Russia in May 2026: the most important developments in politics
Russia's politics in May 2026 turned on Putin's state visit to China. He arrived on May 19, days after President Trump left Beijing, and met Xi Jinping on May 20. Both leaders described relations as at a record high and backed a "multipolar" world order, criticised what they called a failed colonial order, and issued a joint statement on Ukraine, though no new specific agreements were announced. Moscow and Beijing also criticised US Arctic plans and its "Golden Dome" missile defence. Reports said Putin left without Xi's approval for a 50 billion dollar gas pipeline.
Earlier, the war in Ukraine dominated. On May 8 Trump announced a three-day ceasefire starting May 9, along with an exchange of 1,000 prisoners. Russia and Ukraine each accused the other of breaking it, and the Kremlin said no extension beyond May 11 had been discussed. Putin attended a scaled-back Victory Day parade on May 9. He said he believed the conflict was nearing its end, that Ukraine would have to withdraw from Donbas, and proposed former Chancellor Gerhard Schröder as a mediator. EU ministers rejected the idea, and Chancellor Merz said, "We decide who speaks for us." Russia and Ukraine announced a new prisoner swap on May 15.
Relations with Europe stayed tense. Finland's president Alexander Stubb said the EU should start a dialogue with Russia, and Angela Merkel said Europe was not talking to Russia enough. Russia demanded that diplomats leave Kyiv; the EU rejected this as intimidation and summoned the Russian envoy. European leaders condemned the use of a new Russian missile, the Oreshnik, as nuclear intimidation. NATO and the EU condemned Russia after a drone crashed in a residential area in Romania.
Pressure on Armenia grew. Russia's Foreign Ministry accused Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan of breaking a promise not to act against Russia, and on May 29 Putin and Lukashenko warned Armenia about deeper EU ties.
by WorldBrief & Maksim Micheliov | AI-generated summary
Click a day in the chart above for that day's brief.