67 m. ago The good news from Kyiv: with or without a ceasefire, Ukraine has a newfound confidence | Nathalie Tocci

Its European allies must commit to the long-haul – but they, as much as Zelenskyy, will reap the rewardsMy train rolled into Kyiv last week as Russian ballistic missiles and drones hit the city, killing a mother and her son. I had last been in Ukraine just over a year earlier. Back then, in April 2024, the mood was dark. Frustrated by delays in western military aid, people had a palpable fear of escalating Russian territorial gains, perhaps even a collapse of Ukraine’s frontline. Today, the international context is even more fraught. The Biden administration was frustratingly slow and scared, but few doubted that the US wanted to prevent Russia from prevailing. The same cannot be said of Donald Trump, whose ideological affinity with Vladimir Putin has thrown Europe, starting with Ukraine, off balance.But despite the Trump administration’s betrayals, I found the mood in Kyiv more confident than a year previously. After more than three years of war, Ukrainians are tired, but they are ...

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8 h. ago JD Vance’s ‘British Sherpa’ claims UK has more free speech offences than Putin’s Russia

A Cambridge University professor whom JD Vance described as his "British Sherpa" has claimed that "more people have got into trouble in the UK for free speech offences" than in Vladimir Putin's Russia.

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9 h. ago Trump must realise Putin is obstacle to peace, Zelenskyy says

Ukrainian president says he will travel to Turkey on Thursday whether or not Russian leader flies in for talksVolodymyr Zelenskyy has said he hopes the current period of frantic diplomacy and high-stakes gambits between Russia and Ukraine will end with Donald Trump understanding that Vladimir Putin is the real obstacle to a peace deal.“Trump needs to believe that Putin actually lies. And we should do our part. Sensibly approach this issue, to show that it’s not us that is slowing down the process,” said Zelenskyy, speaking to a small group of journalists, including the Guardian, in his office at the presidential administration in Kyiv. Continue reading...

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14 h. ago European economist says Russia's economy is strained due to the Ukraine war and sanctions

A leading economist has been telling EU finance ministers that Russia’s economy is under growing strain as its invasion of Ukraine drags on

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15 h. ago Putin ‘prevaricating and obfuscating’ in Ukraine peace talks, Lammy warns

The Foreign Secretary was asked by Tory MP James Cleverly if President Donald Trump is committed to defending territorial integrity.

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18 h. ago Putin will never apologise for Malaysian Airlines MH17 plane crash disaster for two key reasons

Vladimir Putin abandoned a cooperative strategy with global leaders, instead viewing a more conflict-based mindset as being more advantageous to him and his wider goals for Russia

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19 h. ago Russia launches smallest nighttime attack on Ukraine in months in run

Russia launched 10 Shahed and decoy drones at Ukraine in nighttime attacks, the Ukrainian air force said Tuesday

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31 h. ago Vladimir Putin's troops amassing on another European border in chilling echo of Ukraine

A surge in Russian military activity near the Finnish border has been detected, with Moscow rapidly expanding its military footprint in northwestern Russia

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34 h. ago Vladimir Putin issued peace talks warning as European foreign leaders meet in London

Ukraine's allies on Monday joined together to pile pressure on Russian President Putin, calling on him to show "without delay” he is willing to broker peace in Ukraine

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36 h. ago Vladimir Putin's UK 'honeytrap' spy ring members learn fate after passing information to Russia

Six Bulgarians have been jailed after being convicted of spying for Russia, with ringleader Orlin Roussev running the operations from a rundown guesthouse on the east coast of England

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37 h. ago Setback for Europe after Trump insists Ukraine has ‘immediate’ peace talks with Russia

Zelenskyy had no choice but to accept Putin’s invitation to talks, diplomats sayEurope live – latest updatesDonald Trump’s social media post insisting Ukraine must immediately start peace talks with Russia has set back, and possibly jeopardised, Europe’s carefully laid plans to persuade the US to impose sanctions on Moscow for refusing the US president’s proposal for a 30-day ceasefire, European diplomats have said.Volodymyr Zelenskyy had no choice but to accept Vladimir Putin’s invitation to talks in Istanbul on Thursday for fear of offending Trump, diplomats said. Putin made the offer in a bid not to alienate the US president, and avoid the growing European pressure on Trump to impose harsher sanctions. Western diplomats say they have no reason to believe that Trump acted in collusion with the Russian leader. Continue reading...

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38 h. ago Ukraine’s allies pile pressure on Putin to join Zelensky for peace talks

The Foreign Secretary hosted his counterparts from from France, Italy, Germany, Spain, Poland and the EU on Monday to discuss Ukraine.

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43 h. ago Ukrainians tell Putin ‘we don’t trust you’ ahead of Russia peace talks

Ukrainian residents have voiced scepticism at Vladimir Putin’s proposed direct peace talks with Kyiv.

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44 h. ago Russia bombards Ukraine with drone attacks after European leaders joined Zelensky in demanding ceasefire

The assault came hours after the Ukrainian president agreed to meet Vladimir Putin ‘personally’ in Turkey this week

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44 h. ago Zelenskyy challenges Putin to meet him for peace talks after Trump and European leaders increase pressure – Europe live

Ukrainian and Russian presidents have not communicated directly since Moscow launched invasion And the EU’s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas is speaking now, and she’s striking a very similar tone, pointedly referring to over 100 Russian drones reportedly targeting Ukraine overnight.“We have to put pressure on Russia to really want peace and to sit down and to talk with Ukraine,” she says, accusing Moscow of “playing games.” Continue reading...

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45 h. ago Putin must ‘get serious’ about engaging in peace talks, says Lammy

The Foreign Secretary was hosting European foreign ministers in London on Monday for discussions about the continent’s security.

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45 h. ago Russian drones attack Ukraine after Kremlin turns down a ceasefire proposal

The Ukrainian air force says Russia launched more than 100 Shahed and decoy drones at Ukraine in nighttime attacks, after the Kremlin rejected an unconditional 30-day ceasefire in the more than 3-year war

Events

54 h. ago Putin’s spokesman says Moscow will ‘continue’ invasion while blaming Ukraine for not being ‘ready’ for peace

Talks tentatively set for Thursday in Turkey as Trump seeks conclusion to war he promised he could end in 24 hours

Politics

58 h. ago President Zelensky offers to meet Putin in Turkey after Trump demands they negotiate an end to war

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said he is ready to meet Vladimir Putin “personally” in Turkey on Thursday, after Trump insisted Ukraine agree to talks with Russia.

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58 h. ago Zelenskyy challenges Putin to meet in person for peace talks

Ukrainian president proposes face-to-face meeting after Russian leader suggests he is open to talks in TurkeyUkraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy has challenged Vladimir Putin to meet in person for peace talks in Istanbul on Thursday and urged Russia to accept a 30-day truce, in a dramatic turn after a weekend of diplomatic flurry.His comments came after the US president, Donald Trump, pressured him to agree “immediately” to Putin’s offer of negotiations this week with Russia, but upped the stakes by suggesting the enemies meet “personally”. Continue reading...

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