Russia is losing US$1 billion in oil revenues due to Ukrainian drone strikes on Baltic ports

Ukrainian drone strikes on Russia’s Baltic Sea export terminals have pushed the country’s oil shipments to their lowest level since the start of the full-scale invasion, causing losses of more than $1 billion. Weekly exports fell sharply to 2.32 million barrels per day between March 23–29 after repeated attacks disrupted operations at the key ports of Primorsk and Ust-Luga.

The strikes triggered fires and forced loading to stop for most of the week, cutting flows through the terminals to roughly one-third of previous levels. In total, 22 tankers loaded 16.23 million barrels during the period, a steep drop from 37 vessels carrying 28.5 million barrels the week before. While the four-week average decline was more moderate, it still fell to a two-month low.

At the same time, some shipments were redirected, with exports to India rising significantly after U.S. licensing changes allowed certain purchases of Russian oil. Despite this, the disruption highlights Ukraine’s ability to strike deep into Russia’s energy infrastructure, directly impacting a key source of funding for the Kremlin’s war effort.

Russia demands Ukraine withdraw from Donbas within 2 months -Zelensky

Russia is pressuring Ukraine to withdraw from the Donbas within two months or face tougher demands in future peace talks, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on March 31. Speaking at the Bucha summit, Zelensky said Moscow is signaling to the United States that it could try to seize the region by force within that timeframe — something he dismissed as unrealistic.

Zelensky said Russia is using the threat as leverage in negotiations rather than relying on real battlefield capabilities. The status of Donbas remains one of the main obstacles in U.S.-mediated talks between Kyiv and Moscow, which have slowed as Washington’s attention shifted to the conflict with Iran. Ukraine has rejected any proposal to withdraw its troops, insisting on a ceasefire along current front lines instead.

The Ukrainian president said he will take part in the next round of talks with the U.S. on April 1, alongside officials including Rustem Umerov and American envoys. He also plans to propose an energy ceasefire, although there has been no indication that Moscow is ready to consider such a step.

Zelenskyy claims that Trump sees withdrawal from Donetsk Oblast as the only way to stop Putin

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the administration of Donald Trump may push Kyiv toward territorial concessions, including withdrawing troops from its own land, as part of efforts to end the war with Russia. In an interview with Axios, Zelensky said recent talks in Miami with U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner produced no tangible results.

According to Zelensky, Washington could intensify pressure on Ukraine once the conflict involving Iran subsides. He warned that some in the U.S. leadership see troop withdrawal from the Donbas as a possible way to stop Russia — a scenario Kyiv firmly rejects. “We are not the aggressors,” Zelenskyy said, questioning why Ukraine should bear the cost of ending the war.

Zelensky also claimed that Russia is actively supporting Iran, including by sharing satellite imagery of U.S. military sites and passing on operational drone warfare experience. He argued that such cooperation underscores broader security risks and should be taken into account in any diplomatic efforts to resolve the war.