Ukraine updates: Trump warns Putin he's 'playing with fire'

The Vatican has again indicated its willingness to host peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine.

Vatican Secretary of State Pietro Parolin reiterated the offer made by Pope Leo XIV but said it didn't really matter where negotiations were held, but what was important was that they started taking place.

"Pope Leo has offered the Holy See’s full availability to host any negotiations, providing a neutral, protected venue," Vatican News quoted Parolin as saying.

He pointed out that any mediation would have to be requested by the parties and that "there has only been a public offer of hospitality for a possible meeting."

"In any event, it is not important where the negotiations between Russians and Ukrainians — negotiations we all hope for — will take place. What truly matters is that these negotiations finally begin, because it is urgent to stop the war," Parolin said.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has said that if Russia was not prepared to accept the Vatican's offer, it demonstrated Moscow has no interest in agreeing to a ceasefire or peace deal.

Germany's new foreign minister, Johann Wadephul, is traveling to Washington on Wednesday for talks with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio that are set to include Ukraine.

Embarking on his first visit to the United States since taking office, Wadephul said the longstanding German-US partnership had been vital to German postwar freedom and prosperity.

Wadephul said his top priority was ending the war in Ukraine through an immediate ceasefire and lasting peace.

"In order for Putin to finally come to the negotiating table, for Russia to finally enter into serious negotiations, we must maintain the pressure," he said, citing European efforts to expand sanctions.

Calling Russia "the greatest threat to Euro-Atlantic security for the foreseeable future," Wadephul emphasized that Europe is assuming greater responsibility for its own defense.

He reiterated Germany’s support for a proposal by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg to boost combined defense and security-related spending to 5% of GDP — split between 3.5% for defense and 1.5% for infrastructure and related areas.

US President Donald Trump has ramped up the rhetoric directed at Russian President Vladimir Putin in his latest comments on his Truth Social platform come as peace efforts show no sign of progress.

"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 said without being specific about what "bad things" he prevented.

Trump has at times expressed growing frustration with Putin as deadly strikes on Ukraine continue with the latest being the largest drone and missile attacks since Russia's full-scale invasion began in February 2022.

The US administration has also said "all options are on the table" following Russia's latest airstrikes on Ukraine (see entry below)

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said the decision to allow Ukraine to use long-range weapons in strikes on targets inside Russia was made a long time ago, and, he claims, had been kept secret.

Lavrov made the comments while discussing German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's remarks in which he said range limits would be lifted on weapons supplied to Kyiv amid Russia's ongoing invasion.

Russian state media agency TASS quoted Lavrov as saying that Merz's comments were indicative of the "level of competence" among European leaders.

"[Merz] said yesterday with such pretentiousness that from now on and forever there are no restrictions on the range of strikes," Lavrov told reporters in Moscow with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, meanwhile, warned that European nations were not contributing toward peace efforts.

"We see that the Europeans are not promoting peace. They promote further pressure on Russia," TASS quoted Peskov as saying.

"By doing what they do, Europeans in no way contribute to peace settlement efforts," Peskov added.

Ukraine has lobbied for Western allies to allow strikes deeper into Russia and provide the weapons to do so.

Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda called on Tuesday for more and stronger EU sanctions against Moscow in light of Russia's ongoing war against Ukraine.

The EU imposed a 17th round of sanctions on Russia last week, including measures further tightening restrictions on Russia's so-called "shadow fleet" used to transport oil and oil products.

"Putin is turning the whole world against him and really deserves much tougher sanctions than those currently in place," Nauseda said on Lithuanian television.

"I really hope that our colleagues in the European Union understand that the 17th package of sanctions was just a warm-up. We need to prepare an 18th package of sanctions that really resembles a Molotov cocktail." 

More sanctions are already being planned, and Lithuania is one of Kyiv's most vocal supporters on the international stage.

Russia has launched a number of large airstrikes against Ukraine in recent days. The attacks have been widely condemned, including by US President Donald Trump, who has also threatened Russia with new sanctions.

Nauseda said he agreed with Trump's assessment that Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin has gone "absolutely crazy."

"Those are strong words and a completely appropriate statement, because this has been clear to us for a long time," Nauseda said.

Russia is still working on a draft memorandum setting out its conditions for a possible peace deal to end the war in Ukraine, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday.

Maria Zakharova, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, said work was continuing on the Russian draft and that once the document was ready it would be handed over to Ukraine.

"Russia continues to develop a draft memorandum on a future peace treaty, defining a number of positions, such as the principles of settlement, the timing of a possible peace agreement, and a potential ceasefire for a certain amount of time if appropriate agreements are reached," she said.

After a call with US President Donald Trump earlier this month, Russian leader Vladimir Putin said that Moscow was ready to work with Ukraine on such a memorandum.

Russia launched 60 drones at Ukraine in an overnight attack, a decrease from the hundreds it launched during the weekend, Ukraine's air force said on Tuesday.

The air force said 43 drones had been neutralized, with 35 shot down and eight redirected by electronic warfare.

Russia had launched more than 900 drones against Ukraine over three nights, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Monday.

Russia said the drone strikes over the weekend on Ukraine were in "response" to a barrage of Ukrainian drone strikes before the weekend.

Russia said its air defenses destroyed 2,331 Ukrainian drones between May 20 and 27, adding: "Civilians, including women and children, were injured." 

Russian forces have seized four border villages in Ukraine's northeastern Sumy region, a local official said on Tuesday, just days after Russian President Vladimir Putin stated he had ordered the establishment of a buffer zone along the border.

Ukraine did not yet confirm or comment on Russia's claim it seized the villages. 

The supposed Russian advancement follows as Russian leader Vladimir Putin faces immense pressure to accept a ceasefire deal, including from US President Donald Trump.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected to visit Berlin on Wednesday as ceasefire efforts stall, according to Reuters news agency.

 

US President Donald Trump is said to be tiring of the slow pace of peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, according to a report by the Wall Street Journal.

The report said the Trump administration was eyeing wider sanctions against Russia this week, but noted that Trump might "also decide not to impose new sanctions."

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement to the paper that Trump wanted "to see a negotiated peace deal" and has "also smartly kept all options on the table."

Trump issued some of his sharpest criticism of Russian leader Vladimir Putin on Sunday after Russia launched the largest air bombardment of the more than three-year war on its smaller neighbor.

Trump said Putin was "absolutely crazy" for having accelerated its air campaign in Ukraine and the Kremlin said Trump was being "emotional." 

Trump told reporters Sunday he was also "absolutely" considering sanctions and repeatedly asked "what's wrong" with Putin as he spoke about the attacks.

The European Union's top diplomat Kaja Kallas said the bloc intended to impose more pressure on Moscow so it enters peace negotiations, calling Russia's latest air campaign "totally appalling."

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