Key developments on April 26-27:
- Ukraine, Europe's ceasefire proposal includes US security guarantees, no recognition of Crimea, Reuters reports.
- Next week could be critical in deciding future US involvement in Russia-Ukraine peace negotiations, Rubio says.
- 'He's just tapping me along' — Trump admits Putin may not be interested in ending war on Ukraine.
- 'Ukrainian agent' detained in car bombing of Russian general in Moscow, FSB claims.
- Russian commander contradicts Kremlin, admits Ukrainian forces still fighting in Kursk Oblast.
- Zelensky meets Trump for 'productive' meeting at Pope Francis's funeral, White House says.
A copy of the peace proposal given to the U.S. by Ukrainian and European officials earlier this week includes "robust security guarantees" including from Washington, and no talks on territorial concessions until a "full and unconditional ceasefire in the sky, on land and at sea" has been implemented, Reuters reported on April 25.
The document, reprinted in full by the news outlet, contains numerous points that show the diverging viewpoints of the U.S. on one side, and Ukraine and its European allies on the other as they seek to end Russia's full-scale invasion.
The Trump administration has so far refused to offer Kyiv any security guarantees, but the Ukrainian proposal calls for an "Article 5-like agreement" backed by the U.S. while NATO membership for Kyiv remains off the table.
Earlier this week it was reported the U.S. could give de jure recognition to Russia's control over occupied Crimea, but the Ukrainian and European proposal insists that "territorial issues will be discussed and resolved after a full and unconditional ceasefire."
Reuters published details of the U.S. plan, confirming earlier reports and revealing key disagreements with Ukrainian and European positions.
The proposal also demands that sanctions on Russia only be eased after a "sustainable peace" has been achieved, a move the White House is reportedly considering implementing even before a peace deal has been agreed on.
Other points call for the "return (of) all deported and illegally displaced Ukrainian children," the implementation of the minerals deal, and that Ukraine "will be fully reconstructed and compensated financially," including through the use of Russia's frozen assets.
Washington's allies have been voicing growing alarm over the Trump administration’s proposed framework to end the war in Ukraine, which would allow Russia to retain seized Ukrainian territory.
Multiple diplomatic sources told CNN that officials in Europe and Asia are bracing for the outcome of renewed U.S.-Russia talks and fear the plan sends a dangerous message.
"If one country in Europe is forced to give up parts of its legal territory... no country in Europe or elsewhere can feel safe, NATO or no NATO," one diplomat told CNN.
In high-level meetings held in London on April 23, U.S., European, and Ukrainian officials reportedly made progress in narrowing differences.
U.S. Special Envoy Keith Kellogg called the talks "candid, positive and productive." At the same time, a European official said negotiators had "managed to convince the Ukrainians to convince themselves to get in a more U.S. administration-friendly position."
Still, the core issue — territorial concessions — remains fraught. A German official acknowledged that "the Ukrainians are coming around," but emphasized they "have red lines they cannot cross."
Asami Terajima
Next week could be critical in deciding future US involvement in Russia-Ukraine peace negotiations, Rubio says
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the upcoming week will be crucial for determining whether the U.S. will continue its involvement in efforts to end Russia’s war in Ukraine, NBC News reported on April 27.
"This is going to be a really important week in which we're going to have to decide whether we want to continue to engage in this effort, or whether it's time for us to shift our focus to other issues that are just as, if not more, important,” Rubio told NBC.
Rubio emphasized that prospects for reaching a peace agreement are closer than at any time in the past three years but acknowledged that a final deal has not yet been reached.
When asked how much longer U.S. President Donald Trump is willing to give Ukraine and Russia to reach an agreement, Rubio declined to set a specific deadline.
"It would be wrong to set a specific date... The president has spent a lot of time and energy on this, and I think we've brought the parties closer than they've been in a long time, but we're still not there," Rubio said.
He added that while there are reasons for optimism, it is also important to remain realistic about the situation.
Trump and Zelensky held a "productive" meeting in St. Peter's Basilica following the funeral ceremony — their first in-person encounter since their heated argument at the White House in February. While both sides praised the April 26 meeting as constructive, neither party disclosed the details of the leaders' conversation.
Meanwhile, Russia has intensified its strikes against civilian areas in Ukraine as Trump pushes for a peace deal, with a Russian attack killing at least 12 civilians and injuring around 90 in Kyiv on April 24.
Daria Shulzhenko
'He's just tapping me along' — Trump admits Putin may not be interested in ending war on Ukraine
Russian missile attacks on Ukrainian cities and towns demonstrate that the Russian leader may not be interested in ending the war, U.S. President Donald Trump said on April 26, repeating his threats of sanctions.
In a Truth Social post published shortly after he met with President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Vatican, Trump said that "there was no reason for Putin to be shooting missiles into civilian areas, cities and towns, over the last few days."
Russia has intensified its strikes against civilian areas in Ukraine as Trump pushes for a peace deal, with a Russian attack killing at least 12 civilians and injuring around 90 in Kyiv on April 24.
"It makes me think that maybe he doesn’t want to stop the war, he’s just tapping me along, and has to be dealt with differently, through banking or secondary sanctions?" Trump said.
The U.S. president has repeatedly threatened economic repercussions against Russia over its delays in peace talks, but has yet to make the move.
The comments also come as unusual criticism against Putin, as Trump has largely adopted amicable rhetoric toward the Russian leader while being more critical of Zelensky.
Earlier this week, Trump accused Zelensky of harming negotiations after the Ukrainian leader ruled out recognizing Russian annexation of Crimea as part of a potential peace deal.
The U.S. peace proposal has reportedly included Washington de jure recognizing Russia's hold over the peninsula, as well as de facto accepting Russian control over other regions in the Ukrainian east and south.
In turn, Ukraine and its European allies reportedly shared a proposal calling for robust security guarantees, a full and unconditional ceasefire, and no discussion of territorial concessions before a truce is established.
Zelensky and Trump met on the sidelines of Pope Francis's funeral in the Vatican earlier on April 26, marking their first meeting since their explosive encounter in the White House in February.
Zelensky said the meeting has the potential to become "historic" and focused on a ceasefire and ways to ensure sustainable peace.
Anna Fratsyvir
'Ukrainian agent' detained in car bombing of Russian general in Moscow, FSB claims
Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) has detained an "agent of the Ukrainian special services" in connection with the recent car bombing that killed a senior Russian general, it announced on April 26.
Lieutenant General Yaroslav Moskalik, deputy chief of the main operations directorate of Russia’s army, was killed when a car exploded in the yard of a residential building in the Russian city of Balashikha, Moscow Oblast, on April 25.
The FSB said it had detained Ignat Kuzin, born in 1983, who they claim holds a residence permit in Ukraine.
Kuzin is a suspect in planting a car bomb that allegedly killed Moskalik. He is accused of terrorist acts and the illegal storage of explosives as outlined by the Russian criminal code.
The suspect allegedly retrieved the homemade explosive from a hiding place facilitated by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), the FSB claimed.
He allegedly bought a Volkswagen Golf beforehand, planted a handmade explosive under the car, and parked it near the home of Russian general Moskalik.
The FSB claimed that the bomb was detonated on April 25 from the territory of Ukraine, killing Moskalik on the spot as he left the entrance of his home.
The incident occurred as U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff arrived in Moscow on April 25 to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Moskalik was listed as a member of the Russian delegation during the 2015 Normandy Format talks, set up to find a resolution to Russia's war in eastern Ukraine.
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reported that Moskalik was also involved in the high-level Normandy Four meeting in 2019 and was in talks with now-ousted Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad a year earlier.
Abbey Fenbert
Zelensky meets Trump for 'productive' meeting at Pope Francis's funeral, White House says
President Volodymyr Zelensky met U.S. President Donald Trump in St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican on April 26, with the two sides praising the meeting as productive and constructive.
Trump and Zelensky were among the many leaders who arrived in Vatican City to attend the funeral of Pope Francis, who died on April 21 after suffering a stroke, aged 88. Around 200,000 people flocked to Vatican City to bid farewell to the late pontiff.
"President Trump and President Zelensky met privately today and had a very productive discussion," White House communications director Steven Cheung said, promising more details later, AFP reported.
Presidential Office head Andriy Yermak said the discussions were "constructive" but did not provide specifics.
Trump and Zelensky have not met in person since a tense February meeting in the Oval Office, where Trump and Vice President JD Vance criticized Zelensky for what they called a lack of gratitude for U.S. support in Ukraine’s fight against Russia.
The U.S. president sought to broker a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia, with his approach being seen as favoring Moscow while exerting considerably greater pressure on Kyiv.
"Good meeting. We discussed a lot one on one. Hoping for results on everything we covered," Zelensky said after the meeting.
"Protecting lives of our people. Full and unconditional ceasefire. Reliable and lasting peace that will prevent another war from breaking out. Very symbolic meeting that has potential to become historic, if we achieve joint results."
Sky News reported at 1:10 p.m. local time that Trump is heading back to the U.S. after meeting Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. An undisclosed source told RBC-Ukraine that the expected second meeting after the funeral service did not take place, adding that the "main issue" had already been discussed.
Trump has ramped up pressure on Ukraine and Zelensky to accept his proposal on ending the Russia-Ukraine war, which reportedly includes the U.S. de jure recognizing Russian occupation of Crimea and de facto accepting Moscow's hold over other occupied territories in the east and south.
Kyiv and its European allies have pitched their counter-proposal, which pushes for firm security guarantees and insists that territorial questions should only be addressed after a full ceasefire and start from the basis of the line of control.
European officials were pushing for a meeting between Zelensky and Trump in the Vatican to smooth out the differences and break the deadlock in peace talks.
Anna Fratsyvir
Russian commander contradicts Kremlin, admits Ukrainian forces still fighting in Kursk Oblast
Acting commander of Russia’s 810th Brigade of the Black Sea Fleet reported to Russian President Vladimir Putin that "scattered groups and individual soldiers" of the Ukrainian Armed Forces fighting in the Kursk region "will soon be destroyed," Russian government-controlled RIA Novosti reported on April 27.
The statement, contradicts an earlier report by Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov that Russian forces have fully recaptured the territory of Kursk Oblast, the Russian border region partially held by Ukraine since last August.
According to President Volodymyr Zelensky, fighting in Kursk Oblast continues.
"Our troops continue active defensive operations in designated areas of the Kursk and Belgorod regions," Zelensky reported on April 27, acknowledging that the heaviest fighting is taking place in Kursk and Donetsk oblasts.
Ukraine also earlier denied the Kremlin's claim, saying that the statements "do not correspond to reality."
"Ukrainian defensive operations in certain areas of Kursk Oblast continue," Ukraine's General Staff said on April 26, adding that Kyiv's forces repelled five Russian ground assaults in the area on April 26.
"The situation is difficult, but our units continue to hold certain positions and carry out tasks as assigned," the statement read, noting that there is no threat of encirclement. A military source also told the Kyiv Independent that Kyiv continues to hold territories in Kursk Oblast.
Ukraine launched a cross-border incursion into Kursk Oblast in August 2024, marking the first large-scale invasion of Russian territory by foreign forces since World War II. The operation aimed to disrupt a planned Russian offensive on the neighboring Sumy Oblast and draw Russian forces away from the embattled Donbas region.
Russia launched a push to recapture the region in early March, with Ukraine being forced to pull back from much of the initially taken territory, including the town of Sudzha.
On April 26, Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Valery Gerasimov for the first time acknowledged the participation of North Korean troops in the campaign, praising their "fortitude and heroism."
Kyiv and Seoul have previously said that North Korea has dispatched around 11,000 troops to Kursk Oblast, though Moscow has not openly confirmed this until now.
Martin Fornusek
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