Charles Mains
Appearances
NPR News Now
NPR News: 03-13-2025 7AM EDT
The Trump team has already gone on record saying no to Ukraine's membership in NATO, no to Ukraine regaining all its territory. And all of this has put the U.S. 's relationships with its traditional allies in Europe in turmoil. So you have to think, you know, even if Putin doesn't agree to this ceasefire deal as presented here, he'll be looking for ways to present counteroffers.
NPR News Now
NPR News: 04-20-2025 2PM EDT
Even before the Easter ceasefire technically went into effect, both sides voiced skepticism the truce would hold. Putin warned of possible Ukrainian provocations, and Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelensky, suggested the offer was more gimmick than peace gesture.
NPR News Now
NPR News: 04-20-2025 2PM EDT
Today, Russia's defense ministry said Ukraine carried out hundreds of artillery and drone strikes on Russian-occupied territory in Ukraine. Intern Zelensky said Russia continued shelling and assault raids across the front line. Neither claim could be independently verified.
NPR News Now
NPR News: 04-20-2025 2PM EDT
The ceasefire attempt comes as President Trump has threatened to abandon efforts to negotiate an end to the conflict if he didn't see immediate progress towards peace. Charles Mainz, NPR News, Moscow.
NPR News Now
NPR News: 03-29-2025 6PM EDT
Russia accused Ukraine of destroying a gas metering station in the Russian city of Suja. Ukrainian officials countered Russia was behind the attack and said Moscow had also targeted energy infrastructure inside Ukraine itself. The back-and-forth came as a parallel U.S.-backed ceasefire deal in the Black Sea looked in doubt.
NPR News Now
NPR News: 03-29-2025 6PM EDT
after several European countries said they would not meet Kremlin demands to lift sanctions on Russian maritime trade. Meanwhile, the Kremlin continued to strike targets outside of either ceasefire agreement. In the latest, Ukraine said several people were killed and more injured due to drone strikes on the central Ukrainian city of Dnipro. Charles Baines, NPR News, Moscow.
NPR News Now
NPR News: 04-19-2025 3PM EDT
In a televised meeting with his top general, Putin ordered all military operations to cease beginning Saturday evening through midnight Sunday in honor of the Easter holiday. Putin said he was counting on Ukraine to follow suit, but told his military to remain on alert to respond to provocations by Kyiv,
NPR News Now
NPR News: 04-19-2025 3PM EDT
Separately, Russia's defense ministry confirmed it would observe the ceasefire order on the condition that Ukraine do the same. NPR's Kiev bureau confirmed explosions in the Ukrainian capital in the hour before the truce was set to take hold. The Easter ceasefire announcement follows recent warnings by the Trump administration.
NPR News Now
NPR News: 04-19-2025 3PM EDT
It may abandon efforts to negotiate an end to the war if it doesn't see progress towards peace. Charles Baines, NPR News, Moscow.
NPR News Now
NPR News: 03-17-2025 4PM EDT
President Putin is on record saying he supports Trump's ceasefire proposal in principle, but the Kremlin leader also laid out a laundry list of issues that he insists require further discussions. That includes how to keep Ukraine from using the ceasefire to rearm, who would monitor the agreement, and what penalties might exist for violating its terms.
NPR News Now
NPR News: 03-17-2025 4PM EDT
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accuses Russia of stalling for time to improve its battlefield position. Meanwhile, Moscow continues to demand what a senior Russian foreign ministry official called ironclad security guarantees, excluding Ukraine from NATO membership and ruled out NATO-aligned European peacekeepers monitoring any ceasefire, if and when it comes. Charles Mains, NPR News.
NPR News Now
NPR News: 04-25-2025 6PM EDT
Putin and Witkoff met for three hours of talks that Kremlin advisor Yuri Shchukov later characterized as constructive and useful. Shchukov said positions on Ukraine and other international issues had grown closer as a result. Yet at least for now, it appears Witkoff failed to get Russian support for the U.S.-backed peace plan. Critics of the U.S.
NPR News Now
NPR News: 04-25-2025 6PM EDT
proposal said it overwhelmingly favors Moscow in recognizing Russia's hold over territories it seized from Ukraine by force. Instead, Russia raised the possibility of direct talks with Ukraine while agreeing to more active dialogue with the U.S. Trump had been threatening to walk away from peace efforts in Ukraine entirely if he didn't see immediate progress. Charles Mainz, NPR News, Moscow.
NPR News Now
NPR News: 03-21-2025 5PM EDT
The apparent attack took place at an inactive gas metering station in the Russian city of Suja near the Ukrainian border, causing a large fire to break out. Russia's defense ministry accused retreating Ukrainian troops in the area of sabotage and trying to discredit President Trump's partial ceasefire initiative.
NPR News Now
NPR News: 03-21-2025 5PM EDT
Meanwhile, Ukraine said Russia had targeted its own gas infrastructure in a bid to pin blame on Kiev. The 30-day pause on attacks on energy infrastructure... was the key outcome of Trump's negotiations with both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky.
NPR News Now
NPR News: 03-21-2025 5PM EDT
Following lengthy phone calls this week, Trump had sought a full month-long ceasefire, but Putin rejected the deal. Charles Mainz, NPR News, Moscow.
NPR News Now
NPR News: 03-14-2025 2PM EDT
According to the Kremlin, Putin met with Witkoff late evening and passed on additional information and signals about the ceasefire proposal to President Trump. In his lone public remarks on the offer, Putin expressed appreciation for Trump's diplomatic efforts and endorsed the idea of a ceasefire in principle, but Putin also presented a list of issues that warranted further discussions.
NPR News Now
NPR News: 03-14-2025 2PM EDT
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Moscow of stalling negotiations to prolong the war, Yet Trump and his lead negotiators continue to express cautious optimism. Charles Mains, NPR News.
NPR News Now
NPR News: 04-11-2025 3PM EDT
Putin rejected an earlier Trump-backed ceasefire proposal, instead laying out conditions for peace that critics say amount to Ukraine's de facto capitulation. In turn, Trump is warned he may resort to secondary sanctions on Russian oil exports if he feels Putin is dragging out negotiations while trying to improve Russia's position on the battlefield. Charles Mainz, NPR News, Moscow.
NPR News Now
NPR News: 04-11-2025 3PM EDT
Putin hosted Witkoff on the sidelines of a working trip to Russia's second-largest city of St. Petersburg. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov played down the chances of a breakthrough on the Ukraine issue, but said it was an opportunity for both sides to clarify their positions and discuss a possible future meeting between the two leaders.