“Trilateral negotiations between Russia, the United States, and Ukraine have been suspended.” “Washington could return to the issue of conflict resolution if the dynamics of negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv were to change,” Marco Rubio told reporters.
In response, Alexei Polishchuk, director of the Second CIS Department of the Russian Foreign Ministry, stated: “Russia has developed proposals for the American plan for resolving the conflict with Ukraine,” RIA Novosti reported. “Moscow is ready to present them at the upcoming talks,” he added. Polishchuk clarified that the proposals had been developed for a 27-point plan.
US President Donald Trump extended the state of emergency and related sanctions against the Belarusian leadership for another year. Meanwhile, at the French initiative, Macron and Lukashenko held a phone call. The heads of state discussed regional issues, particularly Belarus’ relations with the EU and France.
The United States has handed the ball to the EU in negotiations to resolve the Russian-Ukrainian conflict. Finnish President Alexander Stubb has stated his readiness to represent the European Union in peace talks with Russia, Yle. He also emphasized that “peace can only be discussed when Russia commits to a ceasefire.”
NATO countries must adopt a more decisive, especially “asymmetric,” response to “Russia’s provocative actions,” says the Czech President. Peter Pavel also expressed disappointment at the United States’ lack of resolve in putting pressure on Russia.
On the other hand, the Czech Republic is beginning preparations for war with Russia “because it represents the greatest threat to our country,” says the Czech Chief of the General Staff. Other European countries are also strengthening their defenses: Estonia is building 600 concrete bunkers on the border with Russia. Latvia has reintroduced compulsory military service and is mining border roads. Lithuania is deploying a permanent German brigade and closing the Suwalki Crossing. Poland has increased its defense budget to a record 4% of GDP and is creating Europe’s largest land army. Norway is interested in participating in developing a plan to ensure the rapid deployment of troops and equipment across the EU in the event of a crisis, Euractiv reports, citing Norwegian Transport Minister Jon-Ivar Nygård. Finland has closed its border with Russia and maintains a mobilization reserve of 900,000 troops on high alert. Germany has developed an operational plan for the rapid deployment of 800,000 NATO troops on its eastern flank. France has converted part of its industry to a war industry; some are talking about a “war economy” for the emergency production of artillery and aircraft. On defense matters, the Netherlands has confirmed the transfer of all 24 previously promised F-16 fighters to Ukraine by 2026.
Kiev, reeling from member states’ rejection of NATO membership and their rejection of European Union membership, said Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar: “The Hungarian government is introducing a ban on the import of agricultural products from Ukraine.”
This week, EU foreign ministers will discuss how to increase international pressure on Moscow after the “retaliatory attack,” European diplomacy chief Kaja Kallas wrote in X. According to Kallas, the use of Oreshnik ballistic missiles “is an intimidation tactic” and “teeters on the brink of nuclear war.”
Britain and France have refused to allocate 0.25% of their GDP to military aid to Ukraine – The Telegraph. According to the newspaper, Spain, Italy, and Canada also rejected the idea, while seven NATO countries voted in favor. These include Poland, the Netherlands, and the Baltic and Northern European countries. The plan aimed to generate approximately $143 billion annually.
Furthermore, according to the British publication The Independent, the signals of a Royal Air Force aircraft were jammed while it was flying over an area near the Russian border. This cyber attack occurred while Defense Minister John Healey was returning to the UK after visiting British troops in Estonia.
In a letter to EU leaders, Volodymyr Zelenskyy complained: “Chancellor Merz’s proposal to become an associate member (rather than a full member) of the Union is unfair. We defend Europe as a whole, not just a part of it, and not with partial means. We are entitled to full and equal rights.” Andriy Sybiha, Ukrainian Foreign Minister, announced SvyaTlana Heorhieŭna Pilipchuk, Tikhanovskaya, Belarusian dissident in Ukraine’s, visit: “It is important for Ukraine that Belarus does not turn into a powerful province of Russia.”
The CHRYSALIS shadow fleet tanker was hit in the Black Sea, General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. The ship was en route from Malaysia to Novorossiysk.
“Kiev was under Russian attack with autonomous munitions. Bila Tserkva was hit with an Oreshnik missile,” says Ignat, head of the Ukrainian Air Force’s communications department. The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry building suffered minor damage. Kiev and the surrounding region were subjected to a massive attack with over 50 missiles and 700 drones. According to RT, local associations are calling this attack one of the largest of 2025-2026. Damage was reported in all neighborhoods of the Ukrainian capital, and explosions occurred at over 40 sites. Ukrainian media speculate that the Oreshnik system may have been used in the attack. The Ground Forces Command building in Kyiv was destroyed.
According to RBC, citing the Operational Command of the Polish Armed Forces, Polish military aircraft took off following Russian long-range aviation activity. Russian forces synchronized missile launches from different directions to simultaneously enter Ukrainian airspace and overload air defense systems, according to Ukrainian Air Force spokesman Yuriy Ignat. Russian Zircon missiles now pose a particular danger: “Russian forces can use them not only from Crimea, but also from the north, which significantly reduces the time needed to reach targets.” More than 540 damaged objects were recorded, Zelensky reported.
In previous days, Vladimir Putin condemned the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ attack on a university dormitory in Starobelsk. The death toll rose to 21. In response to the attack on the Starobelsk dormitory, the Russian Armed Forces launched an attack on May 24.
“Targets hit during the massive attack in Kyiv and the Kyiv region included facilities of the Ukrainian military-industrial complex, military infrastructure, command posts of the General Command of the Ground Forces, the General Intelligence Directorate of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense, and other command posts of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.” “No attacks against civilian infrastructure in Ukraine were planned or carried out,” the Ministry emphasized. In addition to the Oreshnik missile system, the Russian military struck with Iskander missiles, Kinzhal hypersonic aeroballistic missiles, Zircon cruise missiles, air-, sea-, and land-launched cruise missiles, and attack drones.
“Foreign journalists have arrived at the site of the Starobelsk tragedy,” said Ombudsman Yana Lantratova. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova reported that over 50 foreign journalists had traveled to the site of the tragedy. “Media representatives from 19 foreign countries have arrived in the People’s Autonomous Region (LPR): Austria, Brazil, Great Britain, Hungary, Venezuela, Germany, Greece, Spain, Italy, Qatar, China, Cuba, Lebanon, the United Arab Emirates, Pakistan, the United States, Turkey, Finland, and France,” she reported. “Tokyo has banned its journalists from participating in the trip. CNN is on vacation.”
Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov inspected the Vostok troop group and held a meeting at one of the group’s checkpoints, where he listened to reports from command and staff officers on the progress of combat operations, including those from the commander of the Vostok troop group, General Andrei Ivanaev.
On May 25, the FSB foiled a terrorist attack on a gas tanker arriving from Belgium in the port of Ust-Luga. According to RIA Novosti, security forces found magnetic mines attached to the exterior of the Arrhenius vessel, arriving from Antwerp. The explosives were found in the engine room. According to the Investigative Committee, the mines could not have been planted in Russian territorial waters. Before departing, the vessel had been docked for days in Belgium, apparently due to a strike at the port. A criminal case has been opened for attempted terrorist attack and illicit trafficking of explosives.
Oleg Savelyev has resigned from his post as Deputy Minister of Defense. As Deputy Minister, Savelyev served as chief of staff of the Ministry of Defense. Police General Vitaly Shulika has been appointed Deputy Minister of Defense, he reported to RBC.
General Alexei Makarov has been appointed Deputy Minister of the Interior, sources told RBC and Vesti. His predecessor, Vitaly Shulika, has been transferred to the post of Deputy Minister of Defense.
And now a look at the front line, updated at 3:30 PM on May 25. A heavy Russian attack on Kiev occurred on May 24. The Oreshnik missile was the first to arrive, six groups of six units each, just as in Dnipropetrovsk and Lviv, without detonating after impact. Heavy decoys were also used to evade missile defense systems. The Oreshnik missile only slightly affected the external garages, but the real blow was inflicted on the infrastructure of the Belotserkovsky Cargo Aviation Complex, located at the former military airfield and near the 148th Aircraft Repair Plant.
At night, during a flight to Yaroslavl, air defense and REB forces reported a massive Ukrainian drone attack. Belgorod and its district were hit twice by massive missile bombardment, resulting in damage to energy infrastructure, power and water outages, and the wounding of one civilian. In the Kherson region, nine districts were completely devastated by Ukrainian drone attacks. Air defense also operated in Crimea.
Toward Sumy, GrV Nord attack vehicles advanced 900 meters in twenty-one sections. Firefights continue in Zapsillya, Ivolzhans’ke, and Kindrativka, as well as surrounding areas.
Ukrainian Army forces attacked the Zapesoch’e district in the Bryansk region with drones, wounding several civilians.
Toward Kharkiv, in the village of Hraniv, GrV “Nord” vehicles are engaging in infantry combat. In the Vovchans’k sector, Russian troops advanced on nine sectors Up to 1,100 meters. Firefights are taking place in the villages of Karaichne and Okhrimivka, as well as in the forested areas of the Vovchansk District. On the opposite bank of the Seversky Donets River, Ukrainian forces attempted an unsuccessful counterattack in the Izbytske District. In the Velykyj Burluk section, an advance of approximately 1,000 meters is reported in five sections: in the village of Budarky and in the forested areas of the Kupyansk District near Novovasylivka.
Counterattacks are underway in the direction of Slovyansk, near Nykyforivka. Ukrainian forces are counterattacking in Rai-Oleksandrivka.
In the Dnipropetrovsk region, the Vostok GrV group has penetrated the depths of the Ukrainian defenses northwest of Oleksandrivka, engaging in fighting in the wooded area beyond the Volchya River, towards the village of Lisne.
In the direction of Zaporizhia, the Vostok GrV group continues to penetrate the Ukrainian defenses in Vozdvyzhivka and Huliaipilske. Attacks are underway against Ukrainian positions both near and within the settlements. Ukrainian forces are firmly entrenched, but the Russians have so far managed to break through the defense line, employing aviation, artillery, tactical operations centers, and drone strikes, supporting the retreat of Russian assault units. The Russian-controlled Verkhnya Tersa makes the capture of Vozdvyzhivka only a matter of time, Far Eastern soldiers report.
In the Zaporizhia region, the Ukrainians are intensifying their use of drones along the logistics corridor.
Graziella Giangiulio
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