John Oeffinger

German Chancellor Merz: It is quite obvious that the Americans have absolutely no coherent strategy whatsoever. And the fundamental problem with these kinds of conflicts is always the same: it is not enough to simply get yourself in—you must also figure out how to get yourself out. We witnessed that reality quite painfully in Afghanistan over the course of 20 long years. We saw the exact same thing happen in Iraq. So this entire situation, as I have mentioned previously, is at the very least ill-considered. I do not see, at this present moment, what strategic exit the Americans are choosing—especially since the Iranians are either negotiating very skillfully, or just as effectively, refusing to negotiate at all. Making the Americans travel to Islamabad and then leave empty-handed—there is a sense that a whole nation is being humiliated by the Iranian leadership, particularly the Revolutionary Guards. As Europeans, we have extended an offer to assist in reopening the Strait of Hormuz once hostilities come to an end. We have also offered to deploy specialized minesweepers from Germany to clear the strait, which appears to have been mined. But first, the fighting must stop. And right now, I do not see how that is achievable in the short term. The Iranians are proving stronger than initially expected, and the Americans do not appear to have a convincing or coherent strategy for negotiations. This is a complex and very difficult situation. (Translated from German)

‼️Putin and Trump spoke by phone for 90+ mins, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said. Putin said he’s ready to declare a Victory Day ceasefire; Trump supported it and said a Ukraine deal is “close.” Ushakov said Trump also viewed Russia’s recent Easter ceasefire positively. At Trump’s request, Putin described the front line as Russia holding the initiative and pushing back Ukrainian forces, and reiterated that Moscow’s goals would be achieved—preferably via talks. Putin added that a settlement would require Zelensky to accept previously outlined terms. This was their 12th call since Trump’s return to the WH in early 2025. Ushakov also said Putin noted Russia has transferred 20K+ bodies to Kyiv since the start of 2025, receiving just over 500 in return. Separately, Putin expressed support for Trump following the April 25 assassination attempt in D.C. and condemned political violence. He also warned of “serious consequences” if the U.S. and Israel take military action against Iran, calling a ground op “unacceptable.”