Trump and Zelensky Discuss Ukraine Peace Deal

US President Donald Trump stated that he believes Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is willing to give up Crimea to Russia as part of a peace deal, despite Ukraine's previous rejection of such proposals. Trump made the comments after meeting Zelensky at the Vatican, saying Crimea was discussed "very briefly" and that Zelensky now seems "calmer". The US reportedly proposed a plan that includes accepting Russia's annexation of Crimea and ruling out Ukraine's NATO membership, which has been met with criticism from Germany's Defence Minister Boris Pistorius, who warned Ukraine against making territorial concessions.

Russia claims that Ukrainian troops have been fully forced out of the Kursk region after a Ukrainian incursion last year. Russian Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov told President Vladimir Putin that the last settlement in the region, the village of Gornal, has been liberated from Ukrainian forces. However, Ukraine's General Staff disputed this claim, stating that its forces continue to hold back Russian troops in the Kursk sector. The development comes as US President Trump and Ukrainian President Zelenskyy met in Vatican City and discussed a potential ceasefire, with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov saying that the Kremlin is "ready to reach a deal" with the US on Ukraine.

US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met at the Vatican minutes before Pope Francis' funeral, as the White House seeks to strike a peace deal in Ukraine. Zelensky thanked Trump for the "good meeting" on social media.

US President Donald Trump met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican on Saturday, April 26, 2025, in a meeting that was both a coincidence and the result of diplomatic efforts. The two leaders had a private conversation, with no aides present, after European officials had been encouraging a meeting between them for days. Trump described Zelensky as "calmer" after the meeting and said he thought Zelensky wanted to make a deal to end the three-year war between Ukraine and Russia. Trump also criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying he wanted Putin to "stop shooting, sit down and sign a deal." The meeting was seen as a positive development by some, but it was unclear what, if anything, had actually changed in the efforts to end the war. Trump said Zelensky had asked for more weapons, and they discussed the issue of Crimea, which the US would recognize as Russian under an American peace proposal.

US President Donald Trump's proposed peace plan for Ukraine, which involves ceding large swathes of Ukrainian land to Russia, has been criticized by Germany's defense minister, Boris Pistorius, as "a capitulation." The plan includes recognizing Russia's control over Crimea and granting Russia additional Ukrainian territory. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has stated that making territorial concessions is a red line, and recognizing Crimea as Russian would be illegal under Ukraine's constitution. Meanwhile, North Korea has publicly acknowledged for the first time that it has deployed troops to fight for Russia in its war with Ukraine, with the North Korean Central Military Commission claiming its troops contributed to a "precious victory" in the Kursk region.

Donald Trump has expressed disappointment in Russia's continued strikes on Ukraine and called for Vladimir Putin to "sit down and sign a deal" to end the war. Following a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the Vatican, Trump stated that he believes Zelenskyy is "calmer" and willing to make a deal, although he thinks Zelenskyy may be willing to give up Crimea, which Zelenskyy has previously refused to do. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said a peace deal was "closer in general than they've been any time in the last three years, but it's still not there." Meanwhile, North Korea has confirmed it has deployed troops to fight for Russia, with state media reporting that leader Kim Jong Un made the decision and notified Moscow.

North Korea has confirmed that it sent troops to fight alongside Russia in the war against Ukraine, with leader Kim Jong-un ordering a monument to be built for the North Korean soldiers who were killed. The confirmation comes after Russia's top military commander praised the North Korean troops' "fortitude and heroism" in helping to retake the Kursk border region. Up to 4,000 North Korean troops have been killed or wounded, with a total of 14,000 troops sent to Russia since last year, according to South Korean and Ukrainian officials. Kim Jong-un also ordered special treatment for the families of the soldiers who participated in the war, and North Korea's state media cited a mutual defense treaty with Russia as the basis for sending troops.

North Korea has confirmed for the first time that it has sent troops to fight for Russia in the war with Ukraine, under the orders of leader Kim Jong-un. The state news agency KCNA quoted the ruling party as saying that the end of the battle in Russia's Kursk region showed the "highest strategic level of the firm militant friendship" between North Korea and Russia. Kim described the soldiers as "heroes" and announced that a monument would be built in Pyongyang to honour their "battle feats". The deployment is estimated to have involved around 14,000 North Korean troops, with Ukrainian officials reporting significant casualties. The US State Department has expressed concern over North Korea's direct involvement in the war, calling for an end to the military deployment.