Photo : New Delhi Times
Photo : New Delhi Times
By Padmashree Anandhan
WAR ON THE GROUND
On 19 May, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed Ukraine’s readiness for a full and unconditional ceasefire and direct negotiations with Russia, emphasizing peace. Zelenskyy also called on the West to impose tougher sanctions if Russia prolongs the conflict. While he assured the commitment to peace, he rejected the withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, Donetsk, and Luhansk.
On the same day, after the call with US President Donald Trump, Zelenskyy stated that he made it clear that no decisions regarding Ukraine should be made without Kyiv’s involvement. Zelenskyy said he discussed the possibility of imposing serious sanctions on Russia and confirmed that talks are underway to arrange a high-level meeting aimed at ending the war. The suggested talks would include Ukraine, Russia, the US, the EU, and the UK. Highlighting Putin’s claim on a “memorandum” on a peace roadmap, Zelenskyy denied seeing the peace roadmap as claimed by Putin.
THE MOSCOW VIEW
Claims by Russia
On 19 May, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin, after the call with Trump, called it "frank and meaningful.” Putin said the conversation was "very informative, very open, and overall very useful." He emphasized that Russia supports a "peaceful settlement" to the war in Ukraine. Putin further revealed that Russia would propose working with Ukraine on a memorandum outlining key aspects of a potential peace deal, such as the principles of settlement and the timeline for a peace agreement.
On 19 May, Russia’s Foreign Policy Adviser Yuri Ushakov announced that Putin and Trump discussed a potential prisoner exchange during a recent phone call. Ushakov proposed a swap involving nine prisoners from each side. Ushakov indicated that both countries are working on the arrangement; however, there was no confirmation from the US on the exchange.
On 19 May, Russian spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that "painstaking" work lies ahead, and that some aspects of the settlement process could take a long time. Peskov highlighted that the negotiations involve many "nuances" that need to be carefully addressed. This comes after the call with Putin. Russian and Ukrainian delegations met in Istanbul for their first direct talks in nearly three years, but the discussions ended without an agreement to end the hostilities.
On 19 May, Russia banned Amnesty International Limited, labeling it an "undesirable organization." In a statement, the prosecutor accused the UK-based office of being a "center for the preparation of global Russophobic projects" and claimed it was advocating for Ukraine. Under a 2015 law, any involvement with an "undesirable organization" is considered a criminal offense in Russia. This makes Amnesty part of the 200 entities list, US-funded broadcaster RFE/RL and the international environmental group Greenpeace, which have been classified as undesirable in Russia.
THE WEST VIEW
Responses from the US and Europe
On 19 May, Trump, after his call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, immediately spoke with key European leaders, including German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and Zelenskyy, among others. Merz announced that Europe and the US are united in supporting Ukraine’s path to a ceasefire and that Europe would increase sanctions pressure on Russia. Von der Leyen emphasized the importance of continued US engagement.
On 19 May, Trump suggested the possibility of a trade deal with Russia if it ends its war in Ukraine, calling it a significant step to economic benefits for both. Trump, in his social media that Russia’s interest is in large-scale trade with the US. He stressed ending the "catastrophic bloodbath."
On 19 May, Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced that delivery of US-made Abrams tanks was "on their way" to Ukraine. The two leaders held a meeting in Rome to discuss further defence support for Ukraine, particularly in providing the Abrams tanks to aid Ukraine's defense efforts. The delivery of these tanks was delayed due to US hesitations over suitability for Ukraine’s needs. The US had earlier sent 31 M1A1 Abrams tanks, but they were found to be challenging to operate effectively, particularly in the face of drone warfare.
On 19 May, Finland's Defence Ministry announced that use proceeds from frozen Russian assets to fund ammunition supplies for Ukraine. Finland’s Defence Minister Antti Hakkanen explained that the ammunition would be purchased from Finnish manufacturers, which would support Ukraine’s defence efforts and also boost local employment. Hakkanen highlighted the move as a demonstration of Finland's strong defense industry capabilities.