{"id":996,"date":"2025-04-01T13:28:05","date_gmt":"2025-04-01T17:28:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/warinukraineobservatory\/warinukraineobservatory\/?post_type=cu_description&p=996"},"modified":"2025-11-11T10:50:33","modified_gmt":"2025-11-11T15:50:33","slug":"april-2025","status":"publish","type":"cu_description","link":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/warinukraineobservatory\/description\/april-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"APRIL 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n
\n

\n \n <\/h1>\n\n <\/header>\n\n

April 1 <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Putin to Bolster Russian Army by 160,000 Troops <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Amidst ongoing ceasefire and peace talks between Ukraine and the USA, Putin has ordered at least 160,000 men between 18 and 30 to be drafted into the army by mid-summer. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Zelensky Calls for Justice <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

President Zelensky has called for Russia to be punished for more than 183,000 war crimes it has committed since the start of the full-scale invasion. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Top European Diplomats Assure Support to Ukraine <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Key diplomats from Spain, Germany, France, Italy, the United Kingdom, Poland and the European Union have pledged to redouble their aid to Ukraine and are considering new sanctions on Russia to force it to accept a ceasefire.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sweden Preparing New Package to Ukraine <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sweden said it would donate $1.6 billion in new military aid to Ukraine, the largest package from the country since Russia\u2019s full-scale invasion in 2022.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs Speaks from Moscow <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs, Wang Yi, said securing peace in Ukraine was a \u201cno pain, no gain\u201d situation and that any ceasefire agreement had to be binding, fair and acceptable for all parties. Wang also applauded Russia and the US for taking the first steps to normalising relations, which he said would be \u201cgood for stabilising the balance of power between major powers and inspires optimism in a disappointing international situation.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

April 2 <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Russia will not Accept Current Ceasefire Terms<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Russia\u2019s Deputy Foreign Minister, Sergei Ryabkov, said Moscow cannot accept US proposals to end the war as they do not address problems Moscow regards as having caused the war initially. Ryabkov stated that Moscow and Washington have so far been unable to rework the ceasefire proposal to make it acceptable to Russia. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Military and Financial Aid to Ukraine <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

President Zelensky announced that Ukraine has received an additional $3.8 billion in financial support from the EU. Zelensky also hopes that Germany\u2019s new chancellor, Friedrich Mertz will approve the delivery of Taurus cruise missiles to bolster Ukraine\u2019s defence. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sweden Preparing for War <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Swedish authorities have warned that the country should prepare for the risk of war and have announced a $10 million investment to inspect and renovate its civil defence shelters.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finland Planning to Mine its Russian Border <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo said the country plans to withdraw from the international treaty banning antipersonnel mines, the latest signatory moving to ditch the ban over threats from Russia. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

France to Deliver Surface-to-Air Missiles to Denmark <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

France said it will deliver several hundred Mistral surface-to-air missiles to Denmark, as French President Emmanuel Macron and Denmark\u2019s King Frederik X pledged a \u201cstronger\u201d Europe. The move comes as Denmark has sought European backing to counter Trump\u2019s threats to take over Greenland. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

April 3 <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Ukraine and Russia Accuse Each Other of Striking Energy Facilities <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kyiv and Moscow have accused each other of continuing to target energy facilities despite the US-backed moratorium on strikes against such infrastructure. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Russia Closes Key Black Sea Port <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Russia ordered the closure of a key Black Sea port which handles the exports of Kazakh oil refined by US companies Chevron and Exxon Mobile. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eleven Ukrainian Children Returned to Kyiv <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eleven Ukrainian children were returned to Kyiv from Russia and Russian-occupied Ukraine under the Bring Kids Back UA initiative. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Russian Envoy to the US will visit Washington <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Kremlin said it is possible that Russian envoy, Kirill Dmitriev, will visit the US soon and said contact with Washington has been ongoing despite recent tensions. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

April 4 <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

American Reciprocal Tariffs on Ukraine Challenging but not Defeating <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 10% reciprocal tariffs imposed on Ukraine by the United States are \u201cdifficult, but not critical\u201d said Kyiv\u2019s Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko. She also said Ukraine had an export volume of $874 million to the US last year while Kyiv bought goods worth $3.4 billion from the US during this period.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Zelensky Speaks on his Terms for Peace <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a meeting with Ukrainian leaders in Chernihiv, President Zelensky was adamant about maintaining the size of Ukraine\u2019s army while in peace and also remaining resolute in its lack of recognizing illegally occupied regions as new Russian territories and instead pursuing diplomacy to return the land to Ukraine in the future. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finland Calls on France or the UK to Engage with Russia <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finland\u2019s President Alexander Stubb said France, or the United Kingdom as part of the \u201ccoalition of the willing\u201d should take charge of engaging with Russia as part of Europe\u2019s efforts to support Kyiv in the absence of the US. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

US Withdraws from Investigative Committee of Russian War Crimes in Ukraine <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The US has withdrawn from the team of European and US investigators put together under the EU\u2019s judicial body Eurojust to collect evidence of potential Russian war crimes in Ukraine. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

April 5 <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Europe Looking for Alternatives to Starlink for Ukraine <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Germany has been paying for Ukraine\u2019s access to a satellite internet network operated by France\u2019s Eutelsat, as Europe seeks alternatives to Elon Musk\u2019s Starlink. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

NATO Allies Willing to Increase Defense Spending <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

European NATO allies and Canada said they are willing to ramp up defence spending, expressing willingness to comply with American demands for the size of their military budgets. NATO member states have spent billions of dollars more on defence but almost a third still don\u2019t meet NATO\u2019s target of at least 2 percent of their gross domestic product. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ukraine and US Discussing Minerals Deal <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Ukrainian team of envoys will head to the US in the near future for discussions on a new framework for the minerals deal, public broadcaster Suspilne reported, citing Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

EU Proclaims a New Ear with Central Asian States <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The EU proclaimed a \u201cnew era\u201d in ties with Central Asia at a major summit in Uzbekistan, as Russia\u2019s invasion of Ukraine accelerates the region\u2019s drift from Moscow\u2019s orbit and Brussels presses its influence in the region in the face of Russian and Chinese competition. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Germany Modernising its Arsenal<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Germany said it would buy explosive drones for the first time as Berlin boosts investments in its armed forces to counter the growing threat from Russia against the continent. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

April 7 <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

France Calls for Definitive Stance Against Russia <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

French President Emmanuel Macron called for \u201cstrong action\u201d against Russia if Moscow continues to \u201crefuse peace.\u201d \u201cA ceasefire is needed as soon as possible,\u201d Macron said.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Volodymyr Zelensky expressed concern over the lack of international pressure on Russia amid the \u201cincreasing\u201d number of \u201cdaily Russian strikes on Ukraine.\u201d While the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, denounced Russia\u2019s \u201creckless disregard\u201d for civilians, following Russia\u2019s attack on Kryvyi Rih. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

April 8 <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Russia and US on Ceasefire Talks <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vladimir Putin supports a ceasefire, but a \u201chuge number\u201d of questions remain unanswered and that there was a common understanding between Russia and the United States that mutual contact should continue. US President Donald Trump said he was \u201cnot happy\u201d with Russia for bombing Ukraine \u201clike crazy\u201d. However, he also said Kyiv and Moscow were \u201csort of close\u201d on a deal.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ukraine Recognises Soldiers in Belgorod <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

For the first time, President Volodymyr Zelensky acknowledged that Ukrainian troops were present in Russia\u2019s Belgorod region. \u201cWe continue active operations in the enemy\u2019s border areas and this is absolutely justified,\u201d the Ukrainian president said in his nightly address.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ukraine Captures Two Chinese Nationals in Ukraine <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ukrainian troops have captured two Chinese nationals who were fighting in the ranks of the Russian military against Ukraine. “We have information that there are much more than two such Chinese citizens in the occupier’s units,” Zelensky said. “We have the documents of these prisoners, bank cards, personal data.”<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

April 9 <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

American Ambassador to the UN Security Council Speaks on Ceasefire Terms<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

United States Ambassador to the United Nations Dorothy Shea told the UN Security Council that Washington \u201cwill have no patience\u201d for negotiations made in bad faith or violation of any commitments in efforts to end Russia\u2019s war on Ukraine. Adding that Putin\u2019s actions will be used to judge Russia\u2019s willingness to accept a ceasefire. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nuclear Treaty Unlikely Between Russia and the US <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dmitry Peskov said it was very hard to imagine the start of negotiations with the US on a new nuclear arms reduction treaty due to the mutually strained trust with Washington, which was only now beginning to normalise. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

China Summoned Over Presence of Chinese Nationals Fighting in Ukraine<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Ukrainian foreign ministry has summoned China\u2019s charge d\u2019affaires over the presence of Chinese citizens fighting for Russia, putting into question China\u2019s declared stance of neutrality. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Belgian Prime Minister Promises Aid to Ukraine <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Belgian Prime Minister, Bart De Wever, announced his government had decided to provide a $1.19 billion aid package to Ukraine this year. He also said his country planned to support Kyiv with a similar package each year during his term. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

April 10 <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

US Military Chief Comments on Chinese Nationals <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The head of US forces in the Asian Pacific region, Admiral Samuel Paparo, confirmed that two men captured by Ukraine while fighting for Russia were of Chinese origin. He also said any Russian offensive success in Europe would empower China in its own offensive ambitions. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Russia and the USA Holding Talks in Turkiye <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Representatives of Russia and the USA are holding talks in Turkiye to normalise diplomatic relations after the war in Ukraine has caused the biggest confrontation between forces of the West and Russia since the height of the Cold War. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Russia Refuses to Comment on Chinese Accusations <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dmitry Peskov declined to comment on allegations that Chinese soldiers were fighting with Moscow\u2019s troops against Ukraine. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

China Warns Against Jumping to Conclusions <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

China warned parties in the Ukraine war against making \u201cirresponsible remarks\u201d after President Volodymyr Zelensky said Beijing knows that Russia is recruiting Chinese citizens through social media networks to fight in the conflict.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

April 11 <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Footage Shows Four Ukrainian Prisoners of War Executed by Russian Soldiers <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Footage from a Ukrainian surveillance drone showed four Ukrainian prisoners being shot dead by soldiers wearing Russian uniform markings.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Russian and American Prisoner Exchange<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Russia released Russian American ballet dancer Ksenia Karelina, who was serving a 12-year prison sentence. Karelina was found guilty of treason by a Russian court for donating $52 to a US charity aiding Ukraine. She was swapped for Arthur Petrov, a German Russian citizen arrested in 2023.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

China Releases Statement on Chinese Nationals in Russian Military <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

China\u2019s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has called for a \u201csober\u201d view of its role in the Ukraine crisis after Zelensky said Kyiv\u2019s intelligence had information about 155 Chinese citizens fighting alongside Russian forces against Ukraine. A spokesperson for the ministry also warned against making \u201cirresponsible\u201d remarks about the presence of Chinese fighters in Ukraine.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The USA and Russia Hold Talks in Turkiye <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The United States and Russia held talks in Istanbul, Turkiye, on normalising diplomatic relations between the two countries. The talks were led by Russia\u2019s new ambassador to Washington, Alexander Darchiev, and Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Sonata Coulter. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Coalition of the Willing Discuss Reassurance Force <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The defence ministers from 30 countries who are part of the \u201ccoalition of the willing\u201d met in Brussels to discuss a reassurance force for Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire between Kyiv and Moscow. However, key questions about its mission and any support from the US remained unanswered. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mark Rutte Urges for Continued Aid to Ukraine <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

NATO Secretary General, Mark Rutte participated in a Ukraine Defence Contact Group (UDCG) meeting at NATO headquarters, calling for additional and continued support from NATO member states to Ukraine throughout the year 2025. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

April 12 <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Trump Lashes Out on Peace Talks <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

President Trump said that talks to end the war are going in a positive direction, however, he added that at a certain point \u201cyou just have to either put up or shut up.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Russia Praises Trump\u2019s Understanding of Russia <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sergey Lavrov, Russia\u2019s foreign minister, said that President Trump understands the situation between Russia and Ukraine better than any European leader. Emphasising that Trump understands the need to address the root causes of the conflict to resolve it.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

German Refinery Calls for Russian Gas <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A German refinery in the town of Schwedt, near the border of Poland is struggling to adapt to processing other raw materials, prompting calls for the return of Russian oil via the Druzhba pipeline.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

April 14 <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Ukraine Holds Press Conference with Captured Chinese Nationals <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ukrainian authorities held a news conference where the Chinese prisoners of war who travelled to fight in Ukraine as mercenaries on behalf of Russia appeared to warn others not to follow in their footsteps. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

US Divided on Stance on Ukraine and Trump Criticises Zelensky <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Donald Trump criticised Zelensky and implied Kyiv had started the war against Russia, saying the Ukrainian leader wanted to purchase US missiles and start a war \u201cagainst someone 20 times your size.\u201d Trump also promised to deliver \u201csome very good proposals\u201d on resolving Russia\u2019s war in Ukraine while officials in his administration are divided on how to approach the conflict, <\/span>Trump administration officials have been at odds over how to approach the conflict, the Reuters with some suggesting Ukraine should cede territory to Russia and others pushing for more support for Ukraine. The Democrat opposition in the House of Representatives introduced legislation to bolster Ukraine\u2019s defences and impose further sanctions against Russia. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The United Kingdom Disbursing Funding to Ukraine <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The United Kingdom has transferred $990 million to Ukraine to help it buy air defences and artillery as part of a broader $50 billion international loan programme backed by frozen Russian assets.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

April 15 <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Ukraine Martial Law may be extended until the Summer <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Zelensky has proposed two bills to the Ukrainian parliament to extend military mobilisation and martial law in the country for another 90 days, ending on August 6.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Inconsistency Between Russian and American Claims of Peace Talks <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Donald Trump\u2019s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, following a meeting with Vladimir Putin, said the Russian president was open to a \u201cpermanent peace\u201d deal with Ukraine. However, Sergey Lavrov said in an interview that it was not easy to agree with the US on \u201ckey components\u201d of a possible peace deal to end the war in Ukraine.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

April 16 <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Steve Witkoff Said Putin is Open to Peace <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Steve Witkoff, following a meeting with Russia\u2019s President Vladimir Putin, said the latter was open to a \u201cpermanent peace\u201d deal with Ukraine. An envoy from Russia commented that Putin felt the meeting with Witkoff was \u201cextremely productive.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

April 17 <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Meeting in Paris Between European, Ukrainian, and American Officials <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Ukrainian delegation met with representatives from the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and the United States in Paris to discuss an equitable ceasefire between Moscow and Kyiv. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ukraine and the US Take Concrete Step Towards Mineral Deal <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ukraine and the US signed a memorandum of intent, signalling a step towards finalising an agreement about the extraction of Ukraine\u2019s rare earth metals.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

President Zelensky Provides Update on War with Russia <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

President Zelensky said Russia has reduced strikes on Ukraine\u2019s energy facilities but has started targeting civilian infrastructure instead, and that in response, his nation was prepared to buy at least 10 Patriot air defence systems from the US to protect itself from Russian attacks.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

China’s Alleged Support for Russia’s War Effort<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

President Zelensky reported that Ukrainian intelligence has evidence that China has been selling gun powder and artillery munitions to Russia.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Russia Draws Red Line on Use of German-Supplied Taurus Missiles to Ukraine <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A spokesperson of Russia\u2019s foreign ministry said the use of a Taurus missile to strike Russia would be considered direct participation by Germany in the Ukrainian war. These comments followed Germany\u2019s next chancellor, Friedrich Merz, who expressed willingness to supply Kyiv with the missiles to strike Russia.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

April 18 <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Trump Says US Growing Disinterested in Ceasefire Negotiations<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Donald Trump has expressed his frustration over the difficult and drawn-out ceasefire negotiations between Ukraine and Russia. The American president has threatened to withdraw American support and backing for Ukraine in negotiations if a deal is not reached soon.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

April 19 <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Putin Declares Short Easter Truce <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Russia declared a brief 30-hour truce for the Easter weekend, with Putin claiming he passed the message to Russian soldiers. However, Kyiv has reported that Russia has already broken its own proposed truce. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

April 20 <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Russia Announces Mass Prisoner Exchange <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Russian Ministry of Defence announced a 246-prisoner exchange with Ukraine mediated by the United Arab Emirates.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The United Kingdom and the EU Pressure Russia on Easter Truce <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The United Kingdom urged Russia to commit to a full ceasefire in Ukraine, \u201cnot just a one-day pause\u201d, which reflects the reaction of the European Union, which has stated that Russia is capable of bringing peace and ending the war.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

April 21 <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Ukraine Reports on Russian Ceasefire Violations <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ukraine reported nearly 3,000 Russian violations of their self-proposed ceasefire plan for Easter, and President Zelensky said the Ukrainian military had been ordered to mirror Russian actions. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ukraine\u2019s Winter-Gas-Needs Calculated <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ukraine\u2019s former head gas transit operator has estimated that Ukraine will need to acquire 6.3 billion cubic metres of gas for the 2025-26 winter season due to record low levels of reserves because of war-related damage.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The United States Would Approve cu_people_phone_ext of Easter Truce <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The United States Department of Defence has welcomed a Russian cu_people_phone_ext of Putin\u2019s proposed 30-hour Easter truce, and President Zelensky of Ukraine has called for a 30-day suspension of drone and artillery strikes against civilians. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

April 22 <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Putin Open to Negotiations with Zelensky <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Putin has suggested a willingness to begin negotiations with Zelensky to reach a ceasefire, however, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov has expressed Russia\u2019s stance that Ukraine is to blame for the war and must make concessions. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trump Planning to Release His Peace Plan for Ukraine <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

President Trump said he would reveal his proposed peace plan for the Ukraine war this week, which could include the deployment of a European peacekeeping force to enforce the ceasefire.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

April 23 <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Ukraine Will Not Recognise Occupied Territories as Russian <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

President Zelensky announced that Ukraine will not recognise any of the Russian-occupied territories as Russian land, including Crimea. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Putin Offering to Halt Invasionary Force<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Putin has reportedly offered to stop his army’s military advancements in Ukraine at the current frontline and is willing to withdraw Moscow\u2019s claims to parts of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhia, and in return, the US would recognise the Crimean peninsula as Russian and also block Ukraine from joining NATO.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

US Envoy Reported Trump Considering Putin\u2019s Proposal <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Steve Witkoff, the US special envoy to Russia, stated that President Trump is considering Putin\u2019s proposal to end the war and prohibit Ukrainian NATO accession. Putin\u2019s plan is largely aligned with Trump\u2019s peace plan, which has been reported to include unofficial recognition of Russian control of nearly all areas occupied since the start of the war in Ukraine, would lift sanctions imposed on Russia and return a small part of Russian-occupied Kharkiv to Ukraine.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

European Commission Researching New Sanctions<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The European Commission is assessing whether it could forbid EU firms from signing new contracts for Russian fossil fuels and is working on legal options to allow EU companies to break existing gas supply contracts with Russia without penalties.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Denmark Increasing Military Spending <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Denmark will spend $614 million on building and procuring 26 navy vessels for patrolling, oil spill response and surveillance of undersea cables as countries of the Baltic Sea grow increasingly nervous.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

April 24 <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Macron Weighs in on Ceasefire <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

French President Emmanuel Macron commented that Kyiv cannot accept any Russian proposal of a ceasefire while being bombed frequently and intensively. The French leader reaffirmed Paris\u2019s support for Ukraine and the territorial integrity of its borders. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trump Calls for Putin to Stop <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following Russia\u2019s largest drone attack and artillery strike against Kyiv this year, which left at least 12 dead and over 90 civilians wounded, President Trump took to social media to urge the Russian president to stop by writing, \u201cVladimir, STOP.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

April 25 <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

NATO Secretary General Said Ending the War is Russia\u2019s Responsibility <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mark Rutte, the Secretary General of NATO, said that reaching a deal to end the Ukraine War was now up to Moscow, acknowledging Ukraine\u2019s willingness to negotiate and propose a serious deal, putting the pressure on Moscow to accept. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ukraine and the USA are Still Working Towards Rare Earth Deal <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ukrainian Finance Minister Sergii Marchenko said that Ukraine is going \u201cas fast as we can\u201d on a critical minerals deal with the Trump administration, despite the American president saying earlier he expected the deal to be completed this week.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

April 26 <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Zelensky Still Refusing American and Russian Stance on Crimea <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reiterated that Ukraine\u2019s position on Crimea has not changed, and that despite Ukraine not possessing the means to retake the peninsula, the nation’s allies can apply pressure through sanctions. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moscow and Washington Relations Warming <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The US envoy to Russia, Steve Witkoff, met with President Putin for three hours to discuss the war’s end and the normalisation of relations between the USA and Russia. Commentators from the Kremlin announced that a major deal between the US and Russia is coming soon. Trump added that most of the major details have been agreed to regarding reaching an agreement over Ukraine. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trump Demands Zelensky to Sign Rare Earth Deal <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

President Trump took to social media to demand that President Zelensky \u201cIMMEDIATELY\u201d sign the long-delayed rare earths deal, which would give the US access to Ukraine\u2019s rare earth reserves. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

April 27<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Russia Drives Ukrainian Forces Out of Kursk <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vladimir Putin hailed what he called the complete failure of a Ukrainian incursion into Kursk after Moscow claimed to have driven the last of the Ukrainian forces out of the region. Russia\u2019s chief of the general staff, Valery Gerasimov, praised the \u201ccourage and heroism\u201d of the North Korean soldiers active in Kursk. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meeting Between Trump and Zelensky at Pope’s Funeral <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trump cast doubt on whether Putin wants a peace deal and has taken a tougher tone with Putin shortly after meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at St Peter\u2019s Basilica before Pope Francis\u2019s funeral in Rome. <\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"cu_description_type":[25],"class_list":["post-996","cu_description","type-cu_description","status-publish","hentry","cu_description_type-timeline"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/warinukraineobservatory\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cu_description\/996","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/warinukraineobservatory\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cu_description"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/warinukraineobservatory\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/cu_description"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/warinukraineobservatory\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/warinukraineobservatory\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cu_description\/996\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/warinukraineobservatory\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=996"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"cu_description_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/warinukraineobservatory\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cu_description_type?post=996"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}