17 h. ago PMQs: Starmer says there is ‘no easy answer’ to finding way of seizing frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine – UK politics live

Ed Davey, the Lib Dem leader, asks prime minister about frozen Russian assets in the UK after sanctioning of two Israeli ministers on TuesdayGreen party MPs and activists staged a protest outside parliament today saying the government should use the spending review to announce a wealth tax. In a post on social media, Adrian Ramsay, the party’s co-leader, said:We expect the Chancellor to take another axe to public spending today: decline by design from a govt that refuses to tax wealth to properly fund our overstretched public services & support the most vulnerable. We need to invest in a secure & fairer future. #TaxExtremeWealthSenior SNP figures held a secret meeting on Monday night to discuss removing John Swinney as party leader, The Herald has learned, following last week’s defeat in the Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse byelection.One of the 25 attendees said the first minister had two weeks to come up with a new strategy on independence — or risk facing a leadership ch...

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39 h. ago UK sanctions two Israeli ministers over 'monstrous' Gaza comments

Security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and finance minister Bezalel Smotrich, who serve in Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition government, will face a travel ban and see their assets frozen

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45 h. ago Zelenskyy calls for ‘concrete actions’ as Russian strikes hit seven of Kyiv’s 10 districts

Ukraine president criticises lack of response from allies as Moscow launches one of its largest attacks of war on KyivEurope live – latest updatesVolodymyr Zelenskyy has voiced his frustration with Donald Trump by calling for “concrete actions” rather than “silence” after Russia launched one of its largest attacks on Kyiv of the war, with seven of the Ukrainian capital’s 10 districts hit overnight.A total of 316 drones and seven missiles were launched at Ukrainian targets across the country in the early hours of Tuesday, including at Odesa in the south-east, where two people were killed. But it was the capital that was the focus of Russia’s ferocious barrage. Continue reading...

Events

4 d. ago Britain has escalated the global nuclear arms race – and is bringing us closer to armageddon | Simon Tisdall

The UK’s strategic defence review risks normalising nuclear warfare. Don’t believe the PR hype: these weapons are immoral, irrational and catastrophicPlans by Keir Starmer’s government to modernise and potentially expand Britain’s nuclear weapons arsenal, unveiled in the 2025 strategic defence review (SDR), seriously undermine international non-proliferation efforts. They will fuel a global nuclear arms race led by the US, China and Russia. And they increase the chances that lower-yield, so-called tactical nukes will be deployed and detonated in conflict zones.This dangerous path leads in one direction only: towards the normalisation of nuclear warfare.Simon Tisdall is a Guardian foreign affairs commentator Continue reading...

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4 d. ago Kharkiv hit by ‘most powerful attack since start of war’ as Kyiv calls for extra pressure on Moscow – Russia

At least three people killed and a further 21 injured after nighttime attack involving drones, missiles and guided bombs, mayor saysUkraine’s air forces shot down a Russian Su-35 fighter jet on Saturday morning, the Ukrainian military said.“This morning, on 7 June 2025, as a result of a successful air force operation in the Kursk direction, a Russian Su-35 fighter jet was shot down,” the military said on the Telegram messenger, according to Reuters. Continue reading...

Events

6 d. ago Russian drone strike in northern Ukraine kills five, including toddler, hours after Putin 'revenge' warning

US President Donald Trump warned that Russia will seek revenge following the success of Volodymyr Zelensky's audacious counteroffensive

Events

6 d. ago Russian strike kills 5, including 1 year old, hours after Trump calls Putin

At least five people, including a one-year-old child, were killed in a Russian drone strike on the northern Ukrainian city of Pryluky overnight, regional governor Viacheslav Chaus said Thursday

Events

7 d. ago Kremlin and Trump aides raise nuclear war fears after Ukraine drone strike

Vladimir Putin has warned Russia will respond to Kyiv’s attacks on nuclear-capable aircraft at airfieldsAs Vladimir Putin pledges to retaliate against Ukraine for last weekend’s unprecedented drone attack, Kremlin advisers and figures around Donald Trump have told the US president that the risk of a nuclear confrontation is growing, in an attempt to pressure him to further reduce US support for Ukraine.Kirill Dmitriev, the head of Russia’s sovereign wealth fund and an important intermediary between the Kremlin and Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff, called the Ukrainian drone strike an attack on “Russian nuclear assets”, and echoed remarks from Maga-friendly figures warning of the potential for a third world war. Continue reading...

Events

7 d. ago Donald Trump says he's spoken to Vladimir Putin and there's some bad news for Ukraine

The US President had a 75-minute call with Putin during which the Russian despot said he would have to retaliate against Ukraine after its recent attacks on military bases

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7 d. ago Putin tells Trump Russia ‘will have to respond’ to Ukraine drone attack

US president says phone call with Russian leader won’t lead to ‘immediate peace’ as Moscow rules out ceasefireDonald Trump has spoken for more than an hour with Vladimir Putin on Wednesday, but he conceded the talks would not lead “to immediate peace” in Ukraine, and warned that Russia would respond to Ukraine’s successful attacks this week on its airfields.The US president, who repeatedly claimed he could end the Ukraine war in 24 hours during his election campaign, did not attempt to discourage the Russian leader from retaliation, according to his description of the discussion on his Truth Social platform. He noted instead that Putin had offered to participate in US talks with Iran about its nuclear programme, which Trump claimed Tehran had been “slowwalking”. Continue reading...

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7 d. ago Putin tells Trump he will avenge Ukraine attacks on Russian airfields in surprise phone call

American president says call ‘was a good conversation, but not a conversation that will lead to immediate peace’

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7 d. ago Putin planning to retaliate for Ukraine drone attack, says Trump

US president says after call with Russian counterpart that Moscow is not ready for ‘immediate peace’ with Kyiv

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7 d. ago Trump told to 'pick a side' as Russia vows to 'erase Ukraine off face of the earth'

The recent Ukrainian attacks on Russian airbases have sent Russia into a fury as Trump has been asked to declare 'which side of history is he on' as Russian have called the attack 'terrorism'

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8 d. ago Putin threat of biological attack on UK streets: Novichok poisonings in Salisbury were 'wake

The Novichok poisoning in Salisbury were a “wake-up call” to the threat from Vladimir Putin’s Russia of a chemical or biological attack on Britain’s streets, says Defence Secretary John Healey.

Events

9 d. ago Putin urged to use nukes as Russia reels from Ukraine 'Pearl Harbour' attack

Ukrainian drones obliterated more than $7 billion worth of Russian bombers in a 'Pearl Harbour' style attack, leading some in Russia to call for Putin to unleash nuclear weapons

Politics

9 d. ago Zelenskyy warns Putin must not be rewarded for aggression as Istanbul peace talks end – Russia

Ukraine president calls for more pressure on Russia, ‘and not just from Europe’ as Kyiv demands return of childrenRuth Michaelson is reporting from Istanbul and will be providing updates on the talks. Here is some colour from outside Istanbul’s Ciragan Palace:A fleet of black sedans arrived outside the Çırağan Palace in Istanbul, signalling the arrival of some of the negotiations teams. Continue reading...

Events

1 week ago Defence review to say UK must be ready to fight a war in Europe or Atlantic

Review will call for ‘war-fighting readiness’ to deal with new threats, though army will not grow before next electionAnalysis: Labour pushes ‘military Keynesianism’ to win support for defence spendingBritain needs to be ready to fight a war in Europe or the Atlantic, a strategic defence review will conclude, though it is not expected to promise immediate increases in the size of the armed forces to deal with the threat.The 130-page document will call for a move to “war-fighting readiness” to deter Russian aggression in Europe and increases in stockpiles of arms and support equipment, some of which may only last days in a crisis. Continue reading...

Events

1 week ago Ukraine must urgently be given the €300bn of frozen Russian assets | Phillip Inman

Confiscating the funds would shock Putin, help Ukraine, and take advantage of disillusionment in the US economyUkraine needs more than long-range missiles and fibre-optic drones in its fight with Russia. What it needs is more money, and lots of it.In particular, the war-torn nation should be handed the €300bn (£250bn) of frozen Russian assets stored mostly in accounts hosted by the Euroclear trading system. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago Ukraine war briefing: Zelenskyy accuses Moscow of doing ‘everything it can’ to sabotage peace talks

President hasn’t committed to Ukraine attending Monday’s meeting with Russia in Istanbul, saying Moscow first has to provide its proposals. What we know on day 1,193See all our Ukraine war coverageUkraine has said it does not expect any results from talks with Russia in Turkey, unless Moscow provides its peace terms in advance, accusing the Kremlin of doing “everything” it can to sabotage the potential meeting. Moscow said it was sending a team of negotiators to Istanbul for a second round of talks on Monday but Kyiv has yet to confirm if it will attend. “For over a week now, the Russians have been unable to present the so-called memorandum,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on X on Friday, referring to a document Russia says it has prepared outlining its conditions for peace. “For a meeting to be meaningful, its agenda must be clear, and the negotiations must be properly prepared,” the Ukrainian president added. “Unfortunately, Russia is doing everything it can to ensure that the next pote...

Events

1 week ago Russia and Ukraine in spat over proposed June peace talks after Trump pushes deadline on Putin

The Kremlin said Kyiv’s calls for Russia to release its ceasefire memorandum before talks in June were ‘non-constructive’

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