by RT [2025-05-10 published].

(Let's not forget that Zelensky signed a law in 2022 outlawing any peace talks with Putin & he obviously hasn't removed that law. Therefore, any calls for peace by Zelensky should be taken with a grain of salt until he removes that law or authorizes other legal means to negotiate for peace. Furthermore, the unilateral Easter & 80th Victory Day Celebration in Moscow were completely ignored by Zelensky & his military continued fighting & sending drones & missiles to hit civilian targets in Russia.

The other major problem is that the EU, UK & NATO are still focused on fighting Russia via Ukraine. Trump has to deal with the neocons who also want to continue fighting & are not focused on peace. It's still not clear how serious Trump is about peace, since he keeps putting pressure on Putin. In June 2024, Putin made it very clear what root causes must be addressed for a lasting peace, yet most of the West keeps trying to find ways around this. Unless these fundamental issues are addressed, it looks like this will be settled by the Russian military. — RAD)

Russia hopes Donald Trump will help bring more “wisdom” in discussions with Kiev, spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is “doing whatever is possible” to pursue peace in the Ukraine conflict, but has no other choice than to continue its military operation as long as Kiev refuses to hold talks with Moscow, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said.

In an interview with ABC News on Friday, Peskov said Ukraine “is trying to escape from negotiations” despite declaring that it is ready for a ceasefire. However, Moscow believes a truce will only give Kiev the opportunity to regroup its battered troops.

”Ukraine will continue their total mobilization, bringing new troops to [the] front line. Ukraine will use this period to train new military personnel and to give a rest to their existing ones. So why should we grant such an advantage to Ukraine?”

Another issue, he said, is arms shipments from the West, which should be ceased during a truce. “Otherwise, it will be [an] advantage for Ukraine.”

“President Putin is doing whatever is possible to solve the problem, to achieve a settlement through peaceful and diplomatic means,” Peskov said. “But having no peaceful and democratic means at hand, we have to continue [the] military operation.”

The Kremlin spokesman went on to say Moscow is hopeful that US President Donald Trump could play a role in mediating the conflict. Trump, he suggested, could help “bring a little bit more flexibility and a little more political will and wisdom to [the] Kiev regime.”

Russia offered a 72-hour ceasefire from midnight May 8 to midnight May 11 to mark the 80th anniversary of the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany. Moscow described the offer as a humanitarian gesture aimed at paving the way for direct peace talks without preconditions.

Ukraine has dismissed the overture as “manipulation” and demanded a 30-day ceasefire instead. Russian officials have said the pause would allow Ukraine to regroup and strengthen its military.

The Russian Defense Ministry said Ukraine has launched thousands of attacks of various kinds, including four cross-border incursions into the Russian regions of Kursk and Belgorod.

Ukraine’s cause is ‘doomed’ – EU state’s president

by RT [5-10-2025 published].

Continued European support for Kiev will only bring more victims, destruction, and lost territory, Bulgaria’s Rumen Radev has said.

Bulgarian President Rumen Radev has openly criticized the EU’s continued military support for Ukraine, warning that Kiev’s path to victory against Russia is “doomed.” He made the remarks in a Facebook post on Friday, timed with Russia’s Victory Day celebrations in Moscow marking the 80th anniversary of the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany in World War II.

Radev called it “the tragedy of our time” that decades after World War II, international disputes in Europe “are once again being resolved by military means.”

“Europe does not have its own vision for the end of the [Ukraine conflict] and the establishment of peace, but continues to invest in a cause that, in my opinion, is doomed,” the Bulgarian leader wrote. He added that “pouring more weapons” into Ukraine would not bring peace closer, calling it a “utopian hope” that leads instead to “the opposite – even more victims, destruction and lost territory every day.”

Radev also questioned the EU’s goals in prolonging the Ukraine conflict.

“Is Europe afraid of the return of peace? Because the return of peace also means returning public attention to the crises that are smoldering within our countries and societies,” he stated, stressing that Europe must learn the lessons of World War II, abandon its militaristic approach, and focus instead on diplomatic solutions.

“Europe must remember that unity and prosperity were made possible by joint efforts to eradicate the rivalries, hatred, and disputes that led to the Second World War,” he said.

Radev has opposed sending military aid to Kiev and is one of the few EU leaders to speak out against Brussels’ hardline stance against Moscow. He previously warned against prolonging the conflict, dismissing the idea of Ukraine defeating Russia as “impossible,” while urging for peace.

Russia has warned against Western military aid to Ukraine, saying it would only drag out the conflict. Moscow offered a 72-hour ceasefire from midnight May 8 to midnight May 11 to mark Victory Day, describing the offer as a humanitarian gesture aimed at paving the way for direct peace talks without preconditions. Ukraine dismissed the overture as “manipulation” and demanded a 30-day ceasefire instead.

The Russian Defense Ministry said Ukraine launched multiple attacks of various kinds, including four attempted cross-border incursions into the Russian regions of Kursk and Belgorod, following Russia’s ceasefire declaration.

Xi calls for root causes of Ukraine conflict to be eliminated

by RT [5-9-2025 published].

The Chinese leader has said Beijing hopes for a fair and lasting settlement between Moscow and Kiev.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for the root causes of the Ukraine conflict to be eliminated as a way to achieve a lasting peace. He made the remarks during an informal meeting on May 8 with Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to the Foreign Ministry in Beijing.

Xi is among more than two dozen world leaders attending this year’s events in Moscow commemorating the 80th anniversary of the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany in World War II. Xi and Putin held talks in a closed format and later in an expanded session with their delegations.

“China advocates and adheres to the common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable global security concept for the Ukrainian crisis,” the ministry said in a statement, citing the Chinese president.

“The reasonable security concerns of all countries should be taken seriously, and the root causes of the crisis should be eliminated.”

Xi expressed hope for a “fair, lasting, binding,” and mutually acceptable settlement between Moscow and Kiev through dialogue. Putin “highly appreciated” Xi’s approach, the ministry noted, and reiterated that Russia remains open to peace talks without preconditions.

According to the ministry, the discussions between Xi and Putin covered a broad range of international and regional issues and focused on enhancing bilateral cooperation. Xi said the world “has entered a new period of turbulence and change,” adding that as long as China and Russia “adhere to strategic cooperation, no force can stop the two countries from achieving their own development and revitalization.”

The Kremlin previously announced that Putin and Xi signed a joint statement on deepening their comprehensive partnership and strategic cooperation, as well as nearly three dozen intergovernmental and interagency agreements in a variety of areas.