The Battle for Ceasefires – Ukraine Latest, May 5

US President Donald Trump now calls President Volodymyr Zelensky a “tricky” guy but says he likes him.

We’ll see how that “like” translates into actual support as attacks intensify on both sides ahead of Russia’s May 9 ceasefire proposal – now countered by Zelensky’s May 6 truce proposal. Overnight, Ukraine pounded Russia with 289 drones, reportedly hitting a fortified military plant with its homegrown Flamingo missile, after a series of refinery and weapon factory strikes in April that are said to have cost the Kremlin over $300 million in infrastructure damage in Tuapse alone.

But Moscow also struck Ukraine overnight with drones and missiles, with oil and gas facilities hit particularly hard. After yet another “double-tap” strike that killed rescuers in the Poltava region, Zelensky has vowed a “mirror” response.

Ukraine’s defense minister also said Russia has been losing more men than it can replace for five straight months. As Kyiv continues to push for Russian attrition on and off the front lines, we’ll see where the Trump administration ultimately lands.

International developments – new drone deals, shaky ceasefire

Amid a surge in drone sightings, the EU has launched a new drone alliance with Ukraine, just as Zelensky proposes a new drone deal with the king of Bahrain, following a recent trip to the Caucasus that cemented Ukraine’s position in the region after decades of Kremlin dominance.

Other Topics of Interest

Hungary’s PM Magyar Wants Meeting With Zelensky in Transcarpathian Berehove

Hungary’s PM Péter Magyar wants to meet Zelensky in Berehove, as Budapest questions fast-tracking Ukraine’s bid to join the EU.

But support from Europe isn’t always guaranteed – even as the Czech and Finnish leaders said Europe should learn from Ukraine’s war experience, Romania’s pro-EU prime minister has just faced a no-confidence motion over austerity measures, raising concerns that a key NATO eastern flank member could shift toward pro-Kremlin parties, following recent developments in Bulgaria.

And as the US announced plans to withdraw troops from Germany after the Iran fiasco, there’s also uncertainty in how the war in Iran would unravel, as the United Arab Emirates (UAE) had come under attack despite the ongoing ceasefire.

Now, with residents in Moscow and St. Petersburg reporting internet blackouts ahead of the May 9 parade, we’ll see how ceasefire efforts in Eastern Europe compare to those in the Middle East – hopefully with better results.

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