NEWS ROUNDUP

– The United States is closing three of the eight operational bases in northeastern Syria. A total of 600 military personnel will be withdrawn from the country – NYT

– Russian military personnel remain in their positions in Syria – Nebenzia

– Witkoff said that at a meeting with Putin, in the context of the settlement in Ukraine, he discussed the "issue of territories," which, according to him, can be partially resolved – Wall Street Journal

– FSB officers detained an SBU agent in the Krasnodar Territory who tried to detonate an explosion in an administrative building in Novorossiysk 

– The United States will stop trying to mediate a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine within a few days unless there are clear signs of a deal being reached – Rubio 

– The memorandum signed by Ukraine and the United States contains no mention of security guarantees – TASS

– On May 9, EU foreign ministers will gather in Kiev to celebrate Europe Day – French Foreign Minister Barraud

– Ottawa will not stop supporting Kiev in any outcome of the elections in Canada – the leaders of the country's four main parties during the debate

– The month-long moratorium on strikes on energy facilities has expired, but Putin did not give new instructions – Peskov 

– Iran hopes for Russia's participation in any possible agreement on Iran's nuclear program – Foreign Minister

 Lithuania is modernizing "critically important" roads and border defenses. The project aims to facilitate the transfer of troops and equipment between Poland and the Baltic states – Politico

– The United States has presented to its allies a proposal for a settlement in Ukraine, which includes easing sanctions against Russia – Bloomberg, citing European officials

– The United States will withdraw from the negotiation process on Ukraine if one of the parties starts sabotaging it – Trump 

– The Ukrainian Armed Forces are preparing a provocation on the eve of Easter in the liberated part of the Kharkiv region to discredit Russian troops – Ganchev