Quick breakdown of the Kremlin readout of Trump's call with Putin. It doesn't look like Putin is prepared to give any ground on his maximalist positions. – Putin stressed that Russia’s “key condition to stop the conflict from escalating” and moving towards a settlement would be

Air raid alert in Kyiv just moments after Putin, in call with Trump, agrees a pause on energy strikes — rather than a full ceasefire.

Zelenskyy to talk to Trump after Russia continues strikes on Ukraine ft.com/content/d1a960… via Polina Ivanova Richard Milne

“There’s no country in Europe, except France, that has so many units and such a developed nuclear industry in their country,” Petro Kotin, head of Ukraine’s state nuclear company, told the Financial Times An explainer — w ⁦Christopher Miller⁩ ⁦Ben Hall⁩ on.ft.com/4iprMCe

“I just don’t want to have to shower with Nazis, with right-wing extremists, with racists.” ⁦Laura Pitel⁩ in Berlin on the fight over letting AFD party members join the German parliament’s football team. A microcosm of the country’s current debates on.ft.com/4hocmg4

“Steve Witkoff” responded with five emoji: two hands-praying, a flexed bicep, and two American flags. theatlantic.com/politics/archi…

Mediazona has now identified 100,000 Russian soldiers by name who were killed during Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. This monumental historical record is just one of many reasons to consider supporting them with a donation t.me/mediazzzona/20…

"The outlook by this point is already pretty clear. We’re not going to see our parents any time soon." Ukrainians displaced from Russian-occupied areas are watching the Trump-led talks with dread. For some it could mean never going home. ft.com/content/e0448b…

“One U.S. official who met Beseda at the Lubyanka headquarters described him as a “barbarian handler,” who the Americans could call on, to lobby him to reel in the FSB’s most overzealous officers.” @wsj profile Sergei Beseda wsj.com/world/russia/r…

My book The Illegals, on Russia's deep-cover spies, is out in UK & US this week... Please consider picking up a copy if you're interested in Russian history, crazy spy stories or both. A nice review in today's NYT: nytimes.com/2025/04/17/boo…

For Trump, Monday’s call with Putin evoked the hope of a bright future of “largescale TRADE” between Russia and US, “when this catastrophic ‘bloodbath’ is over”. Ukraine and Europe felt they were being abandoned. w/ Guy Chazan Polina Ivanova Henry Foy on.ft.com/4kr0LyK

Barabanov and Korotkov were among the first to report on Wagner, often at great personal risk. I read the original Russian version and it’s brilliant. So glad it’s now available in English.

The sharp rise in Russians’ living standards that has helped underpin support for the war in Ukraine is coming to an end. But Russians aren’t feeling it as the Kremlin’s splurge on defense continues, report ⁦Anastasia Stognei⁩ and ⁦Chris Cook⁩: on.ft.com/43izWXY

The Russian Armed Forces accelerated their gains significantly over the month of May. According to our data, the Russians occupied 538 square kilometers of Ukraine in May, over twice the territory occupied in April. This is the second highest monthly rate of advance since 2022.

The world’s biggest commercial aircraft owner is in line for a payout of more than $1bn after a High Court judge found insurers had to cover losses from planes stranded in Russia, in one of the largest sums ever awarded by the English courts. on.ft.com/4mXQr3k

Just months ago, Putin laid the groundwork for western companies to return to Russia. None are trying. And ersatz companies that have thrived in their absence, like McDonald’s copycat Vkusno i tochka, want it to stay that way: with ⁦Courtney Weaver⁩ ft.com/content/68652a…

Asked how far his army will go in Ukraine, Putin says: "I consider the Russian and Ukrainian people to be one people. In that sense all Ukraine is ours."

Witkoff, March 21: "Why would they want to absorb Ukraine? For what purpose, exactly? They don’t need to absorb Ukraine." Putin, June 20: "Russians and Ukrainians are one people and in that sense the whole of Ukraine is ours."