Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed readiness to work with Ukrainian counterpart on a peace treaty, which could include a ceasefire and conflict resolution principles. Following a phone call with US President Donald Trump, Putin stated that Russia wants to become trading partners with the US. Trump described their conversation as "excellent" and announced immediate start of cease-fire negotiations between Russia and Ukraine.
https://nypost.com/2025/05/19/us-news/trump-wraps-up-call-with-russias-putin-who-says-moscow-ready-to-work-with-kyiv/US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated that US President Trump will decide whether to impose tougher sanctions on Russia, but warned that if Russia doesn't negotiate in good faith, the US and its European partners will increase sanctions. Meanwhile, Ukraine's air force reported a record 273 drone attacks by Russia on Ukrainian cities, with one woman, Natalia Piven, narrowly escaping an air raid at her home in the Obukhiv region near Kyiv.
https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/1312993-russia-launches-war-s-largest-drone-attack-ahead-of-putin-trump-callVice President JD Vance met privately with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday, ahead of Pope Leo XIV's first papal mass, to discuss a potential stand down in the war between Russia and Ukraine, which began in February 2023. The meeting came after Moscow's large-scale drone attack on Ukraine earlier that day, and amid reports of a possible nuclear attack by Russia. Zelensky described the meeting as "good" and shared photos of smiling Ukrainian and U.S. officials gathered around an outside table.
https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2025/05/18/vatica-zelensjy-vance-meet-amid-papal-mass/4661747596483/The World Health Organization's chief, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, warned that two million people in Gaza are "starving" due to Israel's blockade, which has blocked 160,000 metric tonnes of food at the border. The WHO and UN agencies are ready to deliver aid if allowed to enter. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the blockade is necessary for "diplomatic reasons" to prevent a famine, but Tedros criticized the situation, stating that people are dying from preventable diseases due to delayed medical care and medicine shortages.
https://www.brecorder.com/news/40363533/who-chief-says-2-million-starving-in-gazaUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has reported on meetings with US and European officials, including French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
https://www.fakti.bg/en/world/972186-zelensky-ordered-the-creation-of-a-permanent-negotiating-groupA senior Asian economist, Hoe Ee Khor, believes China's yuan has the potential to rival a weakening US dollar as a global currency if Beijing liberalizes convertibility and access for foreigners. According to Khor, "US exceptionalism is over – the beginning of the end," suggesting that China's efforts to internationalize its currency may mark a shift away from the US dollar's dominance.
https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3310638/chinas-yuan-fit-rival-us-dollar-global-currency-if-more-accessible-economist?module=top_story&pgtype=section#commentsThe European Union is launching the Safe plan, a security initiative aimed at modernizing member states' defenses against Russian aggression. The plan grants loans to Denmark, EU members, and certain non-members like Ukraine to purchase equipment and strengthen their militaries. To incentivize spending, the EU has triggered the national escape clause (NEC), allowing countries to bypass fiscal rules in exceptional circumstances. This move comes as US President Donald Trump's stance on Ukraine has shifted towards aligning with Russia, prompting a coalition of willing nations led by the UK and France to support Ukraine.
https://www.firstpost.com/world/safe-european-union-countries-agree-on-168-bn-mega-defence-fund-as-trump-resets-security-ties-13889686.htmlThe Indian government claims that a recent ceasefire with Pakistan was not the result of US President Donald Trump's mediation, but rather a bilateral agreement between the two countries. The Ministry of External Affairs stated this in a presentation to Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, highlighting that Pakistan allows UN-designated terrorists to roam freely and incite violence against India. In response to the execution-style killing of 26 civilians in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam, India launched Operation Sindoor, eliminating over 100 terrorists, including high-value targets like Yusuf Azhar and Abdul Malik Rauf. The Indian military also targeted Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK) and the Jaish-e-Mohammad stronghold of Bahawalpur.
https://www.firstpost.com/india/pahalgam-probe-revealed-communication-nodes-of-terrorists-handlers-in-pakistan-mea-13889830.htmlIndia's efforts to isolate Pakistan through diplomatic and economic measures have been met with resistance as the global context has evolved. The narrative of "Islamic terrorism" is no longer prominent, and the West no longer readily supports India's allegations against Pakistan. The Pahalgam tragedy in 2025 showed Pakistan's innocence, while India's attacks on civilian sites caused casualties among civilians. India's credibility has been damaged by misinformation, affecting its position under Prime Minister Modi, who faces criticism from independent journalists and commentators. Internationally, Pakistan is regaining strength with support from China, Turkey, and other nations, while India receives backing from Israel and the Afghan Taliban. The US President Donald Trump's approach to South Asia has placed both countries on an equal footing, shifting geopolitical dynamics in favor of Pakistan.
https://www.brecorder.com/news/40363397/india-must-be-kept-in-check