49 m. ago Keir Starmer urges allies to 'finish the job' on using frozen Russian assets to strengthen Ukraine's defences

The Prime Minister also labelled Vladimir Putin's 'ludicrous demands' for Ukrainian land as 'a non-starter' as he led a meeting of the so-called 'Coalition of the Willing' in London today.

Politics

62 m. ago Kyiv's allies say frozen Russian assets should be quickly used to aid Ukraine

Kyiv's allies say frozen Russian assets should be quickly used to aid Ukraine  Reuters

Politics

6 h. ago Zelenskyy at Downing Street for talks with Starmer and ‘coalition of willing’ after meeting King Charles – Europe live

Volodymyr Zelenskyy set to press case for using frozen Russian assets to fund Ukraine’s defencesA forthcoming trip by German foreign minister, Johann Wadephul, to China has been cancelled amid growing fears that Beijing’s restriction on semiconductor and rare earth exports could paralyse the country’s car industry.“We are postponing the journey to a later time,” the spokesperson told a regular press briefing on Friday. “The Chinese side was ultimately able to confirm only the appointment with the Chinese foreign minister, and could not confirm any other additional appointments,” a foreign ministry spokesperson said. Continue reading...

Politics

7 h. ago Zelenskyy meets King Charles before discussion with Starmer and ‘coalition of the willing’ over military support – Europe live

King Charles hosts Volodymyr Zelenskyy at Windsor Castle before meeting to consider using frozen Russian assets to fund Ukraine’s defencesA forthcoming trip by German foreign minister, Johann Wadephul, to China has been cancelled amid growing fears that Beijing’s restriction on semiconductor and rare earth exports could paralyse the country’s car industry.“We are postponing the journey to a later time,” the spokesperson told a regular press briefing on Friday. “The Chinese side was ultimately able to confirm only the appointment with the Chinese foreign minister, and could not confirm any other additional appointments,” a foreign ministry spokesperson said. Continue reading...

Events

20 h. ago EU leaders stall €140bn Ukraine loan using frozen Russian assets

Belgium resists plan fearing retaliation by Moscow over assets immobilised on its soil

Politics

22 h. ago EU leaders fail to back €140bn loan for Ukraine using frozen Russian assets

Belgium resists plan fearing retaliation by Moscow over assets immobilised on its soil

Politics

25 h. ago Putin says he will never bow to US but concedes sanctions may cause ‘some losses’

China and India likely to scale back Russian oil imports as Trump tries to bring an end to war in UkraineVladimir Putin has said Russia will never bow to US pressure but conceded new sanctions could cause some economic pain, as China and India were reported to be scaling back Russian oil imports after Washington targeted Moscow’s two largest producers.The US on Wednesday imposed sanctions on Rosneft and Lukoil, as well as nearly three dozen of their subsidiaries, as the Trump administration increased pressure on the Kremlin to negotiate an end to its war against Ukraine. The EU separately discussed a loan for Ukraine secured on frozen Russian assets and agreed to a phased ban on the import of Russian liquefied natural gas. Continue reading...

Politics

26 h. ago Putin calls new US sanctions an ‘unfriendly act’ but claims they won’t affect Russian economy – Europe live

Russian president says Moscow will deliver ‘overhwleming’ response to strrikes inside RussiaThe Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, urged European Union leaders on Thursday to agree as soon as possible on a plan to use frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine.Zelenskyy, who is visiting Brussels, said on X that the proposed mechanism for using frozen Russian assets was entirely legal and fair. He said Ukraine would use a significant part of the assets to buy weapons from its European allies. Continue reading...

Politics

30 h. ago King Charles becomes first British monarch to pray publicly with pope in 500 years – Europe live

King and pontiff took part in joint worship in Sistine Chapel during Charles’s visit to Vatican with CamillaThe Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, urged European Union leaders on Thursday to agree as soon as possible on a plan to use frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine.Zelenskyy, who is visiting Brussels, said on X that the proposed mechanism for using frozen Russian assets was entirely legal and fair. He said Ukraine would use a significant part of the assets to buy weapons from its European allies. Continue reading...

Politics

31 h. ago King Charles becomes first British monarch to pray with pope in 500 years – Europe live

King and pontiff took part in joint worship in Sistine Chapel during Charles’s visit to Vatican with CamillaThe Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, urged European Union leaders on Thursday to agree as soon as possible on a plan to use frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine.Zelenskyy, who is visiting Brussels, said on X that the proposed mechanism for using frozen Russian assets was entirely legal and fair. He said Ukraine would use a significant part of the assets to buy weapons from its European allies. Continue reading...

Politics

33 h. ago Belgium demands change in plan to use frozen Russian assets for Ukraine

The European Union’s executive branch has been developing a plan to use Russia’s frozen assets as collateral to drum up funds

Politics

4 d. ago Europeans rush to Zelenskyy’s defence after tense Trump meeting

EU seeks to secure deal on frozen Russian assets and more sanctions on Moscow to show support for Ukraine

Politics

4 d. ago Zelenskyy calls for more US Patriot air defences after Trump again sides with Putin

Ukrainian president ready to join Putin-Trump summit and asks for additional anti-missile batteries, paid for with frozen Russian assetsTrump suggests carving up Ukraine’s Donbas region to end war after meeting with ZelenskyyVolodymyr Zelenskyy has called for the delivery of an additional 25 US Patriot anti-missile batteries amid the rapidly escalating air war with Russia, as it became clear that Donald Trump had once again tacked sharply towards Moscow.The Ukrainian president added that he would be ready to join Vladimir Putin and Trump at their summit in Hungary if he was invited. Continue reading...

Politics

4 d. ago European leaders near deal to use frozen Russian assets for Ukraine

Plans to secure loan with Russian funds ‘moving to happy resolution’, says Polish foreign ministerEuropean leaders, including in the UK, are increasingly confident a proposal to lend Ukraine €140bn (£159bn) secured on frozen Russian central bank deposits can be agreed by the end of the year, in a move deemed critical for Kyiv to maintain its defence effort.Proposals from the European Commission were discussed at a meeting of G7 finance ministers in Washington last week and will be debated at an EU leaders summit on Thursday in Brussels. US participation remains uncertain. Continue reading...

Politics

9 d. ago The Guardian view on EU accession for Ukraine: Orbán must not be allowed to call the tune | Editorial

In a critical phase, Brussels should find a way to bypass Hungary’s prime minister in the interests of European solidarityHosting European Union leaders in Copenhagen earlier this month, the Danish prime minister, Mette Frederiksen, described Europe as facing “the most difficult and dangerous situation since the second world war”. There have been other moments of high tension, such as during the 1980s when US cruise missiles were deployed in Germany in response to an escalating arms race with the Soviet Union. From next year, long-range missiles will be back on German soil, amid fears that recent Russian incursions into EU airspace herald a new and ominous phase of the war in Ukraine.As Donald Trump’s US continues to carry the status of an unreliable ally, European unity, cohesion and solidarity are of critical importance. But little of substance emerged from the Copenhagen talks. Disagreement persists, for example, over the advisability of leveraging €140bn of frozen Russian assets...

Politics

1 week ago Nigel Farage makes false claim distancing Reform from Russian asset

'I'm the only person in the senior management team of Reform who's ever even met him,' the Reform UK leader falsely claimed when asked about Nathan Gill

Politics

1 week ago Starmer ‘ready to progress’ plans to spend frozen Russian assets on Ukraine loan

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer spoke with his counterparts from Ukraine, Germany and France on Friday.

Politics

3 w. ago Europe mulls using frozen Russian assets to fund loan to Ukraine

The EU has already poured in €174 billion since the war started in February 2022

Politics

3 w. ago EU leaders consider using seized Russian assets to fund a loan to Ukraine

European Union leaders are weighing a scheme to provide long-term financial and military support to Ukraine using hundreds of billions of dollars in frozen Russian assets

Politics

3 w. ago Europe ‘in most difficult and dangerous situation since second world war,’ Danish PM warns – Europe live

Mette Frederiksen says she backs the European Commission’s proposal for a reparation loan for Ukraine, secured on frozen Russian assetsSiliņa says the EU should move on drones very quickly, as she rejects some criticism that fully developing the bloc’s “drone wall” could take up to three-four years.“We don’t need three years, and I believe we can do it in a much shorter time.It just depends on the leaders [if] we can agree on a much shorter time, because with drones, how they’re developing so fast, three years is too long.” Continue reading...

Events