32 h. ago Trump swallowing Putin’s lies is a bigger threat to Ukraine than bombs | Rafael Behr

In Alaska the Russian leader will claim to want peace, but only on his terms – and play on the president’s desperation to ‘make a deal’ quicklyWars do not have to be won. Total victories loom largest in the popular imagination because those are the stories nations always tell to sustain patriotic feeling. The fuller version of history is written in stalemates.That is worth remembering when Donald Trump meets Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday. Both leaders have incentives to pretend that Ukraine’s fate can be settled decisively without any Ukrainians at the negotiating table. That doesn’t make it so. Continue reading...

Politics

7 d. ago Ukraine war briefing: Zelenskyy – don’t let Russia ‘deceive us in the details’

Clock ticking to secondary sanctions on Friday; majority still trust Zelenskyy but rating down after anti-corruption debacle. What we know on day 1,261Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia seemed “more inclined to a ceasefire” after a visit to Moscow on Wednesday by a US envoy. “The pressure on them works. But the main thing is that they do not deceive us in the details – neither us nor the US,” Ukraine’s president said in his nightly address.Despite the engagement, sanctions targeting Russian oil “are still expected to be implemented on Friday”, a senior Trump administration official said on Wednesday, according to Reuters. Separately, Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, said he did not want to exaggerate the progress made during Steve Witkoff’s talks with Putin. Many “impediments” remained, especially Russia’s territorial claims, and there was no concrete proposal for a ceasefire. There have been unconfirmed reports that the Kremlin could propose a halt to long-range strikes by both...

Events

7 d. ago Trump declares Russia 'an extraordinary threat to the US' as Putin looks set to ignore his deadline for ending Ukraine war in sign relationship is about to crumble

US president Donald Trump has declared Russian an 'extraordinary threat' to the US, as Russian despot Vladimir Putin is set to ignore his deadline for ending the invasion of Ukraine. 

Events

7 d. ago Donald Trump warns Russia ‘extraordinary threat to US’ as meeting with Vladimir Putin set for next week

The US President has issued an executive order hitting India with an additional 25 per cent tariff over its purchases of Russian oil

Events

7 d. ago Putin defies US threats in 'cruel' Ukraine bombing hours before 'peace' talks

Russian President defies US sanctions threats by bombing Ukraine just hours before a crucial face-to-face with US President Donald Trump's 'special envoy' in latest sign of contempt

Events

7 d. ago Trump threatens to take ‘federal control’ of DC after Doge staffer attack – US politics live updates

President claims on social media that DC is ‘totally out of control’ and if the city doesn’t ‘get it’s act together’ he will have ‘no choice but to take Federal control’After taking six months to conclude that Vladimir Putin may not be a kindred transactional authoritarian leader but an ideological nationalist seeking the return of what “belongs to Russia”, the deadline Donald Trump set for the Russian president to agree a Ukraine ceasefire or face US sanctions on oil exports arrives on Friday.What Trump – who some had claimed was a Russian asset – does next to punish Putin could define his presidency. Continue reading...

Politics

7 d. ago World awaits Trump’s next move as Russia ceasefire deadline approaches

US president has been unusually reticent about plans to punish Russia if it does not agree to end Ukraine warEurope live – latest updatesAfter needing six months to conclude that Vladimir Putin may not be a kindred transactional authoritarian leader, but an ideological nationalist seeking the return of what “belongs to Russia”, the deadline Donald Trump set for the Russian president to agree a Ukraine ceasefire or face US sanctions on oil exports arrives on Friday.What Trump – who some had claimed was a Russian asset – does next to punish Putin could define his presidency. Continue reading...

Events

8 d. ago Vladimir Putin could end Russian aerial bombardment of Ukraine to avoid Trump's economic sanctions

US President Donald Trump 's peace envoy, Steve Witkoff, is expected to travel to Moscow imminently ahead of Friday's deadline for Russia to agree a ceasefire with Ukraine.

Politics

1 week ago Top Trump aide says India financing Putin’s war in Ukraine by buying Russian oil

White House official says India ‘basically tied with China in purchasing Russian oil’ as Delhi defies sanctions threat

Politics

1 week ago Ukraine welcomes Trump’s nuclear sub move, saying it has ‘silenced’ Medvedev – Europe live

Senior Zelenskyy aide says ‘Russia only understands one thing: strength’President Zelenskyy also called for more pressure on Russia, as he posted a video of drone strikes on what he said were first responders and medics arriving to help after attacks.“Deliberate FPV [first person view] drone strikes on first responders and medics arriving to help after attacks – all of this is typical for every city or community within reach of Russian drones. The Russian army simply kills everything that is alive,” he warned.“We count on strong decisions from the United States, Europe, and the world regarding secondary sanctions on Russian energy trade and Moscow’s banking sector.Ukraine looks forward to the implementation of every agreement on strengthening defense that has been reached with its partners. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago Ukraine war briefing: EU and UK increase sanctions on Russia as drone strike on Odesa kills one

EU agrees 18th package of sanctions against Moscow, including a moving price cap on Russian oil 15% below market rates. What we know on day 1,242One person was killed and at least one apartment building set alight in Odesa after Russian forces staged a mass drone attack on the Ukrainian Black Sea port. The city’s mayor, Gennadiy Trukhanov, said at least 20 drones had converged on the city. “Civilian infrastructure was damaged as a result of the attack. A residential high-rise building is on fire” and rescuers were pulling people out, he said. The Odesa region’s emergency service said later that five people were rescued from burning apartments but “one rescued woman died”.The Russian defence ministry said its air defence systems destroyed 87 Ukrainian drones in a five-hour period on Friday evening, including over the Bryansk region bordering northern Ukraine and the Moscow region. Russian aviation authorities were once again forced to suspend flights at Sheremetyevo and Domodedovo ai...

Events

3 w. ago London also slashes price cap on Russian oil to $47.60 per barrel after EU's sanctions adoption

London also slashes price cap on Russian oil to $47.60 per barrel after EU's sanctions adoption  Euromaidan Press

Economics

3 w. ago UK sanctions Russian spies who ‘targeted Britain in sustained campaign’

The spies are also blamed for a prolonged campaign of cyberattacks across Europe

Events

3 w. ago How the EU aims to put the squeeze on the Russian economy with new sanctions package

Key measures include a lower oil price cap, Nord Stream transaction ban and a full ban on Russian bank deals

Politics

3 w. ago Lammy sanctions Russian spies accused of Mariupol theatre bombing

The spies are also blamed for a prolonged campaign of cyberattacks across Europe

Events

3 w. ago Britain will not be intimidated by Moscow spies, writes Foreign Secretary DAVID LAMMY as he sanctions 21 Russian operatives

Murky Moscow spy plots - these make for a great thriller. But the reality is much more serious. Russian intelligence has long posed a threat to Britain.

Politics

3 w. ago Ship banned from Tall Ships Race due to Russian sanctions turned away at Orkney

The Russian-born captain said he still intended to sail across the North Sea with the Tall Ships Races despite being banned from several ports on the route.

Events

4 w. ago Slovakia blocks EU move to impose new sanctions package on Russia – Europe live

EU foreign policy chief says ‘ball is in Slovakia’s court’ after leader Robert Fico blocked ‘imbecile’ proposal to ban Russian gas imports from 2028 French foreign minister Jean-Noël Barrot told reporters that he hoped the new language from the US and more sanctions from the EU will force Russian president Vladimir Putin “to face the facts: he has gone too far and he is now at an impasse.”He said he was hoping for more alignment between the US and the EU on sanctions, as he met with American senators last week in Rome to discuss their proposed bipartisan bill on Russia.“So we have some progress. We have some positive developments. It’s true that we have trucks that are able to enter, but we don’t know exactly how many. And what is clear is that the agreement is not fully implemented. Continue reading...

Politics

last month Why Russian markets jumped after Trump’s tariff threat against Putin

Russian Stock Market jumped by 2.7 percent after Trump’s ultimatum

Politics

last month Trump ‘disappointed, but not done’ with Putin as he backs Nato on Ukraine – Europe live

Comments come after Oval Office meeting with Nato’s Mark Rutte signalled a shift in tone on conflictFrench foreign minister Jean-Noël Barrot told reporters that he hoped the new language from the US and more sanctions from the EU will force Russian president Vladimir Putin “to face the facts: he has gone too far and he is now at an impasse.”He said he was hoping for more alignment between the US and the EU on sanctions, as he met with American senators last week in Rome to discuss their proposed bipartisan bill on Russia.“So we have some progress. We have some positive developments. It’s true that we have trucks that are able to enter, but we don’t know exactly how many. And what is clear is that the agreement is not fully implemented. Continue reading...

Politics