The Kremlin will not accept any presence of NATO troops on Ukrainian territory as part of European proposals for security guarantees.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said: It was the advancement of NATO military infrastructure and the infiltration of this military infrastructure into Ukraine that could probably be named among the root causes of the conflict situation that arose.
"So we have a negative attitude towards these discussions."
Peskov praised US president Donald Trump efforts to end the war as “very important”, following US-Russian summit in Alaska earlier this month.
This comes as the US is reportedly prepared to offer intelligence assets and battlefield oversight and take part in a European-led air defence shield for Ukraine as part of post-war security guarantees, according to the Financial Times.
Last week, Trump suggested the US might provide air support as part of a deal to end the war. He told Fox News: "We're willing to help them with things, especially, probably... by air," though he didn't elaborate.
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Key Points
- Russian troops inch forward in Ukraine's Dnipropetrovsk region
- US offers air and intelligence support to postwar force in Ukraine - report
- Kremlin rejects NATO troops in Ukraine
- Map: Where have Putin troops entered in Ukraine?
- Trump says Putin not meeting Zelensky as 'he doesn't like him'
- Ukraine says Russian losses near 1.08 million since start of invasion
Zelensky names Olha Stefanishyna new US ambassador
03:00
,
Tara Cobham
President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a decree on Wednesday appointing Olha Stefanishyna, a former top cabinet minister, as Ukraine's ambassador to the United States.
Zelensky, speaking in his nightly video address, said he had signed a decree on the appointment of Stefanishyna, 39, after formalities had been completed.
"I outlined the key tasks for reinvigorating the work of our embassy," he said.
She takes over as ambassador from Oksana Markarova, who held the position for six years, including more than three years of full-scale war with Russia.
Zelensky singled out two agreements as critical -- on providing weapons for Ukraine and on supplying drones to the United States.
"The main thing is to fully implement all the agreements reached in Washington, our agreements with President [Donald] Trump, above all in the defence sphere...Much of Ukraine’s long-term security depends on relations with America."
Stefanishyna had served in Zelensky's administration as a deputy prime minister for European and Euro-Atlantic integration, playing a major role in the country's integration into Western institutions, and as minister of justice.
German jets scrambled to intercept 'Russian spy plane' over Baltic Sea - report
02:00
,
Steffie Banatvala
Two German air force Eurofighter jets scrambled to intercept a Russian reconnaissance aircraft flying over the Baltic Sea on Tuesday according to German outlet Deutsche Welle.
NATO's air command gave the order to intercept the aircraft, which was flying in international airspace with its transponders turned off and without submitting a flight plan.
Moscow is suspected of using such aircraft to gather information about NATO military activity on the Baltic coast, particularly in Poland, Germany, Denmark and Sweden.
Poland has had to scramble jets numerous times along its borders throughout the war.
Pictures: aftermath of Russian drone attack in Sumy region
01:00
,
Steffie Banatvala
Watch: Russia strikes key Ukraine energy facility in large-scale drone attack
Thursday 28 August 2025 00:01
,
Steffie Banatvala
Ukraine confident Poland will keep funding Starlink at the front
Wednesday 27 August 2025 23:00
,
Steffie Banatvala
Ukraine's deputy prime minister said he was confident of a solution to continue Poland's funding of 30,000 Starlink internet systems for Ukraine, after Poland said it might no longer be able to pay for them following a presidential veto.
Poland is the biggest donor of SpaceX's satellite internet devices to Ukraine. Kyiv uses tens of thousands of them across the frontline as a crucial communication tool resistant to hacking and jamming.
Mykhailo Fedorov, who is also Ukraine's digitalisation minister, told Reuters in an interview that while Ukraine also had other satellite communication systems, none could match the scale and cost of Starlink, operated by Elon Musk's rocket company.
"We are communicating with our colleagues and I'm sure that all will be well, that we will find a solution to continue supporting this project," he said.
Senior Ukrainian officials visit Riyadh to discuss peace options
Wednesday 27 August 2025 22:00
,
Steffie Banatvala
The Ukrainian president's chief of staff Andriy Yermak has said that he was in Riyadh along with security council chief Rustem Umerov to discuss paths to peace in Ukraine, and Saudi Arabia's participation in this process.
Yermak wrote on the Telegram app that they held meetings with the Saudi defence minister and national security adviser.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Tuesday that Turkey, the Gulf States or European countries could host talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Recap: Ukrainians in UK fear war will never end after Trump-Zelensky meeting
Wednesday 27 August 2025 21:00
,
Bryony Gooch
Pictures: Russia's Belgorod cover buildings in net to protect from Ukrainian drones
Wednesday 27 August 2025 20:00
,
Steffie Banatvala
Ukraine's sees 'priceless' digital battlefield data trove as key to West's support
Wednesday 27 August 2025 19:00
,
Steffie Banatvala
Ukraine is looking at how to share battlefield data with allies, the country's deputy prime minister said, calling the vast trove of stored information one of Kyiv's "cards" to strengthen its position as it negotiates support from friendly countries.
"The data we have is priceless for any country," Mykhailo Fedorov, who heads Ukraine's digitalisation ministry, told Reuters in an interview, adding that Ukraine is currently "very careful" about sharing it.
Vast datasets are crucial for training artificial intelligence (AI) models to recognise patterns and make predictions.
That need is particularly pressing in the burgeoning global defence sector. While datasets for most civilian activities can be found commercially, the 21st century's biggest war between advanced armies has given Ukraine a set of combat data with no parallel, which could help Kyiv prove its value as an ally to Washington.
UK energy bills rise as wholesale gas prices remain 75% above pre-Russian invasion levels
Wednesday 27 August 2025 18:00
,
Steffie Banatvala
Woody Allen responds after Ukraine slams director for appearing at Russian film festival: ‘Disgrace and insult’
Wednesday 27 August 2025 17:00
,
Bryony Gooch
Russia slashes 2025 economic growth forecast to 1.5% from 2.5%
Wednesday 27 August 2025 16:30
,
Steffie Banatvala
Russia sees 2025 economic growth at 1.5%, one percentage point lower than the earlier official forecast, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov said at a Kremlin meeting on Wednesday.
Russia's economy grew robustly over 2023 and 2024 despite multiple rounds of Western sanctions imposed after its invasion of Ukraine in 2022 but is slowing sharply this year.
Domestic activity has become strained by labour shortages and high interest rates introduced to tackle inflation, which has accelerated under record military spending.
Explained: How Norway's upcoming election is linked to Ukraine?
Wednesday 27 August 2025 16:00
,
Steffie Banatvala
Norway’s September election could impact Europe’s energy amid the Ukraine war.
The country is Europe's top gas supplier, replacing Gazprom after Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
Its role is set to grow as the European Union plans to phase out use of Russian gas by 2027, but exploiting new oil and gas reserves is critical to slowing down an expected production decline.
The election could decide whether Norway opens new areas for exploration, or if oil companies will remain restricted to existing ones, depending on the influence wielded by the Greens, Liberals and other small parties.
More radical proposals to stop exploration completely are unlikely to gather sufficient support.
Watch: Russia strikes key Ukraine energy facility in large-scale drone attack
Wednesday 27 August 2025 15:30
,
Bryony Gooch
Ukraine launches tender for lithium deposit site in Kirovohrad region, PM says
Wednesday 27 August 2025 15:00
,
Bryony Gooch
Ukraine has launched a tender for the right to mine a lithium deposit site in its central Kirovohrad region, Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said on Wednesday.
The tender for the "Dobra" site is expected to be the first project in a joint investment fund with the United States that was signed in April as part of Kyiv's efforts to keep Washington onside in its war against invading Russian forces.
The deal, heavily promoted by U.S. President Donald Trump, gives the U.S. preferential access to new Ukrainian minerals deals and fund investment in Ukraine's reconstruction.
"The site contains significant reserves of lithium, which is of strategic importance for energy and technology," Svyrydenko wrote on the Telegram app.
"We are looking for an investor who will ensure not only extraction, but also the development of value-added production in Ukraine."
She said an official announcement would be published in the next two months, followed by three months of accepting bids, and then a decision to determine the winner.
Pictures: aftermath of Russian drone attack in Sumy region
Wednesday 27 August 2025 14:30
,
Steffie Banatvala
Ukraine says Russian move to quit treaty against torture is 'admission of guilt'
Wednesday 27 August 2025 14:00
,
Bryony Gooch
Ukraine criticised Russia on Wednesday for setting out plans to withdraw from the Council of Europe's treaty for the prevention of torture, saying the proposal was a tacit admission of guilt by Moscow.
Ukrainian officials have accused Russia of war crimes and torturing civilians and prisoners of war since Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022. Russia denies the allegations.
According to a Russian government website, the government announced plans on Monday to quit the Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, which was signed by Moscow in 1996.
"This step is effectively an admission of guilt - of systematic torture and an attempt to evade responsibility for gross human rights violations," Ukraine's foreign ministry said in a statement.
Moscow's decision would need to be approved by President Vladimir Putin and passed in a vote in parliament before it comes into force, the website said.
In March, a United Nations Commission said that Russia's "widespread and systematic" use of enforced disappearances and torture of Ukrainians during its war in Ukraine amounted to crimes against humanity.
The Netherlands and 40 other OSCE member states have also called for an independent investigation into allegations of torture and mistreatment of Ukrainian prisoners of war by Russian forces.
German jets reportedly scrambled to intercept Russian spy plane over the Baltic
Wednesday 27 August 2025 13:30
,
Bryony Gooch
Intelligence source claims explosion hit key Russian oil pipeline supplying military
Wednesday 27 August 2025 13:00
,
Steffie Banatvala
A source in Ukraine's military intelligence has said a ‘powerful explosion’ erupted near Ryazan city in western Russia, damaging an oil pipeline supplying Moscow.
The source told the Kyiv Independent that the pipeline helps supply fuel to the Russian military.
Consequentially, “the transportation of petroleum products to Moscow (through the pipeline) has been suspended indefinitely," the source said.
Kremlin rejects NATO troops in Ukraine
Wednesday 27 August 2025 12:38
,
Steffie Banatvala
The Kremlin called US peace efforts in Ukraine "very important" but rejected European security guarantee proposals and NATO troop deployments, in its daily briefing.
Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said high-level talks must be well-prepared and claimed Russian strikes target only military-linked sites, despite reports of targeting Ukraine's energy infrastructure.
Watch: JD Vance suggests World War 2 ended with 'negotiations' as he defends Ukraine-Russia talks
Wednesday 27 August 2025 12:30
,
Bryony Gooch
Ukrainian drone attacks on oil refineries have some Russian regions running on empty
Wednesday 27 August 2025 12:00
,
Bryony Gooch
Kremlin praises US efforts to resolve Ukraine conflict but says it doesn't like European proposals
Wednesday 27 August 2025 11:44
,
Bryony Gooch
The Kremlin on Wednesday praised efforts by the United States to achieve peace in Ukraine, saying this month's US - Russia summit in Alaska had been "meaningful and necessary."
But Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that Moscow took a negative view of European proposals regarding security guarantees for Kyiv. He reiterated Russia's longstanding position that no troops from NATO countries should be deployed to Ukraine.
German jets scrambled to intercept 'Russian spy plane' over Baltic Sea - report
Wednesday 27 August 2025 11:30
,
Bryony Gooch
Two German air force Eurofighter jets scrambled to intercept a Russian reconnaissance aircraft flying over the Baltic Sea on Tuesday according to German outlet Deutsche Welle.
NATO's air command gave the order to intercept the aircraft, which was flying in international airspace with its transponders turned off and without submitting a flight plan.
Moscow is suspected of using such aircraft to gather information about NATO military activity on the Baltic coast, particularly in Poland, Germany, Denmark and Sweden.
Poland has had to scramble jets numerous times along its borders throughout the war.
Watch: Ukraine unveils devastating new ‘Flamingo’ cruise missile that can strike deep inside Russia
Wednesday 27 August 2025 11:00
,
Bryony Gooch
