Russia’s Victory Day parade, Moscow, May 9, 2025


EA-Ukraine VideoCast: Kyiv Advances Without Trump’s Support


In a 32-minute analysis, I joined Ukrainian journalists Sofia Nazarenko and Daniel Tkiie on Thursday to discuss problems for Vladimir Putin in his 50-month full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Amid stalled frontlines and Ukraine’s resistance against aerial attacks, the Kremlin has downgraded its Victory Day parade on May 9, with no presence of military hardware such as armor and artillery.

That highlights Russia’s concerns about escalating Ukrainian drone and missile strikes on key facilities, notably oil refineries, terminals, and ports. In the name of “security”, the Kremlin is restricting and even cutting off Internet access.

We discuss how, with no prospect of military victory, Putin is seeking to triumph politically by manipulating the Trump Administration, including a phone call with Donald Trump on Wednesday.

And we again look at the effect of the struggling US-Israel War on Iran, as Ukraine builds up its links with Gulf States such as Saudi Arabia.