As Russia constructs power lines to permanently seize Europe’s largest nuclear plant, Trump weighs sanctions amid Moscow’s delay in delivering promised peace memorandum and escalating battlefield advances
Summary of the Day – May 27, 2025
The specter of permanent Russian control over Ukraine’s nuclear infrastructure cast a shadow over stalled peace negotiations as satellite imagery revealed Moscow’s most audacious move yet: constructing power lines to connect the captured Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant to Russia’s electrical grid. While Vladimir Putin delays delivering a promised peace memorandum to Donald Trump, Russian forces continued their relentless advance across multiple fronts, seizing new territory in Kharkiv, Kupyansk, and Pokrovsk directions. Meanwhile, Trump publicly admitted to protecting Russia from “really bad things” as pressure mounts for concrete action, the EU approved a massive €150 billion defense package, and Moscow’s newest “Banderol” missile emerged as a deadly addition to its aerial arsenal. The day’s developments underscored a fundamental truth: while diplomats debate in distant capitals, Russia continues reshaping Ukraine’s map through force.
Russian airstrikes with FAB-250 bombs struck a residential area in Kramatorsk, Donetsk Oblast, late, damaging homes, vehicles, and a substation. Around 856 customers remain without power as restoration efforts continue. (Jose Colon/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Putin’s Militarized Society: The “Russia-Land of Opportunities” Indoctrination
Vladimir Putin’s May 27 meeting with the supervisory board of the state-formed “Russia-Land of Opportunities” organization revealed the Kremlin’s systematic effort to create a militarized society united against the West. The highly scripted event showcased Putin’s vision of a Russia where military service becomes the pathway to political power and social advancement.
Putin claimed that many foreigners see Russia as a “stronghold” of traditional spiritual and moral values, invoking the “spirit of devotion” that supposedly secured Soviet victory in World War II. His call for “internal mobilization” of each Russian citizen demonstrated the Kremlin’s campaign to prepare society for prolonged conflict with NATO beyond Ukraine.
The organization’s general director, Andrei Betin, highlighted that many Russian servicemembers fighting in Ukraine participate in the nonprofit’s programs. Putin spoke with an active-duty servicemember who proposed creating additional programs ensuring that military personnel “will say that Russia remembers them, Russia has not forgotten them.”
Most tellingly, Putin emphasized how graduates of the organization’s programs have become leaders and politicians at federal, regional, and municipal levels. Many participants in the “Leaders of Russia. Politics” program have won State Duma elections since 2020, with more expected to run in 2026 elections. The meeting revealed Putin’s strategy to create a new cadre of militarized, loyal elites drawn from the veteran community—ensuring those who fought his wars will govern his peace.
Belarus Integration: Military Lessons from Ukraine
Russian and Belarusian forces conducted joint training exercises May 27 focused on integrating lessons learned from the Ukraine war, demonstrating Moscow’s effort to spread its military innovations throughout its sphere of influence. The conference held at Belarus’s 227th Training Ground covered drone operations, counter-drone tactics, tactical shooting, and knife fighting—all skills honed in Ukrainian trenches.
Major General Vladimir Bely, head of Belarus’s Main Directorate for Combat Training, confirmed that Belarusian forces are implementing Russian experiences into their military training programs. The knowledge transfer represents a direct pipeline from Ukrainian battlefields to Belarusian military doctrine.
The timing coincides with growing Western concerns about Belarus’s role as a staging ground for Russian operations. Moscow’s systematic sharing of combat experience with Minsk strengthens Lukashenko’s military capabilities while deepening Belarus’s integration into Russian military structures.
The exercises demonstrate that Russia views its Ukraine experience as exportable knowledge, potentially preparing allied forces for future conflicts. Every tactical innovation, every drone technique, every lesson learned in Ukrainian blood becomes part of a broader military doctrine that threatens regional stability.
The Power Lines of Permanent Occupation: Russia’s Nuclear Infrastructure Seizure
Ninety kilometers of new power lines snaking along the occupied Azov Sea coast tell the story of Russia’s most brazen act of territorial theft yet. Greenpeace satellite imagery published May 27 revealed the first concrete evidence of Moscow’s plan to permanently integrate the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant—Europe’s largest nuclear facility—into Russia’s electrical grid.
The power lines, constructed between occupied Mariupol and Berdyansk since early February, represent far more than infrastructure development. They are the physical manifestation of Putin’s long-term strategy to make Russian occupation irreversible, creating facts on the ground that would survive any peace agreement.
Shaun Burnie, Greenpeace’s nuclear specialist, called the satellite evidence “the first concrete confirmation” of Putin’s plans to restart the plant and permanently integrate it into Russia’s grid. The construction indicates Moscow expects to either push Ukrainian forces far from the plant or occupy additional territory in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast—the region directly across the Dnipro River from the facility.
Russian state nuclear operator Rosatom Head Alexei Likhachev claimed May 21 that his organization had developed plans to bring the ZNPP to “full capacity,” suggesting Russia intends to bring the reactors out of their current cold shutdown state. This represents a dramatic reversal from Likhachev’s May 2024 statement agreeing with International Atomic Energy Agency assessments that restarting the plant was “impossible” without security guarantees.
The timing is no coincidence. Trump’s April peace proposal included provisions for Ukraine to regain control over the ZNPP with U.S. involvement, a suggestion Moscow immediately rejected. Russia’s physical integration of the plant into its power grid creates an irreversible reality that would make any future negotiations over the facility meaningless.
The Phantom Memorandum: Russia’s Diplomatic Shell Game
Eight days after promising Donald Trump a “memorandum of peace” outlining ceasefire conditions, Moscow continues playing diplomatic games with empty hands. The delay represents classic Kremlin tactics: creating the illusion of engagement while using time to improve battlefield positions.
U.S. Special Envoy Keith Kellogg told Fox News that Washington had received Ukraine’s conditions and timelines for peace but remained waiting for Russia’s version. Kremlin Spokesperson Maria Zakharova confirmed May 27 that Russia was “preparing” its memorandum but offered no timeline—a stark contrast to the urgency promised during Trump’s May 19 call with Putin.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov’s May 27 statement that peace success depends on addressing the war’s “root causes” revealed Moscow’s true position. These “root causes”—long-standing Russian demands amounting to full Ukrainian capitulation—demonstrate that Russia views negotiations not as a path to compromise but as a mechanism to secure battlefield gains through diplomacy.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov (R) and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan (L) attend a joint press conference in Moscow. (Arda Kucukkaya /Anadolu via Getty Images)
The absence of concrete deadlines serves Moscow’s strategy perfectly. Every day of negotiation allows Russian forces to advance, capture territory, and strengthen their bargaining position. The phantom memorandum becomes a diplomatic hostage, dangled before Western leaders eager for progress while Russian artillery speaks the only language the Kremlin truly respects.
Trump’s Admission: Protecting Russia from “Really Bad Things”
In a rare moment of transparency, Donald Trump publicly acknowledged May 27 that he has been shielding Russia from severe consequences while pursuing peace negotiations. His Truth Social post revealed the contradiction at the heart of his Ukraine strategy: threatening Putin while simultaneously preventing others from acting against Moscow.
“What Vladimir Putin doesn’t realize is that if it weren’t for me, lots of really bad things would have already happened to Russia, and I mean really bad. He’s playing with fire,” Trump wrote, admitting his role as Putin’s unwitting protector.
The statement came amid mounting pressure from Congress, where more than 80 senators back bipartisan legislation seeking 500% tariffs on nations purchasing Russian energy and sweeping secondary sanctions. Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal’s acknowledgment that senators are “pressing very, very hard” for action reflects growing frustration with Trump’s approach.
Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev interpreted Trump’s warning as a threat of World War III, writing on X: “I only know of one really bad thing—WWIII. I hope Trump understands this!” The exchange highlighted the dangerous dynamic where Putin views American restraint as weakness while threatening escalation against any show of strength.
U.S. Special Envoy Keith Kellogg fired back at Medvedev, calling his remarks “reckless” and “unfitting of a world power,” while demanding delivery of the promised Russian memorandum. The public diplomatic spat revealed the growing frustration within Trump’s own team over Moscow’s delay tactics.
The Banderol Threat: Russia’s New Precision Strike Weapon
Ukrainian air defense officials revealed May 27 the emergence of Russia’s newest aerial weapon: the “Banderol” missile, a hybrid between drone and cruise missile that represents Moscow’s continued innovation in long-range precision strikes.
Armed Forces of Ukraine spokesman Vladyslav Voloshyn described the weapon as carrying a 150-kilogram explosive payload—three times larger than standard Shahed drones—with a range of 310-320 kilometers and speeds of 480-680 kilometers per hour. The missile launches from large drones similar to Ukraine’s Bayraktar aircraft, combining the persistence of unmanned systems with the punch of traditional cruise missiles.
Ukrainian military sources recorded approximately two dozen uses of the weapon, suggesting Russia has moved beyond testing to operational deployment. The Banderol’s significance lies not in revolutionary technology but in its role expanding Russia’s precision strike options, adding another layer to Moscow’s strategy of overwhelming Ukrainian air defenses through sheer variety and volume.
The timing of the weapon’s revelation, amid Russia’s largest drone assault of the war, underscored Moscow’s commitment to technological advancement even as diplomatic negotiations supposedly proceed. While diplomats debate peace terms, Russian engineers continue developing new ways to kill Ukrainians.
Europe’s €150 Billion Defense Gambit: The ReArm Initiative
The European Union’s approval May 27 of the Security Action for Europe (SAFE) financial instrument marked a watershed moment in European defense policy, committing up to €150 billion to boost the continent’s military-industrial capacity. The decision represents Europe’s recognition that American security guarantees may no longer be reliable.
The SAFE package directly benefits Ukraine by allowing Kyiv to join common procurement efforts and purchase military equipment with EU companies. Ukraine gains access to financing for artillery systems, air defense, drones, electronic warfare systems, and advanced C4ISTAR capabilities—precisely the technologies needed to counter Russian advances.
The EU’s five-part ReArm Europe Plan acknowledges a fundamental shift in global security architecture. Trump’s demands for European allies to shoulder more defense responsibility have accelerated Europe’s military awakening, though whether this expansion can match Russia’s war economy remains questionable.
The timing coincides perfectly with Sweden’s announcement of 4.8 billion Swedish kronor ($499 million) in additional military aid for Ukraine, including support for Czech and Estonian ammunition initiatives and Ukrainian-produced materiel. The coordination between EU-wide defense spending and individual nation contributions suggests Europe is finally taking its security seriously.
Battlefield Advances: Russia’s Continued Territorial Gains
While diplomats debate, Russian forces maintained their relentless advance across multiple fronts May 27, demonstrating Moscow’s confidence that military pressure will ultimately determine peace terms. Geolocated footage confirmed Russian advances in Vovchansk northeast of Kharkiv City, north of Kamyanka in the Kupyansk direction, and to western Malynivka east of Pokrovsk.
The most significant development came in Sumy Oblast, where Russian forces have seized control of four border villages: Novenke, Basivka, Veselivka, and Zhuravka. Regional Governor Oleg Hryhorov confirmed that residents had been evacuated in advance, preventing civilian casualties but allowing Russia to establish new positions within Ukrainian territory.
Russian tactical improvements continue evolving. A Ukrainian drone platoon commander in the Novopavlivka direction reported that Russian forces have abandoned large mechanized assaults due to changing weather conditions and increased visibility, instead favoring smaller infantry groups with drone and artillery support.
The geographic spread of Russian advances—from Kharkiv in the north to Zaporizhia in the south—demonstrates Moscow’s ability to maintain pressure across a 1,000-kilometer front. Each village seized, each position advanced, strengthens Russia’s negotiating position while Ukrainian forces struggle to contain multiple breakthrough attempts.
Latvia’s Visa War: Europe’s Security Crackdown
Latvia’s call May 27 for all European Union states to suspend visas for Russian citizens reflected growing European concern over Moscow-backed sabotage operations across the continent. Foreign Minister Baiba Braže noted that Schengen visas issued to Russians rose 25% in 2024, even as evidence mounted of Russian intelligence operations using legal travel for illegal activities.
The Baltic states, Poland, and Czech Republic had already imposed entry restrictions on Russian nationals in September 2022, but other EU countries continue issuing visas that allow free movement across 29 European nations. The disparity creates security vulnerabilities that Russian intelligence services actively exploit.
Polish media reports that Warsaw and Prague are pushing for EU-wide bans on Russian diplomat movement within the Schengen zone acknowledge that Russian consulates often provide counterintelligence cover for saboteurs. The initiative reflects Europe’s growing recognition that diplomatic immunity cannot shield hostile intelligence operations.
The visa debate represents a microcosm of Europe’s broader security awakening. After three years of war, European leaders increasingly understand that traditional diplomatic niceties provide cover for Russian aggression rather than pathways to peace.
Hungary’s Continued Obstruction: EU Accession Under Threat
Hungary’s European Affairs Minister Janos Boka claimed May 27 that conducting “constructive negotiations” with Ukraine on EU accession remained difficult due to alleged Ukrainian “information and intelligence” operations on Hungarian territory. The statement followed Ukraine’s May 9 announcement that it had dismantled a Hungarian military intelligence network in Zakarpattia Oblast.
Budapest’s response—declaring it had exposed two Ukrainian spies in Hungary—reflects the country’s consistent pattern of deflecting criticism while advancing Russian interests within EU structures. The controversy threatens to derail Ukraine’s EU accession process at a critical moment when European integration could provide security guarantees.
The EU General Affairs Council’s May 27 agenda included the possibility of stripping Hungary of voting rights, marking the eighth hearing under Article 7 procedures triggered in 2018. The European Parliament’s move toward suspending Hungary’s Council voting rights reflects growing frustration with Viktor Orban’s obstruction tactics.
Hungary’s position becomes increasingly untenable as other EU members recognize that Budapest’s actions serve Russian rather than European interests. The spy scandal provides additional ammunition for those seeking to override Hungarian vetoes on Ukraine’s accession process.
The Air Defense Crisis: Ukraine’s Thinning Shield
Ukrainian Air Force spokesperson Yurii Ihnat’s revelation May 27 that Russia has modified drone attack tactics to bypass air defenses highlighted Ukraine’s increasingly desperate situation. Russian forces now launch drones at altitudes above 2 kilometers, making them visible to radar but unreachable by small arms and mobile fire teams.
The tactical adaptation, combined with simultaneous group raids and Parodiya decoy drones, creates maximum pressure on Ukraine’s stretched air defense systems. Recent attacks comprised 60% attack drones and 40% decoys, forcing Ukrainian defenders to expend precious interceptors on false targets.
Reports that Ukraine has exhausted ammunition for its SAMP/T air defense batteries and hasn’t received new Crotale missiles for 18 months paint a grim picture of Western support shortfalls. The Trump administration’s failure to approve new military aid packages leaves Ukraine increasingly vulnerable to Russian aerial assault.
Russia’s May 26 drone attack—the largest of the war with 355 Shaheds and decoys—demonstrated Moscow’s commitment to overwhelming Ukrainian defenses through sheer volume. As Western air defense supplies dwindle, Russia’s production advantage becomes increasingly decisive.
Death Certificates and War’s Reality: Russia’s Hidden Casualties
Russia’s Ministry of Labor and Social Protection has ordered more than 307,900 death certificates for families of soldiers killed since the full-scale invasion began, independent outlet Verstka reported May 27. The staggering figure, based on official procurement data, provides rare insight into Moscow’s true casualties despite the Kremlin’s refusal to release official numbers.
The 2025 orders for 40,200 certificates for fallen soldiers’ families, combined with previous years’ procurement, suggests Russian military deaths far exceed Western estimates. Independent media outlet Mediazona has verified 109,625 Russian soldier deaths through open-source research, but investigators acknowledge the real toll is much higher.
Ukraine’s military estimates 982,840 Russian personnel killed or seriously wounded since the invasion began. While impossible to verify independently, the death certificate procurement data supports assessments that Russia is sustaining casualties at unsustainable rates.
The human cost of Putin’s war continues mounting even as diplomats discuss peace. Every day of negotiation delay means more death certificates ordered, more families destroyed, more evidence that Russia’s leadership values territorial expansion over human life.
Economic Pressure Mounting: Sanctions Debate Intensifies
Reports that U.S.-EU cooperation on sanctions enforcement has broken down highlighted the challenges facing Western efforts to pressure Russia economically. EU sanctions chief David O’Sullivan’s acknowledgment that there is “no more outreach” between Washington and Brussels on sanctions evasion threatens the coordinated approach that has defined Western policy since 2022.
Ukrainian sanctions official Vladyslav Vlasiuk disputed media reports of complete breakdown, noting regular meetings with U.S. counterparts continue. However, the “political context” under Trump has clearly reduced cooperation momentum compared to the Biden administration’s approach.
The Financial Times report that Trump blocked G7 efforts to lower the $60 Russian oil price cap to $50 per barrel demonstrated Washington’s reluctance to escalate economic pressure while pursuing negotiations. European allies backed the Canadian proposal, but U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s opposition killed the initiative.
The EU’s preparation of its 18th sanctions package, potentially including disconnection of 20 more Russian banks from SWIFT and lowering the oil price cap to $45, shows Europe’s determination to maintain pressure regardless of American hesitation. The divergence threatens the united Western front that has been sanctions policy’s foundation.
Turkey’s Diplomatic Positioning: The Istanbul Option Returns
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov’s May 27 expression of preference for Istanbul as the venue for future peace talks reflected Turkey’s unique position as a mediator acceptable to both sides. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan’s expected visit to Ukraine following his Moscow meetings positions Ankara as the diplomatic bridge between warring parties.
Turkey’s hosting of the May 16 talks—the first direct negotiations since 2022—produced only a prisoner exchange but established precedent for future engagement. Lavrov’s dismissal of the Vatican as unsuitable for talks between “Orthodox countries” while embracing Istanbul suggests Russia views religious and cultural identity as diplomatic tools.
President Erdogan’s ability to maintain relationships with both Moscow and Kyiv makes Turkey an attractive venue for negotiations that neither side wants to appear to obstruct. However, the question remains whether either party genuinely seeks compromise or merely hopes to use talks for propaganda advantage.
The diplomatic dance around venue selection reflects deeper questions about negotiation sincerity. While Turkey offers neutral ground, neither Russia nor Ukraine appears ready for the concessions that meaningful peace would require.
The Prisoner Exchange Tragedy: 206 Ukrainian Heroes Lost Forever
The Associated Press revealed May 27 that at least 206 of the 5,000 Ukrainian soldiers repatriated from Russian captivity died while imprisoned, providing stark evidence of systematic torture and execution in Russian detention facilities. The figure represents a death rate of over 4%—far exceeding normal wartime prisoner mortality rates and suggesting deliberate brutality.
More than 50 of these deaths occurred during Russia’s missile attack on the notorious Olenivka POW camp in occupied Donetsk Oblast. Ukrainian authorities reported that Russian forces had deliberately separated Azov Regiment members awaiting prisoner exchange to the section of the building that was destroyed, suggesting premeditated murder disguised as a Ukrainian strike.
The Prosecutor General’s Office has opened criminal investigations into the execution of 268 Ukrainian POWs, while the UN confirmed 27 cases of executions resulting in 84 Ukrainian soldier deaths since August 2024. These numbers represent only documented cases—the true scale of Russian war crimes against prisoners likely exceeds official tallies.
The revelation coincides with ongoing prisoner exchanges that have returned 3,956 Ukrainians since the full-scale invasion began, with 1,358 released in 2025 alone. Each exchange highlights the contrast between Ukrainian efforts to save lives and Russian systematic brutality toward captured soldiers.
Beijing’s Denial: China Rejects Arms Supply Accusations
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning rejected May 27 Ukraine’s accusations that Beijing supplies special chemicals, gunpowder, and defense components to Russian military factories. The denial followed remarks by Ukrainian Foreign Intelligence Service chief Oleh Ivashchenko that China provides such materials to 20 Russian defense facilities.
“China has never provided lethal weapons to any party to the conflict, and strictly controls dual-use items,” Mao stated, maintaining Beijing’s position as a neutral peace mediator while simultaneously becoming Moscow’s primary supplier of military-relevant technology. The statement represents classic Chinese diplomatic doublespeak—technically accurate while obscuring deeper military cooperation.
Ivashchenko’s revelation that 80% of critical electronic components in Russian drones are Chinese-made exposes the industrial foundation of Moscow’s war machine. While China avoids direct weapons sales, its massive dual-use technology exports enable Russian defense production at unprecedented scales.
The timing of China’s denial, amid growing Western pressure on Beijing’s Russia support, suggests increasing sensitivity about its role in enabling Putin’s war. However, diplomatic statements cannot obscure the reality that Chinese technology keeps Russian missiles and drones flying toward Ukrainian cities.
Britain’s Asset Mobilization: £3 Billion for Ukrainian Defense
Ukraine and Britain signed an agreement May 27 to deploy £3 billion in profits from frozen Russian assets through the G7’s Extraordinary Revenue Acceleration initiative, marking the first major mobilization of these funds for Ukrainian defense needs. The agreement provides concrete proof that Russian assets can finance Ukraine’s resistance against Russian aggression.
U.K. and Ukrainian officials meet to sign an agreement on the provision of $3 billion to Ukraine’s military and defense industry under the G7’s ERA initiative. Photo published. (Ukraine’s Defense Ministry)
The funds will purchase foreign defense products, repair military equipment, implement joint Ukrainian-international defense projects, and buy Ukrainian-made weapons. Deputy Strategic Industries Minister Davyd Aloian noted that Ukrainian defense enterprises have $35 billion in capacity but lack funding to utilize it fully.
Britain’s commitment represents the first tranche of the G7’s $50 billion ERA mechanism, which uses profits from approximately $300 billion in frozen Russian sovereign assets to support Ukraine. The precedent establishes that Russian money can directly fund Ukrainian defense—a form of poetic justice that turns Moscow’s frozen wealth into Ukrainian weapons.
The agreement demonstrates that Western nations can act decisively when political will exists. The question remains whether other G7 members will follow Britain’s lead in rapidly deploying these funds rather than allowing bureaucratic processes to delay critical military support.
Moscow’s UN Manipulation: Requesting Security Council Meeting
Russia requested a UN Security Council meeting May 27 over Europe’s alleged “threats to international peace and security,” demonstrating Moscow’s continued use of international institutions to project victimhood while conducting aggressive war. The request came just one day after Russia launched its largest drone attack of the war against Ukrainian cities.
Russian UN envoy Dmitry Polyansky claimed European countries were preventing peaceful settlement of the Ukraine war, inverting reality to portray Moscow as a peace-seeking victim of Western aggression. The meeting, expected for May 30, will precede another Security Council session requested by Ukraine’s European allies over humanitarian conditions.
The timing reveals Moscow’s diplomatic strategy: use international forums to legitimize aggression while portraying defensive responses as provocative escalation. Russia’s permanent Security Council seat provides a platform for this propaganda even as Russian forces systematically target Ukrainian civilians.
The absurdity of Russia complaining about threats to peace while launching 355 drones against Ukraine underscores the UN’s structural inability to address aggression by permanent Security Council members. Moscow’s diplomatic manipulation continues while Ukrainian cities burn.
The Sanctions Enforcement Breakdown: Western Unity Fractures
Reports that U.S.-EU cooperation on sanctions enforcement has collapsed highlighted the growing divergence between American and European approaches to pressuring Russia. EU sanctions chief David O’Sullivan’s acknowledgment that there is “no more outreach” between Washington and Brussels on sanctions evasion threatens three years of coordinated Western policy.
The breakdown reflects Trump’s reluctance to escalate economic pressure while pursuing negotiations, contrasting sharply with European determination to maintain maximum pressure regardless of diplomatic developments. The divergence creates opportunities for Russian sanctions evasion that Moscow will certainly exploit.
Ukrainian sanctions official Vladyslav Vlasiuk disputed reports of complete breakdown, noting continued information exchange within the sanctions coalition. However, his acknowledgment that political context has reduced cooperation momentum confirms the fundamental policy shift under the Trump administration.
The timing coincides with Trump’s blocking of G7 efforts to lower the Russian oil price cap from $60 to $50 per barrel, despite European support for tighter restrictions. The divergence threatens the united Western front that has been sanctions policy’s foundation since 2022.
The Language of Resistance: Russian-Speaking Ukrainians Reject Moscow
A Razumkov Center poll published May 27 revealed that 82% of Russian-speaking Ukrainians hold negative views of Russia, demolishing Moscow’s propaganda narrative about protecting Russian-speaking communities. The survey of 2,021 Ukrainian citizens found that only 11% primarily speak Russian at home, with the vast majority rejecting Russian claims of cultural solidarity.
The poll results expose the fundamental lie underlying Putin’s war justification. Russian forces have devastated precisely the Russian-speaking cities they claimed to protect—Mariupol, Kharkiv, Sievierodonetsk—through indiscriminate bombardment and forced deportations rather than liberation.
Only 13% of Russian-speaking respondents maintain favorable opinions of Russia, while 79% view France positively and 75% favor Britain. The data demonstrates that language does not determine political loyalty, contradicting core Russian propaganda narratives.
The survey also found that 81.5% of respondents trust Ukraine’s Armed Forces, reflecting sustained public confidence despite ongoing Russian attacks. The war has catalyzed language shifts, with 70% of Ukrainians now speaking primarily Ukrainian at home, compared to 50% in 2015.
The Week Ahead: Testing Trump’s Patience
As May 27 ended with Russia’s promised memorandum still undelivered and Putin’s forces continuing their advance, the fundamental question remains whether Donald Trump will finally impose the “really bad things” he has been preventing. Congressional pressure, European demands for action, and growing evidence of Russian bad faith create a perfect storm pushing toward escalation.
The Zaporizhzhia power line construction provides concrete evidence of Russian intentions to make occupation permanent, regardless of any future peace agreement. Combined with continued battlefield advances and diplomatic stonewalling, Moscow’s actions suggest confidence that American threats remain empty.
Europe’s €150 billion defense commitment and visa restrictions on Russian citizens demonstrate the continent’s recognition that deterring future Russian aggression requires immediate action. The question is whether America will join this effort or continue protecting Russia from consequences while hoping for negotiated solutions.
The coming days will test whether Trump’s business instincts—protecting future opportunities with Russia—can withstand political pressure and Russian provocation. Putin’s calculation appears clear: American threats without action create space for Russian advances. Only concrete consequences will change Moscow’s behavior, and time is running out for peaceful solutions to succeed.