Ukraine-Russia Conflict Summary, May 28, 2025: Trump Sets Deadline for Putin - Two Weeks to Display Peace Efforts in Ukraine
In a significant turn of events, Ukraine and Germany have reached a new agreement on investments in the defense sector. The deal, which allows for the production of long-range weapons on Ukrainian territory without restrictions, was finalized during Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's visit to Berlin to meet with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
This development comes as Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has proposed a new round of direct negotiations with Ukraine, set to take place in Istanbul on June 2. Both Kyiv and Moscow are working to reach a settlement to the conflict that has persisted since 2022.
However, tensions remain high as Ukraine continues to accuse Russia of stalling the peace talks. Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha has emphasized his country's readiness to engage in further negotiations but has urged Russia to present its promised memorandum outlining its framework for a potential ceasefire before the talks begin.
Russia, for its part, has been dictating the terms and timing of the negotiations and is pushing for a simultaneous resolution of both a ceasefire and long-term peace agreement. Meanwhile, Russian forces maintain military pressure on the frontline, seeking to leverage battlefield gains to extract concessions during negotiations.
In a separate development, Russia has reportedly shot down nearly 300 Ukrainian drones, with 42 of them being brought down near Moscow. The drone attacks have disrupted air travel, with over 60 flights being canceled or postponed at Moscow's airports.
As diplomatic efforts continue under tension, external ideas for a settlement have been suggested. The U.S. proposed a peace plan earlier that called for a ceasefire along current battle lines, effectively recognizing a de facto border in the contested eastern provinces. However, this plan does not appear to be the basis for the current negotiations.
In Istanbul, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his Turkish counterpart, Hakan Fidan, had an exchange of views on efforts to resolve the Ukraine conflict. The meeting follows Lavrov's conversation with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, in which Lavrov discussed the preparation of concrete proposals for the next round of direct Russian-Ukrainian talks in Istanbul.
Amidst these complex political machinations, the war in Ukraine marks 1,190 days on Wednesday since the start of Russia's invasion. As both sides continue their efforts towards peace, the situation remains volatile and uncertain.
- The new agreement on defense sector investments between Ukraine and Germany, allowing for the production of long-range weapons on Ukrainian territory without restrictions, could intensify the politics surrounding war-and-conflicts, as both nations are involved in the ongoing conflict with Russia.
- The continuous general-news stories about Ukraine's accusations of Russia stalling peace talks, the downing of Ukrainian drones by Russian forces, and the disrupted air travel due to these attacks, highlight the ongoing crime-and-justice issues and tensions, complicating the resolutions of this long-standing conflict.
