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Since I last wrote here, a period of relative quiet in Kyiv was brutally interrupted by one of the worst Russian missile and drone attacks on the city during the entire full-scale invasion.

I'd gone to bed on 24 April with an air raid alert still in place - pretty much a nightly occurrence as air defences tackle the hundreds of kamikaze drones Russia sends over each day - and was woken around 1am as the familiar distant boom sounded.

But then, about 30 minutes later, a series of incredibly loud explosions made very clear that this wasn't just drones but missiles as well.

'Russia Will Be Hungry for More if Europe Doesn't Unite to Protect Ukraine'

Defending Ukraine without the US will be complex, costly and politically challenging - but there is simply no alternative, argues Jacob Öberg

Jacob Öberg

Twelve people were killed in Kyiv, and 87 others injured, including six children.

"Russian peace in all its glory" was how Kyiv City Military Administration chief Tymur Tkachenko described it.

And so the war drags on even as we pass the first 100 days of US President Donald Trump's second term, a duration he had insisted would be enough to bring peace to Ukraine.

While that still seems a long way off from here, there have been some relatively positive developments.

Minerals Deal

Well, it finally happened - the US and Ukraine signed the long-awaited minerals deal.

The top line is positive - regardless of the details of the deal - the signing marks a massive step in the resetting of relations between Kyiv and Washington after a rollercoaster few months.

It wasn't that long ago that Trump was accusing President Volodymyr Zelensky of being a "dictator", accusing him of starting the war, and temporarily cutting off military aid after that infamous Oval Office showdown.

So there was a bit of a sigh of relief in Kyiv when the deal was signed. But what about the details? It's mixed news.

Russia's Murderous Ceasefires and Musk Admiration for Putin

In his latest dispatch from Kyiv, Chris York has tales of occupied territories, tariffs, stalled talks - and storks!

Chris York

On the plus side, the deal does not contain some of the things in previous iterations that were viewed as incredibly exploitative of Ukraine, and gives Kyiv full control over its land, infrastructure, and resources, as well as not applying to existing projects.

Another major win is that it won't force Ukraine to pay back the US for the billions in aid it has sent since the start of the full-scale invasion, something Trump made a regular talking point of.

It also contains language that will allow it to be altered if it interferes with Ukraine's accession to the European Union.

Earlier versions gave privileged access to Ukraine's resources to the US over its European allies which raised alarm bells on the continent.

And what about the negatives? It still doesn't contain concrete US security guarantees to deter Russian aggression in the future which is Ukraine's main concern.

Putin's Response to Trump's Appeasement Plan: Hell in Kyiv

Paul Conroy surveys the scale of the destruction to the Svaytoshinsky neighbourhood, fifteen minutes from downtown Kyiv

Paul Conroy

Trump still appears to believe that increased US business investment in Ukraine, with American companies on the ground after a ceasefire is achieved, is enough, and negates the need for any sort of NATO Article 5-like agreement.

But whether or not the deal will actually lead to America's private sector investing in Ukraine remains to be seen - two further documents containing more details on this have not yet been made public so there are still many unanswe...