Russia and Ukraine: The Fight Continues

May 11, 2026, 17:18
EuropePolitics

Introduction

Russia and Ukraine tried to stop fighting for a few days. But the two countries are still fighting and they do not agree on a plan for peace.

Main Body

Russia and Ukraine had a short peace deal from May 9 to May 11. However, both sides say the other side broke the deal. Ukraine says Russia attacked them. Russia says they destroyed Ukrainian drones. President Putin wanted a man named Gerhard Schröder to help the two sides talk. The EU and Ukraine said no. They believe he is too close to Russia and cannot be fair. Germany is helping Ukraine. A German leader visited Kyiv to help build new drones. At the same time, Russia is still selling gas to Asia to make money.

Conclusion

The short peace deal failed. The leaders cannot agree on who can help them stop the war.

Learning

⚡ The 'Action' Bridge

In this text, we see how to talk about things that happened in the past vs. things happening right now. This is the key to A2 English.

Past (Finished)

  • Tried → they attempted it, but it's over.
  • Had → they possessed a deal for a short time.
  • Visited → the leader went there and then left.

Present (Still happening)

  • Are fighting → they are doing it right now.
  • Is selling → Russia is currently making money from gas.

💡 Simple Rule: If it has -ed, it's usually a finished story. If it has is/are + -ing, it's a movie playing right now.

Quick Look:

  • Broken deal (Past) → Still fighting (Present)

Vocabulary Learning

fight (v.)
to engage in a battle or argument
Example:They decided to fight for their rights.
stop (v.)
to bring an activity to an end
Example:The police will stop the traffic.
days (n.)
a period of 24 hours
Example:I will finish this in three days.
countries (n.)
a nation with its own government
Example:Many countries participate in the summit.
plan (n.)
a detailed proposal for doing something
Example:We made a plan to save money.
peace (n.)
a state of calm and no fighting
Example:They signed a peace agreement.
deal (n.)
an agreement between two or more parties
Example:They reached a deal after negotiations.
sides (n.)
the different parties in a conflict
Example:Both sides agreed to meet.
attacked (v.)
to harm or harm someone with violence
Example:The army attacked the enemy.
drones (n.)
small unmanned aircraft
Example:The military used drones for surveillance.
selling (v.)
to exchange goods for money
Example:She is selling her old books.
money (n.)
currency used for buying goods
Example:He earned a lot of money last year.