On Sunday, May 4th, 2025, Vladimir Putin made some bold claims on Russian state television, perhaps energized by marking 25 years in power. Putin insisted Russia has ample “strength and means” to end the war in Ukraine, even stating he hopes he “will not need” to resort to nuclear weapons. This comes after having again just asked Ukraine to agree to a brief ceasefire for his Victory Day parades that would be taking place this Friday. Meanwhile, Ukraine achieved a significant military milestone the day prior that received little coverage at the time: Ukrainian forces successfully downed a Russian fighter jet using an unmanned naval drone, the MAGURA V5, near Novorossiysk in the Black Sea. Russia was reluctant to confirm this, but many Russian milbloggers were quick to let out their frustration at this event, seeing as this same type of drone had also previously destroyed a helicopter a few months ago near Crimea.
On Monday, May 5th, President Trump made another bold claim that makes me question whether even his own advisors are paying attention, stating that Russia and Ukraine are now inclined to settle the war, with Russia supposedly ready, due to falling oil prices and a weakened economy. Trump even pointed to Putin’s request for a three-day ceasefire during Moscow’s upcoming Victory Day parades as proof, conveniently ignoring that Putin outright rejected Zelenskyy’s proposal for a full 30-day ceasefire. Meanwhile, in Prague, President Zelenskyy secured another major boost to Ukraine’s military: a Czech-led initiative to deliver 3 million artillery shells by the end of 2025, along with an expanded F-16 pilot training program. Ukrainian Troops also managed to go back on the offensive near Tetkino, Kursk Oblast, perhaps due to troops and equipment being pulled back in Russia for support in Putin's Parade.
On Tuesday, May 6th, Ukraine ramped up its pressure campaign inside Russia’s borders, launching drone strikes that temporarily shut down over a dozen Russian airports, including four in Moscow. While no casualties were reported from the capital, damage to infrastructure and apartment buildings stirred panic just days ahead of Russia’s massive Victory Day parade. Ukrainian forces also kept up their limited offensive into Kursk and Belgorod oblasts, reportedly seizing ground near Tetkino and hammering Russian positions with artillery and JDAM strikes. Meanwhile, Russia tried to control the narrative at home. Shoigu published a sweeping op-ed casting the war in Ukraine as a spiritual successor to WWII, calling for a militarized, patriotic youth to carry on Russia’s “inevitable victory.”
On Wednesday, May 7th, the Trump administration surprised many by finally showing visible frustration with Moscow. Vice President JD Vance stated that Russia is “asking for too much” in the ongoing ceasefire negotiations. Whether this signals that the administration is walking away from talks entirely remains to be seen. Meanwhile, Ukraine appears increasingly emboldened by Western support, launching deeper strikes into Russian territory both by air and on the ground. One loss that hit especially hard for those who’ve followed this war for some time was the death of Chris “Swampy” Garrett, a British volunteer and explosive ordnance disposal expert who was killed clearing mines in Izyum. Garrett had previously served in Myanmar, removing explosives for civilians, and had been doing the same in Ukraine since 2014. He even founded an organization called Prevail, which has helped train thousands and protect countless civilians. I never had the chance to speak with him personally, but I’ve crossed paths with volunteers who did, and by all accounts, he was the real deal hero through and through. This shit always hurts. I’m including this in the hope that anyone moved by his story might consider supporting Prevail and continuing the mission he gave his life to.
Chris “Swampy” Garrett
On Thursday, May 8th, President Trump formally called for a 30-day unconditional ceasefire in Ukraine, saying on Truth Social that he remains “committed” to peace and warning that new sanctions could follow if the pause isn’t respected. Ukraine backed the idea immediately as it was something Zelenskyy has been calling for, but also reported that Russia had already broken its own supposed 72-hour Victory Day ceasefire over 700 times just in the first half of the day, with one strike in Sumy killing a civilian. On a brighter note for Kyiv, Ukraine’s parliament unanimously ratified the long-awaited rare earth minerals deal with the U.S., a major step forward that could finally give Trump and Zelenskyy some common ground. Meanwhile, in Moscow, Xi Jinping and a handful of other foreign leaders showed up for Putin’s parade, making it pretty clear where they stand in all this.
Friday, May 9th marked the 80th anniversary of Victory Day, Russia’s annual celebration of its defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II, which, in an inronic twist, Putin used the parade to stoke nationalist pride and justify his ongoing war on Ukraine and its culture. President Trump and leaders from Europe, including Macron, Starmer, and Merz, threatened fresh sanctions if Russia didn’t agree to the 30-day ceasefire proposal that's been on the table for weeks. A summit in Lviv pulled in dozens of foreign delegations in support of the plan and even floated the creation of a special tribunal to prosecute Russian crimes of aggression. As Putin tried to showcase a united front on his home turf, complete with a PR parade featuring allied soldiers and red-flag-waving bombers, the reality of mounting pressure outside his borders seemed to finally be coming together.
Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer, France's President Emmanuel
Macron and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky take a walk after
visiting St. Sophia Cathedral, in Kyiv on May 10, 2025. Ludovic
Marin/Pool via Reuters
Saturday, May 11th, European leaders rallied in Kyiv with Zelenskyy to finalize plans for the 30-day ceasefire proposed earlier in the week. While Russia staged its Victory Day spectacle in Moscow, Ukraine and its allies held a show of unity of their own, putting the ball firmly in the Kremlin’s court. With Macron, Starmer, Merz, and Tusk all backing the plan, the summit marked a rare moment of full transatlantic alignment. The message was clear: either Moscow agrees to the ceasefire or faces “massive sanctions” and deeper Western support for Ukraine. Europe now seems ready to step up—what remains to be seen is whether Trump will join them in turning up the pressure and keep up with his recent takes on Putin.