Russian invasion

China-Russia relations
Xi to Kremlin for “celebrations” – to sign documents

Chinese President Xi Jinping will travel to Russia for the festivities in Moscow, AFP reports.

On May 7-10, celebrations will be held in Moscow to mark the 80th anniversary of the Allied victory over Nazi Germany. And Xi will stand alongside Russian President Vladimir Putin during the celebrations, the Kremlin announced. Putin’s office also states that he and Xi will hold talks on their partnership. They are also expected to sign “a number of bilateral documents,” AFP writes.

Putin has declared a ceasefire in the war against Ukraine for May 7-10, but Ukraine has rejected it and called it a “game.” Volodymyr Zelenskyj, for his part, has proposed a 30-day ceasefire.

The world's response
EU countries buy Russian energy – for more than the support for Ukraine

The majority of EU countries are still buying oil and gas from Russia for billions of kronor – despite the goal of completely phasing out Russian energy by 2027, reports Sveriges Radio's Ekot.

Energy analyst Petras Katinas at the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air tells Ekot that EU countries are buying Russian energy for more money than they are contributing to Ukraine in the war.

– It is grotesque and a great hypocrisy that EU countries and companies are showing, he tells Ekot.

He believes that it is basically only the Nordic and Baltic EU countries that have phased out Russian energy. Last year, they traded for almost 22 billion euros, while Ukraine support amounted to 19 billion euros.

Next week, the EU Commission will present new proposals for phasing out measures. 

Trump's new offer: "Russia must give up all of Ukraine"

Donald Trump clearly shifts in favor of Ukraine in a major interview with NBC's Meet the Press program on Sunday.

Trump is asked what Russia must give up in the ongoing negotiations.

- Russia must give up all of Ukraine. Because that's what they want, and if I hadn't interfered, they would be fighting for all of Ukraine now, says Donald Trump.

Trump now says he is closer to one party, without wanting to say which, but he praises the agreement on rare earth metals that he recently concluded with Ukraine.