16 h. ago Trump lambasts ‘weak’ and ‘decaying’ Europe and hints at walking away from Ukraine

US president recycles far-right tropes on European immigration and presses Zelenskyy to accept his peace planEurope live – latest updatesDonald Trump has hinted he could walk away from supporting Ukraine as he doubled down on his administration’s recent criticism of Europe, describing it as “weak” and “decaying” and claiming it was “destroying itself” through immigration.In a rambling and sometimes incoherent interview with Politico, a transcript of which was released on Tuesday, the US president struggled to name any other Ukrainian cities except for Kyiv, misrepresented elements of the trajectory of the conflict, and recycled far-right tropes about European immigration that echoed the “great replacement” conspiracy theory. Continue reading...

Politics

19 h. ago Europe live: Zelenskyy meets pope as he tours Europe to shore up support amid US pressure for Ukraine deal

Meeting with pontiff follows UK visit on Monday and comes ahead of talks with MeloniUkraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy has met with Pope Leo this morning, with the pair discussing the war in Ukraine, according to the Vatican readout.Pope Leo “reiterated the need for the continuation of dialogue and expressed his urgent desire that the current diplomatic initiatives bring about a just and lasting peace,” the statement read. Continue reading...

Society

21 h. ago Deal to release ‘£100bn of Russian assets’ for Ukraine expected imminently

British officials said they were hopeful a deal would be agreed to unlock the value of immobilised Russian sovereign assets in the coming days

Economics

36 h. ago Ukraine war live: Zelenskyy says unity is ‘critical’ after peace talks meeting with European leaders in Downing Street

Ukrainian leader met with Starmer, Macron and Merz in UK after US-Ukraine talks in Florida failed to achieve a breakthroughSee all our Ukraine war coverageMeanwhile, we are starting to look towards 10 Downing Street as the leaders should start arriving in the next hour. Last preparations are under way, and we have a live stream for you at the top of the page.In the last few minutes, Volodymyr Zelenskyy has just landed in the UK, Sky News has reported. Continue reading...

Politics

36 h. ago Zelensky in London as West steps up push for Ukraine peace deal

Zelensky in London as West steps up push for Ukraine peace deal  National Security News

Economics

42 h. ago Zelenskyy meets European leaders in London for talks on ending Ukraine war

Ukraine’s president says latest discussions on peace proposals with US were ‘constructive, although not easy’See all our Ukraine war coverageVolodymyr Zelenskyy is meeting the leaders of the UK, France and Germany in London on Monday amid heavy pressure on Ukraine from the Trump administration to cede territory it currently holds in efforts to reach a quick conclusion to the war.The talks in London follow several days of negotiations between US and Ukrainian officials, which ended on Saturday without an apparent breakthrough and were characterised by the Ukrainian president as “constructive, although not easy”. Continue reading...

Politics

46 h. ago Zelenskyy to meet European leaders in London for talks on ending Ukraine war

Ukraine’s president says latest discussions on peace proposals with US were ‘constructive, although not easy’See all our Ukraine war coverageVolodymyr Zelenskyy will meet the leaders of the UK, France and Germany in London on Monday to discuss the latest US-authored peace proposal aimed at ending Russia’s war in Ukraine.Days of negotiations between US and Ukrainian officials ended on Saturday without an apparent breakthrough. The Ukrainian president called the discussions “constructive, although not easy”. Continue reading...

Politics

46 h. ago Trump says Zelenskyy ‘isn’t ready’ to accept US peace deal ahead of UK meeting with European leaders

Ukraine’s president set to meet the leaders of the UK, France and Germany in London on MondaySee all our Ukraine war coverageDonald Trump has said Volodymyr Zelenskyy “isn’t ready” to sign off on a US-authored peace proposal aimed at ending the war between Russia and Ukraine, at the end of three days of talks between Washington and Kyiv in Florida.“I’m a little bit disappointed that President Zelenskyy hasn’t yet read the proposal, that was as of a few hours ago. His people love it, but he hasn’t,” Trump claimed as he spoke with reporters on Sunday night. Continue reading...

Politics

54 h. ago 'Unpredictable' Donald Trump could walk away from Ukraine peace deal, warns son

Donald Trump Jr said the war between Ukraine and Russia is not a priority for Americans as gangs bringing illegal drugs into the US are a 'far greater clear and present danger'

Events

63 h. ago If a peace deal includes two key elements, Ukraine should accept | Christopher S Chivvis

Kyiv may be approaching its last chance to end the war with its sovereignty intact. If a peace deal includes two key elements, it should acceptThe negotiations over the war in Ukraine are frustrating and tragic. On the one side, a victim of aggression whose plight is more and more desperate. On the other, a brutal aggressor, willing to go to extraordinary lengths to win the war. In the middle, a transactional American president eager for a deal.It’s no surprise that so many observers have railed against the proposals recently put forward by President Donald Trump and his emissary Steve Witkoff. These proposals appear to offer much to Russia and little to Ukraine – other than an end to the violence. If the negotiations produce a plan that offers Ukraine no hope of security after the war, no Ukrainian leader will accept it. Security is the core of sovereignty, and it would be political suicide to trade Ukraine’s sovereignty for peace.Christopher S Chivvis is a senior fellow and direct...

Economics

64 h. ago How Ukraine's corrupt politicians are forcing Kyiv towards a Putin

Ukrainians are fearful that the Kremlin and the White House might use the $100 million embezzlement scandal as leverage to push Kyiv to make painful concessions in talks.

Politics

65 h. ago Ukraine must not be left 'toothless' by peace deal, minister warns, ahead of crunch talks

Keir Starmer will welcome Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, alongside French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, in London on Monday

Events

69 h. ago Putin should have accepted Trump’s deal. Now Russia’s collapsing economy could lead to his downfall | Simon Tisdall

The war against Ukraine has hit ordinary Russians hard, and the deteriorating situation is likely to inflame tensions People in Britain who think they are governed by fools should take a closer look at the Russian and US presidents. Vladimir Putin is systematically ruining his country. His war of choice in Ukraine is an economic, financial, geopolitical and human calamity for Russia that worsens by the day. For his own murky reasons, Donald Trump, another national menace, offered him a lifeline last week. Yet Putin spurned it. These two fools deserve each other.On the table in Moscow was a “peace” deal that, broadly speaking, rewarded Russia’s aggression by handing over large chunks of Ukrainian land, compromised Kyiv’s independence and weakened its defences against any future attack. The Trump deal, if forced through, would have split the US and Europe; ruptured Nato, perhaps fatally; reprieved Russia’s pariah economy; and probably toppled Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s government.Simon Tis...

Politics

4 d. ago Only Europe can save Ukraine from Putin and Trump – but will it? | Timothy Garton Ash

Whether using frozen Russian assets, ramping up defence production or deepening the relationship with the EU, it is up to us to secure Ukraine’s future – and our ownEurope, you have been warned. President Vladimir Putin has waged a full-scale war against Ukraine for nearly four years and this week threatened that Russia was “ready right now” for war with Europe if need be. President Donald Trump has demonstrated that the US is ready to sell out Ukraine for the sake of a dirty deal with Putin’s Russia. His new US National Security Strategy prescribes “cultivating resistance to Europe’s current trajectory within European nations”. How much more clarity do you need?Now it’s up to us Europeans to enable Ukraine to survive armed assault from Moscow and diplomatic betrayal from Washington. In doing so, we also defend ourselves. For a year now, people have been telling me that Trump will eventually get tough on Russia. It’s been the geopolitical version of Waiting for Godot. Then his perso...

Politics

5 d. ago EU leaders race to save Ukraine funding deal as Kyiv’s cash runs low

‘Future of Europe’ at stake with Von der Leyen and Merz desperate to persuade Belgian PM to allow use of frozen Russian assetsGermany’s chancellor, Friedrich Merz, will meet the European Commission chief, Ursula von der Leyen, and Belgium’s prime minister, Bart De Wever, for emergency talks on Friday as the EU races to save its sorely needed financing plan for Ukraine.The three leaders will dine in private in Brussels, a German government spokesperson said on Thursday, as Belgian officials continued to express strong opposition to the scheme, which involves the unprecedented use of frozen Russian assets. Continue reading...

Economics

5 d. ago Putin crushes hopes for a peace deal once more as UK eyes unlocking £8BILLION of frozen Russian assets to help Ukraine

Speaking publicly for the first time about his talks with Donald Trump 's peace envoy Steve Witkoff, the Russian president held a hard line.

Economics

5 d. ago Putin says Russia disagrees with parts of the US peace plan to end the Ukraine war as he arrives in New Delhi for arms deal talks

It is understood that the main points of contention are the fate of Ukrainian territory seized by Russian forces and security guarantees for Kyiv.

Politics

5 d. ago South Lanarkshire Provost reaffirms region's support and friendship with Ukraine

Margaret Cooper said: "I salute the bravery of the Ukrainian people as they continue to deal with the horrific nature of the war.”

Politics

5 d. ago US envoy Steve Witkoff to meet Ukraine national security chief in Miami

Meeting comes two days after Witkoff and Jared Kushner held five hours of talks with Vladimir Putin in MoscowAnalysis: Ukraine peace deal has stumbled yet againThe US special envoy Steve Witkoff will meet Ukraine’s national security council chief, Rustem Umerov, in Miami on Thursday as Washington steps up its diplomatic push to secure a pathway to peace in Ukraine.Witkoff, accompanied by Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, spent nearly five hours in talks with Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin on Tuesday. Moscow later said the meeting had not brought the sides any closer to a peace agreement. Continue reading...

Events

6 d. ago The Ukraine peace deal has stumbled yet again over an inevitable obstacle: Putin

Russian leader’s rejection of latest peace proposal was predictable and shows the Kremlin continues to hold the trump cardBefore the harsh white glare of the Kremlin reception room came a telling prologue: Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Donald Trump’s self-described “deal guys”, being led by Kremlin officials through the sparkling streets of a festive Moscow.Wasn’t it lovely, Vladimir Putin asked later, as both sides sat down to a five-hour negotiation that seems to have led right back to where they started. “It’s a magnificent city,” Witkoff replied. Then the cameras cut out. Continue reading...

Economics