3 h. ago Trump says 'it is not important' for Zelensky to be involved in peace talks because 'he makes it very hard to make deals' and 'Ukraine has no cards to play with'

Donald Trump on Friday said he doesn't consider it essential for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to be present at negotiations aimed at ending Russia's war in Ukraine.

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3 h. ago Trump refuses to admit Putin started Ukraine war as adviser tells CPAC he will win Nobel Peace Prize: Live

President invited to row back on criticism of Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky but instead doubles down, declaring: ‘He makes it very hard to make deals’

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3 h. ago Why was Tiger Woods at the White House? Golf legends meets Donald Trump to discuss sport's reunification

Golf legend Tiger Woods and President Donald Trump met at the White House to discuss a potential reunification of golf amid the PGA and LIV Golf rift

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5 h. ago Trump is the world’s greatest showman – and the weakest strongman it has ever seen | Jonathan Freedland

His capitulation to Putin over Ukraine reveals a pattern. He’s the patsy: giving everything away, getting little in returnHe parades as a strongman, but in fact he’s weak, weak, weak. In the face of America’s adversaries Donald Trump is, as he might put it, a patsy, a sucker, a pushover. He folds like a pack of cards. He’s a human doormat. A loser.Just consider the gifts he has handed Vladimir Putin this week. He has brought Russia in from the diplomatic cold after three years of ostracism following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, whose anniversary is nearly upon us. Sergei Lavrov, Putin’s foreign minister, was meant to be persona non grata; he remains under international sanctions. Nevertheless, this week in Riyadh he met Trump’s secretary of state, Marco Rubio, in so-called peace talks.Jonathan Freedland is a Guardian columnist Continue reading...

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7 h. ago ‘Like a cruel auction’: what Ukrainians think of Trump’s peace talks with Putin

Ukrainians inside the country and abroad express their hopelessness, anger and defiance at negotiations between Washington and MoscowEurope live – latest updates“I don’t think that this ‘peace process’ is for Ukrainians’ sake. It is laughable that they pretend it is,” said Iryna, 26, a lawyer from Kyiv.Iryna was among thousands of Ukrainians who got in touch with the Guardian to share how they felt about the Trump administration-led peace talks with Russia, which exclude Ukraine. Continue reading...

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7 h. ago Vladimir Putin to 'declare victory over Ukraine and Nato' as Donald Trump told not to be 'weak' in peace talks

Russian president expected to make the claims on the third anniversary of his Ukraine war on February 24

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11 h. ago Putin turned into giant 10ft todger complete with massive helmet and hauled around country

Vladimir Putin has been 'honoured' – or perhaps reimagined – in a new statue to remind residents to 'not be afraid' of the Russian leader, who is currently in peace talks with Donald Trump

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21 h. ago Statue of Putin as penis unveiled to mark grim Ukraine war anniversary

WARNING - EXPLICIT CONTENT: The sculptor in Lithuania who created the phallic symbol in the image of Vladimir Putin said he is taking it on tour, and is open to suggests as to what to with it

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21 h. ago ‘Interesting discussions’: Donald Trump and Tiger Woods hold talks on golf’s rift

Woods joins PGA delegation at White House on ThursdayLIV representatives also present in WashingtonDonald Trump’s involvement in professional golf’s peace talks has ramped up further, with Tiger Woods among those afforded an audience with the US president at the White House on Thursday afternoon.Woods joined the PGA Tour commissioner, Jay Monahan, fellow board member Adam Scott and representatives of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund in a meeting hosted by Trump amid increasing hopes the fractured sport can unite over the coming months. Key sticking points were expected to surround the precise role for Yasir al-Rumayyan, the PIF’s governor, in golf’s new world and where the Saudi-established LIV Tour sits on the sport’s schedule. Continue reading...

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23 h. ago Stop criticising Trump and sign $500bn mineral deal, US official advises Kyiv

National security adviser says Ukraine is wrong to push back against Trump’s approach to peace talks with RussiaWhite House officials have told Ukraine to stop badmouthing Donald Trump and to sign a deal handing over half of the country’s mineral wealth to the US, saying a failure to do so would be unacceptable.The US national security adviser, Mike Waltz, told Fox News that Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, should “tone down” his criticism of the US and take a “hard look” at the deal. It proposes giving Washington $500bn worth of natural resources, including oil and gas. Continue reading...

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24 h. ago Trump ‘very frustrated’ with Zelenskyy for allegedly failing to ‘take opportunity’ of US

US national security adviser claims Ukrainian president has failed to ‘come to the table’ despite not being invited to Russia-US talks this weekVance poses immigrants as ‘greatest threat’ to US and EuropePeople in the US: share your views on Trump’s Russia-Ukraine approachFormer US state secretary John Kerry said “the basic playing field for making peace in Ukraine is there,” as he rejected Donald Trump’s suggestions that Ukraine was responsible for starting the war with Russia and dismissed Russian president Vladimir Putin’s logic for invasion as “lies.”Speaking at a London conference organised by the consultancy Brand Finance, Kerry, who served as the US state secretary in Barack Obama’s Democratic administration, said this:Putin individually decided, contrary to what Donald Trump said yesterday or day before, to invade Ukraine. He wants it back. He said different motives expressed at different times, that it was Nazis taking over the country, and he had to go in to root out the N...

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24 h. ago Musk claims Zelensky is ‘despised’ in Ukraine; Vance defends Trump’s negotiations with Russia at CPAC: Live

President’s first four weeks in White House marked by turbulence at home and abroad

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25 h. ago Trump brings Russia in from the cold, but at what cost to Ukraine? – podcast

In a matter of days, Donald Trump completed the most radical shift in US foreign policy in decades, bringing Putin back into the fold while sidelining Europe. He claims to have brought the end of the war in Ukraine in sight, but with Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the rest of Europe excluded from the US-Russia talks, are we really any closer to peace? And, at what price?Jonathan Freedland speaks to veteran US diplomat Kurt Volker, who served as Trump’s special representative for Ukraine during his first term, and the Guardian’s US live news editor Chris MichaelSend your questions and feedback to politicsweeklyamerica@theguardian.com Help support the Guardian by going to theguardian.com/politcspodus Continue reading...

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25 h. ago Trump ‘very frustrated’ with Zelenskyy for failing to ‘take opportunity’ of US

US national security adviser claims Ukrainian president has failed to ‘come to the table’ despite not being invited to Russia-US talks this weekVance poses immigrants as ‘greatest threat’ to US and EuropePeople in the US: share your views on Trump’s Russia-Ukraine approachFormer US state secretary John Kerry said “the basic playing field for making peace in Ukraine is there,” as he rejected Donald Trump’s suggestions that Ukraine was responsible for starting the war with Russia and dismissed Russian president Vladimir Putin’s logic for invasion as “lies.”Speaking at a London conference organised by the consultancy Brand Finance, Kerry, who served as the US state secretary in Barack Obama’s Democratic administration, said this:Putin individually decided, contrary to what Donald Trump said yesterday or day before, to invade Ukraine. He wants it back. He said different motives expressed at different times, that it was Nazis taking over the country, and he had to go in to root out the N...

Politics

25 h. ago Boris Johnson says Trump only aims to shock Europe over claims Ukraine started war with Putin

The former PM said Trump’s claims were designed to ‘shock Europeans into action’

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27 h. ago Donald Trump calls PGA Tour and LIV Golf bosses to White House for peace talks

Donald Trump has summoned PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan and LIV Golf chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan to the White House for peace talks on Thursday, with player-directors Tiger Woods and Adam Scott also in attendance

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28 h. ago We are on cusp of peace in Europe thanks to Trump, claims JD Vance – Europe live

US vide-president says president is determined to ‘bring peace to this endless war’ as US envoy cancels press conference with ZelenskyyFormer US state secretary John Kerry said “the basic playing field for making peace in Ukraine is there,” as he rejected Donald Trump’s suggestions that Ukraine was responsible for starting the war with Russia and dismissed Russian president Vladimir Putin’s logic for invasion as “lies.”Speaking at a London conference organised by the consultancy Brand Finance, Kerry, who served as the US state secretary in Barack Obama’s Democratic administration, said this:Putin individually decided, contrary to what Donald Trump said yesterday or day before, to invade Ukraine. He wants it back. He said different motives expressed at different times, that it was Nazis taking over the country, and he had to go in to root out the Nazis. Well, come on, folks. I mean, that lie has been proved. There’s so many lies.And why do I say that? Because I think all of the parti...

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29 h. ago Trump aide tells Zelenskyy to ‘tone it down’ as US envoy cancels Kyiv press conference – Europe live

Keith Kellog cancels joint appearance with Zelenskyy, while Trump aide said Ukraine should ‘tone it down and sign that deal’ on minerals with USFormer US state secretary John Kerry said “the basic playing field for making peace in Ukraine is there,” as he rejected Donald Trump’s suggestions that Ukraine was responsible for starting the war with Russia and dismissed Russian president Vladimir Putin’s logic for invasion as “lies.”Speaking at a London conference organised by the consultancy Brand Finance, Kerry, who served as the US state secretary in Barack Obama’s Democratic administration, said this:Putin individually decided, contrary to what Donald Trump said yesterday or day before, to invade Ukraine. He wants it back. He said different motives expressed at different times, that it was Nazis taking over the country, and he had to go in to root out the Nazis. Well, come on, folks. I mean, that lie has been proved. There’s so many lies.And why do I say that? Because I think all of ...

Politics

29 h. ago Donald Trump and Tiger Woods to meet at White House for talks on golf’s future

Woods to join PGA delegation on Thursday for meetingLIV representatives also set to be present in WashingtonDonald Trump’s involvement in professional golf’s peace talks has ramped up further, with Tiger Woods among those due to be afforded an audience with the US president at the White House on Thursday afternoon.Woods is expected to join the PGA Tour commissioner, Jay Monahan, fellow board member Adam Scott and representatives of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund in a meeting hosted by Trump amid increasing hopes the fractured sport can unite over the coming months. Key sticking points surround the precise role for Yasir al-Rumayyan, the PIF’s governor, in golf’s new world and where the Saudi-established LIV Tour sits on the sport’s schedule. Continue reading...

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29 h. ago Donald Trump ready to surrender two things to Mad Vlad Putin –here's what Europe can do

EXCLUSIVE: Trump appears to have jumped into bed with Mad Vlad with the US engaging Russia in peace talks – that Europe and Ukraine were excluded from, as NATO's future looks less and less secure

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