59 h. ago Macron says 26 nations ready to provide postwar military backing to Ukraine

French president says allies would either deploy ‘reassurance force’ troops to Ukraine, or be present in the area on land, sea or in the airTwenty-six nations have pledged to provide postwar security guarantees to Ukraine, including an international force on land and sea and in the air, Emmanuel Macron said after a summit at which European leaders sought to pin down Donald Trump on the level of support he is willing to give Kyiv.“The day the conflict stops, the security guarantees will be deployed,” the French president told a press conference at the Élysée Palace in Paris, standing alongside Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Continue reading...

Events

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...

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2 w. ago Donald Trump is becoming the greatest unifier of Europe since the end of the cold war | Fabrizio Tassinari

The US president may be helping Putin to destroy the west, but his vanity is causing Europeans to speak with one voice on UkraineSeven is a biblical number, a number dear to ancient Rome, and the number of Cristiano Ronaldo’s lucky jersey. Perhaps it is also now going to be the answer to Henry Kissinger’s (probably apocryphal) question: what number do I call when I want to talk to Europe? Maybe the answer is seven, like the number of leaders sitting at the table in Washington on Monday alongside Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy.It’s difficult to say at this stage whether anything good will come from the impromptu White House summit, but European leaders showing up as a group in support of Ukraine was a first. This seven-member format – Nato, the European Commission, France, Germany, the UK, Italy and Finland – truly spoke with one voice. They did so on a crisis, Ukraine, over which they have sometimes been bitterly divided throughout the past three and a half years (remember Emm...

Politics

2 w. ago Recap: Putin suggests hosting Zelensky peace meeting in Moscow during Trump phone call but offer is swiftly rejected

Presidents Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky will meet, Donald Trump has said after a White House summit with European leaders aimed at bringing an end to the Ukraine war.

Politics

2 w. ago Medvedev mocks European leaders for 'sucking up' to Trump after Zelensky's Oval Office love

Top Putin ally Dmitry Medvedev has mocked European leaders for 'sucking up' to Donald Trump and failing to 'outplay' him during the Ukraine summit in Washington. 

Politics

2 w. ago Critics feared Trump and Putin were on the same page. Now, Trump and Zelensky appear closer than ever

Zelensky said his talks with Trump had been their ‘best’ meeting yet. White House Correspondent Andrew Feinberg recaps a historic day at the White House.

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2 w. ago Putin and Zelensky to meet, Donald Trump says following European leaders summit

The US president has hosted several European leaders in Washington to discuss a pathway to ending the fighting in Ukraine.

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 Trump’s critics say Putin ‘flattered’ Trump at the Alaska summit. Europe’s leaders aim to do the same

Trump’s meeting with Putin rolled back key red lines that Zelensky says Ukraine won’t cross. But Europe could be relying on Trump to flip-flop once again, writes John Bowden

Politics

3 w. ago Trump to back ceding of Ukrainian territory to Russia as part of peace deal

Details of post-summit call were leaked in which US president supports plan for Kyiv to give up Donbas regionDonald Trump will back a plan to cede unoccupied Ukrainian territory to Russia to secure an end to the war between the two countries, it was reported on Saturday, after details of his post-summit call with European leaders leaked out.Trump told European leaders that he believed a peace deal could be negotiated if the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, agreed to give up the Donbas region, which Russian invaders have not been able to seize in over three years of fighting, the New York Times reported, citing to two senior European officials. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago Trump reportedly to back ceding of Ukrainian territory to Russia as part of peace deal

Details of post-summit call were leaked in which US president supports plan for Kyiv to give up Donbas regionDonald Trump will back a plan to cede unoccupied Ukrainian territory to Russia to secure an end to the war between the two countries, it was reported on Saturday, after details of his post-summit call with European leaders leaked out.Trump told European leaders that he believed a peace deal could be negotiated if the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, agreed to give up the Donbas region, which Russian invaders have not been able to seize in over three years of fighting, the New York Times reported, citing to two senior European officials. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago Kremlin releases photo of Donald Trump and Putin talking without US interpreter

Donald Trump was criticised during his first presidency over a meeting where Trump, Putin and Putin's interpreter were present - but not a US interpreter. Now he appears to have done it again

Politics

3 w. ago How Russia is preparing for conflict in Nato’s new Arctic battleground

As the world’s attention shifts to Alaska for the critical summit on Ukraine between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, it also shines a light on an area crucial to global security, writes world affairs editor Sam Kiley

Events

3 w. ago European leaders praise positive call with Trump ahead of his meeting with Putin – Europe live

Zelenskyy accuses Putin of bluffing after a ‘united’ and ‘positive’ call between EU leaders and TrumpUkraine will not cede land that could be Russian springboard for new warWe are now getting reports via agencies that Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy has now arrived in Berlin ahead of the series of calls later today.Separately, Estonia has moved to expel a Russian diplomat over alleged “direct and active” involvement in “undermining the constitutional order and legal system of Estonia.” Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago Trump praises European leaders as ‘great people’ as they make final diplomatic push ahead of US

Zelenskyy will join calls with Trump and Vance in last chance to shape US position before Alaska meetingUkraine will not cede land that could be Russian springboard for new warWe are now getting reports via agencies that Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy has now arrived in Berlin ahead of the series of calls later today.Separately, Estonia has moved to expel a Russian diplomat over alleged “direct and active” involvement in “undermining the constitutional order and legal system of Estonia.” Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago European leaders meet Zelenskyy ahead of Trump’s summit with Putin

European countries rushing to build a common approach with US on how to end war

Politics

3 w. ago Zelenskyy arrives in Berlin for calls with European leaders and Trump ahead of US

Ukrainian president will join calls with Trump and Vance in last chance to shape US position before Alaska meetingUkraine will not cede land that could be Russian springboard for new warWe are now getting reports via agencies that Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy has now arrived in Berlin ahead of the series of calls later today.Separately, Estonia has moved to expel a Russian diplomat over alleged “direct and active” involvement in “undermining the constitutional order and legal system of Estonia.” Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago Leaders in frantic phone diplomacy with Trump ahead of Putin summit on Ukraine – Europe live

Volodymyr Zelenskyy will join calls with Trump and Vance in last chance to shape US position before Alaska meetingUkraine will not cede land that could be Russian springboard for new warAs part of what promises to be a very busy day for diplomacy, we are also expecting to get press statements from Merz and Zelenskyy around 3pm BST (4pm CEST), after their call with Trump.So to help you plan your day, the rough timings appear to be: Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago Everything we know as Trump meets with European leaders and Zelensky for emergency virtual summit

Trump said on Monday he would “get everybody’s ideas” before meeting with Putin in Alaska on Friday

Politics

3 w. ago Merz invites Trump to emergency call with EU leaders before Putin summit

Proposal, which would also include Volodymyr Zelenskyy, comes as European calls grow for red lines in Ukraine talksThe German chancellor has invited Donald Trump to join emergency virtual talks with EU leaders and Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday, as European demands grow that the US president agree red lines before Friday’s summit in Alaska with Vladimir Putin.Neither Zelenskyy nor European leaders have been invited to Trump’s meeting with the Russian president. Continue reading...

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