Ukraine Breaking News Today Live on 05-20-2025

The former US President was diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer over the weekend. Questions surrounding the former president’s health forced Biden to drop out of his re-election bid l

Former US President Joe Biden has been diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer, his office reported on Sunday.

The 82-year-old former president was the oldest-serving president in American history until he left office in January.

The SkyShield proposal would mobilize 120 European fighter jets to help Ukraine defend its civilian infrastructure and export facilities. Critics say it could risk a dangerous escalation with Russia.

Multiple European countries are considering deploying their national air force fighters and jets to western Ukraine to bolster the country’s air defense as peace negotiations drag on between Kyiv and Moscow.

The plan calls for Europe to advance its SkyShield initiative by providing over 100 fighter jets to patrol Ukraine’s civilian infrastructure and export corridors against Russian missiles and drones, according to Al Jazeera.

Scandals over mass troop desertions and weapons shortages repeatedly rocked the Paris-promoted 155th Brigade in 2024. AFU top brass has vowed – again – to fix things.

The commanders of a troubled French-equipped and -trained combat brigade have been accused by a major news magazine of conspiring to steal state funds at scale, and an Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) top general on Tuesday ordered an immediate investigation and promised “harsh reprisals” for anyone “profiting from soldiers’ blood.”

At the center of the ballooning scandal over a possible scheme to skim soldier salaries for personal gain is the command staff of Ukraine’s 155th Mechanized Infantry Brigade, the first major Ukrainian combat unit to have been trained as a unit outside the country, and a unit put forward by Paris and Kyiv alike as a possible future template for modern, professional units and leadership in the AFU.

Kyiv Post spoke exclusively with Moshe Asman – Ukraine’s chief rabbi who was born in the same city as Vladimir Putin but has spent his life connected to Ukraine and its Jewish community.

The Chief Rabbi of Ukraine, Moshe Reuven Azman, is a truly remarkable figure. Born in Leningrad one of the capitals of the former USSR – the same city as Vladimir Putin – he emigrated from behind the Iron Curtain in the 1980s before later returning to Ukraine.

Over the past 30 years, Azman first led the Jewish community of Kyiv, then later broader Jewish communities across Ukraine. During Russia’s full-scale invasion, he has been active with humanitarian and diplomatic missions – visiting Washington, bringing the world’s attention to the consequences of Russian aggression directly from the ground, as well as from front-line towns and places under fire.

The next war will not be a trench fight. It will be swarms of AI-operated drones turning the sky black. And the West will not be prepared without Ukraine’s help.

While Vladimir Putin rains kamikaze drones on Ukraine, slaughtering civilians in their sleep, the so-called leaders of the free world sip coffee, call for restraint, and wonder if they can still negotiate with a man who bombs maternity wards. The message from Moscow could not be clearer. They are not talking. They are killing.

And yet, the West still pretends this is politics.

In the call with Trump on Monday, the Russian leader once again brushed off calls for an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine, as demanded by the West and Kyiv.

A day after Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump spoke by phone on Ukraine, showering each other with compliments, Russian home-maker Anastasia had one wish: for Moscow to finish what it started in 2022.

In the fourth spring of Moscow’s devastating offensive, which has killed tens of thousands, diplomatic movement in recent days has given Russians a boost in confidence that victory – in some shape or another – is approaching.

While Trump tries to dictate terms of a ceasefire and Western leaders contemplate a sanctions game plan, the Russian autocrat continues his devastating aggression against the Ukrainian people.

On March 11, 2025, Ukraine agreed to accept a US proposal for an immediate 30-day ceasefire and to take steps toward restoring a durable peace after Russia’s invasion, but Vladimir Putin refused to do the same, and continues to escalate the ongoing war while engaging in delay tactics.

Since White House-led peace talks started in February, the Kremlin has carried out some of the most lethal attacks of the nearly 1,200 day conflict targeting Ukrainian civilians.

Prague and Kyiv have agreed to deepen defense cooperation, boost sanctions enforcement, and accelerate the process for Ukraine’s integration into the EU.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal met with his Czech counterpart Petr Fiala in Uzhhorod on Tuesday, May 20, where they agreed to strengthen defense ties and launch a joint training program for Ukrainian F-16 fighter pilots.

Shmyhal said the leaders discussed a wide range of issues, including security, economic cooperation, Ukraine’s EU integration, and post-war reconstruction.

During Monday’s call with Trump, Putin claimed Ukraine launched drones and missiles at Russia before May 9, calling it an attempt to intimidate foreign leaders invited to the Victory Day parade.

Russian leader Vladimir Putin accused Kyiv of attempting an attack ahead of May 9 and intimidating foreign leaders during a phone call on Monday, May 19, with US President Donald Trump.

According to Yuri Ushakov, Putin’s foreign policy advisor, the Russian leader claimed that Kyiv had launched drone attacks on Moscow on the eve of Victory Day. Putin claimed that nearly all of the drones had been intercepted.

The IMF will disburse the ninth tranche of funding for Ukraine if it meets all required benchmarks.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) mission is starting its eighth review of the four-year, $15.5 billion Extended Fund Facility (EFF) program in Kyiv.

Priscilla Toffano, the IMF’s resident representative to Ukraine, announced the review in a press release on Tuesday, May 20.

Russia’s Shahed-136 drones are now reportedly being fitted with new warheads – nearly double the previous payload along with incendiary and high-explosive variants.

Russia is reportedly upgrading its long-range Shahed-136 drones with new 90-kilogram (200-pound) warheads – both in Iranian and domestic production – nearly doubling their destructive power.

According to the military issues website Defense Express, which cites unnamed sources and has published corresponding images, the new warheads are significantly more powerful than the standard 50-kilogram (110 pound) versions.

The company has opened a factory in Zhytomyrska region after investing $27 million over two years, aiming to restore a century-year-old industry and compete on a global market.

Ukraine’s largest industrial hemp production enterprise, Ma’rijany Hemp Company, launched a processing plant in Rijany, Zhytomyr Region.

Ma’rijany Hemp Company has launched production after two years of construction and investments worth $27 million dollars. The company aims to produce hemp fiber for both the European textiles market and domestic use.

Following Monday’s Trump-Putin call, the EU sanctioned nearly 200 shadow fleet vessels – though Russia’s fleet totals around 817. The UK also targeted propaganda agents and financial institutions.

The EU approved its 17th sanctions package against Russia, targeting nearly 200 shadow fleet vessels. 

European Commission Vice-President Kaja Kallas announced the package on X without elaborating on the package at the time of publication. 

Ukraine’s Deputy Economy Minister Taras Kachka said Ukraine is eager to pursue an agreement, even though the US is not currently among its top trading partners.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has proposed a free trade agreement (FTA) with the United States, according to Ukraine’s Deputy Economy Minister and Trade Representative Taras Kachka.

Speaking on Tuesday at the “Trade Wars: The Art of Defense” conference in Kyiv, Kachka said the proposal was included in a letter Zelensky recently sent to US President Donald Trump outlining new opportunities for cooperation in defense and trade.

The trading is focusing on short-term and three-year bills. The Ukraine-Russia talks ended without breakthroughs, and the NBU is intervening to maintain a strong hryvnia. Weekly Insight for May 19.

Bonds: UAH bond trading becoming more fragmented by maturity

Last week, demand for UAH bonds concentrated mostly in short-term bills with maturity of up to one year and also three-year notes.At the primary auction, the MoF offered a 15-month military bill and a 20-month and a three-year regular bond.

Investors were the most interested in bills due next year and in 2028, while the paper due in January 2027 collected just six bids for UAH90m – less than 1/10 of the average weekly demand in April and early May. The MoF accepted all bids without changes in interest rates. 

The Kremlin may push for even more Ukrainian territory during peace talks if Kyiv accepts current ceasefire conditions offered by Russia, analysts warn.

Russia is likely to expand its already aggressive list of territorial demands if Ukraine agrees to the Kremlin’s preconditions for a ceasefire, according to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).

According to a new assessment by the Washington-based think tank, Moscow is positioning itself to extract further concessions from Kyiv during eventual war termination negotiations – far beyond what it currently occupies or has illegally annexed.

The top US diplomats will appear before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee today, where he is planning to convince senators that Trump’s Ukraine policy is to “move decisively” to end the war.

US State Secretary Marco Rubio plans to convince senators today that President Donald Trump’s Ukraine policy is centered on ‘moving decisively’ to end the war.

Rubio is set to testify about the budget before the Senate Foreign Relations and Senate Appropriation Committees today, where he may face criticism from his former colleagues over the Trump administration’s handling of the key foreign policy challenges, as well as the recent changes at the State Department, especially the drastic cuts in critical programs.

Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office after a two-hour phone call with Putin, Trump said he does have a red line when he’ll stop pushing Moscow and Kyiv for peace, but he won’t divuldge what it is.

US President Donald Trump said Monday the United States has a red line in its push for peace between Russia and Ukraine – but declined to say what it is.

Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office after a two-hour phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Trump said he does have a red line on when he’ll stop pushing Moscow and Kyiv for peace, but would not say what it is.

Zelensky added that Kyiv is working with allies to increase pressure on Moscow.

President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday accused Russia of undermining peace talks and seeking to prolong its three-year war against Ukraine.

Zelensky’s comments came a day after US President Trump held calls with both Zelensky and Russian leader Vladimir Putin on Moscow’s invasion.

The EU intends to cut staff at 10 foreign delegations and shift focus from aid to strategic goals such as sanctions enforcement, in accordance with a plan approved by top officials.

The European Union’s diplomatic service will reduce staffing at around 10 foreign delegations and cut approximately 100 local employees over the next two years, in a strategic overhaul driven by budget cuts and shifting priorities.

According to internal plans seen by Politico and confirmed by two EU officials, the Vice-President of the European Commission Kaja Kallas has received approval to move forward with the shakeup of the European External Action Service (EEAS).

Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense announced the formal codification and approval for the operational use of the domestically produced KRAMPUS flamethrower UGV strike system.

Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense (MOU) announced on its website on Monday that it has codified and approved for operational use by its ground forces of another Ukrainian-made unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) – the KRAMPUS mobile flamethrower assault system.

The ground drone is intended for the all-weather use on assault and defensive missions. It is described as a compact, lightweight system that is easily transported in a pickup truck, minibus, or trailer. It is equipped with two near-silent electric motors and uses tracks that have been fully tested by maneuvering on and off-road, through forest ed areas, sandy terrain, swamps, and over steep slopes.

The company warned investors of “uncertainty” as total debt looms at over $1 billion by 2028 – the state-owned company needs to finance operations after Russia’s destructive invasion of Ukraine.

Ukraine’s State Railways Company, Ukrzaliznytsia (UZ) has to repay Eurobond debts worth over $700 million in July 2026.

UZ issued Eurobonds worth $595 million in 2019, aiming to repay them in July 2026. The company then issued Eurobonds worth $300 million in 2021, aiming to repay them by 2028.

While Trump touted Monday’s talks as a breakthrough, Putin struck a cautious tone, saying he was open to working with Kyiv on a memorandum to end the war Russia began in 2022.

China said on Tuesday it backed direct dialogue between Russia and Ukraine, after US President Donald Trump announced the two would “immediately” start peace talks after he spoke with Vladimir Putin.

“China supports all efforts aimed at achieving peace,” foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said.

After Putin talked with Trump, who bowed out of his peace in 24 hour pledge, the Kremlin said it is ready to work with Ukraine on a peace memo, but no timeline or concrete details have been set.

The spokesperson for Russian leader Vladimir Putin, Dmitry Peskov, stated that no specific timeframe has been set for preparing a memorandum with Ukraine regarding a potential end to the war or a peace agreement.

Peskov made several remarks following a phone call between US President Donald Trump and Putin on Monday, May 19, during which he mentioned the so-called “memorandum” with Ukraine that could relate to a possible future cessation of hostilities.

Despite the war, Kyiv is increasingly appearing in international rankings and global news; Ukraine’s capital has now become an example of effective digital transformation for other cities to follow.

Last year, it was revealed that Kyiv ranked among the top 15 best cities in the world for the level of digitalization and development of e-services in the UN ranking.

Kyiv Digital city app is already installed on almost every Kyiv resident’s smartphone. Meanwhile, Kyiv’s experience has become the basis for implementing digital services abroad.

The meeting comes as Trump, back in office this year, has shaken the group’s unity by imposing broad tariffs on allies and signaling a hands-off approach to the Ukraine war.

Finance leaders from the Group of Seven nations (G7) began meetings Tuesday in Canada, facing growing uncertainty over the war in Ukraine and the economic fallout from US President Donald Trump’s new trade tariffs.

The talks, running through Thursday in Banff, Alberta, bring together finance ministers and central bank governors from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States. Ukrainian Finance Minister Serhii Marchenko is also attending.

According to multiple sources, Trump made it clear the US would pull back from its role in the conflict and allow Ukraine and Russia to negotiate a ceasefire directly.

European leaders were stunned after President Donald Trump briefed them on his latest phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to European officials familiar with the conversations.

Trump spoke with leaders from Ukraine, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Finland, and the European Commission just after his May 19 call with Putin.

The main suspect is said to have been at the centre of a plot to undermine Germany’s support for Ukraine through acts of sabotage aimed at targets including US military bases.

Three German-Russian dual nationals will go on trial in Munich on Tuesday accused of spying for Moscow and readying attacks on critical military infrastructure and industry.

The main suspect, named only as Dieter S., is said to have been at the centre of a plot to undermine Germany’s support for Ukraine through acts of sabotage aimed at targets including US military bases.

Last week’s “peace talks” amply demonstrated that any thoughts that the Kremlin was serious about peace are simply a waste of time for both Ukraine and the West.

The recent Istanbul meeting between Ukraine and Russia demonstrated the futility of any attempts to pursue serious peace discussions with the current Kremlin regime.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s bold move to arrive in Istanbul and call for face-to-face talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, which was rebuffed. Moscow instead sent a second-grade delegation, which highlighted yet again of Moscow’s continued use of a strategic smokescreen masquerading as a readiness for peace talks intended to weaken Western support while it continues its war.

Latest from the Institute for the Study of War.

Key Takeaways from the ISW:

• US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a phone call on May 19 to discuss ceasefire and peace negotiations regarding Russia’s war in Ukraine.
• Russia must explicitly acknowledge the legitimacy of the Ukrainian president, government, and constitution and Ukraine’s sovereignty in order to engage in meaningful, good-faith negotiations.
• Russia must agree that ceasefire negotiations must precede peace settlement negotiations.
• Russia must show its willingness to make concessions of its own in any future bilateral negotiations, especially as the Kremlin appears to be setting conditions to expand its list of demands amid the peace talks.
• Russia reportedly continues to expand its military infrastructure along its border with Finland and Estonia, likely in preparation for future aggression against NATO.
• Ukraine’s Western allies continue to provide military aid to Ukraine.
• Ukrainian forces recently advanced in Kursk Oblast and near Borova and Toretsk. Russian forces recently advanced in Kursk Oblast and near Chasiv Yar, Toretsk, and Novopavlivka.