The telephone conversation between Trump and Putin lasted over two hours. The President of the Russian Federation connected from Sochi. US President Trump said in a post on Truth Social that, in his opinion, “everything went very well,” declaring that “Russia and Ukraine will immediately begin negotiations for a ceasefire and, more importantly, for the END of the war.” President Trump then said that Russia intends to start large-scale trade with the United States after the end of the war, and he agreed, adding that Russia’s potential is “LIMITLESS.”
US President Donald Trump said that he “sees enormous potential for trade between the United States and Russia after a deal in Ukraine.” He also said: “Russia wants to start massive trade with the United States once this disastrous “bloodbath” is over, and I support this idea.” “Negotiations between Russia and Ukraine will begin immediately. I informed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Finnish President Alexander Stubb about this in a telephone conversation immediately after my meeting with President Putin.”
Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov, who held a briefing after the telephone conversation between Putin and Trump, summed up the Russian position: “The conversation was quite long: it lasted 2 hours and 5 minutes. […] The conversation was frank and constructive and was conducted with mutual respect. The leaders discussed the state of relations between Russia and the United States and spoke in favor of their further normalization. The presidents discussed the issue of prisoner exchange, and the Kremlin reported that they were discussing plans to exchange citizens at a rate of 9 to 9. Trump considers Russia one of the most important partners of the United States. Putin and Trump agreed to continue dialogue on all issues, including Ukraine. The leaders do not rule out a personal meeting, the place and dates have not yet been decided. The conversation did not discuss the expected timing of reaching a possible agreement on a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine.”
The EU approved the 17th package of sanctions against Russia on May 20. It targets nearly 187 ships of the Russian shadow fleet and 75 individuals and legal entities. Ships included in the sanctions list are banned from entering EU ports. The total number of sanctioned vessels has reached 342. 31 companies have been added to the list of legal entities involved in evading sanctions. They will be subject to tougher export restrictions. The blacklist includes companies owning oil tankers from Turkey and Hong Kong. Belgium is ready to send troops to Ukraine as part of a “coalition of the willing” led by France and Britain immediately after the ceasefire ends, Belgian Defense Minister Theo Francken said.
The United Kingdom has imposed sanctions on the Saint Petersburg Currency Exchange. In addition, sanctions have been introduced against the Russian Deposit Insurance Agency, the British Treasury reported.
Volodymyr Zelensky said: “Ukraine will never withdraw its troops from its territory and will not give in to Russia’s ultimatums. We are waiting for the proposal that Russia will present. We want to stop the war. We are considering the possibility of a new meeting of all teams: the US, Ukraine, Russia and European countries. Such a meeting could take place in Turkey, the Vatican or Switzerland.” Kiev is considering a new meeting of all teams: the US, Ukraine, Russia and European countries, Zelensky said. According to him, such negotiations could take place in Turkey, the Vatican or Switzerland. The leaders of the European Union and the United States welcome the proposal of Pope Leo XIV to host peace talks on Ukraine in the Vatican. This was stated in a statement by the press service of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, following the telephone conversation between US President Donald Trump and the head of the European Commission, as well as the leaders of Germany, France, Italy and Volodymyr Zelensky.
Russian President Putin said: “Russia and Ukraine are ‘generally on the right track’ after the resumption of direct talks.” “The Ceasefire with Ukraine possible once relevant agreements are reached”, Putin concluded.
Extremely interesting is the statement of May 20, by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov who said: “Russia is ready to defend the rights of canonical Orthodoxy in Ukraine and “will not leave the Orthodox people in trouble” a clear invitation to the Vatican to continue on the path of unity between the Eastern churches.
And now a look at the front line that emerged at 15:30 on May 20. During the construction of defensive structures in the Belgorod region, violations worth 109 million rubles were discovered, the documents were sent to the court, said the governor of the region Gladkov.
At least 30 attack drones of the Russian Armed Forces were observed during the night and explosions were heard in Zhytomyr, Cherkasy, Vinnytsia, Poltava and Dnipro regions. The frontline regions of Ukraine are under attack by UMPK air bombs.
In the Kursk section of the state border, fighting continues in the direction of Tetkino, the Ukrainian Armed Forces hope to break through the border. Therefore, yesterday they sent an assault group in the direction of the border from Bezsalivka. They report the transfer of Ukrainian forces to the Putyvl and Bilopil’s’kyi districts of the Sumy region and the sending of reserves from Kiev.
In the direction of Sumy, units of the Northern Group of Forces, as a result of actions, took the settlement of Marine, in the Sumy region, the Russian Defense Ministry reported. It is located on the border south of Demidovka, which the Ukrainians have been attacking for a long time. In more than 200 villages of the Sumy region, the Ukrainian authorities announced the evacuation. Russian forces strike Ukrainian concentrations, such as Myropillya in the Sumy region, which the Ukrainian Armed Forces used as a place to concentrate personnel and equipment for attacks on the Belgorod border.
At least 12 attacks in twelve different locations with Ukrainian drones were recorded in the Belgorod region, resulting in the injury of about 10 people and the destruction of a farm.
In the Liman direction, Russian forces are conducting offensive battles in the area of Kolodyazi, Redkodub, Zelena Dolyna and Novy Mir. Ukrainian forces are counterattacking in Tors’ke.
In the Kostyantynivka direction, Ukrainians admit the loss of Nova Poltavka, Russians are advancing on Popiv Yar. South-east of Torets’k, Russian forces are trying to close the defense “pocket” of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, advancing to the southern outskirts of Stara Mykolaivka and near Romanivka, as well as approaching Zorya. On this part of the front, the defense of the Ukrainian Armed Forces is increasingly intensified.
Also in the direction of South Donetsk, the Eastern Group of Forces continues offensive operations. In the area of Zelene Pole and Novopil’ fierce fighting is taking place, repelled by Ukrainian attacks. Russian Armed Forces are advancing in Zelene Pole. The front continues to move in the area of Bahatyr and Otradne.
In the direction of Kherson, in the village of Stara Mayachka, the Ukrainian Armed Forces opened fire on the employees of the Ministry of Emergency Situations who were setting up a depot after the Ukrainian attacks; two were injured. Ukrainian drone attacks were recorded in 12 more locations.
Graziella Giangiulio
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