As Moscow refuses to embrace ceasefire proposals, the White House shifts pressure tactics while Russian missiles continue to claim civilian lives and Georgia embraces Russian-style repression
Summary of the Day – April 2, 2025
Russia launched a deadly missile strike on Kryvyi Rih killing four civilians, while senior U.S. officials privately acknowledged a ceasefire is unlikely in coming months. A high-level Russian negotiator met with Trump’s envoy in Washington—the first such visit since 2022—as the U.S. expanded sanctions on Russian entities trafficking stolen Ukrainian grain while paradoxically removing sanctions on a Putin ally’s wife. Meanwhile, Georgia passed a Russian-style “foreign agents” law targeting civil society, Trump imposed a 10% tariff on Ukrainian imports, and European nations prepared to meet in Brussels next week to discuss continued support for Ukraine.
Mixed Signals: U.S. Sanctions Russian Firms While Lifting Restrictions on Putin Ally’s Wife
In a puzzling diplomatic maneuver, the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control expanded sanctions on Russian companies while simultaneously removing restrictions on Karina Rotenberg, wife of Russian billionaire Boris Rotenberg, a close associate of President Putin. Karina, reportedly a U.S. citizen since at least 2013, was sanctioned in March 2022. The Treasury Department provided no reason for her removal from the list.
Three Russian entities—Edison (household appliances), Kolibri Group (grain and animal feed), and Sky Frame (film production)—were added to the U.S. blacklist, blocking their assets and banning all transactions. These companies were part of a network, backed by Iran, that shipped raw materials, weapons, and sensitive goods, including grain stolen from Russian-occupied territories in Ukraine, to Yemen’s Houthi rebels.
The contradictory moves come as Trump has taken a more critical tone toward Moscow recently, accusing Putin of stalling ceasefire talks while threatening tariffs on Russian oil exports if he doesn’t “make a deal” to end the war.
Rare Kremlin Visit: Russian Negotiator Meets Trump Envoy in Washington
Russian negotiator Kirill Dmitriev met with Steve Witkoff, Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East, at the White House on April 2, marking the first high-level Russian official visit to the U.S. since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The U.S. temporarily lifted sanctions on Dmitriev, who heads the state-controlled Russian Direct Investment Fund, to grant him a visa.
Dmitriev played a role in backchannel diplomacy between Moscow and the first Trump administration in 2016 and was appointed by Putin as his representative for foreign economic relations. He has been involved in early U.S.-Russian negotiations in Riyadh and recently claimed that Washington and Moscow were discussing potential economic cooperation, particularly in the extraction of Russia’s rare earth minerals.
Neither Dmitriev’s representatives nor the U.S. government commented on the substance of the talks, though Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov had previously confirmed the trip was possible. The visit signals the Trump administration’s continued efforts to restore ties with Moscow amid attempts to broker a swift peace deal in Ukraine.
White House Frustration: Trump Administration Admits Ceasefire Unlikely in Coming Months
Senior Trump administration officials have begun acknowledging that Washington may not be able to broker a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine in the coming months, according to undisclosed U.S. officials. The administration is now developing plans to exert additional pressure on both Kyiv and Moscow as the goal of a full ceasefire by April or May seems increasingly unattainable.
Ukraine agreed to a U.S.-proposed full 30-day ceasefire during talks in Jeddah on March 11, but the Kremlin rejected the proposal unless it included conditions undermining Kyiv’s defense capabilities, namely, a halt on foreign military support. The three sides agreed only to a partial truce covering strikes against energy infrastructure and operations in the Black Sea, yet both sides have since accused each other of violations.
While the Trump administration has expressed frustration with Kyiv’s hesitancy on a U.S.-backed minerals deal, Reuters reported that Washington is now also growing frustrated with Russia. White House and State Department officials acknowledge that Putin is actively stalling attempts to broker a peace deal, coinciding with statements from the Russian Foreign Ministry that Moscow is not ready to accept Trump’s proposals “as they are now.”
Battlefield Developments: Russian Missile Strike Kills Four in Zelensky’s Hometown
Russia launched a ballistic missile attack on Kryvyi Rih in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast on April 2, killing four people and injuring 14, including two children. The strike damaged apartment buildings and caused a fire at the scene, where rescue operations continued throughout the day. An 8-year-old boy suffered severe injuries, highlighting the human cost of the ongoing conflict despite diplomatic efforts.
The aftermath of a Russian attack against Kryvyi Rih in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, Ukraine. (Dnipropetrovsk regional military administration / Telegram)
The attack on President Zelensky’s hometown comes despite U.S.-led negotiations for a ceasefire. Kyiv argues that Moscow’s continued strikes on civilian areas demonstrate it is not serious about peace. While the Kremlin rejected a broader 30-day ceasefire agreement, it did agree to a limited truce on attacks against energy infrastructure, which Ukraine has accused Russia of violating.
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s military intelligence (HUR) released a video of a drone operation in Russian-occupied Crimea, claiming to have struck two Russian military boats and a Tor M2 short-range air defense system. While HUR initially did not specify when the operation took place, a source later clarified that the video was from January 2025, predating the recent partial ceasefire agreement.
The Ukrainian General Staff also reported that Russian forces continue to use ammunition equipped with chemical agents prohibited under the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC). Ukrainian forces recorded 767 cases of Russian forces using regulated K-51 and RG-VO grenade launchers to launch munitions containing chemical agents in March 2025 alone, with a total of 7,730 such incidents since February 2023.
Targeting the Houthis: U.S. Sanctions Network Supplying Stolen Ukrainian Grain and Russian Arms
The U.S. Treasury Department announced sanctions against a network of individuals and entities facilitating Russian arms purchases for the Houthis, a pro-Iranian rebel group in Yemen. The sanctioned network helped the Houthis acquire “tens of millions of dollars’ worth of commodities from Russia, including weapons and sensitive goods, as well as stolen Ukrainian grain,” according to the Treasury.
Russia has looted millions of tons of Ukrainian grain from occupied territories, with at least 180,000 tons stolen through Mariupol alone, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said last October. Estimates suggest that up to 6 million metric tons had been stolen by Russia by mid-2023, severely impacting Ukraine’s agricultural sector.
The sanctions target two Afghan businessmen, a Hong Kong company linked to a Russian vessel transporting stolen Ukrainian grain, and the current and former Russian captains of the ship. Three Russian-registered companies owned by one of the sanctioned Afghan individuals were also included, along with an Iranian businessman residing in Turkey.
“The Houthis remain reliant on Sa’id al-Jamal and his network to procure critical goods to supply the group’s terrorist war machine,” said Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, emphasizing Washington’s commitment to limiting the group’s capabilities.
European Leadership: Upcoming Ramstein Summit to Take Place in Brussels
The next Ukraine Defense Contact Group (UDCG) meeting in the Ramstein format will be held on April 11 in Brussels under the chairmanship of the U.K. and Germany, the U.K. Joint Delegation to NATO announced. This summit will follow a meeting of the “coalition of the willing,” a group of countries that have pledged peacekeeping troops and other security guarantees for Ukraine in a potential ceasefire, scheduled for April 10 at NATO Headquarters.
The previous Ramstein-format meeting took place on February 12, also in Brussels, under British leadership—a position previously held by the U.S. prior to Trump’s inauguration. That meeting focused on coordinating support for Ukraine, including expanding defense production and increasing arms supplies through European defense industry capacities.
The upcoming meetings reflect the growing European leadership in military assistance to Ukraine as the U.S. role under the Trump administration becomes less certain.
Russian Military Reorganization and Battlefield Developments
The Russian military command has reportedly begun reorganizing the motorized rifle brigades of the 51st and 3rd combined arms armies (CAAs) to create three rifle divisions within each army. According to Ukrainian military observer Kostyantyn Mashovets, this restructuring likely aims to improve the armies’ administrative structure, especially over larger numbers of unmechanized riflemen.
The 51st CAA (formerly the 1st Donetsk People’s Republic Army Corps) and 3rd CAA (formerly the 2nd Luhansk People’s Republic Army Corps) each currently include six motorized rifle brigades on paper. The reorganization would create the 1st, 110th, and 132nd motorized rifle divisions within the 51st CAA, with each division consisting of two assault regiments, two “reinforcement” regiments, and an artillery regiment, as well as logistics support units.
Meanwhile on the battlefield, geolocated footage shows Russian forces recently seized southwestern Oleksandropil (southwest of Toretsk), advanced in western Lysivka (southeast of Pokrovsk), northwest of Burlatske (northwest of Velyka Novosilka), and captured Lobkove (northwest of Robotyne). Ukrainian forces advanced southeast of Kotlyne (southwest of Pokrovsk).
Russia registered 216 combat clashes across the front in the past 24 hours, with particularly intense fighting reported in the Kharkiv, Kupyansk, Lyman, Siversk, Chasiv Yar, Toretsk, Pokrovsk, Kurakhove, and Velyka Novosilka directions. Ukrainian sources noted that Russian forces are conducting mass infantry attacks in the Lyman direction almost daily, using penal recruits to expose Ukrainian firing positions before following up with trained infantry.
A woman stands in front of a broken window in a 16-storey apartment block that was hit by a Russian drone in Kharki. (Viacheslav Madiievskyi/Ukrinform/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Georgian Crackdown: Parliament Passes Russian-Style “Foreign Agents” Law
The Georgian Parliament passed the final reading of a new “foreign agents” law on April 1, replacing a controversial version adopted in May 2024. The law broadens the definition of foreign agents to include individuals, with noncompliance punishable by up to five years in prison or a $10,000 fine.
Based on the U.S. Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), the Georgian version includes a set of restrictive changes to the country’s broadcasting law. However, critics note that while FARA was originally enacted to counter Nazi and Soviet ideology and requires foreign lobbyists to disclose their ties and funding sources, the U.S. law is narrowly applied and rarely used to target NGOs or media, unlike the Georgian version.
The bill has drawn sharp criticism from Georgian opposition parties and U.S. and EU officials, who believe it will be used to further suppress civil society and independent media. Several NGOs have begun re-registering in countries like Estonia to avoid falling under the law’s jurisdiction.
The law represents a continued shift by the ruling Georgian Dream party away from European integration, mirroring similar Russian legislation used to crack down on critics and NGOs with foreign ties. The move comes despite mass protests spanning months and violent crackdowns by police.
Trump’s Tariff Strategy: Ukraine Hit with 10% Tax While Russia Escapes the List
U.S. President Donald Trump announced a 10% baseline tariff on all imports into the country on April 2, along with higher rates for dozens of countries that maintain trade surpluses with the United States. Ukraine is included on the list, subject to the baseline 10% tariff, while Russia and Belarus are notably absent.
According to the White House, Russia and Belarus were not included because trade relations with both countries are already governed by sanctions and special restrictions since 2022. The tariffs will take effect on April 5 and will remain in place until “the threat posed by the trade deficit and underlying nonreciprocal treatment is satisfied, resolved, or mitigated.”
Several Democrats criticized the move, arguing the measures will negatively impact working-class Americans through higher prices on consumer goods. European leaders also expressed concern, with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk commenting that “friendship means partnership. Partnership means really and truly reciprocal tariffs.”
Moldova’s Diplomatic Push: Officials in Washington for Talks on Regional Security
Moldova’s top diplomat Mihai Popșoi and Parliament Speaker Igor Grosu arrived at the U.S. State Department on April 2 for talks with senior officials on current challenges facing the region. The closed-door meeting focused on Moldova’s security, its European path, and progress in key areas including energy independence, cybersecurity, and border control.
Sandwiched between Romania and Ukraine, the landlocked eastern European country has lately become a test bed for Russian hybrid warfare tactics, enhancing its resilience and sharing information with partners. Moldova has also positioned itself as a critical hub for thousands of Ukrainian refugees and for reconstruction efforts in Ukraine.
Speaking at the Atlantic Council the previous day, Popșoi commented on the Trump administration’s “peace through strength” agenda, emphasizing the need for a just and lasting peace in Ukraine. “Peace is what all of us need, and strength is what Putin understands,” he said, adding that Moldova’s stability is intertwined with Ukraine’s. “Any support Ukraine gets, it’s also support for the Republic of Moldova, because Ukraine has been defending us as much as they’ve been defending themselves.”
Russian Media Shift: Kremlin Outlets Begin Criticizing Trump Administration
Russian state media have begun to criticize U.S. President Donald Trump more sharply, despite previously portraying him as a more favorable partner than former President Joe Biden. The newspaper Moskovsky Komsomolets accused Trump’s team of chaotic management, stating they are trying to do everything at once without setting clear priorities.
The article speaks of “administrative insanity” as well as the “administrative inexperience and administrative immaturity” of Trump’s top officials. It also mentions the leak from a Signal chat where U.S. military plans in Yemen were discussed, describing it as a display of overconfidence and a premature rush to announce “major breakthroughs” before any real steps are taken.
Other pro-Kremlin outlets echo similar sentiments. Komsomolskaya Pravda describes Trump’s stance as inconsistent, shifting from threats to a desire to make peace with Russia, while Nezavisimaya Gazeta stated that Trump is “losing patience.”
This wave of media criticism may indicate rising tensions between Trump and the Kremlin amid renewed diplomatic efforts to push for a ceasefire in Ukraine, reflecting Moscow’s frustration with Washington’s pressure tactics.
UK Targets Russian Influence: Requiring Registration of Kremlin-Linked Activities
The British government has obliged everyone working for the Russian state in the UK to openly declare their activities starting on July 1, according to a government statement. Russia became the second country after Iran to be included in the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme (FIRS), a tool introduced in 2023 to protect the country against harmful covert activities.
“For too long, the Kremlin has been responsible for unacceptable threats to our national security — from damaging cyberattacks, malign attempts to interfere in our democratic processes, and attempted assassinations in this country,” UK Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said.
The scheme requires registration of any political influence activity in the UK conducted on behalf of a foreign state, allowing MPs to examine whether interlocutors are acting for a foreign government. The move comes as European nations take increasingly assertive stances toward Russian influence operations.
Women Warriors: Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces Create All-Female Drone Unit
The Ukrainian Unmanned Systems Forces have begun recruiting members for a new women’s unit called the Harpies. The unit will include male personnel, but “the role of pilots who deliver the final blows will be performed exclusively by women,” according to the announcement.
The Harpies will be commanded by a veteran soldier named Daria, also known by the codename “DSHK,” who participated in the EuroMaidan Revolution and has fought in special forces since 2022. The branch is offering 75 days of training and a wide selection of vehicles, including FPV copters, heavy bombers, fixed-wing drones, and ground systems.
“The Harpies are a community of women who seek to take revenge on Russia and protect their children, families, and the state using unmanned systems,” the branch said. There are 68,000 women in the Ukrainian Armed Forces, including 48,000 military service members and 5,000 fighters deployed in the combat zone, according to Defense Ministry data.
U.S. Nominee’s Ukraine Support: Lt. Gen. Caine Emphasizes Importance of Military Aid
Retired Lieutenant General Dan Caine, U.S. President Donald Trump’s nominee for the chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, underscored the importance of U.S. military support for Ukraine in a Senate confirmation hearing on April 2. Caine told the Senate Armed Services Committee that Washington “should focus on what unique capabilities only the U.S. can provide,” while European countries should increase their share of support.
“From a military standpoint, Ukraine has the right to self-defense, and from that standpoint our security assistance helps Ukraine to defend itself,” the general said. “Our assistance improves Ukraine’s position at the negotiating table and deters Russia from further aggression.”
Retired Lieutenant General Dan Caine, President Donald Trump’s nominee to be Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, testifies during his Senate Armed Services Committee confirmation hearing, in Washington, DC. ( Win McNamee/Getty Images)
Some of Caine’s comments stand in contrast to Trump’s policies, as the new administration has not approved any new military packages for Ukraine and even briefly paused defense assistance allocated by Biden. Nevertheless, Caine warned that Russian President Vladimir Putin remains committed to his war goals, including securing territorial gains and “forcing Ukrainian neutrality.”
“Moscow likely views the conflict is in its favor and will continue to prosecute the war in 2025 despite high casualties,” Caine said. “The conflict in 2025 likely will continue to be a war of attrition, with both sides suffering heavy losses of personnel and materiel.”
Security Service Operations: Ukraine Detains Propagandist and Thwarts Russian Saboteurs
The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has detained Kyrylo Molchanov, a propagandist working with pro-Russian oligarch Viktor Medvedchuk’s media network and Russian intelligence agencies. This marks the first such operation carried out in cooperation between Ukraine and an EU country, as Molchanov was initially detained in Poland before being transferred to Kyiv.
Before the full-scale invasion, Molchanov was presented as a “political expert” in Medvedchuk’s media group, where he claimed Ukrainians were divided by language, history, and religion. After fleeing to Russia in 2022, he appeared on propaganda programs, becoming what the SBU described as “one of the key ideologists of the Kremlin media projects.”
The SBU also reported that 22% of Ukrainians recruited by Russian intelligence services to conduct sabotage or terrorist attacks are minors. According to their data, Russian services tend to target unemployed people (55% of cases), those with criminal records (7%), or various addictions. “These people are more easily swayed by psychological manipulations because young people are not able to assess the consequences of their actions fully, and addicts need money at any cost,” said SBU spokesperson Artem Dekhtiarenko.
Looking Ahead: European Leadership as U.S. Wavers
As diplomatic initiatives continue despite mounting frustrations, the reality on the ground tells a different story. The contradiction between Moscow’s stated willingness to engage in limited ceasefires and the continued missile strikes against civilian targets like Kryvyi Rih underscores the challenges in reaching any lasting agreement.
With the Trump administration now acknowledging that a broader ceasefire may not be achievable in the coming months, attention turns to the Ramstein meeting in Brussels next week and whether European nations can increase their support for Ukraine as the U.S. position evolves. The growing presence of European voices in security discussions and Moldova’s positioning as a partner in Ukraine’s future suggest a shifting landscape of regional relationships even as the war grinds on.
These developments come as retired Lt. Gen. Dan Caine, Trump’s nominee for Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, emphasizes continued U.S. military support for Ukraine while advocating for greater European burden-sharing. Meanwhile, NATO has reportedly suspended talks about recalibrating its Russia strategy as the U.S. pushes for a peace settlement, indicating the alliance’s approach remains in flux as Trump’s diplomatic efforts continue.
For now, the fraught negotiations continue while civilians continue to pay the price of the ongoing conflict.