Putin's Victory Day ceasefire and Zelensky's counter

Day 1,531.

Today, after a weekend in which Zelensky joined more than 30 European leaders – along with the prime minister of Canada – at the European Political Community summit in Armenia, a country Moscow considers a close ally in the South Caucasus, and Ukraine calls Russia’s bluff over “ceasefires”, we report on further shadow fleet sanctions activity – from new regulations to unexplained explosions. And later, we look ahead to May Day celebrations in Russia and ask whether a Ukrainian drone penetrating Moscow’s layers of air defence suggests the parade could go off with a real bang.

Contributors:

Dominic Nicholls (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @DomNicholls on X.

Francis Dearnley (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @FrancisDearnley on X.

Adelie Pojzman-Pontay (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @Adeliepjz on X.

With thanks to Yuliya Sotska of Ukrainian charity ‘Children of Heroes’.

NOW IN FULL VIDEO WITH MAPS & BATTLEFIELD FOOTAGE:

Every episode is now available on our YouTube channel shortly after the release of the audio version. You will find it here: https://www.youtube.com/@UkraineTheLatest  

CONTENT REFERENCED:

Learn more about ‘Children of Heroes’:

https://childrenheroes.org/en/ 

Francis’s Long Interview with Silicon Curtain:

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vopvERNHGtg 

Audio: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0qwPAXSkPTvScvGtdKa2rm

Zelensky challenges Putin to new ceasefire (The Telegraph):

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/05/04/zelensky-challenges-putin-to-new-ceasefire/ 

Starmer to lobby Macron for closer EU ties (The Telegraph):

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/05/03/keir-starmer-join-eu-defence-fund-loan-ukraine/ 

Zelensky has scrapped open-ended military contracts to attract new recruits (The Telegraph):

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/05/01/zelensky-scraps-indefinite-contracts-soldiers-recruits/ 

Europe fears Putin’s ‘window of opportunity’ is now (Politico):

https://www.politico.eu/article/europe-fears-valdimir-putin-window-opportunity-nato-test/

EMAIL US:

Contact the team on ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk . We continue to read every message, and seek to respond to as many on air and in our newsletter as possible.

HIGHLIGHTS:

•  Putin challenged to new ceasefire by Zelensky
•  Fears NATO 'disintegrating' as Trump pulls thousands of troops from Europe

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