Elon Musk reportedly jumped on Donald Trump’s first call with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky.
The move potentially reveals how high Trump values the Tesla billionaire and foreshadows a possible role in his administration.
Axios reported that the president-elect told Zelensky he will support Ukraine, but didn’t go into details on a 25 minute phonecall.
Musk also weighed in to say he will continue supporting Ukraine through his Starlink satellites - that have become pivotal to Ukraine forces communications on the frontline.
Musk had previously mocked Zelensky on social media for his attempts to fundraise for his nation’s war effort.
It came as Russian president Vladimir Putin congratulated Trump on winning the US election and said Moscow was ready for dialogue with him.
In his first remarks since Mr Trump’s win, Mr Putin said the president-elect had acted “like a real man” during an assassination attempt in Pennsylvania in July.
Mr Trump’s win has caused concern in Ukraine, where the Russian forces have made swift advances of late, over fears that he would curtail US support for Kyiv.
Meanwhile, Russian drone strikes killed at least one person and injured 34 injured in Odesa and Kharkiv early this morning.
Key Points
- ‘I promise you will be happy with me’ Trump and Elon Musk share Zoom call with Zelensky - report
- Putin hails ‘courageous’ Trump and says Russia ready for dialogue
- Trump's victory increases uncertainty for Ukraine amid Russian advances
- Biden administration pledges continued aid to Ukraine
- Zelensky rejects ceasefire proposal as ‘nonsense'
- Russia bombards Kharkiv, injuring 25 in strike on residential building
Ukraine downs 32 out of 51 Russian attack drones overnight
07:08
Arpan Rai
Ukraine has downed 32 out of a total 51 Russian attack drones launched overnight, its air force said in an update this morning.
Out of these, 18 drones disappeared from radar in various regions across Ukraine, it said.
The Ukrainian military said the attack involved Russian “Shahed-type” attack drones and that “the epicentre of the strike is Odesa”.
What funds could Biden send to Ukraine before Trump takes office?
07:00
Barney Davis
Pentagon responds to claims North Korean troops in Russia ‘gorging on pornography’
06:30
Barney Davis
The Pentagon has responded to claims that North Korean troops sent to Russia to bolster Vladimir Putin’s forces are consuming online pornography as they now have less restricted internet access.
US department of defence spokesperson Major Charlie Dietz said he couldn’t verify “any North Korean internet habits or virtual ‘extracurriculars’” taking place in Russia.
He continued: “As for internet access, that’s a question best directed to Moscow. Right now, our attention remains on supporting Ukraine and addressing the more significant regional security concerns”.
‘A very good call’ Ukraine impressed by first call with Trump and Elon Musk
05:45
Barney Davis
A senior Ukrainian official has described the first phone call between Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky since Trump won the election as “very good”.
“It was a very good call. Our work continues,” the Ukrainian official told Fox News.Tesla founder Elon Musk’s unexpected appearance may point to his growing standing in the upcoming Trump administration.
As Zelensky spoke about the importance of Musk’s Starlink satellites for providing internet to his frontlines, Trump reportedly invited Elon Musk on to the call, according to reports.“I had an excellent call with President Trump and congratulated him on his historic landslide victory — his tremendous campaign made this result possible,” Zelensky posted on X.
Musk reportedly also joined a call between Trump and Turkish President Erdoğan, per reporting from Axios.
India defends buying Russian oil, says prices’ would’ve hit the roof’
05:20
Arpan Rai
India has defended its controversial purchases of oil from Russia in the wake of Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. Global oil prices “would have hit the roof” if India had not stepped in to import large volumes from Moscow, India’s oil minister said.
“While they remain fixated on India’s oil purchases from Russia, what many around the world don’t seem to realise is that the global oil prices would have hit the roof if India had not bought oil from Russia,” India’s union minister for petroleum and natural gas said.
“We owe it to our citizens – India will buy oil from wherever our companies get the best rates,” he said.
India, the world’s third largest oil importer and consumer, has become the top buyer of discounted Russian sea-borne oil shunned by Western countries since Ukraine’s invasion began in early 2022. Before that, India bought little oil from its long-running defence partner, Russia.
New Delhi has repeatedly defended its purchases from Russia as necessary to keep prices in check in the developing country of 1.42 billion people.
India says oil prices would have rocketed worldwide without its Russian imports.
Trump will end support for Ukraine, predicts Orban
05:10
Arpan Rai
Donald Trump’s biggest European fan, Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban, has predicted that a new US administration under Trump will cease providing support to Ukraine in its fight against Russia’s full-scale invasion.
“The situation on the front is obvious, there’s been a military defeat. The Americans are going to pull out of this war,” Mr Orban said.
Mr Trump’s reelection, he said, had created a “new situation” for Europe, and that the continent “cannot finance this war alone.”
Orban’s comments were a signal that Trump’s recent election could drive a wedge among European Union leaders on the question of the war.
Gaza, Ukraine, and beyond: What a second Trump term means for the world
04:45
Barney Davis
A Ukraine medic fell in love with a soldier on the front. They died together
04:44
Arpan Rai
A crowd of mourners lit torches and intoned a military chant to honor a Ukrainian medic and a soldier who fell in love on the frontline and died together in a Russian shell attack.
Valentyna Nahorna, whose call sign was Valkyrie, volunteered as a medic at the start of the war in Ukraine.
She and Daniil Liashkevych, known as Berserk, fell in love just a few months ago, their friends and comrades say, but it helped them endure the war. They both worked in the 3rd Assault Brigade, and were killed on 4 November.
Russia downs 15 drones over border Bryansk region
04:20
Arpan Rai
Russian air defences intercepted and destroyed 15 Ukrainian drones over the southern Bryansk region, the regional governor said early this morning.
Bryansk regional governor Alexander Bogomaz issued a series of statements on the Telegram, saying air defence units had downed a total of 15 drones. He said there was no damage or injuries in connection with the incidents.
Infant injured in Russian strike on Kharkiv
03:55
Arpan Rai
At least one civilian was killed and more than 30 people, including an infant, were injured after Russia launched a barrage of drones and missiles at Ukraine yesterday.
Russia launched 92 drones and five missiles at 12 Ukrainian regions, the Ukrainian air force said. Of these, 62 drones and four missiles were downed and 26 drones were “lost”, most likely meaning they had been thwarted electronically.
“All evening and night, terrorists attacked our cities and communities with missiles, drones, and guided aerial bombs, targeting the Odesa, Kharkiv, and Kyiv regions. In Kharkiv, as of now, more than 20 people have been reported injured, including an infant. Residential buildings and infrastructure were damaged,” Mr Zelensky said on X.
He issued a fresh appeal to Kyiv’s allies to help strengthen its air defences.
“Air defence, long-range capabilities, weapons packages, sanctions against the aggressor - this is the answer that is needed, not only in words, but also in actions,” Mr Zelensky said.
All evening and night, terrorists attacked our cities and communities with missiles, drones, and guided aerial bombs, targeting the Odesa, Kharkiv, and Kyiv regions. In Kharkiv, as of now, more than 20 people have been reported injured, including an infant. Residential buildings… pic.twitter.com/PwufWwYHR6
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) November 8, 2024
Trump’s desire to end war swiftly will see Ukraine lose territory, says ex-MI6 chief
03:45
Barney Davis
Former MI6 chief Sir Alex Younger has said that Donald Trump’s desire for a swift end to the war in Ukraine will see Kyiv lose territory to Russia.
He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “He will attempt to engineer a rapid solution, but he’s been pulled in two directions. There will be a land swap. That is a terrible thing for the people who end up living under Russian rule.
“But fundamentally, it’s not the main argument. The main argument is whether Ukraine is a western or eastern country in future.”
Sir Alex added: “Trump’s advisers, on the one hand, are saying that Ukraine should be forced into neutrality, so basically back into the bosom of Putin. Others are talking about the need to do a land swap, but then reinforce its military and economic capabilities, and we need to make sure we are compounding that second argument.”
Zelensky meets Starmer to discuss his ‘victory plan'
03:32
Arpan Rai
Volodymyr Zelensky has hinted at seeking British help with long-range weapons as he met with prime minister Keir Starmer yesterday.
“During the meeting with UK prime minister @Keir_Starmer, we discussed the implementation of the Victory Plan and support for our defense industry. An important element of the Victory Plan is providing Ukraine with long-range weaponry and granting permission to use it against military targets on Russian territory,” he said on X.
The two leaders met in the Hungarian capital Budapest at a summit of the European Political Community.
Sir Keir has assured Mr Zelensky that the UK’s support for Ukraine in its war with Russia remains “iron-clad”.
During the meeting with UK Prime Minister @Keir_Starmer, we discussed the implementation of the Victory Plan and support for our defense industry.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) November 7, 2024
An important element of the Victory Plan is providing Ukraine with long-range weaponry and granting permission to use it against… pic.twitter.com/BZubM9p9Xh
Nato says North Korean involvement in Ukraine war is ‘dangerous expansion'
03:15
Arpan Rai
The deployment of North Korean troops is a “dangerous expansion” of the country’s support for Russia’s war against Ukraine, Nato members said yesterday.
In a joint statement, the military alliance’s 32 member countries warned that “the deepening military cooperation” between Russia and North Korea “deeply impacts Euro-Atlantic security, with implications also for the Indo-Pacific”.
Australia, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea and Ukraine also supported the Nato statement.
Nato secretary general Mark Rutte said in late October that North Korean troops have been sent to Russia and that North Korean military units have been deployed to the Kursk region.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy said “a more decisive response from Western countries to North Korea’s new role in the Russia-Ukraine war is needed” after meeting the Nato chief on Thursday.
Pentagon to allow US defence contractors to fix weapons in Ukraine
02:57
Arpan Rai
The Pentagon is now allowing a small number of private American defence contractors to work inside Ukraine, helping repair and maintain equipment, US officials said on Friday, expanding the US footprint inside the war-hit nation.
The contractors will be far away from the frontlines during Russia’s invasion and will not be taking part in combat, the officials said. The department is soliciting bids now, said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal decisions.
Officials said the Pentagon is allowing the contractors to go because some equipment – including F-16 fighter jets and air defence systems – requires high-tech expertise to repair. Using the contractors will ensure the weapons are fixed quickly so Ukrainian forces can continue to use them in combat, they said.
Ukraine has been receiving billions of dollars worth of American weapons and equipment over the past two years, including a number of sophisticated systems.
Russian forces moving closer to Ukrainian frontline town, bloggers say
02:45
Arpan Rai
Russian forces are close to capturing a major town on the eastern front in Ukraine as part of their drive westward through the Donbas region, military bloggers said.
Bloggers on both sides reported that Russian forces had entered the village of Sontsivka and were advancing from the northwest on the city of Kurakhove.
Ukrainian authorities made no acknowledgement that the village had fallen into Russian hands, while noting that fighting on the eastern front was heaviest around Kurakhove and Pokrovsk, a major logistics centre to the northwest.
“The Kurakhove direction and the Pokrovsk direction are the most challenging right now,” president Volodymyr Zelensky said in his nightly video address. “The military command and brigade command are working on strengthening positions.”
Ukraine’s General Staff made no mention of the village, saying that Ukrainian forces had repelled 18 of 32 Russian attacks near Kurakhove and 19 assaults near Pokrovsk.
Five civilians injured in Krasnopillia strike
02:45
Barney Davis
An airstrike on a Ukrainian village injured five civilians, according to the Sumy Regional Military Administration.
Authorities announced on Facebook as a result of the airstrike on Krasnopillia one apartment building, six private houses, a private store, two pharmacies, a secondary school and three private cars were damaged.
They added Russians carried out 57 strikes on the border area of the Sumy region and caused 129 explosions in total on Friday.
‘Explosions' as Ukrainian drone hits Russian oil refinery
01:55
Barney Davis
Ukrainian drones attacked an oil refinery in the Russian city of Saratov, a military intelligence source confirmed to the Kyiv Independent.
The source said drones hit one of the plant’s oil refineries and fuel oil tanks, and cited local media reports of multiple explosions.
Earlier in the day, Saratov Oblast Governor Ruslan Busargin said that a Ukrainian drone targeted the city but claimed no damage was done.
Fury as Russia’s most popular news channel shows Melania Trump nude photos
00:45
Barney Davis
Nude photos of Melania Trump have been shown on prime-time Russian television to announce Donald Trump’s election victory.
Shots from Melania’s photo shoot with GQ in 2000 were aired on 60 Minutes on the Russia-1 network on Thursday.
Russian Media Monitor posted the disparaging clip on Twitter which sees the hosts struggle to hold back laughter.
One propaganda monitor, commented on X, saying: “Trump thinks he’s besties with Putin and this is how Russian state media treats his wife.
“Putin is letting him know who is boss.”
Russian general ‘killed in drone strike as he rode motorbike’
Friday 8 November 2024 23:45
Barney Davis
A Russian general whose soldiers have been accused of torturing Russell Bentley, an American fighter to the death for the Kremlin, has died in Ukraine, according to reports.
Major General Pavel Klimenko, 47, headed the Fifth Separate Motor Rifle Brigade in the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic.
It is believed he was killed in a missile strike as he rode a motorbike.
According to U.S.-funded media outlet Radio Free Europe, he died on Thursday.
One of his sisters also confirmed the death to ASTRA, an independent Russia-Ukraine war reporting Telegram channel.
Bentley, 64, known as “the Donbas Cowboy”, supported pro-Moscow separatists and was living in the city of Donetsk. He was killed on the site of an abandoned mine and his body was blown up in an attempt to destroy the evidence.
UK - Ukrainian relations have got worse since Labour took over- report
Friday 8 November 2024 22:45
Barney Davis
Ukrainian sources have complained about Labour’s reluctance to provide long-range weapons to their forces.
“There’s no point in his coming as a tourist,” one senior figure in Volodymyr Zelensky’s administration told the Guardian about Sir Keir Starmer.
Their main complaints centre around the UK’s failure to provide additional Storm Shadow missiles for use against targets in Crimea since Sir Keir came to power in July.
An official told The Guardian: “It isn’t happening. Starmer isn’t giving us long-range weapons. The situation is not the same as when Rishi Sunak was prime minister.
“The relationship has got worse.”
Woman, 64, hospitalised in Russian strike on Kherson region
Friday 8 November 2024 21:45
Barney Davis
The russian shelling of an area of Kherson has hospitalised a 64-year-old woman, according to Ukrainian authorities.
The Russian forces attacked the settlement with a missile strike on Bilozerka at around 6pm.
The shell landed in the backyard of the woman’s home.
The Kherson Regional Military Administration said she was hospitalised with a mine-explosive injury and a concussion.
What funds could Biden send to Ukraine before Trump takes office?
Friday 8 November 2024 20:45
Barney Davis
US president Joe Biden appears set to try and rush billions of dollars in security assistance to Ukraine before his successor Donald Trump is inaugurated next January.
Mr Biden, a much more outspoken advocate for Ukraine than Mr Trump, and who has stated publicly that he would not force Kyiv to the negotiating table, rather let such talks be led by them, has passed five substantive aid packages for Ukraine while in the White House, totalling around $175 billion (£135bn).
Roughly $9bn of those bills remains to be sent. Of the latest weapons transfer authority passed in April, $4.3 billion remains, in addition to $2.8 billion worth of transfers lawmakers approved in previous spending measures and $2 billion in funding for the purchase of new weapons from industry.
But it is unclear when that aid could arrive; it is doubtful much will make it before Mr Trump is inaugurated.
Our foreign affairs reporter Tom Watling has more details in this report:
Estonian ambassador’s Kyiv apartment block hit in Russian attack
Friday 8 November 2024 19:45
Barney Davis
The high-rise Kyiv apartment block in which Estonian ambassador Annely Kolk lives was hit in a Russian attack overnight, the country’s foreign minister has said.
“She was lucky not to be harmed. No one is safe in Ukraine until Russia stops its aggression. Ukraine needs more air defence to protect its residents,” said Estonia’s foreign minister Margus Tsahkna.
Four people were wounded in a drone attack on the Kyiv region and at least six houses and several cars were damaged, according to Ukraine’s interior ministry, with one killed and dozens wounded in other attacks across 12 Ukrainian regions.
Mystery surrounds death of Ukrainian journalist in Russia’s ‘hell on earth’ prison
Friday 8 November 2024 18:47
Barney Davis
It has been nearly 50 days since a 27-year-old Ukrainian journalist died while imprisoned at a Russian detention facility dubbed “hell on Earth” – but her family and friends are still waiting for the Kremlin to release her body so they can give her a proper funeral.
Authorities in Russia have not explained why they are yet to return the body of award-winning journalist Victoria Roshchyna, who went missing in August last year, with Ukrainian officials and her ex-colleagues telling The Independent they are concerned the delay could help in the cover-up of the cause of her death.
My colleague Arpan Rai reports:
Ukraine to receive $1.37billion from World Bank for humanitarian projects
Friday 8 November 2024 18:26
Barney Davis
Ukraine’s Minister of Finance of Ukraine Sergii Marchenko and World Bank director Bob Saum, today signed a grant agreement under the World Bank’s Public Expenditures for Administrative Capacity Endurance (PEACE in Ukraine) project.
The project aims to partially compensate for State Budget expenditures, including social and humanitarian expenditures not related to the security and defence sector.
The grant agreement will provide:
- USD 1.35 billion - a grant from the United States of America;
- EUR 10.8 million - funds from the Multi-Donor Trust Fund for co-financing the Second Development Policy Loan for Economic Recovery for Ukraine.
The funds will be transferred to the budget of Ukraine in the coming days.
“I am grateful to the United States Government, partner countries, and the World Bank team for their crucial financial support and partnership at a crucial time for Ukraine.
“The funds raised will make a significant contribution to the priority social expenditures of the Ukrainian State Budget,” said Sergii Marchenko.
Watch: Putin calls Trump ‘courageous’ as he congratulates future US president on election
Friday 8 November 2024 17:26
Andy Gregory
‘I promise you will be happy with me’ Trump and Elon Musk share Zoom call with Zelensky - report
Friday 8 November 2024 17:19
Barney Davis
Elon Musk reportedly jumped on Donald Trump’s first call with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky.
Axios reported that the president-elect told Zelensky he will support Ukraine, but didn’t go into details on a 25 minute phonecall.
“I promise you will be happy with me” Trump reportedly told Zelensky.
Sources told Axios that Zelensky felt the call went well and that it did not increase his anxiety about Trump’s victory.
One added it “didn’t leave Zelensky with a feeling of despair.”
Musk weighed in to pledge the Ukrainian president the use of his Starlink satellites.
Russian prosecutors seek six-year prison term for paediatrician accused of criticising Ukraine war
Friday 8 November 2024 17:06
Andy Gregory
Russian authorities are seeking a six-year prison term for a paediatrician accused of criticising the war in Ukraine in front of one of her patients and his mother, Russian independent news site Mediazona reports.
The case against Dr Nadezhda Buyanova, 68, is one of hundreds launched against Russians after Moscow invaded Ukraine in 2022, and unleashed an unprecedented crackdown on opposition activists, independent journalists and other citizens.
Dr Buyanova was arrested in February, after the mother of one of her patients reported her to the authorities, alleging that the pediatrician told her son that his father, a Russian soldier killed in Ukraine, was a legitimate target for Kyiv’s troops, and blamed Russia for the war.
The pediatrician was charged with spreading false information about the army, a criminal offence under strict laws ushered in shortly after the invasion and widely used to target critics and protesters. She has rejected the charges and denied the alleged remarks.
EU will tell US that Russia is threat to global security as a whole, says Ursula von der Leyen
Friday 8 November 2024 16:47
Andy Gregory
Closing out today’s EU summit in Budapest, European Commission president Ursula Von der Leyen said the EU would “discuss with our American friends also the fact that Russia is not only a threat to Europe, but a threat to the global security as a whole” in a bid to dissuade Donald Trump from abandoning aid to Ukraine.
“We see that technology from China and Iran is used by Russia on the battlefield,” she added. “It shows that the security of the Indo-Pacific and Europe are interconnected, and so are the European and the United States interests in this course.”
North Korean deployment is ‘dangerous expansion’ of support for Russia’s Ukraine war, Nato says
Friday 8 November 2024 16:27
Andy Gregory
Nato members have warned that the deployment of North Korean troops is a “dangerous expansion” of the country’s support for Russia’s war against Ukraine.
In a joint statement, Nato’s 32 member states warned that “the deepening military cooperation” between Russia and North Korea “deeply impacts Euro-Atlantic security, with implications also for the Indo-Pacific”.
Australia, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea and Ukraine also supported the Nato statement.
Call for ‘Save Ukraine Summit’ in London before Trump enters White House
Friday 8 November 2024 15:55
Andy Gregory
Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey has called for a “Save Ukraine Summit” in London to allow European leaders to co-ordinate before Donald Trump enters the White House.
Having labelled Mr Trump a “dangerous, destructive demagogue” following the US election result, Sir Ed said: “I think we need to pre-empt whatever decision President-elect Trump eventually takes by showing UK leadership in Europe.
“I think by having that summit of European leaders, we would send a message to President-elect Trump, and hopefully a message that encourages him.
“He’s often said other countries need to do more – well, it will be a sign that other countries are doing more, and therefore that hopefully would encourage him to stay the course and continue the policies of President Biden when it comes to Ukraine.”
Could South Korea send troops to fight for Ukraine?
Friday 8 November 2024 15:34
Andy Gregory
The alleged deployment of North Korean soldiers to aid Russia’s war effort in Ukraine has prompted South Korea to warn that it could send military monitors as well as weapons to Kyiv.
South Korean foreign minister Cho Tae Yul said earlier this week that all options were on the table, but experts noted that Seoul was more likely to send a variety of military support short of soldiers.
The alleged presence of around 12,000 North Korean troops in Russia, reportedly under a defence treaty that Russian president Vladimir Putin signed with Korean leader Kim Jong Un earlier this year, has set off alarm bells on the Korean peninsula.
South Korea is concerned about thousands of North Korean troops gaining fighting experience in a war theatre, and potentially using the skills they acquire against South Korea on their return.
My colleague Arpan Rai reports:
Western arming of Israel emboldens belligerents such as Russia, warns rights group
Friday 8 November 2024 15:16
Andy Gregory
Western nations supplying weapons to Israel as it pursues conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon despite evidence of violations of international law are empowering belligerents elsewhere such as Russia and China, the head of Human Rights Watch (HRW) has warned.
Tirana Hassan, HRW’s Executive Director, said that countries like the UK, US and Germany could influence Israel’s actions and should do so by ending arms sales, particularly if they “know that these weapons are being used in the commission of war crimes”.
Ms Hassan warned that governments arming Israel were undermining their own credibility as defenders of international law.
“It sends a message that these rules apply differently to us and our allies as they do to others, and that has really serious consequences,” she said, adding: “They are very quick to point out double standards from the West and are trying to use that to undermine the system.”
Mapped: Where has Russia made advances on the frontline in Ukraine?
Friday 8 November 2024 15:01
Andy Gregory
Ukrainian forces defending the eastern region of Donetsk are heading into the “moment of maximum tension” as Russian forces rush to take territory ahead of Donald Trump’s inauguration next year, war monitors have claimed.
Mr Trump’s comprehensive victory in the US election, which came off the back of his promises to end the war in Ukraine in 24 hours, has brought into sharp relief the difficult situation on the frontline for Kyiv.
Russian forces have continued to make gains in the eastern region of Donetsk, advancing along several fronts towards the city of Pokrovsk, a linchpin of the wider area’s defence.
Moscow has also mobilised thousands of North Korean soldiers to push back the Ukrainian incursion into the border region of Kursk, with some success.
Our foreign affairs reporter Tom Watling reports:
Italian president meets Xi Jinping amid tensions over China’s ties with Russia
Friday 8 November 2024 14:49
Andy Gregory
Italian president Sergio Mattarella has met with Chinese leader Xi Jinping on an official visit to China, despite tensions between China and Nato over Beijing’s support for Russia in its war against Ukraine.
The two exchanged greetings following a ceremony with full military honors at the Great Hall of the People in the heart of Beijing. In his opening remarks, Xi referred to the 700th anniversary of Italian adventurer and trader Marco Polo’s journey to China that encouraged cultural, economic and religious links between Europe and East Asia.
Any differences on political issues were not raised in front of the media and the two leaders later oversaw the signing of a series of agreements on matters from culture to technology and trade.
Europe cannot finance Ukraine war without US, claims Hungary’s Orban
Friday 8 November 2024 14:35
Andy Gregory
Hungary’s Viktor Orban – the EU leader closest to Vladimir Putin – has sought to cast doubt on whether Ukraine’s European allies can continue their support for Kyiv in its current form without US assistance, if Donald Trump opts to halt aid from Washington.
“This is a new situation,” he said of Mr Trump’s re-election. “If this is what’s going on across the pond, then this is going to affect us Europeans too. Europe cannot finance this war alone.”
EU’s top diplomat plays down fears over Trump impact on European support for Ukraine
Friday 8 November 2024 14:21
Andy Gregory
Arriving at Friday’s EU summit in Hungary, the bloc’s top diplomat, Josep Borrell, downplayed concerns that a new US administration would lead Europe to change course in its support for Ukraine.
“We cannot outsource our capacity of action. Whatever happens in the US, we have our interests, we have our values,” Mr Borrell said.
Italy’s hard-right prime minister Giorgia Meloni added: “As long is there is a war, Italy is on the side of Ukraine.”
ICYMI: Zelensky reveals Ukraine's 'good conversations' with Donald Trump in new video address
Friday 8 November 2024 14:10
Andy Gregory
Why nuclear weapons will be on Trump's agenda
Friday 8 November 2024 13:58
AP
When he takes office in January, Donald Trump will inherit a raft of national security challenges, including major wars in Ukraine and the Middle East. Less discussed are the growing nuclear threats facing the United States, including from Russia, China and Iran.
In the case of Russia, Mr Trump will have to manage the gravest tensions with Moscow in more than 60 years, in part fueled by Vladimir Putin’s threats to use nuclear weapons in his war against Ukraine and his development of new weapons systems.
As overseer of the world’s biggest nuclear arsenal, Mr Putin has been modernising his nuclear forces and has rejected talks with Washington on replacing New Start, the last US-Russia arms limitation pact, when it expires on 5 February 2026.
US officials say Mr Putin remains within the limits set by the treaty despite his 2023 “suspension” of the pact that holds Russia and the United States to deploying 1,550 strategic nuclear warheads on 700 intercontinental ballistic missiles, submarines and bombers.
President Joe Biden and Putin agreed to an extension in 2021 but, as written, the pact can’t be extended further. Mr Trump opposed an extension in his first term, calling instead for a new treaty that included China – which spurned the proposal.
Full report: Zelensky urges European leaders to stay strong over Ukraine
Friday 8 November 2024 13:47
Andy Gregory
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky urged European leaders on Thursday to resist offering any concessions to Vladimir Putin to halt its invasion of Ukraine.
Speaking at a summit in Hungary, Mr Zelensky described yielding to Kremlin demands as “suicidal” for Europe, a move that would embolden Moscow and undermine European security.
His appeal follows Donald Trump’s re-election, raising uncertainty over US policy as Mr Trump has questioned the level of military and financial support for Kyiv in its war with Russia.
Bel Trew and Rachel Hagan have more in this report:
Russian oil refinery hit in overnight drone attack by Ukraine, source says
Friday 8 November 2024 13:36
Andy Gregory
An overnight Ukrainian drone attack has struck an oil refinery producing motor fuels, fuel oil and bitumen in the Russian city of Saratov but caused no significant damage, a local source told Reuters.
“An inspection was performed – luckily, there was no fire, casualties or critical damage,” the source said, adding that refining operations would not be affected.
A Ukrainian intelligence source told Reuters the strike had caused damage, but did not elaborate on the nature and extent of it. The source said the operation had been conducted by Ukraine’s military intelligence agency. Video published on social media appeared to show key facilities at the site were intact.
Saratov regional governor Roman Busargin said debris from a destroyed zone had fallen on an industrial zone of the city, and nobody appeared to have been hurt. The Saratov refinery processed 115,400 barrels per day in the first nine months of 2024 versus 101,200 in 2023.
A major airbase housing long-range strategic bombers is also located less than 10 miles outside Saratov and has been targeted by Ukraine in the past.
One-year-old boy among nine victims of Zaporizhzhia attack, governor says
Friday 8 November 2024 13:24
Andy Gregory
A one-year-old boy is among nine people killed in a Russian attack on Zaporizhzhia, regional governor Ivan Fedorov has said.
The Kyiv Independent reported that 41 others were injured after the attack on Thursday, which used guided aerial bombs.
China urges Britain to withdraw sanctions over alleged military supplies to Russia
Friday 8 November 2024 13:14
Andy Gregory
China’s embassy in the United Kingdom has urged Britain to withdraw sanctions it imposed on Chinese firms accused of suppling machinery and components for the Russian military.
“What the British side has done violates international law and harms the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises. China is firmly opposed to this,” the embassy said in a statement.
“China will take necessary measures to protect its lawful rights and interests.”
Zelensky says swift end to war would ‘be loss for Ukraine’
Friday 8 November 2024 13:03
Andy Gregory
At a gathering of European leaders in Budapest on Thursday, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky objected to Donald Trump’s claim that Russia’s war with Ukraine could be ended in a day.
“If it is going to be very fast, it will be a loss for Ukraine,” Mr Zelensky said.
Mr Zelensky and Ukraine’s allies fear the swift end to the war sought by Mr Trump would mean peace on terms favourable to Putin and involving the surrender of territory.
At least one killed and dozens injured in overnight attacks on Ukraine, officials say
Friday 8 November 2024 12:53
Andy Gregory
Russian missiles, bombs and drones have battered three regions of Ukraine in targeted night-time attacks, officials said.
At least 25 people, including an infant, were injured after a 500kg glide bomb severely damaged a high-rise apartment building in Kharkiv, regional governor Oleh Syniehubov said.
In the southern city of Odesa, a Russian drone attack killed one person and injured nine others overnight.
And in the capital Kyiv, falling wreckage from intercepted missiles injured four people.
In total, Russia fired 92 drones and five missiles at Ukraine during the night, Ukraine’s air force said. Four missiles and 62 drones were intercepted, and 26 drones were jammed electronically, it said.
US will end support for Ukraine under Trump, claims Orban
Friday 8 November 2024 12:40
Andy Gregory
Donald Trump will cease providing support to Ukraine in its fight against Russia, Hungarian premier Viktor Orban has predicted ahead of a European Union summit on Friday.
In comments to state radio ahead of Friday’s summit, Mr Orban – who is close to both Mr Trump and Vladimir Putin – reiterated his long-held position that an immediate cease-fire should be declared, and suggested that Ukraine has already lost its fight.
“If Donald Trump had won in 2020 in the United States, these two nightmarish years wouldn’t have happened. There wouldn’t have been a war,” he said. “The situation on the front is obvious, there’s been a military defeat. The Americans are going to pull out of this war.”
Friday 8 November 2024 12:24
Andy Gregory
Sir Keir Starmer has appointed Sir Tony Blair’s former chief of staff Jonathan Powell as National Security Adviser.
The veteran diplomat, who served for 17 years in the Foreign Office, will take over from Sir Tim Barrow in the role based in 10 Downing Street.
The Prime Minister said his experience in helping to negotiate the Good Friday Agreement and working on “some of the world’s most complex conflicts” meant he was “uniquely qualified” to advise the government.
Mr Powell was also involved in talks over the Chagos Islands sovereignty dispute, which earlier this year saw Britain hand the territory over to Mauritius.
He will now be expected to play a key role in forging links with Donald Trump’s new US administration, as well as helping to shape the UK’s response to conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East.
Russia behind exploding parcels that threatened US flights, Poland says
Friday 8 November 2024 11:44
Andy Gregory
Russian intelligence services were likely behind a series of parcels that exploded in courier depots across Europe, Polish prosecutors have said.
Western officials have previously said that Russia has tried to destabilise allies of Ukraine with acts of sabotage. The explosions in courier depots in Britain, Germany and Poland in July had