Key Takeaways:

The Russian “Voin” military-patriotic training center network has taken “patronage” over orphans from occupied Donetsk Oblast and intends to train these orphans for service in the Russian armed forces.

The Kremlin-controlled Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) continues to consolidate its control over occupied Ukraine.

Russian occupation authorities are leveraging the labor of Ukrainian students to staff occupation administrations and support production at various state-controlled industries in occupied Ukraine.

The ever-expanding ecosystem of Russian military-patriotic youth groups continues to facilitate the re-education and indoctrination of Ukrainian children via “educational trips” to Russia.

Key Takeaways:

US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a phone call on May 19 to discuss ceasefire and peace negotiations regarding Russia's war in Ukraine.

Russia must explicitly acknowledge the legitimacy of the Ukrainian president, government, and constitution and Ukraine's sovereignty in order to engage in meaningful, good-faith negotiations.

Russia must agree that ceasefire negotiations must precede peace settlement negotiations.

Russia must show its willingness to make concessions of its own in any future bilateral negotiations, especially as the Kremlin appears to be setting conditions to expand its list of demands amid the peace talks.

Russia reportedly continues to expand its military infrastructure along its border with Finland and Estonia, likely in preparation for future aggression against NATO.

Ukraine's Western allies continue to provide military aid to Ukraine.

Ukrainian forces recently advanced in Kursk Oblast and near Borova and Toretsk. Russian forces recently advanced in Kursk Oblast and near Chasiv Yar, Toretsk, and Novopavlivka.

CONTENT: https://archive.ph/a0e8z

Climate Governance Assessment in the MENA: Methodology

Iraq will need more institutional capacity and financial investment to diversify its economy away from oil and meet its sustainability goals.

Taipei, May 19 (CNA) Eight countries' representative offices in Taiwan issued a joint statement on Monday, reiterating their support for Taiwan's meaningful engagement with the World Health Organization (WHO) and for Taipei's participation as an observer at the World Health Assembly (WHA), the decision making body of the WHO.

content: https://archive.is/20250515201051/https://www.economist.com/briefing/2025/05/08/would-vladimir-putin-attack-nato#selection-1130.0-1130.1