# EU dismisses 'sham' offer for Putin’s 'buddy' to mediate Ukraine peace talk

An episode of [Ukraine: The Latest](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1612424182), 11 May 2026, 52 min.

Audio: https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/6583012e715d5300169dcdcb/e/6a01f7cc6304701dd83a5484/media.mp3

Day 1,537. Today, as the final day draws to a close of the ceasefire supposedly brokered by the US to see Russia’s Victory Day parade on Saturday pass unscathed, we ask: what happened to the supposed prisoner swap that had been part of the deal? Plus Brussels Correspondent Joe Barnes asks Estonia’s PM and a Ukrainian defence analyst what the weekend’s events - or lack thereof - tells us about the state of the war. And we also hear updates on the work of the Come Back Alive charity, the organisation securing battle-winning technology for Ukraine, and a firm favourite of this podcast’s creator, David Knowles. Contributors: Dom Nicholls (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @DomNicholls on X. Joe Barnes (The Telegraph's Brussels Correspondent) @Barnes_Joe on X Mykola Bielieskov (Defence Analyst) @MBielieskov on X Help shape the future of Ukraine: The Latest. Share your thoughts in this quick survey: https://tinyurl.com/ukrainethelatest CONTENT REFERENCED: Don’t abandon Nato’s eastern flank, Estonian PM tells Starmer https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/05/10/dont-leave-nato-eastern-flank-defenceless-estonia-starmer/ Help shape the future of Ukraine: The Latest. Share your thoughts in this quick survey: https://tinyurl.com/ukrainethelatest Contact the team on ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk . We continue to read every message, and seek to respond to as many on air and in our newsletter as possible. HIGHLIGHTS: - EU dismisses 'sham' offer for Putin’s 'buddy' to be mediator in Ukraine peace talks - With no tanks or missiles on parade, Putin claims 'this matter is coming to an end' Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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