The UK and EU have announced extra sanctions on Russia, targeting sectors from the military to Moscow’s „shadow fleet“ of oil tankers. Meanwhile, Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accused Vladimir Putin of „playing for time“ after calls with Donald Trump ended with no breakthrough.
Tuesday 20 May 2025 15:43, UK
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That’s all for our live coverage today, but we’ll be back with further updates and analysis soon.
If you’re just checking in, here is a recap of the key developments today.
Scroll down through this live page to catch up on developments in more detail or read the full story here:
By Ivor Bennett, Moscow correspondent
The mood in Russia is upbeat, bordering on the triumphant, following yesterday’s phone call between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump.
„The tone of the conversation was excellent“, crows the headline in Argumenty i Fakty, quoting the American president’s assessment of the conversation.
Trump has „accepted the Russian formula“ of „negotiations first, ceasefire after“, the paper brags.
Another, Komsomolskaya Pravda, runs with Putin’s description of the call as their main headline: „We are on the right track“.
According to the pro-Kremlin paper, Trump’s approach shows the United States „is not going to indulge Zelenskyy and Europe“.
Much of the coverage portrays the call as a battle for Trump’s affections, with Russia emerging victorious despite the influence of „Western hawks“.
„[Trump] did not heed their requests,“ says Argumenty i Fakty, referring to Europe’s calls for tougher sanctions.
In Kommersant, there’s talk of the two leaders sharing a „common language“.
The paper talks about how Trump has adopted „the most favourable position“ for Moscow, which it claims „came as a complete surprise to the Western allies of the United States, nullifying their expectations“.
„In Kyiv and the camp of its Western allies, disappointment reigns over the ‚betrayal‘ of the United States,“ it gloats.
There’s no talk of the Kremlin stalling negotiations or dragging its feet.
On the contrary, Putin’s pledge to work with Ukraine on a memorandum for a future peace treaty is characterised as a logical next step.
„The purpose of the conversation was to advance the peace process in Ukraine,“ the daily Vedomosti states soberly.
There’s not a hint of irony, nor criticism. Only glee.
The Ukrainian foreign minister has called for the Group of Seven advanced economies to reduce its price cap on Russian seaborne oil to $30 per barrel.
The current G7 price cap is $60 per barrel.
„The oil price cap, from our point of view, our position, the reasonable price cap is $30,“ Andriy Sybiha said in Brussels.
The oil price cap limits how much Russia can charge for its oil if transported using G7 services.
The cap was introduced in December 2022 and bans companies based in G7 nations from trading Russian oil if it sold at more than $60 a barrel.
But the UK government says it’s now reviewing that cap and may lower it even further, so it is closer to the cost of production, reducing Russian oil revenues.
Ursula von der Leyen has said an 18th package of sanctions against Russia is already being worked on.
While a 17th package of sanctions has just been imposed by the EU, Von der Leyen said further hard-hitting measures were being prepared.
„It’s time to intensify the pressure on Russia to bring about the ceasefire,“ she said on X, after a phone call with Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
A few lines to bring you now from Germany’s foreign minister.
Johann Wadephul has said there is a „great readiness“ in the US to consider additional sanctions on Russia.
As long as Vladimir Putin is not serious about negotiations, he added, Europeans will be ready to increase measures already rolled out on Moscow.
Moreover, he said they expect the US not to tolerate the fact Russia did not impose an immediate ceasefire.
„We have repeatedly made it clear that we expect one thing from Russia – an immediate ceasefire without preconditions,“ he said on the sidelines of a meeting with EU counterparts in Brussels.
„It is sobering to see that Russia has not taken this step, and we will have to react. We also expect our US allies not to tolerate this.“
Fresh off it 17th package of sanctions – see our post at 11.54 – Lithuania wants the EU to prepare another wave of measures.
The Eastern European country’s foreign minister Kestusis Budrys called for the 18th round, just before a meeting with EU colleagues.
That comes as Russia’s foreign ministry spokeswoman said Russia would never bow to ultimatums from anyone, when asked about the bloc’s latest sanctions.
Maria Zakharova added it is clear Europe wants to re-arm Ukraine to continue the war.
Worth noting here that Russia started the war when it invaded Ukraine in February 2022, despite repeatedly dismissing concerns it would do just that.
A small update to bring you now from Moscow.
Russian’s foreign ministry spokeswoman has said it’s up to Ukraine whether talks continue.
Maria Zakharova said Kyiv must decide if it will cooperate on forming a memorandum ahead of a future peace deal.
In her weekly briefing, she also said Ukraine’s allies in Europe had tried – and failed – to prevent direct dialogue with Russia.
After Vladimir Putin’s two-hour call with Donald Trump yesterday, the Russian president said Moscow is ready to work with Kyiv on a memorandum on a future peace treaty.
All that really means, our Moscow correspondent Ivor Bennett explained, is that talks will continue.
Two strategic bombers carried out a scheduled flight near Norway, according to the defence ministry.
Cited by Tass state news agency, the ministry said the TU-95M craft flew over international waters in the Barents Sea.
The planes were escorted by others belonging to an unnamed foreign country for part of the flight, which lasted more than four hours, the report added.
While Donald Trump has so far resisted calls to push sanctions on Moscow, Europe has been busy working up new measures.
Trump said last night sanctions could „make it much worse“, as he thinks „there’s a chance of getting something done“.
But, just as the UK unveils new sanctions (see the below post), the EU has adopted a package of their own, zeroing in on Moscow’s „shadow fleet“ of oil tankers, human rights violations and hybrid threats.
The bloc’s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said: „The EU has approved its 17th sanctions package against Russia, targeting nearly 200 shadow fleet ships.“
She added: „More sanctions on Russia are in the works. The longer Russia wages war, the tougher our response.“
The EU and its Western allies have been progressively cracking down on Russia’s shadow fleet of tankers that try to circumvent the Group of Seven nations‘ price cap on Russian crude, in place since late 2022.
As we explain in the post below, this cap was designed to allow Russian oil to be sold to third countries using Western insurance services – provided the price was no more than $60 a barrel.
The UK has slapped Russia with 100 new sanctions, targeting the country’s military, energy and financial sectors.
Foreign secretary David Lammy labelled Vladimir Putin a „warmonger“ as he pointed to Russia’s strikes across Ukraine over recent days.
„We urge him to agree a full, unconditional ceasefire right away so there can be talks on a just and lasting peace,“ he said, as he unveiled the sanctions.
What are the latest sanctions?
Among the sanctions are measures targeting the supply of weapons systems, such as Iskander missiles, which have been used indiscriminately in Ukraine.
Russian misinformation is also in the UK government’s cross-hairs.
14 more members of the Social Design Agency (SDA), a Kremlin-funded information operation, have been sanctioned – with the leaders of the group already singled out last year.
46 financial institutions helping Russian attempts to evade sanctions have also now been sanctioned, as has the St Petersburg Currency Exchange and the Russian Deposit Insurance Agency.
What about Russian oil?
18 more ships in the ‚shadow fleet‘ transporting Russian oil are on the list.
Earlier this month, Sir Keir Starmer announced an additional 110 shadow fleet-related sanctions.
The government also said it is working to tighten the Oil Price Cap, which limits how much Russia can charge for its oil if transported using G7 services.
The cap was introduced in December 2022 and bans companies based in G7 nations from trading Russian oil if it sold at more than $60 a barrel.
But the government says it’s now reviewing that cap and may lower it even further, so it is closer to the cost of production, reducing Russian oil revenues.
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