6 h. ago One by one, leaders learn that grovelling to Trump leads to disaster. When will it dawn on Starmer? | Simon Tisdall

As the US president’s state visit looms, he’s leaving a trail of broken promises across the globe. Britain can’t afford to look like a lackey stateSign up for our new weekly newsletter Matters of Opinion, where our columnists and writers will reflect on what they’ve been debating, thinking about, reading and moreSucking up to Donald Trump never works for long. Narendra Modi is the latest world leader to learn this lesson the hard way. Wooing his “true friend” in the White House, India’s authoritarian prime minister thought he’d conquered Trump’s inconstant heart. The two men hit peak pals in 2019, holding hands at a “Howdy Modi” rally in Texas. But it’s all gone pear-shaped thanks to Trump’s tariffs and dalliance with Pakistan. Like a jilted lover on the rebound, Modi shamelessly threw himself at Vladimir Putin in China last week. Don and Narendra! It’s over! Although, to be honest, it always felt a little shallow.Other suitors for Trump’s slippery hand have suffered similar heartbr...

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3 d. ago NATO chief demands European answer TODAY on how to protect Ukraine as divided leaders meet in France after Putin, Xi and Kim Jong

It comes as leaders from Europe, Turkey, Australia and Canada head to Paris to hold talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on what concrete measures they are prepared to offer Kyiv.

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3 d. ago Kim Jong Un’s staff seen scrubbing every surface he touched after meeting with Putin

Analysts say extreme security measure meant to prevent foreign intelligence agencies from gathering samples that may reveal North Korean leader’s health condition

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3 d. ago Trump says ‘you’ll see things happen’ if US is unhappy with Putin’s decisions – Europe live

Trump makes comments while meeting Polish president Karol Nawrocki after Putin warns Russia will use ‘military means’ to achieve objectives if diplomacy failsPutin was also asked about the prospect of more EU sanctions against Russia or its allies, including China and India.He said the leaders did not discuss this during their recent conversations.“I think there’s a light at the end of the tunnel. We will see.Otherwise, we will be forced to resolve all our objective objectives through military means.” Continue reading...

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4 d. ago Moment North Koreans 'remove all traces of Kim Jong Un's DNA' from meeting room where he met Putin by wiping down furniture and removing items

The North Korean and Russian leaders met on Wednesday following a massive military parade in Beijing.

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4 d. ago Putin grins with Kim and Xi Jinping as 'axis of evil' meet up at military parade

Evil pals Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong-un were pictured as guests of honour at Xi Jinping's major military parade in China - which Donald Trump blasted as "conspiring against the US"

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5 d. ago Kim Jong Un arrives in China on armoured train to meet Xi and Putin

Reclusive North Korean leader to join 25 other world leaders, including Putin at military parade

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6 d. ago Teen driver in Rudy Giuliani car crash identified after former NYC mayor seriously injured

President Trump’s former lawyer suffered multiple injuries including fractured spine in collision Saturday

Events

6 d. ago Vladimir Putin meets Xi Jinping arrives in China for security summit – Ukraine war live

Russian president and his Chinese counterpart shake hands as more than 20 world leaders attend Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in TianjinFollowing a meeting with Ukraine’s top general, Oleksandr Syrsky, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that his country’s forces are planning new strikes deep into Russia.In a post on X, the Ukrainian leader wrote:We analysed in detail the situation in the Zaporizhzhia direction and the enemy’s intentions. Also the situation in the border areas of the Sumy and Kharkiv regions.We will continue our active operations in exactly the way needed for Ukraine’s defence. The forces and resources are prepared. New deep strikes have also been planned. Continue reading...

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7 d. ago Trump suggests Putin and Zelensky 'may have to fight longer' before talks can happen as he casts doubt on peace progress

Trump conducted high stakes meetings with both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as he seeks to restore peace to the region.

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7 d. ago Trump compares Zelensky and Putin to children and says ‘maybe they have to fight a little longer’

Trump previously said he was arranging a meeting between Putin and Zelensky

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8 d. ago All but one EU states demand Russia ‘stop the killing’ in Ukraine as Zelenskyy urges Monday deadline for Putin meeting – Europe live

EU member states, except Hungary, sign joint statement calling out Russia’s disregard for international lawEuropean Commission president Ursula von der Leyen is in Latvia today, and has been speaking to the media in the last few minutes.Speaking alongside Latvia’s prime minister Evika Siliņa, she praised the country’s work on becoming “a true drone and anti drone powerhouse” in Europe, contributing to Nato’s security in the region bordering with Russia.We know that Europe is only safe if the eastern border is safe.“The risks your country and the other Baltic States warned us about, unfortunately, have materialised. Russia’s brutal war against Ukraine is now in its fourth year, Putin is a predator, Putin’s proxies have been targeting our societies for years with hybrid attacks, with cyber-attacks, [and] the weaponising of migrants is another example.” Continue reading...

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9 d. ago Attack on British Council is a 'clear message of hostility from Putin'

Vladimir Putin's attack on the British Council building in Kyiv is a 'clear message of hostility', foreign affairs experts have warned. 

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1 week ago Ukraine war briefing: Zelenskyy picks Olha Stefanishyna as ambassador to US

Ukrainian officials due in Washington on Friday; Russians short of fuel as oil refineries burn. What we know on day 1,282Volodymyr Zelenskyy has appointed Olha Stefanishyna, a former top cabinet minister, as Ukraine’s ambassador to the US, ending months of speculation. She takes over as ambassador from Oksana Markarova, who held the position for six years, including more than three years of full-scale war with Russia, and became a target for partisan criticism from Republicans. It was announced in July that Markarova would be replaced. Stefanishyna served in Zelenskyy’s administration as a deputy prime minister for European and Euro-Atlantic integration, playing a major role in the country’s integration into western institutions, and as minister of justice.Zelenskyy announced his officials will meet US counterparts in New York on Friday as the Ukrainian president continues to push for a one-on-one meeting with Vladimir Putin despite Kremlin refusals. “Friday, meetings will take plac...

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1 week ago Fox News reporter raises eyebrows for pushing back on Trump: ‘Not afraid of pissing off the base’

Jacqui Heinrich recently offered a brutally honest take on Trump’s meeting with Putin, saying the US president was ‘streamrolled’

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1 week ago Fox News reporter draws attention for pushing back on Trump: ‘Not afraid of pissing off the base’

Jacqui Heinrich recently offered a brutally honest take on Trump’s meeting with Putin, saying the US president was ‘streamrolled’

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1 week ago Work with partners on security guarantees ‘must be accelerated,’ Zelenskyy says

Specifics on Ukraine’s defence should be detailed ‘in near future’ as Finnish president says Russia deploying a ‘typical’ delaying tacticA combat drone, presumed to be Ukrainian, went off course and exploded over Estonia without causing any casualties, the Baltic state and close Ukraine ally said on Tuesday, AFP reported.Pieces of the drone, which left a crater on crashing, were discovered by an agricultural worker near the south-eastern town of Tartu, 75 kilometres (45 miles) from the border with Russia. Continue reading...

Events

1 week ago Finnish president says he hopes Trump’s patience with Putin will run out soon

Alexander Stubb says Russia deploying a ‘typical’ delaying tactic as Trump warns of ‘consequences’ if Putin-Zelenskyy meeting does not happenFinnish president Alexander Stubb has been speaking at a press conference before the country’s ambassadors’ conference in Helsinki.In comments reported by the Finnish public broadcaster, Yle, he said that he hoped Trump’s patience with Putin would run out soon. Continue reading...

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1 week ago Archbishop who met with Putin admits he made a mistake by not calling for end to Ukraine war

Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA leaders slammed the archbishop’s meeting with Putin as ‘a betrayal of the Gospel of Christ’

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1 week ago Why Trump built a staff of incompetent sycophants | Robert Reich

Leaders who value loyalty above all else have a symbiotic relationship with those unable to succeed on their own meritsLast week, Trump officials reportedly left behind documents describing confidential planning for the Trump-Putin meeting in a public area of an Alaskan hotel.That’s nothing compared with the actions of Emil Bove, Trump’s new nominee for the US court of appeals for the third circuit, who reputedly told subordinates at the Department of Justice that they should “consider telling the courts ‘fuck you’” and ignoring any court order blocking a planned deportation flight.Totalitarianism in power invariably replaces all first-rate talents, regardless of their sympathies, with those crackpots and fools whose lack of intelligence and creativity is still the best guarantee of their loyalty.all the hundreds of ‘respectable’ guys who made careers out of boasting about their uncompromising integrity but have absolutely no loyalty . What I liked most about Roy Cohn was that he wo...

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