Vladimir Putin greets Donald Trump’s envoy, real estate developer Steve Witkoff, in the Kremlin, Moscow, Russia, April 25, 2025 (Kristina Kormilitsyna/AFP/Getty)

EA-Times Radio VideoCast: The Battle — Kremlin-Witkoff-Kushner-Vance v. Ukraine-Europe-Rubio

EA on International Outlets: Can US-Ukraine Talks Push Back Witkoff-Kushner Collusion With Kremlin?

Monday’s Coverage: US-Kyiv Meeting Is “Difficult But Productive”

UPDATE 1943 GMT:

With Donald Trump’s envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner still in their Kremlin meeting with Vladimir Putin, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky has posted:

At the outset of their meeting, Putin engaged Kushner and Witkoff in small talk about their walk through Moscow.

UPDATE 1755 GMT:

New research from LSE Ideas indicates Russia’s economic problems are greater than previously thought.

The paper, produced with Ukrainian Industry Expertise and the PeaceRep program, estimates that inflation is likely running at approximately 20% to 25%, double the official estimates.

Russia’s official figures of 7.1% growth in GDP and real household income by 24.8% from 2021 to 2014 are based on the questionable estimates of inflation at between 7.4% and 11.9% per year.

The annual budget deficit will reach 7-8 trillion rubles ($90.3 billion to $103.2 billion) — 18% of expenditure — by the end of 2025.

Russian reserves have been run down, and oil revenues are being affected by international sanctions. Since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, $113 billion of $148 billion in the National Welfare Fund has been spent.

For most Russians, real incomes have fallen by 16–42%, with the greatest decline among retired people, social workers, and education and healthcare professionals.

UPDATE 1739 GMT:

At a discussion on Ukrainian-Irish economic cooperation, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky said of Vladimir Putin’s threat to Europe (see 1600 GMT), “Now he is thinking how to find new reasons not to [end] this war.”

The President said that Putin “underlines by these words that he’s not European”.

He added that he counts on “pressure from the US” and others to advance the talks to end Russia’s invasion.

UPDATE 1611 GMT:

Addressing the Irish Parliament, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky has called for a “community of nations” to ensure “justice will prevail”.

“Ukraine is closer to peace than ever before. There is a real, real chance, but we must seize this chance,” he says.

Then he emphasizes, “No one can break the world alone – not even Russia.”

Without mentioning the Trump Administration, Zelensky decries the politics of “business as usual” and “appeasement”.

Please remind the world every time it is needed that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is a criminal and unprovoked act of aggression….

It happened for one reason only: because Russia wants to treat Ukraine at its property and Ukrainians as if they belong in its back yard like livestock.

UPDATE 1600 GMT:

Speaking before his Kremlin meeting with Donald Trump’s envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Vladimir Putin has tried to intimidate Kyiv’s European partners.

Putin said he was not seeking a war with Europe, but warned that “if Europe wants to fight, we are ready right now”.

He blustered that European counter-proposals to the Trump-Kremlin ultimatum are “not acceptable to Russia”.

He said European leaders are “hindering” US proposals and insisted they “do not have a peaceful agenda”.

UPDATE 1542 GMT: Speaking in Dublin, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that “now, more than ever, there is a chance to end this war,” although “some things still need to be worked out”.

Alongside Irish Taoiseach Micheál Martin, he said territorial integrity, the use of Russia’s frozen assets, and security guarantees for Ukraine are the three key issues.

Ukraine wants to “stop the war in such a manner that in one year, Russia would not come back with a third invasion”.

UPDATE 1235 GMT:

As Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky visits Dublin, Ireland has pledged an extra €125 million ($145 million) in financial support for Kyiv.

The Irish Taoiseach, Micheál Martin, said:

An additional €100 million in non-lethal military support will be made available, to help Ukraine withstand the indiscriminate nightly onslaught of Russian missiles and drones.

Ireland will also provide €25 million for Ukraine’s energy supplies to help to counter Russia’s cynical and callous attacks.

The two leaders will sign the 2030 Roadmap on Ukraine-Ireland Partnership, building on a previous agreement from September 2024. It covers political and security cooperation and initiatives in reconstruction, education, and culture.

UPDATE 0825 GMT:

Ukraine has struck the fourth Russian tanker within a week.

The Midvolga 2 was attacked in the Black Sea, around 120 km (80 miles) off the coast of Turkey. The vessel was traveling from Russia to Georgia and was carrying sunflower oil. There were 13 crew members on board. The vessel did not request assistance, and no injuries were reported.

On Monday, four explosions rocked the Mersin, which was carrying Russian oil, off the coast of Senegal’s capital Dakar.

Last Friday two Gambian-flagged tankers, the Kairos and the Virat, were seriously damaged by Sea Baby naval drones in the Black Sea near Turkey’s Bosphorus Straits. Both tankers are part of Russia’s “shadow fleet”, circumventing sanctions on Russian oil exports.

Ukrainian drones have also hit a Rosneft oil depot in the Oryol region in western Russia, setting two fuel tanks ablaze.

Oryol Governor Andrei Klychkov acknowledged the fires. He said no one is injured, and emergency services “carrying out necessary measures to eliminate the consequences”.

The Livny oil depot has 15 storage tanks with a total capacity of 18,300 cubic meters for diesel fuel and AI-92 and AI-95 gasoline.

UPDATE 0816 GMT:

Ukraine’s air defenses downed 39 of 62 drones fired by Russia overnight.

Twenty UAVs struck eight locations.

ORIGINAL ENTRY: Having colluded with Russia on an ultimatum to Ukraine, Donald Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner visit Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin on Tuesday.

Witkoff and Kushner worked in late October with Putin’s top economic advisor Kirill Dmitriev on a 28-point proposal seeking Kyiv’s surrender of territory. The rest of the country would be restricted by a ban on NATO membership, a cap on troop levels, and limits on Western military assistance. The US would receive compensation for any security guarantees, and 50% of profits from a fund for Ukraine’s recovery.

The 28 points, which originated in a Kremlin initiative last spring, were pushed back by a European counter-proposal in Geneva on November 23. The response was backed by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who undermined the Witkoff-Kushner scheme by ensuring that it was revealed as a Kremlin plan.

On Sunday, a US delegation led by Rubio met Ukrainian officials in Florida in what were described as “difficult but productive” talks. Witkoff and Kushner were also present.

Yesterday Witkoff met the head of the Ukrainian delegation, Rustem Umerov. Rubio was absent, and no details were released of the conversation.

Zelensky in Paris

Alongside French counterpart Emmanuel Macron in Paris on Monday, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky told reporters that Kyiv is focused on security guarantees, maintaining its sovereignty and territory.

He stressed that Russia must not get rewards for its aggression on Ukraine.

Macron reaffirmed France’s “full support” for Kyiv: “At a time when we are talking about peace, Russia continues to kill and destroy.”

He continued the flattery of Trump, commending US efforts to end the war, but “when we talk about peace, everyone has a role to play”: “Russia must stop the aggression. It has given no signal, no proof to that effect.”

Only Ukraine can make decisions about its territory, Macron streesed, and security guarantees must not be discussed without Kyiv and its European partners, “the guarantors”.

Umerov spoke with Al Jazeera Arabic about the Kremlin-Witkoff-Kushner demand that Ukraine give up the 22% of the Donetsk region, in the east of the country, which it holds despite Russia’s 46-month full-scale assault.

“We told the American side that it is unacceptable for Russia to continue its occupation of our territory and then demand that we grant it legitimacy,” said the head of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council.

Giving up our territory means that international law no longer exists and that any party can use force to abolish the sovereignty of another party….We are seeking security for both Europe and Ukraine.