Europe will have to make significant efforts to send 25,000 troops to Ukraine to form a deterrence force, as its armies are understaffed and underfunded.

Deputy Chairman of Russia’s Security Council Dmitry Medvedev has issued threats against countries that have recently joined NATO.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has said that the three-day truce announced by Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin is not enough, and that a just and lasting peace is needed.

Czech police are investigating an attack on a young man with a Ukrainian flag that took place last week during an event held by the right-wing populist parties SPD, Trikolora, Svobodny and PRO in Brno.

Czechia has stated that it is Ukraine – not Russia – that accepted the US ceasefire proposal, commenting on a remark by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio about the possible abandonment of peace efforts in Ukraine.

Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal has announced that, thanks to the legal efforts of the government and parliament, Ukraine is progressing towards European Union membership at the fastest pace ever recorded among candidate countries.

US officials attending a meeting in Paris have told their European counterparts that they intend to push for a complete cessation of combat actions in Ukraine in the coming weeks as part of a new diplomatic effort.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said that the US is ready to abandon efforts to achieve peace in Ukraine if it sees that this is an unattainable goal.

Ukraine’s Ambassador to Germany, Oleksii Makeiev, has welcomed the Bundestag’s decision not to invite the Russian and Belarusian ambassadors to a special session on 8 May commemorating the end of World War II in 1945.

Yuri Ushakov, Russian leader Vladimir Putin’s foreign policy advisor, has said that the Russian and American sides have not yet agreed on a new telephone conversation between US President Donald Trump and Russian ruler Vladimir Putin.

Finnish President Alexander Stubb has reported that he had a positive conversation with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Yuliia Svyrydenko, First Deputy Prime Minister and Economy Minister, has reported a significant breakthrough in dialogue with the US on a future minerals deal.

Some aides to US President Donald Trump are unhappy with Europe's efforts to strengthen Ukraine.

An Ipsos poll for CEDMO found that more than 18% of Slovak citizens support Russia's victory in the war, while only a third of respondents support Ukraine.

The Danish Armed Forces are planning to send Danish soldiers to Ukraine for training.