Overview

• Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin held a two-hour phone call on May 19, agreeing to initiate immediate negotiations between Ukraine and Russia for a potential cease-fire and peace treaty.
• Despite the talks, no formal cease-fire has been enacted, and Ukraine's President Zelensky reaffirmed that Kyiv will not cede territory or compromise on sovereignty.
• Russia launched a record 273 explosive drones into Ukraine in a single night, underscoring continued hostilities as fighting intensifies in regions like Donetsk and Sumy.
• The European Union adopted new sanctions targeting Russia's tanker fleet and is exploring further measures, while a U.S. Senate bill proposes secondary sanctions on nations purchasing Russian energy.
• Both Trump and Putin described their conversation as constructive, with Russia signaling readiness to work on a peace memorandum, though Moscow's demands remain at odds with Ukraine's conditions.