International Press Review dated 7 - 18 April 2025
- Anton Kuchuhidze
- Apr 17
- 6 min read
In recent weeks, media attention has been focused on several key issues, including the possibility of the russian federation withdrawing from the ceasefire agreement, as well as aspects of military and financial support for Ukraine from international partners. In addition, the issue of holding early elections in Ukraine in the context of the war and other important issues related to the current political situation were actively discussed.
An article by The Economist notes that the idea of holding early elections in Ukraine during the war, which is currently being promoted not only by moscow but also by some circles in Washington, is unrealistic, dangerous and most likely manipulative. Due to martial law, shelling, the occupation of some territories and the large number of refugees, it is physically impossible to hold fair, safe and legitimate elections. Russia's demands for elections under the guise of "democracy" are in fact an attempt to destabilise Ukraine from within and use the electoral process to undermine the state.
Even if elections are held, the likely change of government will not change Ukraine's pro-European course and its resistance to russia. The overwhelming majority of the political spectrum, including the opposition, has a tough stance against moscow. There are no strong pro-russian candidates, and the most likely political leaders of the future may be war veterans who will be even more determined to defend national interests.
In another article from The Economist, the authors argue that despite the difficult situation at the front and the reduction of US aid, confidence is growing in Ukraine. The key reason is the restoration and active development of the Ukrainian defence industry. Domestic production of weapons, especially drones and missiles, has grown rapidly, from $1 billion in 2022 to an expected $15 billion in 2025.
These drones have changed the course of hostilities - they are cheaper, more efficient and not limited by foreign conditions regarding targets. As a result, Ukrainian troops are inflicting serious losses on russia, despite the enemy's numerical superiority.
However, for even better results, Europe needs to increase its support. The author calls on European countries to invest not only in arms supplies, but also in the development of the Ukrainian defence industry: to buy weapons directly from Ukrainian producers, to conclude joint agreements and to support the scaling up of production.
The UK is currently considering sending its troops to Ukraine for five years as part of a potential peacekeeping mission being discussed by European allies, which should ensure compliance with the terms of the peace agreement and provide the Ukrainian military with much-needed respite. This was reported by Reuters.
Currently, the “ceasefire” is constantly being violated, and the situation remains extremely tense. In the absence of a clear strategy in Washington, it is crucial that the United States leverages all available means of influence on russia to help bring an end to the war. At the same time, it is essential to strengthen Ukraine's defense capabilities and actively invest in the development of its military-industrial complex, which will be a key factor in ensuring national security amid ongoing aggression.
YOU MAY well think that these are particularly difficult times in Ukraine. Last year’s American aid package is nearly used up, and no one expects another. Russia is launching another spring offensive and pummelling Ukraine’s cities from the sky. Donald Trump’s efforts to secure a peace deal have not yielded even a proposed 30-day ceasefire.
In fact, the mood in Kyiv is arguably more confident than it was when last year’s spring offensive loomed. One big reason is that Ukraine is much less reliant on foreign kit. The country’s defence industry, largely abandoned after the collapse of the Soviet Union, is once again firing on all cylinders. This year production is expected to amount to around $15bn-worth of armaments, up from just $1bn in 2022, the year Russia’s full-scale invasion began. Hundreds of tech startups have joined older state-run firms in manufacturing artillery, ammunition, armoured vehicles and—above all—drones and missiles.
Americans are sympathetic to Ukraine, and should be. But Joe Biden also told us U.S. interests stop well short of the U.S. becoming directly involved in a shooting war. The clear if unspoken implication: The U.S. is ready to let Ukraine lose. But is it?
Americans need to face an awkward question. What does Ukraine’s leadership believe on this subject now that negotiations are on the table? The first Trump impeachment of 2019, recall, began with allegations by Democrats of bribery and extortion related to Trump demands of Ukraine in return for U.S. arms. It ended on a very different note, with State Department worker bees rolled out to imply the real impeachable offense was Donald Trump’s presidential indifference to Ukraine’s security, never mind that Ukraine wasn’t a treaty ally of the U.S.
The Trump administration pushed to advance Ukraine peace talks that have stalled in recent weeks, with special envoy Steve Witkoff meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Witkoff, who has previously traveled to Russia twice this year to meet Putin, met with the Kremlin leader for over four hours in St. Petersburg on Friday. Afterward, the Kremlin said that the two discussed the topic of settlement of the Ukraine conflict while Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev called the talks productive.
President Trump has in recent weeks shown frustration with Moscow for delaying peace talks. Ukraine has signaled its willingness to agree to a 30-day cease-fire if Russia reciprocates, as discussed in recent talks with U.S. officials. Russia, though, has rebuffed the cease-fire call and slow-walked talks, playing for time to capitalize on its battlefield advances and secure maximum concessions in negotiations.
Russia was poised Wednesday to announce whether it would resume full-scale attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure following a 30-day pause that Moscow insists ends imminently, days after President Donald Trump’s envoy claimed there would soon be a deal to end the war.
Several top Moscow officials this week have downplayed hopes of an agreement anytime soon and reasserted Russia’s hard-line maximalist demands to end the war. The Russian stance has fueled doubts about the U.S. negotiating strategy and highlighting Trump’s reluctance to exert serious pressure on Russia or condemn its recent attacks that killed dozens of Ukrainian civilians.
It is unrealistic to expect meaningful presidential and parliamentary elections to be held in Ukraine during wartime or even shortly after any cease-fire. Not only does Ukrainian law, just like that of many other countries, ban elections during periods of martial law. But the ongoing Russian invasion makes a nationwide election impossible to conduct—in terms of security, logistics, and voting access, including by millions of citizens living under Russian occupation or as refugees abroad.
Even after the fighting has ended, elections will require a longer period of preparation. The war has had such a devastating impact on Ukrainian society and infrastructure that there is now a consensus in the country that a new law for postwar elections must be passed and implemented to take account of the new circumstances. Preparing elections after the war would take between half a year and a full year. None of this is unusual in a post-conflict scenario.
Ukraine will receive fresh military support worth 450 million pounds ($580 million), Britain said on Friday, as European allies attempt to strengthen the country's position ahead of any peace deal with Russia.
Britain will provide 350 million pounds of the amount from its 4.5-billion-pound military support package for Ukraine this year, with Norway contributing further funding, Britain's ministry of defence said.
Britain is considering deploying troops to Ukraine for five years under plans being discussed by allies, The Telegraph reported on Friday, citing unnamed sources.
Under the plan, one of a number of options on the table, a European-led force would be dispatched to Ukraine to initially deter Russia from breaching any settlement and to offer Kyiv’s men some much-needed respite, the report added.
Germany and Britain sent a message to Russia on Friday that Ukraine will be able to keep up its fight thanks to Western support, even as the U.S. pushed ahead with talks with Moscow.
The European powers for the first time co-led a meeting of the so-called Ramstein group of some 50 countries that give military support to Ukraine after Washington gave up the chair, and said they could not.
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