Negotiations underway, many expectations from the phone call between the President of the United States, Donald Trump and the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin. Expectations that at the moment are a beginning and not a point of arrival. The United States believes that the peace process in Ukraine has reached a dead end, so Trump will talk to Putin, said Vice President Vance. What is certain is that this week there will be a large-scale exchange of prisoners, “1000 for 1000”, confirmed the head of the GUR Budanov.
Russian demands allegedly expressed by Vladimir Medinsky in Istanbul during the talks have been published, source Clash Report: “Neutral Ukraine: There are no foreign troops and weapons of mass destruction on the territory of Ukraine, which is similar to the Austrian model of neutrality. No compensation – mutual renunciation of any claims to compensation for damage caused by the war. Rights of Russian-speaking citizens. Ukraine must adopt European standards on minority rights and stop “nationalist propaganda”. Recognition of territories – Ukraine should not deny Russia’s constitutional claims to five regions (Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, Zaporizhia and Crimea) and should not oppose moves for their international recognition. The condition for an immediate ceasefire is that Ukrainian troops withdraw from all five territories claimed by Russia.”
“The coming week will be decisive in the context of the conflict in Ukraine,” Ursula von der Leyen said during a meeting with J.D. Vance in Rome for the enthronement of Pope Leo XIV.
On May 17, the United States presented a solid peace plan to Russia during a telephone conversation between US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Sergei Lavrov.
On May 19, Ukrainian Doctor of Theological Sciences Dziubansky said about the Vatican’s influence in the peace negotiations: “The new Pope has taken three steps that give us hope: The installation of the new Pontiff is a great success. The expectations that Ukrainians have had for many years are finally coming true. The Vatican officially declares that it is ready to become a platform for peace talks. The Vatican is open to talks. We see three steps taken by the Pontiff after the white smoke. The first thing the Pope did was to meet with the President of Ukraine. The second thing was done: an audience for Eastern Catholics,” the Doctor of Theological Sciences noted. According to him, the largest Eastern Catholic church affiliated with Rome is the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC). By the way, the hall where the Pope’s audience with Eastern Catholics took place was painted blue and yellow.
“The Vatican will not mediate to reach a peaceful solution in Ukraine,” US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters before a meeting in Rome with the president of the Italian Bishops’ Conference, Cardinal Matteo Zuppi.
According to a statement released by the White House press service, US Vice President J.D. Vance and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed with Volodymyr Zelensky the progress of negotiations on the Ukrainian settlement. According to the document, Vance, Rubio and Zelensky “discussed the common goal” of resolving the conflict and “shared an update on the progress of negotiations for a ceasefire and sustainable peace” during their meeting in Rome.
EU ambassadors have agreed on a 150 billion euro EU militarization fund proposed by the European Commission, Reuters reported. The program proposed by the European Commission envisages joint borrowing and lending to EU countries and partners, including Ukraine, for: implementing projects to strengthen defense potential; developing the European defense industry. “The rearmament of EU countries could destroy their economies,” Politico writes. European states intend to finance military spending primarily by increasing public debt. At the same time, public debt in many countries has already reached a high level. “Ukraine’s accession to the EU poses a threat to Hungary, and this cannot be allowed,” Orbán said.
Regarding cyber operations against Russia, Republican Congressman Don Bacon said that “the United States suspended cyber operations against Russia for one day in February,” while President Trump was trying to negotiate an end to the war between Russia and Ukraine, confirming CBS reports and contradicting Pentagon denials. “It was a one-day pause,” he said.
US officials have privately warned their EU counterparts that Trump is considering imposing new sanctions if “Russia does not make concessions” in the peace talks, Bloomberg reports, citing sources. The issue is about supporting the Republican senator’s bill. The document provides, in particular, for the introduction of 500 percent tariffs on imports from countries that buy oil, oil products, natural gas, uranium and other goods from Russia.
Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev said that peace talks in themselves do not always end the fighting and, if they fail, can lead to a “more terrible phase” of the conflict with new weapons and new participants. “All enemies of Russia who issue ultimatums on negotiations should remember one simple thing: peace negotiations in themselves do not always end the hostilities. Failed negotiations can lead to the beginning of a more terrible phase of war, with new weapons and new participants,” Medvedev wrote on his page on the X social network.
Volodymyr Zelensky sent Trump a letter with new proposals for cooperation in the military-industrial complex and trade, the Office of the President learned. In addition, Kiev terminated the agreement with Moscow on mutual assistance in customs matters source RBC.
And now a look at the front line as of 16:30 on May 19. Since May 17, the American RQ-4B Global Hawk drone has been actively monitoring the northwestern part of the Black Sea. On May 18, the “presidential” Il-96-300PU made strange circuits over the Black Sea. Evacuations are underway in more than 200 settlements in the Sumy region of the population, said the head of the military administration Oleg Grigorov.
On the night of May 18-19, the Ukrainian Armed Forces counted more than 30 geraniums in the skies of Ukraine. Explosions were reported in the regions of Kropyvnytsky, Cherkasy, Poltava, Kharkov, Chernihiv, and Mykolaiv.
The Ukrainian Armed Forces continue to attack in the Tyotkinsky direction of the Kursk section of the state border, two attempts to break through to Russian territory were repelled. In the direction of Pavlovka – Novyi Put’, the Ukrainians attempted to infiltrate into Russian territory twice. The Russians shelled Ukrainian positions, many people reportedly died, some fled to Pavlovka. A fourth attempt to break through Russian lines by the Ukrainians took place in the direction of the border village of Krasnooktyabrsky, again the Russians shelled the Ukrainian military unit.
According to Russian social media sources: “The creation of the buffer zone in the direction of Sumy continues; there have been isolated reports of unexpected successes of the Russian Armed Forces in the direction of Marine.
In the Belgorod region, on the Kazinka-Borki road section of the Valuysky district, a drone of the Ukrainian Armed Forces attacked a car. Under the Ukrainian attack are Chaiki, Bessonovka, Tishanka, Ekaterinovka, Larisovka, Kazinka, Soloti, Podgornoye.
In the direction of Kostyantynivka, the Russian army is making efforts to close the “pocket”, advancing towards Stara Mykolaivka and tightening the flanks near Oleksandropil’. In the west, the control zone of the Russian troops is expanding near Nova Poltavka west of Berezivka and Novoolenivka. Ukrainian channels mark the beginning of the assault on Yablunivka.
The offensive of the Russian army in the direction of Pokrovs’k is developing. Ukrainians fear constant attacks on Novoekonomichne from Myrolyubivka: the Russian plan to encircle Myrnohrad from the east and north is now visible. South-west of Pokrovs’k, Russian armed forces continue to advance towards the borders of the Dnipropetrovsk region: fighting in the area of Novooleksandrivka, Udachne, Kotlyne.
In the direction of the south of Donetsk, Ukrainian armed forces are unsuccessfully counterattacking in the area of Otradne, not sparing NATO armored vehicles (MRAP). The Russian Group of Forces “Vostok” after the capture of the settlement of Bahatyr has consolidated its positions on new frontiers and is working on building defensive positions and rotating assault groups. At the same time, to the southeast of Bahatyr, Russian motorized groups pushed back the Ukrainians from positions in four forest strips and advanced towards the Bahatyr-Komar road. 25 km to the southwest, Russian forces began an assault on the settlements of Zelene Pole and Novopil, and the social media spoke of “first successes”. In this direction, there are still 4.5 km to go to the Dnipropetrovsk region. Another group of Russian army troops is approaching the borders of this region.
In the Kherson region, Ukrainian armed forces attacked nine villages.
Graziella Giangiulio
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