Key developments on May 3-4: * Zelensky rejects Putin’s truce proposal as 'theatrical,' backs 30-day ceasefire plan from US * US sanctions depend on whether Russia is 'behaving' on peace deal, Trump says * US to send refurbished Patriot air defense system from Israel to Ukraine, NYT reports * Ukrainian sea drones down 2 Russian Su-30 jets near Novorossiysk, military intelligence chief says * Russian drone attack on Kyiv injures 11 people, including 2 children, damages shopping mall * Czec| The Kyiv Independent
The Russian exclave of Kaliningrad is once again in the news, after a senior U.S. military commander on July 17 issued a stark warning to the Kremlin that NATO forces could take control of it "in a timeframe that is unheard of." The remarks from U.S. Army Europe and Africa commander General Chris Donahue are some of the strongest yet from a Western military official — a direct threat to the Kremlin about the consequences of further Russian aggression beyond Ukraine. They come amid ever-he...| The Kyiv Independent
The Russian Federation is the largest country in the world, with a total territory of approximately 17.1 million square kilometers (6.6 million square miles). Spanning eleven time zones across Eastern Europe and Asia, an estimated 146 million people are thought to live in Russia in 2025. Russia’s capital city is Moscow, which is home to almost one in 10 Russians. Russia’s official currency is the Russian Ruble.| The Kyiv Independent
Germany's conservative opposition leader Friedrich Merz said on Dec. 4 that any speculations about deploying German troops to ensure a ceasefire are irresponsible at this time.| The Kyiv Independent