The Kremlin said on Thursday that Russia was considering a possible downgrade of ties with the West but had not yet made a decision as the United States and its allies become further entangled in the war in Ukraine.. A downgrade – or even a break – in relations would illustrate the seriousness of Russia’s confrontation with the West over Ukraine after war tensions escalated in recent months. Relations remained intact even during the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, when the Cold War was considered the closest thing to nuclear war.
Ukraine‘The military said on Thursday its forces had forced Russian troops to withdraw from an area in the town of Chasiv Yar on the war’s eastern front that was seen as the next target in Moscow’s slow advance. Nazar Voloshin, spokesman for Ukraine’s southern forces, told the Ukrainian news agency that Russian troops had withdrawn from Chasiv Yar’s “canal” along the Siversky Donets-Donbass Canal, which runs along the eastern edge of the town. “district. However, a Russian report said Moscow’s troops destroyed a communications tower near the town and made further gains. Neither report could be independently verified.
Ukraine’s president met with the leaders of the 27-nation European Union in Brussels to sign a security deal, two days before Ukraine began formal EU membership talks – a historic step unthinkable before Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022. Zelensky said the EU-Ukraine security agreement would “reflect the commitment of all 27 member states to provide broad support to Ukraine, regardless of changes in internal systems.”
Zelensky also told EU leaders that Russia’s spring offensive in Kharkiv showed that international pressure on the Kremlin was “not enough”. “Thanks to the bravery of our people and the decisions of you, our partners, we stopped the Russian offensive,” he said. “But this new Russian offensive proves that existing war pressures are not enough for Russia.”
Jordan Bardella, leader of France’s far-right National Rally (RN), said on Thursday that the party would not allow Russia to annex Ukraine if it came to power in legislative elections.. “I will not let Russian imperialism annex an ally like Ukraine,” Bardera said in a televised debate, pledging to “support Ukraine and avoid an escalation of the conflict with Russia.”
Meanwhile, former RN parliamentary leader Marine Le Pen said she expected the party to win an absolute majority in the French election, form a government and take over at least some defense and armed forces decision-making, including on Ukraine. Le Pen has previously maintained friendly relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin and advocated closer ties with Moscow.
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Thursday that the “resilient” military alliance could withstand any political changes in the major powers ahead of crucial elections in the United States and France.. High-stakes ballots on both sides of the Atlantic feature far-right candidates — Donald Trump and Marine Le Pen — who have a history of hostility to military alliances and are known for their friendly ties with arch-rival Russia.
