16 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

17 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

18 h. ago Ukraine's President Zelensky gets ceremonial welcome as he meets King Charles at Windsor Castle

The visit came ahead of a meeting between the Ukrainian president, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and other European leaders

Politics

34 h. ago Russia returns 1,000 bodies of dead Ukrainians as total death toll nears 200,000

With negotiations for peace between Russia and Ukraine looking further away than ever, Kyiv confirmed that some 1,000 bodies were returned to authorities in the latest exchange

Events

39 h. ago New sanctions and weapons will not stop Russia. It’s time for Ukraine’s allies to change their flawed strategy | Christopher S Chivvis

A negotiated settlement would be unfair and frustrating. But after nearly four years of fighting, it may be the best optionOn Wednesday, President Trump imposed substantial new sanctions on Russia’s giant oil and gas companies, and lifted restrictions on the use of certain long-range missiles by Ukraine, which will now be able to strike more freely into Russia itself. These moves come on the heels of Trump’s conversations last week with Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelenskyy, after which the US president expressed his frustration at both side’s intransigence. Trump had hoped to end this war long ago. Will this be enough?When Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the US and its allies chose a strategy that aimed to use Washington’s awesome political, economic and military power to impose such high costs on Russia that the Kremlin would sue for peace on Ukraine’s terms. This “cost-imposition” strategy makes sense in theory. The problem is that, in practi...

Events

39 h. ago US sanctions on Russian oil giants ‘really important new step’ – Healey

The Defence Secretary was speaking alongside his German counterpart Boris Pistorius at RAF Lossiemouth in northern Scotland.

Politics

42 h. ago EU joins US in heaping more sanctions on Russia to push Putin into Ukraine peace talks

The European Union has imposed more economic sanctions on Russia, adding to measures by U.S. President Donald Trump against the Russian oil industry

Politics

55 h. ago Trump steps up pressure on Putin to agree ‘immediate ceasefire’ as he slaps Russia with direct sanctions

PRESIDENT Donald Trump has imposed direct sanctions on Russia to pressure Vladimir Putin to agree to an "immediate ceasefire" in the Ukraine war. It is the first time in his second term that Trump slapped direct sanctions on Russia - and it comes amid his growing frustration with Moscow over the raging war. The sanctions...

Politics

56 h. ago Alex Rae slams 'ridiculous' Rangers claim that he's heard about Danny Rohl

The ex-Ibrox coach has issued a staunch defence of the German's appointment

Politics

61 h. ago Starmer calls Western Balkans Europe’s ‘crucible’ as he kicks off summit

The Prime Minister is hosting leaders from Western Balkan nations as the UK seeks to agree further measures on deterring illegal migrants.

Politics

62 h. ago Why Trump and Putin’s latest summit has collapsed – and what it means for peace in Ukraine

US President Donald Trump said that a meeting between the two leaders would be a ‘waste of time’ as Moscow digs in on its red lines

Politics

3 d. ago Putin accused of ‘stalling’ over Ukraine peace talks as Trump meeting postponed

European leaders including Sir Keir Starmer said Vladimir Putin was not serious about the prospect of an end to the war with Ukraine.

Politics

3 d. ago Brexit had bigger impact on UK economy than critics predicted, Rachel Reeves says

Brexit ‘needlessly’ added costs to UK businesses, Rachel Reeves said, arguing ministers are now ‘unashamedly rebuilding our relations with the European Union’

Politics

4 d. ago Britain is suddenly pining for closer ties with the EU. It’s more likely to get the cold shoulder | Anand Menon

Labour now wants to use the damage from Brexit to combat the threat of Nigel Farage, but the union has bigger fish to fryA palpable sense of urgency has emerged in the UK’s approach to relations with the European Union. Ministers are beginning to sound enthusiastic, impatient even. The chancellor of the exchequer, Rachel Reeves, has even pointed to Brexit as a major cause of the country’s economic travails. You might think that this bodes well for prospects of improved UK-EU relations. But – and here’s the rub – enthusiasm on one side is not enough to drive substantive progress.In opposition, Labour shadow ministers and spokespeople were understandably reluctant to add flesh to the bones of their intention to “reset” relations with the EU. More detail was provided at the summit in May this year, as the two sides not only signed off a long-term deal on fisheries but declared their intention to negotiate further agreements covering agrifoods, energy and defence.Anand Menon is director...

Politics

4 d. ago UK peace force for Ukraine would cost ‘well over £100m’, says defence secretary

John Healey says he has already brought forward millions in spending for swift deployment if ceasefire agreedThe cost of Britain’s contribution to a post-ceasefire stabilisation force for Ukraine would be “well over £100m”, the defence secretary, John Healey, has said after a speech in the City of London.Healey said he had already brought forward millions in spending so that a “multinational force Ukraine” led by the UK and France could be ready to deploy quickly if peace talks produce a ceasefire. Continue reading...

Economics

4 d. ago Trump back to feuding with Zelensky over Ukraine — even as he tries to hold together his fragile Middle East ‘peace’ deal

Trump has seen a reversal of fortune in foreign affairs, Eric Garcia writes. It turns out, Putin, Zelensky, Hamas and Netanyahu are not the Senate and House Republicans

Politics

4 d. ago Cost to send UK peace troops to Ukraine would be well over £100 million – Healey

That cost would cover an entry package including the initial deployment of troops and aircraft.

Economics

4 d. ago The Guardian view on Ukraine peace talks: Europe must ensure Zelenskyy can resist Trump’s bullying | Editorial

The US president’s attempts to broker a deal fail to distinguish between the aggressor and the victim. No just agreement is possible on that basisIt wasn’t quite the calamity of February, when Volodymyr Zelenskyy was publicly humiliated in the Oval Office by Donald Trump and his vice-president, JD Vance. But the Ukrainian president’s latest visit to the White House on Friday was, by all accounts, a disquieting experience. Mr Trump’s public musings before the meeting suggested that his stance had hardened towards Vladimir Putin, to the strategically significant extent of being willing to sell long-range Tomahawk missiles to Kyiv. But by the time Mr Zelenskyy arrived in Washington, the US president had changed his mind, instead lecturing his guest on the need to make territorial concessions to Russia.So far, so familiar. Since being re-elected, Mr Trump has repeatedly resiled from following up tough talk on Russia with meaningful action. Faux deadlines for Mr Putin to make substa...

Politics

4 d. ago Starmer vows to work with allies to ‘cripple Putin’s war machine’

The Prime Minister will work with the ‘coalition of the willing’ to put pressure on ‘tyrant’ Vladimir Putin.

Politics

5 d. ago In Gaza, and now Ukraine, Donald Trump may be peace activists' greatest ally. That deserves our backing | Simon Jenkins

It’s a fool’s game trying to understand the president’s true motives, but do our misgivings matter if the outcome is a speedy end to war?Donald Trump is sensible and he is right. Basking in glory after his Gaza ceasefire, he was on Friday evening flying to Florida with his entourage of reporters. The drums of war were beating across Europe and Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, had pleaded with him for Tomahawk missiles. What was his reply?Trump was clearly fed up. He had told Zelenskyy: go make a deal. He had said, “They should stop the war immediately. You go go by the battle line wherever it is and both sides should go home. Go to their families, stop the killing and that should be it.” Matter closed. Tomahawks would merely mean escalation and more killing. Get a deal.Simon Jenkins is a Guardian columnist Continue reading...

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