Diplomacy, politics, peace talks and other news at the national and international levels/
US Representative Greg Meeks, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and former Majority Leader Steny Hoyer on Monday introduced a bill to support Ukraine and undermine Russia's capacity to continue the war.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday that, while there is political will to move toward a potential agreement with the United States on Ukraine, there is still no clear framework or timeline for a settlement, as reported by Reuters.
Ukrainian lawmakers are highly likely to extend martial law before it expires on May 9, parliamentary speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk told Reuters in an interview. Stefanchuk emphasized the practical and legal impossibility of holding free and fair elections in a country partially occupied and continuously under attack.
The US government demands that the US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) assume control of a natural gas pipeline from Russian energy major Gazprom through Ukraine to Europe under a proposed minerals deal with Ukraine, an unnamed source familiar with the matter told Reuters.
Ukraine and the US will start "technical consultations" on a minerals deal in Washington on Friday, Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Olha Stefanishyna said on Thursday.
U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink is stepping down from the position, Reuters reported on Thursday, citing the State Department.
Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said on Tuesday that Kyiv has already developed its position on the mineral resources deal with the US and its vision of the text.
Ukraine will this week send a delegation to Washington to advance negotiations on a strategic agreement with the US focused on critical natural resources, Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said.
Russia's President Vladimir Putin remains open to a ceasefire in Ukraine, but Moscow has yet to receive answers to key questions regarding the truce proposed by the Trump administration, Reuters reported, citing Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.
Russian President Vladimir Putin's investment envoy, Kirill Dmitriev, said on Sunday that new diplomatic contacts between Moscow and Washington could resume as early as this week, the Kyiv Independent reported.
Germany has been funding Ukraine's access to a high-speed satellite internet service provided by France's Eutelsat, as Europe looks to diversify beyond Elon Musk's Starlink network, Reuters reported.
A 10% tariff on all exporters to the US that President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday will be "difficult, but not critical" for Ukraine, Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Pesko said Wednesday that a visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin's investment envoy, Kirill Dmitriev, in the US for talks with the Trump administration is possible, Reuters reported, signalling possible further warming in US-Russian relations.
Russia can't accept current proposals by the US administration on ending the war in Ukraine in their current form, as they don't address what Russia sees as the "root causes of the conflict," the country's Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said.
Ukraine and the US have already held a first round of consultations on the newest draft of the proposed minerals agreement between the two countries and will continue working to "reach a mutually acceptable text for signing," Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said on Tuesday.
