\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tL to R: French President Emmanuel Macron, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Donald Trump, and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky at the funeral of Pope Francis, The Vatican, April 26, 2025 (ANSA)<\/p>\n
Saturday\u2019s Coverage: Amid Russia\u2019s \u201cMassive\u201d Strikes on Civilians, Will US Toughen Sanctions?<\/a><\/p>\n As Russia continued its assault on Ukrainian civilians with 537 drones and 37 missiles on Saturday, unnamed \u201csenior White House officials\u201d told Axios<\/a> that the Administration is impatient with the leaders pushing Kyiv to hold out for a \u201cbetter deal\u201d.<\/p>\n One of them snapped:<\/p>\n The Europeans don\u2019t get to prolong this war and backdoor unreasonable expectations, while also expecting America to bear the cost.<\/p>\n If Europe wants to escalate this war, that will be up to them. But they will be hopelessly snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Another official said Donald Trump is considering a step back from diplomatic efforts until one or both sides demonstrates greater flexibility.<\/p>\n They proclaimed, \u201cWe are going to sit back and watch. Let them fight it out for a while and see what happens.\u201d<\/p>\n The Kremlin is maintaining its ultimata for Ukraine\u2019s capitulation. It is not only demanding that its seizure of parts of four Ukrainian regions \u2014 Donetsk and Luhansk in the east and Zaporizhzhia and Kherson in the south \u2014 as well as Crimea be recognized; it is also insisting on Ukraine hands over the rest of Donetsk, a fortified, industrial belt of towns and cities in the north of the region.<\/p>\n Russia wants a weak, demilitarized Ukraine with no security guarantees from western partners. It is seeking the removal of all sanctions on Moscow. The Kremlin is refusing to acknowledge the legitimacy of the Zelensky Government, with Putin stalling over any meeting with the Ukrainian President.<\/p>\n\n