2 w. ago Trump needs to understand what the war in Ukraine is really about | Kenneth Roth

It’s not about Nato or the Soviet Union. It’s about democracyIt may be difficult for a real-estate mogul like Donald Trump to recognize, but Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine is not about slices of war-torn land in eastern Ukraine. It is about Ukraine’s democracy. Putin fears that the Russian people will see that democracy as an enticing alternative to his stultifying autocratic rule. Trump is unlikely to secure a peace deal unless he acts on that reality and changes the cost-benefit analysis behind Putin’s continuing war.Much of the public analysis of the Alaska summit between Trump and Putin, and the Washington collection of European leaders protecting the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, from the temperamental Trump, has been replete with red-herring issues. For example, Putin did not invade Ukraine because of feared Nato expansion. The unanimous consent of all Nato members required to admit Ukraine is nowhere on the horizon, especially since article 5 of the Nato tre...

Politics

2 w. ago The Guardian view on Trump and Zelenskyy: Ukraine deserves better than 'better than we feared' | Editorial

In Washington, European leaders helped steer the US president away from his embrace of Vladimir Putin’s talking points. But for how long?The verdict on Donald Trump’s meeting with Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other European leaders on Monday depends entirely upon the metric used. The great fear was that this might prove a disaster along the lines of the US president’s dressing down of the Ukrainian leader in February – a scenario so plausible that Sir Keir Starmer, Emmanuel Macron, Friedrich Merz and other key European leaders dropped everything to dash to the White House themselves in support.Following his red carpet welcome for Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday, Mr Trump reportedly backed the idea that Ukraine should hand over the Donbas to achieve a peace deal. Even if one were naive enough to think that the Kremlin would see that as an end to conflict, rather than a staging post for a later offensive, it would not be a “land swap” but a land grab that Ukraine – for go...

Politics

2 w. ago Ukraine live updates: ‘Dynamics have accelerated,’ says Polish PM as coalition of the willing debrief takes place after White House meeting

European leaders meet virtually after talks at the White House where Trump said arrangements being made for meeting between Putin and ZelenskyyFull report: Trump arranging Zelenskyy-Putin meeting as European leaders push for US security guaranteesSketch: All smoke and no fire as Zelenskky emerges unbruised after Trump meetVolodymyr Zelenskyy navigated Monday’s meeting more successfully than his Oval Office encounter in February, which ended abruptly when Donald Trump and JD Vance publicly upbraided him for not being grateful enough.In his opening remarks to the media on Monday, the Ukrainian president repeated his thanks at least eight times, the Associated Press reports.A meeting between Zelenskyy and Putin ... could it finally happen?The need for security guarantees agreed – but details unclearTrump believes he is very good at solving conflictsA potential boost for the US arms industry Continue reading...

Society

2 w. ago Four key takeaways from Trump’s White House summit on Ukraine

The US president has hosted European leaders at short notice amid intense political efforts to end the war in Ukraine. Here are four key points to what was achievedUkraine war: live updatesFull report: Trump arranging Zelenskyy-Putin meeting as European leaders push for US security guaranteesDonald Trump has hosted leaders from across Europe as part of a flurry of diplomacy to find a path to peace in Ukraine. Coming just days after a disappointing summit with Russian president Vladimir Putin in Alaska, the pressure was on to make headway in a years-long conflict that the US president once said he could solve in 24 hours.Below are some key points arising from the US president’s range of bilateral and multilateral talks with the leaders of Ukraine, Germany, Britain, France, Italy, Finland, the European Union and Nato. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago Ukraine live updates: Trump and European leaders press Putin to agree to Zelenskyy meeting

US president says arrangements being made for bilateral meeting between Putin and Zelenskyy and that US will help guarantee Ukraine’s security if a deal is reachedFull report: Trump arranging Zelenskyy-Putin meeting as European leaders push for US security guaranteesSketch: All smoke and no fire as Zelenskky emerges unbruised after Trump meetBritish prime minister Keir Starmer has described the talks at the White House as “good and constructive” and said they produced “real progress”.Speaking after the summit, Starmer said: “There was a real sense of unity between the European leaders that were there and President Trump and President Zelenskyy.”The other material outcome was the agreement that there will now be a bilateral agreement between President Putin and President Zelenskyy, that was after a phone call between President Trump and President Putin during the course of this afternoon, followed by a trilateral that will add in Trump.That is a recognition of the principle that on s...

Politics

2 w. ago Photos: What Zelenskyy and European leaders' visit with Trump at the White House looked like

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Europe’s top leaders met with U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday on ending Russia’s war in Ukraine. Read what to know and get live updates.

Politics

2 w. ago Trump claims to be setting up meeting between Zelenskyy and Putin after talks with European leaders end – live

US president says he began arrangements for bilateral meeting after calling Vladimir Putin following talks with European leaders at White HouseTrump tells Zelenskyy ceasefire not needed for Russia-Ukraine peace dealSketch: All smoke and no fire as Zelenskky emerges unbruised after Trump meetA Russian drone attack on a five-storey apartment block in the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv early Monday killed five people and wounded more than a dozen others, Ukrainian authorities said.The attack, which took place just before dawn, reduced part of the building to rubble and sparked fires on at least three floors, the region’s governor Oleg Synegubov said on Telegram. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago Trump talks with European leaders end, White House says, amid push for ceasefire and trilateral meeting – live

Earlier reports said US president interrupted meeting to speak to Putin as European leaders call for truce and US-Russia-Ukraine talksTrump tells Zelenskyy ceasefire not needed for Russia-Ukraine peace dealSketch: All smoke and no fire as Zelenskky emerges unbruised after Trump meetA Russian drone attack on a five-storey apartment block in the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv early Monday killed five people and wounded more than a dozen others, Ukrainian authorities said.The attack, which took place just before dawn, reduced part of the building to rubble and sparked fires on at least three floors, the region’s governor Oleg Synegubov said on Telegram. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago What Donald Trump really thinks about Vladimir Putin after 'hot mic' blunder

Trump was overheard in conversation with Emmanuel Macron just moments before a high-stakes summit with Zelenskyy and top European leaders.

Politics

2 w. ago Donald Trump caught on 'hot mic' sharing his real thoughts about Putin

The US president was overheard speaking to French President Emmanuel Macron at the start of a meeting with Volodymyr Zelenskyy and a number of European leaders

Politics

2 w. ago Trump says Russia will accept security guarantees for Ukraine, but talks of ‘possible exchanges of territory’ – live

US president holds meeting with Zelenskyy and European leaders after touting ‘very substantial progress’ in Putin talks A Russian drone attack on a five-storey apartment block in the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv early Monday killed five people and wounded more than a dozen others, Ukrainian authorities said.The attack, which took place just before dawn, reduced part of the building to rubble and sparked fires on at least three floors, the region’s governor Oleg Synegubov said on Telegram. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago Keir Starmer at odds with Donald Trump as Russia warn UK of 'global conflict'

Sir Keir Starmer has arrived in Washington along with several other European leaders as Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrives at the White House for a meeting with Donald Trump

Events

2 w. ago Zelenskyy and Trump speak in the Oval Office ahead of talks with European leaders about Ukraine war – live

Ukrainian president returns to White House; European leaders in Washington to join Volodymyr Zelenskyy in talks with US president on Ukraine warA Russian drone attack on a five-storey apartment block in the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv early Monday killed five people and wounded more than a dozen others, Ukrainian authorities said.The attack, which took place just before dawn, reduced part of the building to rubble and sparked fires on at least three floors, the region’s governor Oleg Synegubov said on Telegram. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago The Latest: European leaders arrive for White House meeting on Russia

Ukraine’s future could hinge on a hastily assembled meeting at the White House as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy brings an extraordinary cadre of European leaders with him to show U.S. President Donald Trump a united front against Russia

Politics

3 w. ago ‘I’ll get it done’, Trump insists, as European leaders arrive at White House for Ukraine talks alongside Zelenskyy – live

Ukrainian president says ‘the war must be ended’ before meeting Donald Trump in Washington DCA Russian drone attack on a five-storey apartment block in the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv early Monday killed five people and wounded more than a dozen others, Ukrainian authorities said.The attack, which took place just before dawn, reduced part of the building to rubble and sparked fires on at least three floors, the region’s governor Oleg Synegubov said on Telegram. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago ‘I’ll get it done’, Trump insists, as European leaders arrive in Washington DC for Ukraine talks alongside Zelenskyy – live

Ukrainian president says ‘the war must be ended’ as he prepares to meet Donald Trump in Washington DCTrump rules out Ukraine reclaiming Crimea or joining NatoA Russian drone attack on a five-storey apartment block in the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv early Monday killed five people and wounded more than a dozen others, Ukrainian authorities said.The attack, which took place just before dawn, reduced part of the building to rubble and sparked fires on at least three floors, the region’s governor Oleg Synegubov said on Telegram. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago Soho House agrees to be taken private in $2.7bn deal; European shares dip ahead of Ukraine peace talks – as it happened

Ashton Kutcher to join private members’ club’s boardThe bosses of Britain’s largest listed companies took home record high pay packets for the third successive year, according to a report.Analysis found that the record set in the last financial year means the average FTSE 100 chief executive is now paid 122 times the salary of the average full-time UK worker.What would be the justification for jacking up fares above inflation? There isn’t any.It’s ripping off the customer, driving people off the trains and onto our congested road network, which is in no-one’s interest. Continue reading...

Economics

3 w. ago Soho House agrees to be taken private in $2.7bn deal; European shares dip ahead of Ukraine peace talks – business live

Ashton Kutcher to join private members’ club’s boardThe bosses of Britain’s largest listed companies took home record high pay packets for the third successive year, according to a report.Analysis found that the record set in the last financial year means the average FTSE 100 chief executive is now paid 122 times the salary of the average full-time UK worker.What would be the justification for jacking up fares above inflation? There isn’t any.It’s ripping off the customer, driving people off the trains and onto our congested road network, which is in no-one’s interest. Continue reading...

Economics

3 w. ago The stakes are high as Zelenskyy and European leaders head to Washington

U.S. President Donald Trump is set to host Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders at the White House to discuss how to end Russia’s three-year war in Ukraine

Politics

3 w. ago Zelenskyy and European leaders fly to Washington to press Trump on Ukraine

US security guarantees in focus as Trump says Kyiv can end war ‘almost immediately’

Politics