- Vladimir Putin has warned that Russia is “ready for war” with Europe if tensions escalate, though he insisted Moscow does not want a conflict and that there would be no winners.
- The Russian president made the remarks following phone calls with Finnish president Alexander Stubb and Norwegian prime minister Jonas Gahr Stoere, who urged de-escalation despite criticism from Nordic peers.
- Putin also warned against restricting navigation in the Baltic Sea, cautioning that rising tensions could mirror the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz.
- Former UK chancellor Rachel Reeves called on the European Union to seize £175bn in frozen Russian assets for Ukraine, citing concerns over Donald Trump seeking to force a deal with Moscow.
- Meanwhile, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported that a Russian drone strike on passenger trains in Dnipro killed at least 13 people and injured 10 others.
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