebound thereafter. Russian oil producing companies are OK under $30-40 prices - it is the state budget which will suffer, but Putin and his people believe they can last for some time under low oil prices, given that they will be rebounding later.

In these circumstances, I'd say the best scenario if the international oil prices will stay somewhere around $60. Given the sanctions-driven discounts, that means Russian oil cheaper than $50. These are the prices which will significantly hurt Russia (Russian budget is drafted under $70/bbl oil price assumption), but will prevent the collapse of the U.S. shale oil industry and further rebounding of prices. Oil at $50 or cheaper is a much worse scenario, as it will most likely mean that low oil prices will be short-lived, which will make Putin happy.

(Q): During our last conversation, there was an expectation that Russia’s central bank would raise interest rates, yet it held steady at around 21%. What factors led to that unexpected decision?

(A): After their February Board meeting, Central Bank has admitted that "consequences of further raising rates will be worse than keeping the rates steady" - meaning that it would exacerbate economic slowdown or probably lead to a recession. To avoid that, they partially sacrificed the goal of bringing down inflation - which still remains high, preventing the Central Bank from much-anticipated easing of monetary policies. At the recent March meeting of the Central Bank board, only two signals were discussed - neutral and tough (further increasing the rate).

Central Bank faces tough dilemma now - interest rate of 21% is still very high (Russia has 12th highest Central Bank rate in the world), rapidly cooling the economy, but inflation is not really receding. The root causes of inflation - heavy budgetary spending on the war, output gap created by output not catching up with demand due to Western sanctions against Russian manufacturing sector - are not going away. At the same time, Russian industrial output has zeroed out in February (0,2% year-on-year growth and 0,4% seasonally adjusted growth compared to January), and March figures may be even worse - soon we'll see the statistics. So, Central Bank has managed to rapidly cause stagnation with its tight monetary policies - risking further slipping into recession - but it failed to bring inflation under control.

(Q): Your latest FRF Think Tank report points to high inflation and near-zero output growth in Russia—classic signs of stagflation. However, some economists argue that high unemployment is a necessary component. Given that unemployment remains relatively low, does this mean Russia hasn’t yet entered stagflation, or is this just a statistical distortion due to the mass recruitment of the male population?

(A): True, Russian situation is unique. The term "stagflation" was coined in the 1960s and 1970s in the Western economies none of which experienced such a mass diversion of the workforce to the war as Russia today. If the current war is suddenly over, Russia will indeed experience high unemployment - masses of soldiers returning to civilian life won't easily find jobs.

Russia also continues to experience very high hidden unemployment - workforce which is nominally employed, but in reality is either on unpaid leave, part-time workweek, or downtime. Rosstat estimated hidden unemployment to be as high as 4,7 million people in Q4 2024, or over 6% of the total workforce. Together with official unemployment, that would make about 9% of the workforce.

These workers would have significantly eased the pressure on labor market should they have left their enterprises, but Russian labor market traditionally features low mobility (remember how people in the 1990s preferred to continue working for years at enterprises which haven't paid them salaries, instead of leaving them looking for new jobs). So, companies nominally keep the workers, but effectively don't pay them - hoping for recovery, which is not coming (nearly three quarters of hidden unemployment are people on unpaid leave).

So, if we're into a macroeconomic debate by the book here, Russia does have high unemployment - but in hidden or delayed forms. And stagflation is real. If the current situation lingers on, even nominal unemployment will rise quite soon.

(Q): What is the current situation with Russia's National Wealth Fund — the main financial reserve that has supported Putin's economy through years of war? What are the implications for the Kremlin and the ongoing war?

(A): As of April 1st, the liquidity portion of the National Wealth Fund (NWF) stood at $39 billion, or just over RUR 3 trillion. That's lower than the federal budget deficit recorded in 2024 (RUR 3,5 trillion). As it goes, 2025 budget deficit will likely be much higher - costs are rising (over 20% federal expenditure growth in Q1 2025), while revenues will be depressed by both the falling oil prices, as well as economic slowdown. Already now, non-oil revenue in Q1 2025 grew only by 11% year-on-year, against 26% growth in 2024, and 18% planned growth for 2025. Of which VAT - by just 9%, as opposed to 22% in 2024 and 17% planned for 2025. Slowing economy generates less taxes, which will undermine budget revenues to an extent not lesser than falling oil prices, and lead to further depletion of the NWF. As it looks from today, there's no other way but for the liquidity portion of the NWF to be fully depleted by the end of 2025 (usually they draw the funds from NWF in December to close the fiscal year).

There's also a non-liquidity portion of the NWF, but it largely exists only on paper, with money invested in various securities and not being easily recoverable. For those interested in details, I have analyzed this in my February brief on the Russian economy. The liquidity portion of the NWF has shrank from $116,5 billion in February 2022 to just $39 billion now as a result of heavy war-related spending. Essentially, this was the model of much-praised Putin's "economic resilience": heavily draw the available cash reserves to compensate for the negative effects of sanctions. But this "economic miracle" appears to be over, disappearing along with cash being spent.

What next after the liquidity part of the NWF is fully spent? I also analyze this in one of my recent reports in detail. Bottom line: nothing is working except monetary emission, printing the money. Government can't borrow - they are cut off from international financial markets, and domestically, with yields as high as over 16% for OFZ government bonds, Russia spends more on repaying and servicing the debt than it actually raises from the domestic debt market. Net debt raising was just around zero in 2024 and negative in Q1 2025. They can raise taxes, but that would further undermine economic growth and curb tax base - they'll lose more in the end. Hypothetically, they can try to privatize state assets, but there's not really much to sell if they don't opt to privatize control equity shares in major state companies - and they don't seem to even consider that for strategic reasons. As far as smaller-scale privatization is concerned, it won't solve their fiscal problems on a large scale, and there won't be much demand given the rapid deterioration of investment climate, ongoing rampant nationalization, etc.

So printing the money seems to be the only viable option left. Russian authorities seem to increasingly tolerate high inflation - "we're not Turkey or Argentina yet, so what difference does it make if inflation is 12-13% instead of 10% - let's print a couple of trillion rubles, no one will notice" (that was literally said by some State Duma deputies during Nabiullina's report debate on April 9th). Central Bank clearly shifted to limited emission schemes in the past few months through repo auctions - banks buy government bonds, and are immediately allowed to use them as collateral while borrowing cash from the Central Bank through repo auctions. Central Bank promised to use repo auctions as temporary mechanism in November 2024, but keeps rolling them over - switching from monthly to weekly repo auctions. Effectively, it is little different from Central Bank's credit to the government, or, in simple words, printing the money.

No question that filling the budgetary gap with printed money will lead to even higher inflation, which will destroy any prospect for economic recovery. So, basically, the Western sanctions are working - albeit not as fast as we hoped, but still.

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May 3, 2025 6:30pm

Ukraine Russia USA

Ben Borges

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has turned down Russian leader Vladimir Putin's proposal for a three-day "ceasefire" on May 9, advocating instead for a 30-day cessation of hostilities. According to Ukrinform, Zelensky made this clear during a press briefing, emphasizing his reluctance to engage in "short-term ceasefires" suggested by Putin. He argued that a 30-day model is the most viable as it is impractical to negotiate within just a few days.

The Ukrainian President clarified, "Ukraine cannot ensure the security of world leaders in Moscow on May 9." Zelensky also aligned his stance with former President Trump, stating, "I agree with Trump that a 30-day ceasefire with Russia is the right first step." He underscored the necessity of rapidly addressing monitoring issues should a month-long ceasefire be agreed upon.

Zelensky elaborated, "If there's a decision for a month, no active war for that month, there will be violations, 100%... But (overall) the scale of war we have now, of course, won't happen. And everyone understands that monitoring issues must be settled quickly. The top issue is a ceasefire, followed by an assessment of the overall trajectory of ending the war," he concluded.

May 3, 2025 4:00pm

Ukraine USA

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Ben Borges

The U.S. has announced plans to sell F-16 fighter jet equipment and services to Ukraine. The State Department-approved package includes potential transfer of the jets themselves, upgrades and refurbishments, training for Ukrainian military personnel, provision of spare parts, maintenance equipment, software, technical documentation, and other logistical support.

According to U.S. officials, this package is designed to bolster Ukraine's defenses against current and future threats. It aims to enhance the training of Ukrainian pilots and facilitate cooperation between Ukraine's armed forces and those of the United States. Despite this assistance, Washington believes that the transfer of these jets will not alter the overall military balance in the region.

The notification regarding the planned sale was submitted to the U.S. Congress on May 2, 2025. The deal is valued at $310.5 million and will be executed through the Foreign Military Sales government-to-government program.

This announcement marks the first significant U.S. arms supply to Ukraine following Donald Trump’s election as President. It remains unclear how this package will be financed, although it's possible the funds could come from previously approved aid during the Biden administration.

Additionally, on April 30, it was revealed that the Trump administration authorized the export of $50 million in defense goods to Ukraine under a direct commercial sales arrangement—meaning the sale is made directly from the manufacturer.

The transfer of F-16 jets is being coordinated by the U.S. and NATO countries. The decision was made in 2023 when a coalition of 15 nations led by the Netherlands and Denmark was formed. Ukrainian pilot training is taking place in these countries as well as in the U.S., Norway, and Romania.

Ukraine is set to receive a total of 85 upgraded aircraft: 24 from the Netherlands, 19 from Denmark, 30 from Belgium (beginning in 2026), and 12 operational with 10 additional jets for spare parts from Norway. By the end of 2024, 20 jets will have been delivered, and up to 35 more are expected in 2025. Reports have already emerged of two Ukrainian F-16s being lost. Moreover, the U.S. has provided Ukraine with six decommissioned F-16 ADFs for spare parts.

May 3, 2025 3:01pm

Ukraine Russia Photos USA

Reading Time: 10 minutes

Ben Borges

A tank roars down a Taiwanese street, past a pair of frightened cyclists.

It’s seven days until China invades Taiwan.

Seconds earlier, these chilling words appeared on screen:

“Day Z Minus 7. The PLA [People’s Liberation Army of China] navy and airforce surrounds Taiwan in the pretext of search and rescue, spreading the idea of abandoning the fight, and coercing Taiwan to sign a peace agreement.”

Luckily, this isn’t news footage, but scenes from the trailer for the highly anticipated Taiwanese TV show ‘Zero Day,’ which comes out next month. It’s a dramatic visualization of what might happen if Beijing tries to take over Taiwan.

As the threat of Chinese invasion continues, Taiwanese culture has become almost fixated with the concept, expressing its fears through representations in television shows, movies, comics and even board games.

Like Ukraine, Taiwan is a democratic country facing the threat of annexation and cultural annihilation by its much larger, authoritarian neighbor. In a way, these cultural artefacts are signals of how violent acts – even war – are constantly on the minds of the Taiwanese who are bracing for a terrible geopolitical shift.

While many in Taiwan used to find it hard to believe that China could wage war on them, watching Russia’s invasion of Ukraine broke these illusions.

Now, the Taiwanese know they need to prepare.

In 2023, the U.S. Department of Defense published a report, ‘The Ambitious Dragon,’ which claimed Chinese President Xi Jinping wanted to be capable of invading Taiwan by 2030. Some believe this could happen earlier: the former head of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, Phil Davidson, and the ex-Naval Operations Admiral Mike Gilday have a different opinion. They believe that it will happen by 2027.

“The [prospect of] war has never been so close to us,” Zero Day producer Hsin-mei Cheng told The Counteroffensive. “The situation between Taiwan and China is so similar to Ukraine and Russia. We’ve been facing a possible war for so long and haven’t realized.”

Cheng, a former journalist with 16 years of experience, found a new passion in film production in recent years.

“Writing about news can’t change the world much,” said Cheng, “but a good story can instantly resonate with the public.”

The TV show ‘Zero Day,’ which is set for release in May, contains 10 episodes imagining what could happen in Taiwan if China invades. In the 17-minute trailer, the audience senses the panic attack in Taiwan after seeing the PLA put forces in Taiwan. The Taiwanese fear of the unknown spreads across different generations, diverse immigrant laborers, and the local gangsters who try to take advantage of the chaos.

The show imagines the war starting in 2028, after President Xi Jinping has left office and as the Chinese Communist Party is holding a new presidential election. Xi’s successor decides to “finish the mission of unifying the motherland” by attacking Taiwan and building a legacy at the beginning of the term. At the same time, Taiwan and the U.S. are also facing government transitions, as it is an election year in both countries.

The imagined war in Zero Day reflects situations that have become well-known to people in Ukraine. Disinformation has become a common tactic in war. In the trailer, China uses its technology to spread confusion among the Taiwanese public, using AI to create a fake video of the president.

China is hundreds of times larger than Taiwan, with far more resources. How are Taiwan’s chances?

“We need to have people acknowledge everything about the war first so that people can be prepared,” said Cheng. “Winning a war is never about how much or how strong your weapons are. We need faith.”

Creating ‘Zero Day’ was controversial in itself. Some Taiwanese politicians and their supporters have been anxious about “poking the bear,” saying it would jeopardize business cooperation between Taiwan and China. They also questioned its legitimacy, pointing out that the show received 3.43 million USD from government sponsorship and claiming that the motivation behind it was to create anti-China propaganda.

“We would love Chinese people to watch the show. I think they should watch the show to understand Taiwan better,” Cheng said, denying all the accusations.

Some members of the production team caved in advance to Chinese censorship and asked to be anonymous on the credits so that the work wouldn’t affect their family working in China.

The sensitive topic has gotten Zero Day a huge amount of media attention, but it is one of several fictional works that have gained traction in recent years.

A comic book published in 2018, ‘Western Pacific War: The Invasion of Taiwan,’ has an even more timely scenario: an invasion during Trump’s presidency. It has gotten positive reviews, reflected in relatively high sales numbers when it came out, but its popularity skyrocketed after Trump was re-elected in November last year.

“My prediction was quite accurate, including Trump’s actions,” said Liang. “My story is close to the real world. We spiced it up with some exaggeration, so people love it.”

In the Western Pacific War series, the invasion of Taiwan is something of an accident. In order to show his strength, the fictional Trump has ambitions to counter China, but his administration screws up the plan.

At the same time, a few senior officials inside the Chinese government are planning to rebel. Both sides want to use Taiwan for political gains, which accidentally accelerates the Chinese invasion.

Its author, Liang Shao-shien – who uses ‘Fur Ball’ as a pseudonym – has a military background that helped him compose the story. He served the country for almost 20 years until he retired in 2016. Before he joined the army, he went to art school. His superintendent noticed his talent and asked him to draw for the military's ROC National Defense Report publication.

As a veteran and a civilian, Liang shared his thoughts about the Taiwanese being ready to fight the PLA.

“We have a good barrier [the Taiwan Strait] … War is not going to happen today. But now, as a civilian, I believe it depends on how the attack affects your life,” said Liang. “If you’re not mentally prepared, you’re never gonna be ready.”

While Chen and Liang imagined how China would invade Taiwan, the board game company Mizo Games had another idea. What about letting the Taiwanese play out the invasion?

The founder of Mizo Games, KJ Chang, developed the board game ‘2045,’ deliberately designed for a Chinese invasion that could happen in 2045.

According to KJ, it’s a zero-sum game, meaning the player’s goal is to do whatever they can to win points from the others.

“I don’t want to make this game too romantic because that’s not what a war is like,” said KJ. “The game is not for everyone to work together and fight the Chinese. There will be some Taiwanese people trying to gain benefits from the war.”

There are six players in 2045. Players who take the role of the Taiwanese government and civil defense team get points if they beat the PLA in conflicts.

Also active in the game is the semiconductor association, who try to protect all business assets during the war. Other players take the role of the China's Peaceful Unification Organization – which provides intel for the PLA – and they play against the Taiwanese defense. Meanwhile, arms dealers and local gangsters can play in favor of both sides to get points.

“You need to have the players feel they are playing a new game every time they play,” KJ said, explaining how he made the board game. “Whether good guys or bad guys, they all have different interests to protect. It is why the game never ends the same.”

KJ watches the Ukraine war closely, and has used it to improve his game. He was especially inspired by the battle for Mariupol.

To make the game align with real war, KJ created major tragic incident cards that could cost players more points. Though the war is unpredictable, KJ has strong faith.

“The most determined Taiwanese will decide our history,” said KJ.

TIM MAK x GARRY KASPAROV:

On the nature of human freedom, on whether Garry still feels Russian, and the future of America’s role in the world.

NEWS OF THE DAY:

TAIWAN CELEBRATES END OF WWII FOR FIRST TIME AMID CHINA AGGRESSION: Next week Lai Ching-te, president of the Republic of China, will commemorate the end of World War Two in Taiwan for the first time, according to Reuters.

Taiwan has been using WWII as an example to China about why imperial expansion will end in failure, the news agency notes.

Two sources, speaking to Reuters on condition of anonymity, said Taiwan will host foreign diplomats from allied nations in Taipei on Thursday. Lai is expected to deliver a speech marking the 80th anniversary of the war’s end and urge allies to stand united against growing threats from China, Iran, and North Korea.

In the meantime, Chinese President Xi Jinping will be in Moscow next week to attend President Putin’s Victory Day parade to mark the end of World War Two.

U.S.-UKRAINE MINERAL DEAL TRIGGERS CONCERN IN RUSSIA:
Concern is growing among in Russia over the U.S.-Ukraine economic partnership agreement signed this week, which they fear could weaken Moscow’s position in future negotiations with Kyiv.

“The deal worsens the situation for Russia,” a political analyst with Kremlin ties told The Washington Post. “A major source of tension between Trump and Zelensky has now been removed.”

Another Russian official said pressure is mounting on President Putin: “He understands that he needs to be more cooperative,” the official noted.

The United States’ approach to the war has shifted under the Trump administration, with Putin finding a more sympathetic ally in the White House. Trump and Putin have held several personal phone calls, while U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff has appeared increasingly receptive to Russian perspectives on the invasion.

ZELENSKYY REJECTS RUSSIA’S 3-DAY CEASEFIRE: President Zelenskyy dismissed Putin’s proposal for a three-day ceasefire as theatrical, instead calling for a month-long pause in hostilities. “It’s impossible to reach any agreements in three, five, or even seven days,” Zelenskyy told reporters on Saturday.

Putin had suggested a ceasefire from May 7–9, coinciding with visits from foreign dignitaries for Moscow’s Victory Day parade marking the end of World War Two. During the press conference on Saturday, Zelenskyy said Ukraine could not guarantee the safety of any officials visiting Russia during that time.

“We do not recommend visiting Russia from a [safety] standpoint. And if you do choose to go, do not ask us. That is your personal decision,” Zelenskyy said.

PIGGY OF PEACE:

Today’s dog of peace… is not a dog! The piggy of peace played an important role in the Zero Day scene. If you want to know why there is a piggy, you’ll have to watch the show!

Stay safe out there.

Best,
Elaine

April 30, 2025 1:21pm

Ukraine Russia Photos USA

Reading Time: 7 minutes

Ben Borges

In 2024, the EU held its European Parliament elections. The center-right, led by Ursula von der Leyen, secured the most seats and claimed victory. However, it was also the most successful year for the far right, with various Eurosceptic fringe groups winning 220 out of 720 seats—roughly 30.6% of the total in the European Parliament.

This victory was particularly significant for the far right, especially Marine Le Pen’s National Rally. Her party won the European elections in France, securing twice as many votes as President Macron’s Ensemble, prompting him to call early parliamentary elections. Le Pen is known for her pro-Russian stance in international affairs, having claimed that annexed Crimea belongs to Russia and repeatedly urged an end to military aid for Ukraine.

In an opinion piece for The Hill, American lawyer Gregory Wallance observed that Russia has shifted its focus from the far left to the far right, using the latter as a vehicle for propaganda in U.S. politics. Research by the International Centre for Counter-Terrorism further indicates that Russia funds far-right parties across Europe to expand its influence and undermine support for Ukraine.

Russian propaganda in Europe

In June 2024, The Washington Post published an investigation revealing a large-scale Kremlin-backed influence operation conducted through the far-right media outlet Voice of Europe. Officially registered in Prague, the platform was used to funnel funds to far-right politicians across Europe, promoting pro-Russian narratives and eroding support for Ukraine.

The Post’s investigation cites European intelligence reports linking Artem Marchevsky—a former Ukrainian television producer with ties to pro-Russian politician Viktor Medvedchuk—to a coordinated influence campaign. Marchevsky reportedly held meetings with far-right representatives in Germany, France, Poland, the Netherlands, and other EU countries, offering monthly payments of up to €1 million in exchange for amplifying pro-Russian narratives through media and public appearances.

Maksym Vikhrov, Senior Analyst at Ukraine’s Centre for Strategic Communications and Information Security, told Gwara Media that platforms like X (formerly Twitter), Telegram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube are especially susceptible to Russian disinformation. Unlike traditional media with editorial oversight, these platforms struggle to moderate the overwhelming flow of content. Telegram, in particular, serves as a direct channel for Russian intelligence-led information operations targeting both Ukrainian and European audiences.

Vikhrov also noted that X hosts sprawling multilingual networks of Russian-linked accounts and “bot armies,” while TikTok’s rapid-fire video format leaves little room for critical analysis, making it fertile ground for manipulation. Beyond social media, Russia has developed a vast disinformation ecosystem, including hundreds of websites, in an attempt to construct an “alternative internet” under Moscow’s control.

In 2023, the European Commission study highlighted X's role in amplifying Russian disinformation about Ukraine. Now, Russia is ramping up its efforts on the platform, pushing narratives about Ukraine's supposed loss of sovereignty and discrediting Western support.

Gwara Media fact-check editor Olga Yakovleva shares examples of Russian propaganda using X as a propaganda tool. An anonymous user on X posted a fake claim about Hollywood stars being paid for their visits to Ukraine. However, it gained traction after being amplified by Elon Musk and Donald Trump Jr. — Russian propaganda channels, some with over 100K followers, quickly picked it up, pushing the fake to hundreds of thousands of viewers.

Similarly, the false claim that Zelenskyy bought a private bank in France originated from an anonymous X user and was then spread by Russian pro-Kremlin media such as eNews and news.ru.

Ukrainian state against Russian propaganda

Alina Bondarchuk, deputy head of Ukraine’s Center for Countering Disinformation, told Deutsche Welle that the fight against disinformation in Ukraine is coordinated at the state level. Since 2021, the Center—operating under the National Security and Defense Council—has been actively debunking Russian falsehoods and tracking their spread across social media platforms.

"We have established a partnership with Google. We provide expert assessments of narratives circulating on various channels. YouTube reviews these cases as a Google subsidiary and decides to block content. Over 200 channels have already been blocked."

Information security expert Andriy Bidenko noted that Ukraine has been effective in countering Russian propaganda, thanks in large part to the work of strategic communications centers. He emphasised that Ukrainians have developed a strong resilience to crude and simplistic propaganda, which now rarely reaches them and is virtually absent from domestic media and social networks.

An essential part of Ukraine’s effort to combat Russian propaganda involves broadcasting Ukrainian content to occupied territories. On July 5, 2024, the Zaporizhzhia regional administration launched a TV network offering free access to nine Ukrainian channels, including in areas under Russian control. Vladyslav Moroko, head of the regional Department of Culture and Information Policy, unveiled a roadmap to restore Ukrainian broadcasting starting from Zaporizhzhia. The network is expected to eventually cover 90% of the country’s territory.

Maksym Vikhrov concludes, “Ukraine has amassed significant experience in countering Russian FIMI (Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference) influences, developed through real-world challenges.” He explained that Ukraine's tools evolved not from theoretical frameworks but from urgent practical needs.

However, Vikhrov cautioned that existing tools will never suffice—neither in Ukraine nor globally—since Russian propaganda also adapts and adopts new technologies.

For instance, he noted that Moscow currently aims to "poison" large language models like ChatGPT with its narratives. At the same time, Moscow promotes an alternative "fact-checking" system globally (Russian project "War on Fakes," for instance, simply promotes Russian narratives via loud claims and links to Russian sources under the guise of fact-checking — ed.) While resembling legitimate fact-checking in form, this system would "debunk" facts by referencing statements from figures like Lavrov.

Fact-checking tips from Ukraine

Olga Yakovleva said that cooperation between newsrooms and knowledge sharing is needed to address the disinformation problem worldwide. Most fakes spread in several countries at once. For example, the Russian network Pravda creates fakes in Russian and then translates them into other languages.

Knowledge sharing, Yakovlieva notes, helps to find patterns of disinformation, to recognize manipulations and debunk them faster, and creates an ecosystem of experts and media workers for countering disinformation.

Kyrylo Perevoshchykov , analyst of an independent fact-checking project, VoxCheck, in the interview with Detector Media, described the algorithm they use to check information.

First, they verify who spread the fake information and whether the source—a blogger, politician, media outlet, or other organization—has previously disseminated disinformation. The next step is to search for other publications with similar content to identify variations or "mutations" of the fake, ensuring the fact-check addresses all false claims comprehensively.

Depending on the case, VoxCheck verifies whether statements, news, laws, scientific articles, statistical studies, or investigations are accurately represented in the publication or manipulated. If the fake includes photos or videos, experts make sure they are authentic.

"Fact-checkers' challenges are not significantly different from those encountered by other media professionals. These include handling large volumes of information that must be regularly analyzed and responding quickly to challenges and threats," Perevevoshcykov said.

Olga Yakovleva recommends to connect to professional fact-checking platforms like European Fact-Checking Standards Network (EFCSN) and International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN) platforms and join OSINT communities like GeoConfirmed, the Bellingcat Community, r/OSINT on Reddit.

“It’s very important to be part of a professional community — to keep learning, share knowledge, and avoid isolating in the bubble.”

It’s also good to try out new fact-checking tools like InVID (video verification), Maltego (OSINT platform), and Hunchly (data organization tool), Yakovlieva says. Investigations into fakes can be then published to open libraries like EUvsDisinfo, DFRLab, and OpenFact. 

Yakovlieva said that psychological resilience must also be taken care of, recommending having an action plan in case of hate or attacks and a support team, such as a newsroom, legal advisors, or trusted colleagues.

"Fact-checking that deals with sensitive topics — such as war, politics, elections, or disinformation campaigns — can make you a technical and psychological target. Cyber hygiene and personal safety are just as crucial as fact-checking skills," Yakovlieva noted.

The project is co-financed by the governments of Czechia, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia through Visegrad Grants from the International Visegrad Fund. The mission of the fund is to advance ideas for sustainable regional cooperation in Central Europe.

The project is supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea.

The post Kremlin propaganda finds voice in Europe’s alternative media. Ukraine shares experience in how to counter it appeared first on Gwara Media.

April 29, 2025 9:11pm

Ukraine Russia Now USA

Ben Borges

#Putin can’t wage war and then dictate ceasefires to suit its propaganda. Putin’s 72-hour truce for Victory Day is a farce—meant to parade soldiers in #Moscow while foreign mercenaries bleed on the front lines. Peace isn’t a PR stunt.

Also valid for #Trump btw

Russia ignites a war, then has the audacity to dictate when the bloodshed should pause—conveniently aligning ceasefires with its propaganda spectacles like the May 9 Victory Day parade. This isn’t about peace; it’s about optics. While Putin orchestrates grand displays in Moscow, his regime hurls undertrained conscripts and foreign mercenaries into the front lines as expendable pawns, mere cannon fodder in a brutal charade. Such manipulative tactics serve only to mask the Kremlin’s desperation and disregard for human life.

April 29, 2025 10:25am

Ukraine Russia Photos USA

Reading Time: 4 minutes

Ben Borges

Brian Dooley is a Senior Advisor at Washington-based NGO Human Rights First and Honorary Professor of Practice at Queen’s University, Belfast. He specializes in working with human rights activists in war and other conflict zones and is a regular visitor to Kharkiv. 

USA, WASHINGTON, D.C. — This Wednesday, April 30, marks 100 days since Donald Trump became American president for the second time.

For almost a century, the first 100 days of new U.S. presidents have been a sort of checkpoint to assess how they’ve started. President Franklin Roosevelt passed an intense amount of legislation in a 100-day burst at the start of his presidency in 1933, and the marker has since become an important, if symbolic, point of judgment.

Trump has certainly made a fast start, starting a global tariff war, cutting U.S. overseas government funding, threatening to take over Greenland, and attacking all sort of government departments. But he hasn’t managed to keep his promise to end the war on Ukraine in a day. 

Seems it was trickier than he thought.

Between March 2023 and October 2024 (the month he won the election), he claimed at least 53 times that he would end the war either within 24 hours of becoming president, or even before he was official sworn in.

Now he says he didn’t mean it literally: “I said that figuratively, …as an exaggeration… it was said in jest.”

But here in Washington, not having found a way to end the war in his first 100 days is seen as a failure after so much boasting. In July last year, when he was nominated for president by the, we examined the tensions within the party over Ukraine, noting that while some Republicans seemed okay with being friendly to Russia, others were still backing Ukraine in the war.

But it doesn’t look like internal Republican divisions are the problem. “There are a few Republican members of Congress still publicly supporting Ukraine, but the rest have been bullied into silence,” one Senate aide and foreign policy expert told me. “There isn’t any real opposition to Trump from his own party over Ukraine.”

Instead, it seems the reality of dealing with President Vladimir Putin is what’s prevented a deal from being struck.

According to a poll this week, more than half of Americans (including one in five Republicans) now say that Trump is "too closely aligned" with Russia, although nearly half also said they support Trump's plan of "conditioning U.S. military support for Ukraine on the U.S. getting a share of Ukraine's mineral wealth.”

Of course, the war looks different from Washington than is does in Kharkiv. Armchair experts in the U.S. and Europe offer unhelpful suggestions while Ukrainian cities get bombed and civilians killed.

Trump’s tactics of publicly attacking both Ukraine and Russia, plus various senior level meetings involving combinations of American, Ukrainian, European and Russian officials, haven’t been able to make any breakthrough. This makes Trump look weak, undermining his claims to being an expert dealmaker.

The war was never going to be ended in 24 hours. It’s a complicated process to end the invasion, and maybe even more complicated to ensure any agreement sticks.

Whenever the outlines of a real peace deal begin to emerge, they should not trade away human rights for a political fix. 

As Tetiana Pechonchyk of Ukrainian human rights NGO ZMINA and I argue in the New York Law Journal, the prosecution of war crimes suspects mustn’t be surrounded in any deal. Nor should the International Criminal Court case against Putin and other Russian officials be dropped, Ukrainians children abducted into Russia have to be returned, and adults taken prisoner should be too. 

There are many other rights that have to be protected in any peace deal, and we know, too, that involving women human rights activists in negotiations is a good idea. Evidence from all over the world shows that women’s participation increases the probability of a peace agreement lasting at least two years by 20%, and by 35%, the probability of a peace agreement lasting 15 years.

Getting a deal that lasts is vital. Trump couldn’t make one in his first 100 days, and this will rightly be seen as a failure. Now what matters is what happens in the next 100 days.

Opinion pieces reflect the thoughts of their authors and do not reflect Gwara Media’s views.

The post Opinion: Trump’s 100-day failure on Russia’s war in Ukraine appeared first on Gwara Media.

April 28, 2025 3:26pm

Ukraine Russia Climate Photos USA

Reading Time: 11 minutes

Ben Borges

Biologist Svitozar Davydenko used to be one of the world's most remote Ukrainians.

For a year, he lived 10,000 miles away from his troubled homeland.

He worked at a scientific center – known as the Akademik Vernadsky Station – in Antarctica.

The ‘White Continent’ is harsh and unyielding, but Ukrainians know how to find beauty in everything.

"I was stunned by the sheer amount of ice, these enormous icebergs. The natural conditions here are quite severe. Cold. Windy. And yet, life thrives here," said Svitozar, recalling his first thoughts upon setting foot in Antarctica."

While Trump imposes tariffs even on penguins near Antarctica, Ukrainians study and care for them. Ukrainians understand that Antarctica is not just a continent for research.

It holds the key to the future.

Today, Antarctica is considered one of the last formally neutral territories, used exclusively for scientific purposes.

Despite the ongoing war, Ukraine demonstrates its commitment to protecting nature not only within its own borders but around the world. It is here in Antarctica that Ukrainians study climate change, its impact on wildlife, and contribute to the preservation of flora and fauna on the only continent still without permanent human habitation.

Ukraine cares not only about Russian ecocide on Ukrainian territory, but also about addressing global challenges and safeguarding the planet’s future.

Last year, Svitozar Davydenko was selected as a biologist for Ukraine’s 29th Antarctic Expedition, which set off for the Akademik Vernadsky Station — Ukraine’s only research base on the continent.

Although Svitozar is from Zhytomyr, he has spent most of his life near Kyiv.

In October 2022, the museum of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, where he often worked, was hit nearby by a Russian missile during one of the mass attacks.

"​​I can hardly imagine what it was like for those who were in Antarctica in 2022, but we were still calmer. The situation was still better than at the beginning of the war. Of course, we were worried about our families [while we were in Antarctica]," shared Svitozar.

Despite that, Svitozar decided to test his luck. Since his university years, he has wanted to go to Antarctica. And after he earned a Ph.D. in biology, his dream came true. He matched all the selection criteria from the first try and went to explore Antarctica in March 2024.

The station is located on Galindez Island, just off the western coast of Antarctica. There, Svitozar had the rare opportunity to live among penguins, swim near majestic whales, and even meet a newborn seal pup, which would later be named in his honor.

The Vernadsky Research Base is Ukraine’s only permanent presence in Antarctica.

In fact, Ukraine’s history on the continent is relatively recent.

The station was previously British and known as Faraday. In 1996, the UK handed it over to Ukraine free of charge, since after the collapse of the Soviet Union, Ukraine had not inherited a single Antarctic base. Russia took over all five of the functioning stations.

The UK didn’t ask for any money in return, but the Ukrainian team still decided not to leave the gesture unanswered. In a symbolic act, a member of the first Ukrainian expedition pulled a one-pound coin from his pocket and handed it to the British representatives.

Since then, the station has been home to a wide range of scientific research. Scientists there collect meteorological data to help forecast global weather patterns, track glacial melt, and measure ozone levels.

In fact, the ozone hole was discovered at this very station, back when it was still operated by the British. They found that the earth's ozone layer, which is supposed to protect the planet from radiation, is much thinner than it should be.

The wildlife of the frozen continent is also a subject of deep study, and that’s where Svitozar Davydenko comes in.

"For me, it was a unique opportunity to understand extinct whales through the living ones," Svitozar told The Counteroffensive.

Since childhood, Svitozar had dreamed of becoming a paleontologist, fascinated by extinct animals — especially ancient whales that once swam through what is now Ukrainian land. At university, some of his professors were veterans of the Vernadsky Station. That’s how he first learned that not only did the station still exist, but that biologists could apply to go there.

And last year, it happened — he was selected through a competitive process to join the expedition. After interviews, psychological evaluations, and time spent living in isolation with the expedition team, he finally got the chance to witness the forbidding Antarctic ice with his own eyes.

The journey to Antarctica was long. To reach the end of the Earth, Svitozar had to travel by bus to Poland, then fly across the Atlantic to Tierra del Fuego in Chile — the bottom tip of South America.

There, the Ukrainian icebreaker Noosfera — a floating laboratory — was waiting for the team of fourteen scientists.

As a biologist, Svitozar had to study the local waters, setting off early each morning in motorboats to search for whales, plants, lichens, and other marine life. Everyone at the station must know how to drive a motorboat, just as they must know how to cook and carry out basic repairs.

Whales and orcas are of particular interest to Svitozar. Usually, the animals are indifferent to humans — you can calmly approach them by boat, for example, to take samples of skin or blubber. For a whale, according to Svitozar, it feels like a mosquito bite. But with the sample scientists can determine, for instance, whether a female is pregnant – or they can analyze the animal’s genetic makeup.

"When whales get curious about your boat, inspect you, stick out their fins and faces, and look straight at you — you realize they’re intelligent creatures, that they’re studying you too," recalled Svitozar.

However, during tourist season – winter in the northern hemisphere – when the Antarctic waters are filled with many boats and ships, whales become skittish.

They get ‘tired’ of people, so sometimes they even flee from the scientists.

Meeting between a humpback whale and Ukrainian scientists, including biologist Svitozar Davydenko:

A large part of his responsibilities also includes studying seals.

It was Svitozar who discovered a Waddell seal pup born near the research station last year.

It was named by subscribers on social media, and his colleagues, as SeaBaby Svitozarovych.

The first part of the name refers to a Ukrainian marine drone. The second part is the patronymic form of Svitozar’s name. So, in a way, this scientist became a father in Antarctica.

According to Svitozar, the animals least afraid of humans are the penguins. Entire colonies live around the station. Just a meter away from their buildings, thousands of penguins nest: they are small, have red beaks, and white stripes on their temples.

"The noise from the station, the light it emits, the warmth — none of it scares them. They've gotten used to it and happily wander around the station," said Svitozar.

Last year, a total of 7,000 penguins were recorded on the island where the station is located. They arrive during the mating season, in September and October, when penguins begin to build nests out of pebbles. Both bird parents take turns incubating the eggs, then feeding their babies and protecting them from predators until the young ones are grown.

Until 2007, subantarctic penguins didn’t live near the station at all. But due to global warming, they have gradually migrated further south in search of a harsher climate.

Scientists do not interfere in the lives of penguins. The Protocol on Environmental Protection, signed in 1991, prohibits touching, feeding, or in any way influencing the lives of penguins.

So, using drones, he monitors the birds, recording how colonies are developing, the number of babies born during the season, and whether penguins are settling on other islands.

Once, during one of Svitozar’s expeditions, an emperor penguin visited the station — a species not usually found at the latitudes where Vernadsky Station is located. The nearest known colonies are over 300 km away from the Ukrainian scientists.

The penguin wandered up to the station to inspect it.

"He spent about a week and a half, maybe two weeks, near the station. Sometimes he went into the water to eat, other times he just rested near the buildings. And then one day, he simply swam off somewhere to go about his business," Svitozar joked.

At first glance, one might wonder, “Why spend money on penguins when there are more urgent problems, like war?”

In 2024, Ukraine allocated approximately $11.6 million to support the operations of its Antarctic research station, Akademik Vernadsky, and to conduct scientific expeditions and research activities.

Beyond being an exceptional opportunity to contribute to global science, its research base means that Ukraine also holds a voice in determining Antarctica’s future.

Since 2004, it has held Consultative Party status, meaning it has veto power. Decisions regarding Antarctica must be made by full consensus — all votes must be ‘yes.’

Although Antarctica is currently a neutral and peaceful continent, this status could change in the future. Given the region’s wealth in natural resources, a scramble for minerals may eventually begin.

Additionally, the continent borders three oceans — the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific — making it strategically important for global trade routes. Eventually, it could even be used for military purposes.

And Russia is already in the game. Like the U.S. and China, it has territorial ambitions on the continent. That’s why Ukraine needs at least some levers of influence to counter Moscow — even in the harsh Antarctic latitudes.

And it's already doing so. For example, in 2024, Ukraine, along with other countries, blocked Belarus from gaining Consultative Party status in the Antarctic Treaty.

"[Presence in Antarctica] is about political weight, prestige, and the country’s scientific potential," Svitozar summarized.

Svitozar’s expedition came to an end in early April. Now that he has left, he plans to continue working at the Institute of Zoology, where he previously worked, and will continue his research on animals.

But it’s unlikely that Antarctica will let Svitozar go easily; he may return for seasonal research or study the continent at other stations.

"Of course, it would be very interesting to return and continue studying whales and perhaps explore other aspects of Antarctica. For example, paleontology can also be studied here, not necessarily at Vernadsky Station, but, for instance, in the vicinity of other stations with which we collaborate," Svitozar said.

NEWS OF THE DAY:

GOP FOR UKRAINE LAUNCHES CAMPAIGN: Republicans for Ukraine are launching a new campaign urging the GOP to support Ukraine. The campaign features over 60 first-person testimonies from lifelong Republicans and conservatives, many former Trump voters.

This initiative comes at a time when the Trump administration wants to get a peace deal done, proposing Ukraine give up Crimea and other regions that Russia occupied.

N. KOREA NOW OFFICIALLY SENDING TROOPS TO RUSSIA: For the first time, North Korea confirmed sending troops to Russia, BBC reported. Pyongyang’s military claimed its soldiers helped Russian forces "completely liberate" the Kursk region.

Days earlier, Moscow praised the "heroism" of North Korean troops, publicly acknowledging their involvement for the first time. However, South Korean and Western intelligence had reported North Korean troop deployments in Russia's war against Ukraine much earlier.

On January 11, 2025, two North Korean soldiers were captured by Ukrainian forces. The POWs said they were initially told they would be fighting against South Korea but were instead sent to fight in the Kursk region against Ukraine.

TRUMP BELIEVES ZELENSKYY WILL CEDE CRIMEA: Shortly after meeting in Vatican City, Donald Trump said he believes Zelenskyy is ready to concede Crimea to Russia as a part of a ceasefire deal, France24 reported.

Speaking to reporters, he also mentioned the Ukrainian President asking for more weapons.

Previously, Volodymyr Zelenskyy vowed Ukraine ‘will not legally recognize the occupation of Crimea’. Now Trump’s pressure switched to Moscow as he urged Putin to ‘stop shooting’ and sign a deal.

PENGUINS OF PEACE:

In this photo by the Ukrainian Antarctic Scientific Center, the first newborn penguin chicks of the season were discovered near the Vernadsky Station by Svitozar Davydenko.

Stay safe out there.

Best,
Veronika

April 26, 2025 2:57pm

Ukraine Russia Photos USA

Reading Time: 13 minutes

Ben Borges

The day has come.

I wake up before my husband, and tiptoe to the bathroom. I’m holding the test in my hand, which I haven't dared to take for three days.

My heart pounds, and my hands shake.

"Breathe in, breathe out... You've always wanted a baby," I repeat to myself, but for some reason, I'm afraid.

I wait, and after a few seconds, I see two bright red stripes.

Everything stops.

Deep down, I knew it would happen, but I doubted it until the very last moment.

I'm pregnant.

I thought I would cry, but I can't even blink – no tears, no relief, just silence.

"I'm going to be a mother,” says a voice inside my head. “Damn it, I'm going to be a mother when there's a war going on?"

Despite the daily sirens, death, and uncertainty, Ukrainian women continue to choose to give birth. It may seem paradoxical, but in times of darkness, giving birth becomes an act of faith, resistance, and love. It demonstrates how naturally brave Ukrainians are and their deep belief: that even amid war, Ukraine has a future.

This piece is personal. It is written by me, a journalist who found out she was pregnant during the war, and for the first time in my life, I was not afraid just for myself.

I struggled to express my news verbally for the whole day.

Andrii, my husband, and I had talked about having a child for a long time. But no one prepares you for what it's like to wait for new life while others are dying every day.

At first, I was silent, even to him. It seemed better to keep it to myself – a secret, small light in the great darkness. But I knew I couldn't stay silent for long. This news, so big and so fragile, was about to break.

That evening, I prepared dinner — something tasty and homemade: potatoes baked in clay pots with meat and sour cream (I would say it's a traditional Ukrainian dish).

It takes a long time to cook, so I make it for important dates. I chose it intentionally, to keep our home warm and inviting, our way. As well as the food, I also put a small box on the table. A gift that would change everything.

That evening, there was silence in the candlelit apartment, with no sirens – a miracle in itself. I handed him the box, holding my breath as if I were about to jump into an abyss. He opened it... and remained silent.

The silence seemed to last forever. Then he looked up: "Is it true?"

No, I'm f**king kidding, I thought, but instead I nodded in the affirmative.

His face conveyed it all – joy, shock, but mostly fear. Not just of becoming a father, but of raising a child in a war-torn country.

This wasn’t just two lines on a pregnancy test; it’s a vow – to protect our child, and to endure. And that vow feels even heavier than the emergency suitcase we usually grab during an air raid.

I am not the only one. There are thousands of women like me in Ukraine, though their numbers have decreased significantly since the onset of the full-scale invasion.

Critically few children are born in Ukraine today. In 2024, nearly 177,000 newborns were registered. For comparison, 278,000 children were born in 2021 – meaning there’s been a 40 percent drop in just three years.

For every child, there are almost three deaths during the war. The situation is worse in the East and South: in the Kherson region, there are 11 deaths for every child born.

According to the Institute of Demography, if this trend persists, by 2050, there will be only 25 million Ukrainians. That would be less than half the size of the population of Ukraine after the collapse of the USSR in 1991.

Overall, the birth rate in Ukraine has been declining since 2013. Even before the war, the low standard of living in Ukraine resulted in ongoing migration, leading to a continually decreasing number of children. Ukraine's fertility decline was also significantly affected by the start of Russian aggression in 2014.

Cost is another reason Ukrainians have small numbers of children. I was also an only child in my family. Every time I asked for a brother or sister, my parents said they couldn't afford it; it was too complicated and expensive. Many of my friends had a similar situation: most of them grew up alone. These days, having multiple children is the exception rather than the rule.

War brings constant stress, which is harmful during pregnancy, built up by ongoing worry and anxiety. I never thought of myself as an anxious person, but with the onset of pregnancy, I became this way.

I always have thoughts in my head, and it's interesting that many of them revolve around work. Being a journalist means constantly worrying about articles, ensuring everything is written correctly, and that I haven't forgotten anything. Now, being pregnant, I have a new and bigger concern on top of my career. But the worries about work have not disappeared, and sometimes it seems that there are even more of them.

Living in Ukraine today, there is a constant influx of men into the army who must fight. Every one of those men faces the risk of not returning home.

It's difficult to fathom what pregnant women experience when their loved ones are at war. Sometimes I catch myself thinking that I could end up like those women, if my husband was called to fight. The thought scares me, even though I know it could happen to any of us.

The presence of your partner during pregnancy is a critical factor. In fact, I could never have imagined how much men change during their wives' pregnancy.

I’m endlessly grateful to Andrii for the breakfasts, the massages, the music, the care, and the messages he sends me all day long. That’s what fills me with strength and calm. No matter what’s happening, he drops everything, starts the car, and takes me wherever I need to go. He’s always by my side at doctor visits, smiling widely as he watches our baby on the screen.

By the way, here is our tiny baby! Currently, it is much bigger, but this is the best picture because it turns out that all babies love covering their faces with their hands.

Now our little unborn baby is almost 8 months old. It weighs about two kg. I still can't believe a real person is living inside me!

This baby is so lucky to have a daddy like Andrii – someone who talks to him every evening, kisses him through my belly, and counts down the days until they meet. That kind of love and presence is the most precious thing you can have during pregnancy, even when there’s a war outside the window.

From the start, Andrii said he’d be there with me at the birth to support me. I know I can count on him completely. That’s why I never once considered going abroad or even to another city in Ukraine to give birth.

Some pregnant mothers have decided to move for safety, knowing that the Russians often shell hospitals and maternity wards, even in Kyiv. Moreover, a missile hit near the maternity hospital where I plan to give birth during winter. Everything ended well, and no one was hurt, but this also puts me under pressure.

I now have only two months left before I give birth... I just hope everything works out — that I make it to the hospital, that Andrii is there, and that there are no Russian attacks that day.

But despite everything, I believe that everything will be alright, and I will give birth in Kyiv.

In January this year, I wrote a story about journalist Anastasiia Fedchenko, who lost her husband in the war while eight months pregnant. She gave birth to a daughter a month later. Although her husband was supposed to be with her during the birth, she was instead assisted by two friends.

"My beloved husband Andrii should have been with me that day. He would have held my hand and wiped the sweat from my brow, he would have loved Katrusia at first sight," Anastasiia wrote on her Facebook page.

Being pregnant during the war presents another challenge. Have you ever been in a bomb shelter? If you haven't, I hope you never have to. The closest bomb shelter to my house is the subway. If you have ever been in the subway, you know that it is very cold, especially in winter. Additionally, there is limited seating space, making it challenging for pregnant women to stand.

Usually, my husband handles it — he wakes me when explosions shake our apartment in the night, checks how serious the attack is, and decides whether we need to rush to the subway. Last time, we drove because I was already walking slowly.

Carrying two cats, a blanket for warmth, and a chair to sit on makes getting to the shelter a struggle. I can’t imagine doing it all with a stroller.

Oh, and I haven't yet told you the most important thing: Are we having a boy or a girl?

To be honest, I had dreamed of a gender reveal — balloons, confetti, that shared moment of surprise. But our doctor slipped up and told us right away at the first ultrasound. Andrii and I just hugged in silence and decided: let it at least be a surprise for our family.

We ordered cupcakes with a secret inside – pink or blue. Before the first bite, we asked everyone to guess. It was simple, sweet, and filled with joy.

What are your thoughts? While you ponder, I'll maintain the intrigue a bit longer.

I’ve been thinking for a long time about how to answer the question of why couples decide to have a child during a war. To be honest, I don’t have a clear answer.

Everyone has their own reasons. One of my friends, who is currently fighting in the army, said his wife wanted him to leave something behind if he didn’t come back. Another friend said she wanted to find meaning, after the war deeply affected her mental health. My other friend doesn’t want to have a child at all.

For me, I think it’s about feeling alive despite the war. It’s about living in the moment, no matter what happens. Having a child during a war isn’t just about fear and uncertainty; it’s about endless love. It’s the realization that, even though we are afraid, we are also ready to protect a whole new world from all the bad things out there.

Already, he has become the thing for whom we have to live!

Yes, he: we are expecting a baby boy.

And while I'm writing these last lines, he gives me a sign – my son kicks me from the inside, as if to say: “I'm here, mom.”

He hasn't been born yet, but he already feels everything. He hears my heart, my worries, my words. And he probably knows that he is greatly anticipated here.

I haven't held him in my arms yet, but I'm already talking to him in my mind, sharing everything from the morning news to my fears.

And while the world around me falls apart, a whole new universe grows inside me.

Thank you, my boy, for choosing us and coming to us right now, when we need faith that life goes on. Your daddy and I already love you very much, and we are waiting for you…

In the meantime, watch this wonderful video of my baby at 5 months, weighing only 300 grams, January 2025:

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NEWS OF THE DAY:

TRUMP: RUSSIA, UKRAINE “VERY CLOSE TO A DEAL”: U.S. President Donald Trump said Friday marked a “good day” for negotiations after his envoy, Steve Witkoff, met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow.

The Kremlin described the talks as "constructive," while Trump stated that "most of the major points are agreed to" and urged Ukraine and Russia meet "at very high levels" to "finish it off."

Reports suggest that the U.S. expects Ukraine to concede the Crimean Peninsula, which Russia illegally annexed in 2014 — a move Zelenskyy has repeatedly rejected.

Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met in Rome on Saturday before Pope Francis’ funeral. After the meeting, Zelenskyy said: “It is a very symbolic meeting that has the potential to become historic if we achieve joint results.” The White House called it a “very productive discussion.”

KREMLIN: UKRAINE FORCES REMOVED FROM KURSK: Ukrainian troops have been pushed out of Russia’s Kursk region, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Saturday.

According to Russian state media, Valery Gerasimov, Chief of the General Staff of Russia’s Armed Forces, reported the development to President Vladimir Putin on Saturday.

Ukraine has not yet responded to the claim.

In a statement, Putin congratulated Russian forces, declaring that Ukraine’s attempted incursion had "completely failed."

"The complete defeat of the enemy along the Kursk border creates favorable conditions for further advances by our troops in other key areas of the front," he said.

UKRAINE, EU PRESENT PEACE PLAN: Ukrainian and European officials have submitted a peace proposal to the U.S. that includes "robust security guarantees" and rejects any discussion of territorial concessions until a "full and unconditional ceasefire in the sky, on land, and at sea" is in place.

The proposal also calls for an "Article 5-like agreement," backed by the United States, as the Trump administration stated this month that NATO membership for Kyiv is currently off the table.

The plan further requests that sanctions on Russia be eased only after a peace agreement is fully implemented. Washington has reportedly been considering easing sanctions even before a formal peace deal is reached.

CATS OF CONFLICT:

Today's cats of Conflict are Myroslava's Sherri and Stuhna, who seem to be the most excited about the new family member.

They never leave Myroslava's side, and wherever she goes, they always come running to snuggle up next to her.

Stay safe out there,

Best,
Myroslava

April 25, 2025 8:54am

Ukraine Russia Photos USA

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Ben Borges

Russian troops attacked the city of Pavlohrad in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast with drones on April 25, killing three people, including a child, and injuring at least 10 others, Governor Serhii Lysak said.

A five-story building in Pavlohrad came under attack and several fires were reported in the city.

A 17-year-old boy is among the injured, Lysak said. Eight people were hospitalized.

The number of casualties could increase as the search and rescue operation is ongoing.

Pavlohrad, a city with a population of over 100,000, lies roughly 70 kilometers (over 40 miles) east of the regional center, Dnipro, and over 110 kilometers (70 miles) west of the front line.

Dnipropetrovsk Oblast in central-eastern Ukraine is a regular target of Russian missiles, drones, and artillery strikes. A Russian missile attack on Kryvyi Rih in early April killed 20 people, including nine children, and injured over 70.

Recent weeks saw Russia intensify its strikes against Ukraine’s civilian infrastructure and residential areas as Moscow continues to reject a full ceasefire backed by Washington and Kyiv.

‘No point in negotiating:’ Russia’s deadly attack on Kyiv sows distrust in Trump peace plan

Liudmyla Kapatsii, 75, and her daughter lingered in their apartment for a couple of extra minutes, doubting whether to go to the shelter after the air raid alarm woke them up around 1 a.m. on April 24, warning of a potential Russian missile attack. Though they were tired of

The Kyiv IndependentNatalia Yermak

April 25, 2025 8:00am

Ukraine Russia Photos USA

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Ben Borges

Ukraine may be forced to temporarily give up some territories to Russia, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said in an interview with BBC published on April 25, as U.S. pressure mounts for a peace deal with Moscow.

“Right now (there are) a lot of conversations about a possible solution. One of the scenarios is… to give up territory. It’s not fair. But for peace, temporary peace, maybe it can be a solution. Temporary,” Klitschko said in a released excerpt of the interview.

He added that Ukrainians would “never accept occupation” by Russia.

Klitschko’s remarks come amid renewed diplomatic activity following a deadly Russian missile and drone attack on Kyiv that killed 12 people and injured almost 90 on April 24. The strike took place just a day after the Kremlin reiterated its demands that Ukraine cede occupied territory and that the West end its military aid to Kyiv.

The Trump administration’s latest proposal for ending Russia’s all-out war against Ukraine reportedly includes U.S. de jure recognition of Moscow’s control over Crimea, along with de facto recognition of its partial occupation of other Ukrainian regions — Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia oblasts.

Klitschko appears to be the first senior Ukrainian politician to suggest that Ukraine may need to consider temporary territorial compromises.

Earlier this week, President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Ukraine has not received any official proposals for territorial concessions as part of potential peace talks with Russia from the U.S. or other partners. He has also repeatedly said that Kyiv won’t recognize occupied territories as Russian.

Despite his popularity abroad, Klitschko faces criticism in Ukraine for his handling of the capital. The Kyiv mayor has had a long-standing conflict with Zelensky. He claims ongoing pressure from government authorities.

Asked whether Zelensky had talked to him about any possible war settlement details, the Kyiv mayor said, “No."

‘No point in negotiating:’ Russia’s deadly attack on Kyiv sows distrust in Trump peace plan

Liudmyla Kapatsii, 75, and her daughter lingered in their apartment for a couple of extra minutes, doubting whether to go to the shelter after the air raid alarm woke them up around 1 a.m. on April 24, warning of a potential Russian missile attack. Though they were tired of

The Kyiv IndependentNatalia Yermak

April 25, 2025 7:10am

Ukraine Russia Photos USA

Ben Borges

Russia has lost 946,500 troops in Ukraine since the beginning of its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, the General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces reported on April 25.

The number includes 1,170 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.

According to the report, Russia has also lost 10,703 tanks, 22,315 armored fighting vehicles, 45,906 vehicles and fuel tanks, 26,895 artillery systems, 1,372 multiple launch rocket systems, 1,144 air defense systems, 370 airplanes, 335 helicopters, 33,779 drones, 28 ships and boats, and one submarine.

‘No point in negotiating:’ Russia’s deadly attack on Kyiv sows distrust in Trump peace plan

Liudmyla Kapatsii, 75, and her daughter lingered in their apartment for a couple of extra minutes, doubting whether to go to the shelter after the air raid alarm woke them up around 1 a.m. on April 24, warning of a potential Russian missile attack. Though they were tired of

The Kyiv IndependentNatalia Yermak

April 25, 2025 6:49am

Ukraine Russia Photos USA

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Ben Borges

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said the alliance agrees that Russia is a “long-term threat” to Euro-Atlantic security following his visit to the White House on April 24.

Rutte met with U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington on April 24 amid intensified efforts by the U.S. to reach a peace deal to end Russia’s war against Ukraine. Rutte was reportedly expected to use his visit to urge the U.S. not to pressure Ukraine into accepting a peace agreement that favors Moscow.

Rutte emphasized that all NATO members agree that Russia threatens regional security.

On April 24, Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu threatened that Russia could use “asymmetrical measures,” including nuclear weapons, against Europe in response to “unfriendly actions."

“We all agree, in NATO, that Russia is the long-term threat to NATO territory, to the whole of the Euro-Atlantic territory,” Rutte said.

Rutte recognized Ukraine’s efforts to reach a peace deal and called for Moscow to make an effort to come to an agreement.

“Ukrainians are really playing ball, and I think the ball is clearly in the Russian court now."

After speaking to Trump, Rutte said “something is on the table for Russia” in a potential peace deal.

The U.S. could reportedly de jure recognize Russian control over Crimea and de facto recognize Moscow’s illegal occupation of Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia oblasts as part of a peace deal.

Ukraine would be prohibited from joining NATO, but would remain permitted to pursue EU membership. Sanctions imposed on Russia since 2014 would be lifted, and the U.S. and Russia would pursue deeper energy and economic cooperation.

Moscow has shown signs it is unwilling to move forward on a peace deal with Ukraine. Russian authorities have listed maximalist demands in ceasefire negotiations with Ukraine and the U.S.

Ukraine has already agreed to a U.S.-proposed full 30-day ceasefire, saying on March 11 that Kyiv is ready if Russia also agrees to the terms. So far, Moscow has refused.

On April 23, Zelensky reaffirmed that Ukraine insists on an “immediate, full, and unconditional ceasefire."

“That was the proposal put forward by the United States on March 11 of this year — and it was absolutely reasonable,” Zelensky said.

On April 23, U.S. Vice President JD Vance said that the U.S. presented a “very explicit proposal” to Ukraine and Russia on a peace deal.

Ukraine has no great options if Trump recognizes Crimea as Russian

Ukraine is facing a crossroads in its fight against Russia’s full-scale invasion, with the possibility of being forced to reject an unfavorable peace deal being imposed under huge pressure from the U.S.

The Kyiv IndependentChris York

April 25, 2025 5:42am

Ukraine Russia Photos USA

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Ben Borges

Ukraine would like to have a “common understanding that Russia is the aggressor,” President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a wide-ranging interview with American commentator Ben Shapiro released on April 24.

“We would like… to have this common understanding that Russia is the aggressor,” Zelensky said.

"(Y)ou shouldn’t be saying that Ukraine and Russia started this war, I believe that it’s painful for our people to hear," Zelensky added.

U.S. President Donald Trump and the White House have made inflammatory comments, claiming Ukraine shares the blame for Russia’s war. On Feb. 18, Trump said Ukraine “should have never started” Russia’s war.

Zelensky said that Ukraine is defending against Russia’s war and did not start it, comparing Ukraine’s relations with Russia and the U.S. as opposite of one another.

“You have to understand Ukraine, that we are defending against Russia’s offense and we believe Russia is an enemy, we believe (the) United States is a true and real friend,” Zelensky said.

Zelensky thanked the U.S. for its role as a mediator to stop Russia’s war, but emphasized that Ukraine views the U.S. as an ally.

“We know that (the) United States has a position to serve as the mediator in this conflict, that is the choice made by the United States, but we consider (the) United States as a strong, strategic partner,” Zelensky said.

“We would really like to have peace through strength that would be used towards Russia… because they are the one who is the aggressor,” Zelensky said.

Zelensky said he expects to hold more meaningful conversations with Trump and noted Ukraine counts on its “strategic partnership” with the U.S.

“I think that we will have more fruitful meetings with President Trump,” he said.

Zelensky noted the U.S. plays a key role in Ukraine’s defense against Russia’s war through materiel support, but has not paid for pensions or salaries in Ukraine.

"(T)he United States (has) to know that they were not feeding our pensioners and our soldiers with regards to the salary or the compensation, surely you’ve provided the most important aspect, that is the weapons," he said.

Far-right American commentator Tucker Carlson claimed the U.S. funds Ukraine’s “retirement accounts” in an interview with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, released on April 4.

On April 23, Zelensky reaffirmed that Ukraine insists on an “immediate, full, and unconditional ceasefire."

“That was the proposal put forward by the United States on March 11 of this year — and it was absolutely reasonable,” Zelensky said.

So far, Russia has not agreed to an unconditional ceasefire and continues its war against Ukraine.

Twelve people were killed and 90 civilians, including six children, were injured in a large-scale Russian missile and drone attack on Kyiv overnight on April 24.

Crimean Tatar freed from Russian captivity: ‘Recognizing Russia’s control of Crimea would legitimize crime’

For nearly two years in Russian captivity, Leniye Umerova clung to a single hope: that one day, she would return home — to Crimea. “I thought about Crimea all the time,” Umerova told the Kyiv Independent. “I dreamed of going there without the permission of the occupying forces, without going through

The Kyiv IndependentDaria Shulzhenko