3 d. ago Peace in Ukraine ‘appears out of reach’ in near future and Putin ‘dragging his feet’ on ceasefire

The warning came as John Healey accused Vladimir Putin of dragging his feet in peace talks

Politics

4 d. ago Defense chiefs from around 30 countries expected at NATO for talks on a future Ukraine force

Britain and France are convening a meeting of defense ministers from around 30 countries to press ahead with plans to deploy troops to Ukraine to police any future peace agreement with Russia

Events

1 week ago US ‘testing’ if Russia is serious about peace in Ukraine, says Marco Rubio

Secretary of state says Putin ‘will have to make a decision’ as US officials appear to be growing impatientThe US will know within weeks whether Russia is serious about pursuing peace with Ukraine, the secretary of state said on Friday, warning that Donald Trump was not “going to fall into the trap of endless negotiations” with Russia.“We’re testing to see if the Russians are interested in peace. Their actions – not their words, their actions – will determine whether they’re serious or not, and we intend to find that out sooner rather than later,” Marco Rubio told journalists in Brussels after talks with Nato allies. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago US’s Rubio shrugs off market falls at Nato press conference – Europe live

US secretary of state says ‘markets will adjust’ during press conference following Nato summit in BrusselsAsked further about Ukraine, Rutte lists a number of projects by Nato member states, including Poland, Denmark, and the Czech Republic.He says that “the shortest answer” to question on safety guarantees is to adopt measures that make sure that “Putin will never, ever try again to get one square kilometer or one square mile of Ukraine in the future, that he knows that there is a deterrence and a defence by which Ukraine can never be attacked in the future.” Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago Mark Rutte says US tariffs do not violate Nato commitments on ‘eliminating conflict in international economic policies’ – Europe live

Nato secretary general says ‘we have seen many examples of fights over tariffs in the past’ when pressed on US tariffsAsked further about Ukraine, Rutte lists a number of projects by Nato member states, including Poland, Denmark, and the Czech Republic.He says that “the shortest answer” to question on safety guarantees is to adopt measures that make sure that “Putin will never, ever try again to get one square kilometer or one square mile of Ukraine in the future, that he knows that there is a deterrence and a defence by which Ukraine can never be attacked in the future.” Continue reading...

Economics

1 week ago Pentagon launches investigation into Pete Hegseth’s use of Signal app after sensitive information leak

Defense chief and others discussed US military operations on messaging app that included journalistThe inspector general of the Department of Defense (DoD) is launching an investigation into Pentagon secretary Pete Hegseth’s use of the encrypted messaging app Signal to discuss sensitive information about military operations in Yemen.The investigation, announced on Thursday, follows a bipartisan request from the Senate armed services committee after allegations emerged that highly precise – and most likely classified – intelligence about impending US airstrikes in Yemen, including strike timing and aircraft models, had been shared in a Signal group chat that included a journalist. Continue reading...

Events

1 week ago Pentagon watchdog to investigate Pete Hegseth over Signal war

Defense chief and others discussed US military operations on messaging app that included journalistThe inspector general of the Department of Defense (DOD) is launching an investigation into Pentagon secretary Pete Hegseth’s use of the encrypted messaging app Signal to discuss sensitive information about military operations in Yemen.The probe, announced on Thursday, follows a bipartisan request from the Senate armed services committee after allegations emerged that highly precise – and most likely classified – intelligence about impending US airstrikes in Yemen, including strike timing and aircraft models, had been shared in a Signal group chat that included a journalist. Continue reading...

Events

2 w. ago UK braced for Trump tariffs as No 10 acknowledges exports unlikely to be spared

Downing Street said ‘we would expect the UK to be impacted by alongside other countries’ when Donald Trump sets out his import tax plans.

Politics

2 w. ago Donald Trump fumes he's 'pissed off' with Putin as cosy relationship takes wrong turn

US President Donald Trump says he's "very angry" and "pissed off" with his Russian counterpart after Vladimir Putin suggested regime change in Ukraine as part of a future peace deal

Politics

2 w. ago Donald Trump fumes he's 'very angry' with Putin as cosy relationship takes wrong turn

US President Donald Trump says he's "very angry" and "p*ssed off" with his Russian counterpart after Vladimir Putin suggested regime change in Ukraine as part of a future peace deal

Politics

2 w. ago Putin vows to 'finish off' Ukraine and mocks British Army in furious rant

President Vladimir Putin made outrageous claims about the future of Ukraine and even laid into the size of the British military in fresh act of bravado - despite ongoing so-called peace talks

Politics

2 w. ago Former MI6 chief and Rusi boss discuss Russia, Trump and the future of the West – how to watch our panel

The panel, chaired by world affairs editor Sam Kiley, will feature Alex Younger, former MI6 chief, and Rachel Ellehuus, director-general of RUSI, discussing global security, US foreign policy under Trump, and the future of Ukraine and Nato

Politics

2 w. ago MI6 and Rusi experts discuss Russia, Trump and the future of the West – how to watch our panel

The panel, chaired by world affairs editor Sam Kiley, will feature Alex Younger, former MI6 chief, and Rachel Ellehuus, director-general of RUSI, discussing global security, US foreign policy under Trump, and the future of Ukraine and Nato

Politics

2 w. ago Judge orders participants in Signal chat group blunder to preserve all messages

Restraining order was issued to ensure that records of Yemen attack group conversation are retainedA federal judge on Thursday ordered that the Trump administration preserve all Signal messages exchanged in the now-infamous Signal group chat in which officials conducted a high-level military operation on the unclassified commercial app and inadvertently included a journalist.The temporary restraining order from James Boasberg, the chief US district judge in Washington, compelled defense secretary Pete Hegseth, secretary of state Marco Rubio, treasury secretary Scott Bessent, CIA director John Ratcliffe and the director of national intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, to save their texts from 11 to 15 March. Continue reading...

Events

2 w. ago Starmer and Macron to send military chiefs to Ukraine to plan for future ceasefire

It came as the prime minister hinted a ceasefire could be agreed in ‘weeks not months’

Events

2 w. ago Britain and France WILL lead 'reassurance force' in Ukraine after peace deal with delegation heading to Kyiv within days to discuss the plan, Macron reveals

A Franco-British delegation will head to Ukraine in the coming days to discuss what Emmanuel Macron calls a 'reassurance force' and the future shape of the Ukrainian army.

Politics

2 w. ago Macron dismisses Russian demands as ‘coalition of the willing’ gathers in Paris for Ukraine talks – Europe live

French president rules out any lifting of sanctions and says European forces could be deployed to mark ‘clear support’Among the European leaders expected in Paris, we are going to see the British prime minister, Keir Starmer, who said in a statement released overnight that “unlike President Zelenskyy, Putin has shown he’s not a serious player in these peace talks.”He said:“Playing games with the agreed naval ceasefire in the Black Sea despite good faith participation from all sides – all while continuing to inflict devastating attacks on the Ukrainian people. His promises are hollow.The US is playing a leading role by convening the ceasefire talks, President Zelenskyy has demonstrated his commitment repeatedly, and Europe is stepping up to play its part to defend Ukraine’s future. Now Putin needs to show he’s willing to play ball.” Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago Trump’s demand that US could take over Ukraine’s reactors is not credible

US president’s plan for American firms to run power plants is unrealistic and is opposed by Putin and ZelenskyyAs a demand, it is Donald Trump at his most confusing. The American president appears, at least according to Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, to have told Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday that “American ownership” of Ukraine’s four nuclear power plants would be their best protection in future – although the Ukrainian president said on Thursday that “the issue of property, we did not discuss”.Of the four, the most significant, and the one that Trump has repeatedly referred to in the past week, is the vast, six-reactor Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant. It is Europe’s biggest nuclear generator, located on the southern bank of the Dnipro River. Before the full-scale Russian invasion it produced about 20% of the country’s electricity but it is now on the frontline of Europe’s largest war since 1945. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago Starmer warns Putin of ‘severe consequences’ if he breaches peace deal

UK leader says Russia cannot veto how Ukraine defends itself as western military officials meet to draft security plansAnalysis: UK turns to the EU for defensive tiesVladimir Putin will face “severe consequences” if he breaches a peace deal with Ukraine, Keir Starmer has warned as western military planners begin drawing up plans to enforce any agreement between the two countries.The British prime minister issued his warning to the Russian president after meeting officials from 31 countries at the Northwood military base outside London, where they have started sketching out which western forces might be deployed to protect Ukraine in the future. Continue reading...

Events

3 w. ago The countries with the longest and shortest life expectancies for retired expats revealed

The research, from expat insurance company William Russell, looks at people's average life expectancy from the age of 60 onwards. Find out which country tops the list...

Politics