History: May 2025
16 articles
Retrospective · events of 1 May 2025
Ukraine's Supreme Court rules on religious exemptions
Politics
A look back at the Supreme Court decision of 1 May 2025 and the political news in the days before it.
Retrospective · events of 2 May 2025
Court, drones and casualty estimates: three security reports from Ukraine
Security
A look back at reports on a court ruling on mobilisation, a drone attack on Odesa and an intelligence estimate of North Korean losses.
Retrospective · events of 6 May 2025
Drones and casualties: security reports before 6 May 2025
Security
A look back at the security reports from 30 April to 3 May 2025 that framed the situation on 6 May 2025.
Retrospective · events of 13 May 2025
What did the ICAO decide on flight MH17?
World
A look back at the aviation body's finding on Russia's responsibility for the 2014 downing, and at Ukraine's parliamentary step on a minerals deal with the United States.
Retrospective · events of 15 May 2025
What was at stake in Istanbul on 15 May 2025
Security
A look back at the diplomatic standoff over direct Russia–Ukraine talks, set in motion by a ceasefire ultimatum from European governments.
Retrospective · events of 16 May 2025
Istanbul talks: who blinked on the ceasefire?
Security
A retrospective on the diplomatic positions taken ahead of the proposed Istanbul talks, as they stood on 16 May 2025.
Retrospective · events of 16 May 2025
What was at stake before the Istanbul talks?
Security
A retrospective on the diplomatic positions taken in the days around 16 May 2025, as a proposed meeting in Turkey drew near.
Retrospective · events of 16 May 2025
Ceasefire first or talks first: positions before Putin's Istanbul proposal
Security
A look back at the diplomatic positions taken in the days before direct Russia–Ukraine talks were proposed for Istanbul.
Retrospective · events of 19 May 2025
What happened on 19 May 2025 in Russia's war
Security
A retrospective on the Amnesty International ban and the drone attacks that preceded it.
Retrospective · events of 19 May 2025
Drones, diplomacy and a ban: 19 May 2025
Opinion
A look back at a day when Russian pressure on Ukraine, on rights groups and on Belarus's neighbours played out in parallel.
Retrospective · events of 20 May 2025
What did the EU's 17th sanctions package target?
World
A look back at the sanctions step taken against Russia on 20 May 2025, and a legal filing by Lithuania against Belarus a day earlier.
Retrospective · events of 23 May 2025
What did Europe do about Russia's shadow fleet?
World
A look back at the sanctions and legal moves in the days before 23 May 2025, as reported at the time.
Retrospective · events of 24 May 2025
Sanctions and a lawsuit: Europe's pressure on Moscow and Minsk
World
A look back at two measures aimed at Russia and Belarus in the days before 24 May 2025.
Retrospective · events of 28 May 2025
What did the 28 May 2025 document leak reveal?
Opinion
A look back at a day when a large trove of Russian procurement records surfaced, days after Berlin's announcement on long-range weapons.
Retrospective · events of 28 May 2025
Long-range limits lifted as Russian missile files surface
Security
Two developments framed security debate in Europe in late May 2025: a German announcement on weapons restrictions and a large publication of Russian procurement documents.
Retrospective · events of 31 May 2025
What did the last week of May 2025 signal?
Opinion
A retrospective on the Russian air assault of 25 May, the lifting of range limits on Ukraine's weapons, and a leak of Russian procurement files.