The trials of a gradual de -escalation of the Russian attack war against Ukraine still have hardly any fruits. While the United States announced as an intermediary that both warring parties would guarantee safe civilian shipping on the Black Sea, Moscow was struck with a number of conditions. The Kremlin announced that such an agreement could only come into force after many sanctions against Russia. U.S. President Donald Trump did not rule out that Russia’s President Vladimir Putin deliberately plays for time.
Ukrainian President Wolodymyr Selenskyj travels to Paris today and is to be received there by President Emmanuel Macron. The meeting serves to prepare a summit of the so -called coalition of the willing, to which Macron invited supporters of Ukraine for Thursday. Under the direction of France and Great Britain, they are working on a concept for security guarantees that should ensure that a possible ceasefire in Ukraine also holds and Russia does not attack again.
Trump considers it possible that Putin delay the ongoing efforts around a ceasefire. He still doesn’t know exactly, the US President told the newsmax television station. However, he sometimes did this when he was unsure about a contract – not to have to sign and “stay in the game, so to speak”. At the same time, Trump emphasized that he was certain that both the Russian and the Ukrainian leadership wanted to end the war.
Again Russian drone attacks at night
Ukraine has been defending itself for more than three years with western help against Russia’s large -scale invasion. In the night of Thursday, the Russian army attacked Ukraine again with raves of fight drones, as the Ukrainian Air Force announced. Selenskyj’s hometown Krywyj Rih had to suffer in particular: In the industrial city in the south, the radio broadcaster Suspilne counted around 15 explosions. At first there was no information about victims and damage.
Moscow calls for access to the Swift billing system
After separate talks with representatives of Russia and Ukraine in Saudi Arabia, the United States initially announced the agreement on safe shipping in the Black Sea. Moscow, however, demands that the Russian state agricultural bank and other monetary houses have again given access to the international finance telecommunications system Swift, which was taken in the course of western sanctions.
Russia also calls for the end of the embargo to import agricultural technology and other goods that are necessary for the production of food and fertilizer. The Kremlin also wants to see various trade restrictions and sanctions.
The United States agreed to support Moscow in exporting grain and fertilizers. However, there would also be agreements with the EU and other countries to abolish sanctions, which also imposed punitive measures due to the war of aggression. If Russia sanctions are weakened, that would be a significant victory for Moscow.
Selenskyj accuses Russia of manipulation
Even on the day of negotiations, Russia still tries to manipulate, Selenskyj said in his evening video message. The statement by the United States about the partial weapon rest at sea was very clear. “There is something that the Kremlin is lying about: that the alleged ceasefire in the Black Sea depends on the question of sanctions,” said the Ukrainian president.
Unclear in attacks on energy systems
There is also ambiguity when the mutual attacks on energy plants in question, although the Kremlin presented a list of such objects on Tuesday evening. The attack stop applies to oil refineries, pipelines, pumping stations as well as oil and gas storage, power plants and substances, nuclear power plants and hydropower plants.
Moscow has adhered to this restriction since March 18, the Kremlin claimed. On that day, US President Donald Trump and Kreml boss Vladimir Putin had phoned.
“But the truth is that they have also shot our energy systems with bombs, combat drones and FPV drones since March 18,” wrote Selenskyj consultant Dmytro Lytwyn in network X-there are at least eight such cases. Lytwyn’s information could not be checked. The abbreviation FPV stands for “First Person View” and means that the drone is controlled by a pilot by means of a pilot camera from a perspective than if it is sitting in the cockpit.
Ukraine is ready for this partial weapon rest, even if drone attacks on military objects and oil refineries have been their most effective weapon in the past few months.
European security guarantee probably only as airspace monitoring
With a view to the security guarantees discussed for Ukraine, the western supporters are currently considering observing a – still to be created – demilized zone between the enemy lines with the help of technical means such as satellites and drones from the air. In addition, according to the German Press Agency, naval units could be used to monitor the freedom of shipping in the Black Sea.
A peacekeeping in the real sense would therefore possibly be mobilized through the United Nations and consist only of soldiers of impartial third countries. European armed forces could then be stationed at the Ukrainian western border and offer training programs for the Ukrainian partners. Supervisory security guarantee is said to be the atomic superpower USA, which has so far rejected such an obligation.
Russia confirms the claim to nakw saporischschja
With a view to the latest advances by Trump, Russia confirmed his claim to the occupied Ukrainian nuclear power plant Saporischschja. “The Saporischschja nuclear power plant is a Russian nuclear system,” wrote the Foreign Ministry in Moscow in a message. A return of the largest nuclear system in Europe to Ukraine or a transfer of control to another country is impossible. Also common use is out of the question.
Trump had repeatedly interest in the nuclear industry in Ukraine in the past few days. He also said that the United States could do a Ukrainian nuclear power plant well with its experience. Selenskyj only confirmed that he asked Washington for help to get Saporischschja back.
