A snapshot of recent news from sources around the world on the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.
Political Developments
The Trump administration is still pushing for Kyiv to agree to a minerals deal, and the latest U.S. draft goes far further in its demands for control over Ukrainian resources than was proposed last month, the Financial Times reported on Thursday. President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Friday that the draft is “completely different from the previous framework document.” He also addressed U.S. military aid to his country, which he said Kyiv does not recognize as a loan.
U.S. and Russian negotiators met in Riyadh again this week to discuss the war and a possible ceasefire. On Wednesday, the White House announced that the two sides had agreed to a partial ceasefire covering the Black Sea.
Moscow, for its part, said the Black Sea ceasefire would be linked to the reintegration of Rosselkhozbank and other financial institutions to the SWIFT system, as well as other sanctions relief. Russian banks were cut from SWIFT in the first few weeks of the war.
But on Wednesday, the European Commission issued a statement rejecting a quick unwind of the sanctions regime and promising that the restrictions will remain active until the “unconditional withdrawal” of Russian forces from Ukraine.
Vladimir Putin suggested placing Ukraine under temporary UN control to elect a “competent” government, a move Kyiv dismissed as “crazy” and aimed at delaying peace efforts. The White House reaffirmed that Ukraine’s governance is determined by its constitution and people, as the US pushes for a ceasefire in the ongoing war.
A Russian military court convicted 23 captured Ukrainians on terrorism charges. The group included current and former members of Ukraine’s Azov brigade, which has been designated a terrorist group by Moscow. Ukraine said the trial was a sham.
During a visit to Beijing, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot urged China to put pressure on Russia to come to the negotiating table to end the war.
Military Assistance to Ukraine
Paris will provide EUR2 billion ($2.1 billion) in military assistance to Ukraine under a new aid package announced on March 26. The aid will include anti-tank weapons, air-defense missiles, air-launched weapons for Ukraine’s Mirage fighter jets, armored vehicles, and ammunition.
Germany also moved forward an aid package this week, with the parliamentary budget committee approving another EUR3 billion worth of military equipment to be provided this year.
The Ukrainian government submitted a list of required military equipment on Wednesday, which the Estonian government will procure from its own industry and supply to Ukraine under a EUR100 million program.
Battlefield Updates
As cease-fire talks continue, Ukraine has launched a small incursion into Russia’s Belgorod region, possibly to divert Russian forces from Kursk and ease battlefield pressure. Analysts suggest Kyiv may also seek diplomatic leverage by seizing Russian territory amid ongoing peace negotiations.
But Russia still expects it has the upper hand over Ukrainian forces on the battlefield. President Putin expressed his confidence on March 28 that his forces would ‘finish them off’.
Another wave of Russian attack drones have been launched at Ukraine. The drones struck Kyiv on March 23, as well as other targets inside Ukraine. Russia launched 147 drones overnight. Ukrainian air defenses claimed to have shot down 97 drones.
Russia has fired additional attack drones at Ukraine. On the night of March 25, Moscow launched an Iskander-M ballistic missile and 139 attack drones. Ukrainian air defenses claimed to have shot down 78 drones.
Another Russian drone and missile strike targeted Ukraine on March 27. Moscow launched 86 attack drones and a single Iskander-M ballistic missile overnight. Ukrainian air defense forces shot down 42 drones.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy decried Russia’s ongoing strikes, arguing Moscow is not ready for “real peace.”
North Korea reportedly sent an additional 3,000 troops to Russia in January and February, according to South Korean intelligence. The assessment also found that North Korea delivered a “considerable amount” of short-range ballistic missiles, self-propelled howitzers, and rocket launchers.
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