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By Fleur E Phillip and Padmashree Anandhan
WAR ON THE GROUND
On 28 May, according to Ukraine’s General Staff of Armed Forces, there have been 114 combat clashes in the frontlines. The attacks targetted several districts and villages across in Sumy region and Chernihiv region. On the same day, there were exchange of ground attacks in the Kharkiv, Kupainsk, Lyman, Siversk, Kramatorsk, Markove, and Bila Hora regions.
On 28 May, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported on Russia amassing 50,000 troops in Sumy. He said that Kyiv had taken steps to prevent an offensive. According to him, Russia is getting ready to launch an offensive in Sumy.
THE MOSCOW VIEW
Claims by Russia
On 28 May, The Moscow Times reported on Russia’s President Vladimir Putin’s release of his conditions to end the war. This includes, an end to the NATO expansion towards the East, and lift of a set of sanctions against Russia. He also said that a written pledge must be given by the West to not enlarge the NATO military alliance, and rule out the membership of Ukraine, Georgia, and Moldova.
Following the criticisms and the talks with Trump, Putin has agreed to work with Ukraine and hold peace talks, where they discuss the issues and sort them out by releasing their memoranda. Putin also said that, if the peace deal is not reached in his term, he said: “peace tomorrow will be even more painful,” for the Ukrainians and Europeans.
THE WEST VIEW
Responses from the US and Europe
On 29 May, Germany government signed a EUR five billion agreement with Ukraine to deepen military cooperation. The deal focuses on the joint production and procurement of long-range missile systems made in Ukraine, with no restrictions on their range. This comes after Germany’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s meeting with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Berlin. The deal forms part of a broader aid package that includes funding for air defence, munitions, logistics, and satellite communications, including continued support for Starlink coverage. The move follows Merz’s recent announcement lifting range limits on all Western-supplied weapons to Ukraine, potentially opening the door for the delivery of Taurus cruise missiles—something previously blocked by the former German government. Merz described this collaboration as the beginning of a new era of military-industrial partnership between Germany and Ukraine.
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