Day 1,181.

Today, just minutes after Presidents Putin and Trump spoke over the phone following the failed peace talks in Turkey last week, we react to the strategy being adopted by both sides: is Putin playing Trump like a fiddle? Then, later, we hear about the worst aerial bombardment Ukraine has experienced of the entire war, which took place not three years ago, but on Sunday.

Contributors:

Francis Dearnley (Executive Editor for Audio). @FrancisDearnley on X.

Dom Nicholls (Associate Editor for Defence). @DomNicholls on X.

With thanks to Gabriellus Landberghis (Lithuania's former Minister of Foreign Affairs). @GLandsbergis on X.

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Content Referenced:

Putin: Russia is strong enough to end what we started in Ukraine (The Telegraph):

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/05/18/putin-russia-strong-enough-to-end-what-we-started-ukraine/

Pope Leo meets JD Vance after calling for peace in Ukraine (The Telegraph):

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/05/18/pope/

Germany drops opposition to nuclear power in rapprochement with France (Financial Times):

https://www.ft.com/content/e99efa2b-338a-4065-89c6-0683d5759ed7

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Putin tells Trump: ‘We’re on right track to ending war’

Ukraine: The Latest

Putin tells Trump: ‘We’re on right track to ending war’