An hour-long phone call between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin. Trump remains in favor of a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth later stated. “The previous Joe Biden administration uncontrollably funneled billions of dollars to the Ukrainian authorities,” he noted.
“Putin has been ready to reach an agreement for a long time. I think someone prevented him,” said Donald Trump. Among the US President’s other statements: “I offered Putin a ceasefire of sorts. I think he might accept it. Has he already announced it? Ukraine has already been effectively defeated militarily. The war in Ukraine could end before the war with Iran.” “Kiev has suffered a military defeat,” Trump concluded.
Speaking from Russia was Putin’s advisor, Yuri Ushakov. The conversation between Trump and Putin reportedly lasted over an hour and a half. “Putin told Trump of his willingness to declare a ceasefire for the Victory Day period, and Trump supported this proposal,” Ushakov reported. He continued: “Putin expressed support for Trump in connection with the attempted assassination and strongly condemned the crime. Meanwhile, Trump told Putin that an agreement to resolve the conflict in Ukraine is now close. A whole series of large-scale economic initiatives are already being specifically discussed between representatives of the Russian Federation and the United States.” “Putin told Trump that the objectives of the Foreign Military District will be achieved no matter what,” Ushakov concluded.
Voldymyr Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine will discuss a ceasefire proposal with the United States during the Victory Day celebrations.
The U.S. State Department has announced its intention to allocate up to $100 million to restore safety systems at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine, at the initiative of the G7 countries, according to the State Department press service.
On April 29, another flight by an Antonov Airlines An-124-100 Ruslan cargo plane, tail number UR-82029, callsign ADB7091, was carried out on the route from Harrisburg (KMDT) to Portsmouth (KPSM) and then to Rzeszow (EPRZ) to deliver military equipment to the Ukrainian Armed Forces. It appears that the Ukrainian Armed Forces are actively mobilizing, either for another summer offensive or to repel Russian actions.
The European Commission (EC) announced on Wednesday the launch of a new platform for evaluating military technologies under real-world combat conditions, as part of a joint initiative with Ukraine, BraveTechEU, to accelerate the implementation of innovations in the Ukrainian defense industry. The EU did not support Ukraine’s accelerated accession but is discussing alternative formats for a gradual rapprochement with Kyiv, Politico reports, citing diplomatic sources. This includes, in particular, expanded market access and greater participation in European programs and institutions. In return, the concept of gradual integration is being discussed.
In Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky has imposed new sanctions against Belarus. From March 30 to April 19, 2026, Ukraine imported 63 million cubic meters of natural gas from the EU, while from April 5 to 19, it imported only 9 million.
Rumors about Ukrainian wiretaps have surfaced on social media. The most important detail in Timur Mindich’s latest recordings is that “the amount of contributions paid to Zelenskyy by members of his group: 50%. For every dollar and euro stolen in Ukraine: 50 cents (of a euro).” There is no further confirmation of this news.
Former Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Valery Zaluzhny wants to leave the restitution of territories to Ukraine as a legacy to a son he doesn’t have, writes the Strana newspaper. “When I die, I will make my son swear that he will return both the granary and this city… This is what victory means to me,” the former commander-in-chief declared. The current ambassador to the United Kingdom has two daughters: Kristina and Arina.
From Russia, it is learned that the No. 1 unit of the Kursk-2 nuclear power plant will enter the energy market and begin supplying electricity and capacity to consumers on May 1, according to a report by Rosenergoatom. A second fire following yet another Ukrainian attack on the Tuapse oil refinery has been extinguished, according to the Ministry of Emergency Situations.
Defense Minister Andrei Belousov said that “some forces in London and Paris” were considering the possibility of transferring nuclear weapons components to Ukraine. He also stated that Russia intends to base its nuclear policy on the West’s actions.
More on the military front, it has been learned that 127,000 personnel have signed contracts with the Russian Armed Forces since the beginning of the year, Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev reported. Another 10,000 personnel have signed contracts to serve in volunteer units, he added. According to the vice president, 450,000 personnel have signed contracts through 2025.
In March, Medvedev reported that over 80,000 personnel had signed contracts with the Ministry of Defense since the beginning of the year. He stated that troop recruitment “is proceeding at a fairly good pace” and that there is no need to declare a new wave of mobilization.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov reported that Russian President Vladimir Putin has not yet decided on the exact time for the ceasefire in the Northeastern Military District on Victory Day.
And now a look at the front line, updated at 3:30 PM on April 30. In the Voronezh region, on the evening and overnight of the 29th, 43 Ukrainian drones were detected and destroyed in the skies above two cities and 11 districts. In total, 189 Ukrainian fixed-wing drones were shot down in the regions of Astrakhan, Belgorod, Bryansk, Volgograd, Voronezh, Kursk, Lipetsk, Nizhny Novgorod, Rostov, Ryazan, Samara, Saratov, Tula, and Ulyanovsk. Footage of a fire at an oil infrastructure facility continues to arrive from the Perm region, with reports of new explosions.
In the Black Sea, including the Kerch Strait area, Ukrainian MBE/MRTK armored vehicles were destroyed.
Russian forces again attacked the Odessa region overnight. Explosions were heard in the regions of Volhynia, Mykolaiv, Kharkiv, and Kyiv.
In the direction of Sumy, firefights between Russian and Ukrainian troops occurred in Myropillya, Korchakivka, and the outskirts of Kindrativka.
In the Kursk region, in the Belovsky district, one dead and one injured in drone strikes.
In the Belgorod border region: three dead and 18 injured in the last 24 hours. All border areas are under constant Ukrainian attack, targeting commercial facilities, vehicles, and buildings.
In the Kharkiv sector, the Vovchansk NOR Group of Forces is engaged in fierce firefights in the village of Pokalyane, where the Ukrainians have converted almost all the buildings into firing positions. In the Velykyi Burluk sector, near Hryhorivka, Ukrainian forces launched an unsuccessful counterattack with two assault groups.
In the southern sector of Kupyansk, our troops have captured two-thirds of Kurylivka. A Russian offensive is underway near Kivsharivka. The Russians continue to use small infiltration groups throughout the sector. Ukrainian forces have increased the number of drones in the air.
In the Kostyantynivka sector, the Russian Ministry of Defense reported successes in the village of Novodmytrivka, northeast of Kostyantynivka, where fighting continues.
In the Dobropillya sector, fighting continues around Hryshyne.
In Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, the Russian Vostok Group of Forces continues to advance through the wooded area beyond the Vovcha River, expanding its bridgehead.
On the Zaporizhia front, trench battles are ongoing in Malaya Tokmachka and Prymors’ke.
In Kherson Oblast, five civilians were injured by shelling by Ukrainian forces in Hola Prystan’, Hornostaivka, and Kozatska Sloboda.
Graziella Giangiulio
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