Tim Zadorozhnyy

1 week ago | kyivindependent.com | Tim Zadorozhnyy

U.S. President Donald Trump said on May 5 that Russia has grown more willing to negotiate an end to its war against Ukraine following a sharp decline in oil prices. "I think Russia, with the price of oil right now, oil has gone down, we are in a good position to settle, they want to settle. Ukraine wants to settle," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. Oil and gas revenues accounted for nearly 30% of Russia's budget in January and February, according to government data cited by Bloomberg.

1 week ago | kyivindependent.com | Tim Zadorozhnyy

Lithuania will invest 1.1 billion euros ($1.2 billion) over the next decade to strengthen defenses along its eastern border with Russia and Belarus, the Defense Ministry announced on May 5. Lithuania borders Russia's Kaliningrad exclave to the southwest and Belarus to the east and south. Tensions between NATO and Moscow have escalated since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The ministry said the initiative aims to "block and slow" a possible invasion.

1 week ago | kyivindependent.com | Tim Zadorozhnyy

Polish President Andrzej Duda urged U.S. President Donald Trump to increase economic pressure on Russia to force an end to its war against Ukraine, Politico reported on May 5. Duda said the United States has tools that can effectively influence the Kremlin, arguing that only Trump has real leverage over Russian President Vladimir Putin. "America can use various economic instruments to force Russia to respect certain actions," Duda told the Axel Springer Global Reporters Network.

1 week ago | kyivindependent.com | Tim Zadorozhnyy

Russian President Vladimir Putin said he constantly considers potential successors and confirmed he has a list of candidates, according to a segment of a new pro-Putin regime documentary produced in Russia titled "Russia. Kremlin. Putin. 25 Years" released on May 4. Putin, 72, has ruled Russia for over 25 years, first becoming president in 2000 after serving as prime minister and briefly heading Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB).

1 week ago | kyivindependent.com | Tim Zadorozhnyy

A Patriot air defense system based in Israel will be transferred to Ukraine after refurbishment, the New York Timesreported on May 4, citing four unnamed current and former U.S. officials. According to the publication, Western allies are also discussing the logistics of supplying additional systems from Germany or Greece as Russia escalates its attacks across Ukraine.