Iran-US war latest: Trump ‘not satisfied’ with Tehran offer as he rules out ‘early’ end to war – UK Times

Donald Trump’s acting ambassador to Ukraine will step down from her post and retire after less than a year in the role.

The State Department confirmed on Tuesday that Davis would leave in June before retiring from the department, following reports she was quitting over differences of opinion with Trump.

People familiar with her decision told the Financial Times that Davis, who has served as temporary chargé d’affaires at the embassy since May, had grown frustrated by Washington’s dwindling support for Ukraine as peace talks with Russia have stalled.

Several strikes were reported from Ukraine after Russian forces launched overnight drone attacks targeting energy infrastructure, regional officials said.

The strikes targeted Mykolaiv, Kryvyi Rih, and Odesa Oblasts, officials said.

Russia targeted port infrastructure in Izmail, a city in southern Odesa Oblast.

In Mykolaiv, Russian forces hit the energy infrastructure with Shahed-type attack drones, said Vitaliy Kim, head of the regional military administration.

In Kryvyi Rih, Russian drones targeted an infrastructure facility overnight, Oleksandr Vilkul, head of the Kryvyi Rih Defence Council, said. Explosions were heard across the city, according to local residents.

No casualties were immediately reported in the attacks, according to the preliminary assessment.

Ukrainian forces struck an oil terminal in the Russian Black Sea city of Tuapse, Ukraine’s General Staff said on Friday, marking the fourth attack targeting the region’s oil infrastructure in just over two weeks.

Explosions and a fire were recorded at the terminal, the statement from the General Staff said. Local officials in Russia said a Ukrainian drone attack sparked the blaze and that no casualties were reported.

The facility had been hit previously on 16 April, 20 April and 28 April.

Regional governor Veniamin Kondratyev said a fire at the city’s oil refinery had also been extinguished Thursday, less than 24 hours before the latest strike.

The United States is withdrawing 5,000 troops from Nato ally Germany, the Pentagon announced on Friday, as a rift over the Iran war widens between President ⁠Donald Trump and Europe.

Trump had threatened a drawdown in forces earlier this week after sparring with German chancellor Friedrich Merz, who said on Monday the Iranians were humiliating the US in talks to end the two-month-old war.

A senior Pentagon ⁠official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said ​recent ⁠German rhetoric had been “inappropriate and unhelpful.”

Ukrainian forces struck an oil terminal in the Russian Black Sea city of Tuapse, Ukraine’s General Staff said on Friday, marking the fourth attack targeting the region’s oil infrastructure in just over two weeks.

Explosions and a fire were recorded at the terminal, the statement from the General Staff said.

Local officials in Russia said a Ukrainian drone attack sparked the blaze and that no casualties were reported.

The facility had been hit previously on April 16, April 20 and April 28. Regional governor Veniamin Kondratyev said a fire at the city’s oil refinery had also been extinguished Thursday, less than 24 hours before the latest strike.

Ukraine attacked a major oil refinery in the Black Sea port city of Tuapse for the fourth time in two weeks as it continued to intensify a campaign against Russian energy infrastructure.

The overnight strike caused a fire but there were no injuries. The area has been under a state of emergency since earlier strikes disrupted production and polluted coastal areas.

Meanwhile, Russian drones struck the Ukrainian port city of Odesa overnight, injuring at least 20 people and damaging residential buildings and civilian infrastructure, including a kindergarten.

Russia said it would implement a temporary ceasefire around Victory Day on 9 May regardless of Ukraine’s response. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said the truce “will be implemented” and that “a response is not, in fact, required”.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky dismissed the proposal as insufficient, saying Ukraine supported a longer-term ceasefire rather than “a few hours of security for a parade in Moscow”.

A Russian daytime drone attack on the city of Ternopil, in Ukraine’s far west, injured 10 and hit industrial and infrastructure facilities, the city’s mayor said on Friday.

The attack also caused blackouts in some areas, Serhiy Nadal said on Telegram, adding that over 50 drones had been involved.

Donald Trump’s acting ambassador to Ukraine will step down from her post and retire after less than a year in the role.

The State Department confirmed on Tuesday that Davis would leave in June before retiring from the department, following reports she was quitting over differences of opinion with Trump.

People familiar with her decision told the Financial Times that Davis, who has served as temporary chargé d’affaires at the embassy since May, had grown frustrated by Washington’s dwindling support for Ukraine as peace talks with Russia have stalled.

Burying the bad news of a non-decision over a useless but expensive defence disaster on a day when all eyes were on the PM shows the government putting politics above good sense, writes world affairs editor Sam Kiley: