United 24 Media:
🔹 Trump’s special envoy for Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, has responded to Russia’s latest massive airstrikes on Ukrainian cities and villages.
Kellogg said the strikes only reinforce the urgency of reaching a ceasefire between the parties.
“Ceasefire now,” he wrote on X.
🇩🇪 Germany may reintroduce compulsory conscription if there aren’t enough volunteers for military service, Defense Minister Pistorius said in an interview with FAZ.
“Our model is initially based on voluntary participation. But if the moment comes when we have more available places than volunteers, then we may decide to introduce compulsory service,” he stated.
Pistorius noted that such measures could be taken as early as 2026.
🔸 Russia has used the Kh-22 missile for the first time in a long time, according to Yuriy Ignat, spokesman for the Air Force Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The missile was launched by a Tu-22M3 strategic bomber. Originally designed to strike large naval targets, it carries a warhead weighing nearly a ton. Its main threat, however, lies in its extremely low accuracy—the potential impact zone can reach up to 600 meters.
“The use of such a missile points to yet another terrorist plan by the Kremlin against the Ukrainian population,” Ignat said.
🔹 The High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, has responded to one of the largest Russian missile and drone attacks on Ukraine since the start of the war. The strike killed 12 people and injured more than 60.
Kallas stressed the need for maximum international pressure on the aggressor to end the war.
“These night attacks once again show that Russia aims to inflict even greater suffering and destroy Ukraine,” she said.
❗️Trump expressed deep dissatisfaction with Putin’s actions and did not rule out the possibility of imposing new tariffs on Russia as a means of pressuring for peace.
He said he did not understand the motives behind the Russian leader’s current actions and called them unacceptable. Trump added that he might consider using economic tools, including additional tariffs, to help move the peace process forward.
🔸 Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that work on the draft memorandum with Ukraine is ongoing and not yet finalized.
Additional key points from Peskov:
▫️There is still no agreement on the date or location for the next round of negotiations with Kyiv; preparation is needed.
▫️The implementation of the Istanbul agreements will proceed.
▫️Foreign leaders witnessed Kyiv's attempts to strike Russian territory before May 9, and such actions are continuing.
▫️Peskov attributed Donald Trump’s remarks about Russia’s large-scale strikes on Ukraine to "emotional overload."
▫️Russian and U.S. special services are in contact, though it is premature to discuss broader cooperation.
▫️President Putin will meet with the Turkish Foreign Minister and will discuss the "Ukrainian plot."
▫️A phone conversation involving Putin may take place in the evening.
🔹 Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braže has urged the European Union to stop issuing visas to Russian citizens, citing security concerns.
In a post on X, she referenced newly released statistics showing that the number of Schengen visas granted to Russian passport holders in 2024 increased by 25% compared to 2023.
According to data published earlier by the European Commission, Russia was among the top five countries in terms of Schengen visa applications in 2024 — with around 606,000 applications. Meanwhile, the rate of visa refusals for Russian citizens dropped from 10.6% in 2023 to 7.5% in 2024. Italy and France issued the most visas to Russians.
Despite this, several Schengen countries have maintained a suspension on issuing tourist visas to Russian applicants since 2022. These include Belgium, Denmark, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Slovakia, Finland, the Czech Republic, and Estonia.
🔸 German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has announced that Germany no longer imposes range limitations on the weapons it supplies to Ukraine.
According to Merz, this decision aligns with similar steps taken by Britain, France, and the United States, all of which have also lifted restrictions on the range of their military supplies to Kyiv.
🔹 According to Bild, Lithuanians living in the Suwalki Gap are leaving the region en masse due to fears of a potential Russian invasion.
The Suwalki Gap—a narrow 65.4 km corridor linking Lithuania and Poland—lies between Belarus and Russia’s Kaliningrad Oblast. It is widely regarded as NATO’s most vulnerable point on its eastern flank.
Military analysts have long warned that in the event of a conflict, Russia could attempt to seize the gap from both sides, effectively cutting off the Baltic states from the rest of NATO. With Russian artillery capable of reaching over 30 km, Moscow could potentially bring the entire corridor under fire control, intensifying regional fears.
🔸 Deputy Head of the Presidential Office Ihor Sybiha stated that Kyiv is aiming to hold the next round of negotiations with the Russian Federation as soon as possible, in a delegation format similar to the Istanbul talks.
According to Sybiha, a key topic on the agenda will be a ceasefire.
At the same time, Ukraine remains firm in its position: there will be no compromises on issues of sovereignty, territorial integrity, recognition of occupied territories, or the country's right to choose its own alliances, he emphasized.
🔹 Finland is preparing to restrict the ability of Belarusian citizens to purchase real estate in the country, the Ministry of Defense has announced.
Last month, the Finnish parliament passed a law allowing the Ministry to block property transactions involving individuals or entities from countries that have waged aggressive war or pose a potential threat to Finland’s security.
Based on EU Council decisions and information gathered by authorities, both Russia and Belarus meet these criteria.
However, applications submitted by Russians and Belarusians before the decree takes effect will be processed under the previous rules.
❗️French President Emmanuel Macron stated that Donald Trump now realizes Putin lied to him about being ready for a peaceful settlement in Ukraine.
"I think President Trump understands that when Putin said he was ready for peace, he lied to him (...) In recent hours, we have once again seen the anger of the US President," Macron said during a visit to Vietnam.
He described this reaction as "a kind of impatience" and added, "Now I just want this to translate into concrete actions."
Macron emphasized that Putin’s simultaneous talk of negotiations and continued attacks on Ukraine creates “ambiguity” and “shows the insincerity of the negotiations.”
🇳🇱🇺🇦 The Netherlands has sent the final batch of F-16 fighter jets destined for Ukraine, according to the Dutch Ministry of Defense.
The aircraft departed from Volkel Air Base and headed to Belgium, where they will be prepared for direct delivery.
🇱🇻 Latvia has delivered another 1,500 drones to Ukraine for military use.
In the first half of 2025, two Latvian companies are set to supply a total of 12,000 drones to Ukraine as part of the Drone Coalition.