European countries are reportedly pressing US president Donald Trump to send fighter jets to Romania as part of security guarantees for Ukraine.
Military chiefs from several countries are discussing the use of American F-35s in Romania, where Nato is building its largest European airbase, to deter Russia from reinvading, according to The Times.
Mr Trump has ruled out sending American troops to Ukraine but said he was willing to provide air support.
A small group of military leaders held discussions in Washington on Wednesday to work out options for security guarantees, an official said, shortly after a bigger virtual meeting wrapped up.
Meanwhile, Russia’s foreign minister Sergei Lavrov criticised European leaders for “rather clumsy” and “unethical” attempts to challenge the US president, adding: “We did not hear any constructive ideas from the Europeans there.”
Mr Lavrov added that Russia believed security guarantees should be ensured on an equal basis with the participation of countries such as China, the United States, Britain and France, a Russian news agency said.
The US is reportedly eyeing Budapest as a location for a possible meeting between Mr Zelensky and Mr Putin.
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Key Points
- US prepares to host Putin-Zelensky meeting in Budapest
- Zelensky-Putin meeting 'better without me', says Trump
- Trump backs foreign boots and air support for Ukraine
- What could US and Europe security guarantees look like for Ukraine?
- Putin suggests Moscow as potential meeting grounds
Russian allies Belarus and Iran agree to boost defence ties
22:58
,
Jane Dalton
The Belarus leader said he backed Iran’s “legitimate right to develop peaceful nuclear energy”:
Allies working on new plan, says Zelensky aide
21:39
,
Jane Dalton
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky’s chief of staff says Ukraine is working on a plan with its allies if Russia prolongs the war or disrupts agreements on leaders’ meetings.
Andrii Yermak said the allies had already begun active work on a military component of security guarantees for his country.
UK military chief meets Nato counterparts for Ukraine talks
21:00
,
Daniel Keane
The head of Britain's armed forces has met with his Nato counterparts as Europe continues to push for security guarantees for Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire.
Admiral Sir Tony Radakin met senior US defence officials alongside other European military chiefs in Washington DC on Wednesday to discuss military options to secure peace in Ukraine.
He later attended a virtual meeting of Nato's military committee, described by its chairman Italian Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone as "candid".
On Tuesday evening, Admiral Radakin, the chief of the defence staff, had dined with his US counterpart General Dan Caine.
Watch: Firefighters battle Ukrainian energy facility blaze after Russian drone strike
20:35
,
Jane Dalton
Military chiefs in US talks on security guarantees
19:35
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Reuters | Jane Dalton
A small group of military leaders is talking to Washington about options for security guarantees for Ukraine, a Western official has said, shortly after a bigger virtual meeting ended.
The source said US General Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was holding the talks that also involved around half a dozen other Nato chiefs of defence.
The official said they expected further meetings of the chiefs of defence in a broader format to be called, to discuss any options worked out in the smaller group.
No time frame has been set as the final decision will lie with political leaders, the official said.
Watch: Lavrov warns West over excluding Moscow
18:59
,
Jane Dalton
Lithuania would contribute troops to a Ukraine peacekeeping mission, says president
18:06
,
Daniel Keane
Lithuania’s President Gitanas Nausėda has said that the country would contribute troops and equipment to a future peacekeeping mission in Ukraine.
His comments come after the US said it would only provide limited air support to Kyiv as a security guarantee.
European countries have pledged to provide military assistance to Ukraine in the event of a peace agreement.
Lavrov says security guarantees should be based on draft accord from 2022
17:45
,
Daniel Keane
Russia’s foreign minister Sergei Lavrov has said Russia is in favour of "truly reliable" guarantees for Ukraine and suggested these could be modelled on a draft accord that was discussed between the warring parties in Istanbul in 2022, in the early weeks of the war.
Under the draft discussed then, Ukraine would have received security guarantees from a group of countries including the five permanent members of the UN Security Council - China, Russia, the United States, Britain and France.
At the time, Kyiv rejected that proposal on the grounds that Moscow would have held effective veto power over any military response to come to its aid.
Nato says military leaders had 'candid' discussion on Ukraine
17:22
,
Daniel Keane
Nato military leaders had a "great, candid discussion" during a video conference on recent talks on the war in Ukraine, the chair of the alliance's military committee has said.
"On #Ukraine, we confirmed our support. Priority continues to be a just, credible and durable peace," Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone wrote in a post on social media platform X.
Von Der Leyen denies leaving the room during White House talks
17:01
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Bryony Gooch
EU Commission president Ursula Von Der Leyen did not leave the room temporary during talks between talks at the White House between Zelensky and Trump, says deputy chief spokeswoman Arianna Podesta.
“These reports are completely false. The President participated in all meetings, at all times, with the other European leaders.”
We have seen reporting which claims President @vonderleyen left the room temporarily during meetings with @POTUS and @ZelenskyyUA in DC on Monday.
— Arianna Podestà (@arianna_podesta) August 20, 2025
These reports are completely false.
The President participated in all meetings, at all times, with the other European leaders.
Where could Putin and Zelensky meet for Ukraine war summit?
16:47
,
Bryony Gooch
Watch: Deadly Russian strike devastates eastern Ukraine before Trump and Zelensky meet
16:24
,
Bryony Gooch
Lavrov calls for Chinese participation in Ukraine's security guarantees
16:14
,
Bryony Gooch
Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov has said Russia believes Ukraine’s security guarantees should be ensured on an equal basis with participation from China among other countries.
"Russia agrees that Ukraine's security guarantees should be ensured on an equal basis with the participation of countries such as China, the USA, Britain, and France,” a report from Ria Novosti read.
Recap watch: Ukrainian sniper 'kills two Russians with single bullet from 2.5miles away in world record'
16:03
,
Bryony Gooch
Russia is again provoking NATO countries, says Polish minister
15:53
,
Bryony Gooch
Russia is again provoking NATO countries, Polish Defence Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz said on Wednesday, after an official said the object that landed overnight in a cornfield in eastern Poland may have been a Russian version of the Shahed drone.
"Once again, we are dealing with a provocation by the Russian Federation, with a Russian drone. We are dealing in a crucial moment, when discussions about peace (in Ukraine) are underway," he told journalists.
Three killed in Russian shelling of key eastern Ukrainian city, local officials say
15:30
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Bryony Gooch
At least three people were killed in a Russian artillery attack on the eastern Ukrainian city of Kostiantynivka, local officials said on Wednesday, as Moscow's troops advance to encircle the strategic hub in Ukraine's industrialised Donbas region.
Another four people were wounded in the attack, which Governor Vadym Filashkin said involved eight strikes from a multiple rocket launch system and targeted a local market.
He called on residents to evacuate the city, which has come increasingly under attack as Russian forces close in from three sides.
On Tuesday alone, Filashkin added, Russian forces dropped 10 guided bombs on Kostiantynivka, which has long served as a crucial logistics hub for Ukrainian troops defending a key swath of the front line.
"The Russians are deliberately striking to kill and maim as many civilians as possible," he said in a statement.
Russia has denied targeting civilians, but thousands have been killed since its full-scale invasion in February 2022.
UK targets sanctions circumvention and crypto networks exploited by Russia
15:15
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Bryony Gooch
The United Kingdom has cracked down on Russia’s attempts to avoid sanctions by exploiting Kyrgyz financial systems and crypto networks, building on over 2,700 existing UK sanctions against Russia.
“Today’s action closes in on the Kyrgyzstan-based Capital Bank, and its director Kantemir Chalbayev, which Russia uses to pay for military goods.
“Sanctions also hit the Grinex and Meer cryptocurrency exchanges, the infrastructure behind a new rouble-backed cryptocurrency token A7A5, which has moved $9.3bn on a dedicated crypto exchange in just four months and is specifically designed as an attempt to evade western sanctions. “
Russia bars entry to 21 people it says spread disinformation against it in UK media
15:00
,
Bryony Gooch
Russia said on Wednesday it was barring entry to 21 individuals it accused of working with "the destructive British media" to promote anti-Russian narratives.
The list includes journalists, experts and members of NGOs.
Their names were added to those of many hundreds of other Western nationals whom Russia has placed on its "stop list" since the start of the war in Ukraine.
Britain on Wednesday said it was imposing new sanctions on cryptocurrency networks it said were exploited by Russia.
What could US and European security guarantees look like for Ukraine?
14:50
,
Alex Croft
World leaders gathered in Washington on Monday for a summit billed as a potential turning point in efforts to end the Ukraine war.
In the Oval Office, Donald Trump hosted Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky and senior European figures to thrash out what security guarantees for Ukraine might look like if a peace deal with Russia can be reached.
The meeting was described as “historic” by British prime minister Sir Keir Starmer, who has emerged as one of the driving forces behind Europe’s response. Nato military leaders are meeting on Wednesday to discuss Ukraine and the way forward.
But even as the talks took place, Moscow dismissed the plans as dangerous and warned against any Western military presence in Ukraine.
Read the full report:
Russia must be involved in talks about Ukraine security guarantees, says Lavrov
14:33
,
Alex Croft
Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov has said that Moscow must be involved in any discussions about security guarantees for Ukraine
"Seriously discussing security issues without Russia is a road to nowhere,” Lavrov said, adding that the UK, US, France and China could provide equal security guarantees for the country.
“As for reports that the U.K., France, and Germany want to develop collective security guarantees, we support making these guarantees truly reliable," Lavrov claimed.
"Our delegation then agreed to work out security guarantees involving all permanent members of the UN Security Council — Russia, China, the US, France, and the UK," he said. "Germany and Turkey were mentioned, as well as others that may be interested in joining this group."
Nato military leaders were due to meet today to discuss creating effective security guarantees for Ukraine.
US prepares to host Putin-Zelensky meeting in Budapest
14:20
,
Alex Croft
The US Secret Service is making preparations to host a meeting between Volodymyr Zelensky and Vladimir Putin in the Hungarian capital of Budapest, Politico is reporting.
Right-wing prime minister Viktor Orban holds warm relations with Donald Trump and is friendly with Moscow.
The Secret Service often scouts multiple locations and the venue could change, but Budapest is the White House’s first choice, a Trump administration official and a person close to the administration told the outlet.
Why is the future of Ukraine’s Donbas region becoming a key issue in peace talks?
14:15
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Bryony Gooch
In pictures: A makeshift memorial to fallen defenders in Independence Square in Kyiv
14:00
,
Bryony Gooch
In numbers: Is the UK ready to put boots on the ground in Ukraine?
13:45
,
Bryony Gooch
Early findings show military drone fell in Poland, prosecutor says
13:30
,
Bryony Gooch
A military drone that exploded overnight in eastern Poland had no warhead, contained only a small amount of explosives and was most likely a decoy, newswire PAP reported on Wednesday citing source close to the defence ministry.
Poland has been on high alert for objects entering its airspace since a stray Ukrainian missile struck the southern Polish village of Przewodow in 2022, killing two people.
"Examination of the explosion indicates that the ... object is most likely a military drone," Lublin regional prosecutor Grzegorz Trusiewicz told reporters. He said it was most likely damaged by explosives.
Police had earlier announced that an unidentified object had fallen in a field in the village of Osiny in the eastern Lublin province, which borders Ukraine.
The blast shattered windows in several homes, but nobody was injured, PAP news agency reported. Police officers found burnt metal and plastic debris at the site, it said.
Comment: We had one chance to sink the Russian economy and we blew it – Putin knew we would
13:15
,
Bryony Gooch
Erdogan tells Putin Turkey supports Ukraine peace effort
13:00
,
Bryony Gooch
Turkey supports efforts to establish a permanent peace in Ukraine with the participation of all parties, President Tayyip Erdogan told his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in a phone call on Wednesday, the Turkish presidency said.
Erdogan also told Putin he was closely following developments related to the process, and that Turkey had strived for a just peace since the beginning of the war, it said.
Lavrov says Russia is ready to discuss political aspects of a settlement with Ukraine
12:49
,
Bryony Gooch
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Wednesday that Moscow is ready to discuss the political aspects of a settlement with Ukraine.
Russia is ready to conduct talks in any format and to raise the level of delegations in negotiations, he added. But he repeated Moscow's insistence that any meeting of the Russian and Ukrainian leaders should be the culmination of such negotiations, and would need to be carefully prepared.
Russia says its forces advance in Ukraine's Dnipropetrovsk region
12:29
,
Bryony Gooch
Russian forces have advanced in the east of Ukraine's Dnipropetrovsk region, taking the village of Novoheorhiivka close to the Donetsk region, Russia's defence ministry said on Wednesday.
Russian forces said in July that they had taken their first village in Dnipropetrovsk, and U.S. estimates of the battlefield indicate Russian forces control less than 1% of the region.
Dnipropetrovsk is not one of the five regions of Ukraine that Russia has claimed as its own territory.
"Soldiers of the 57th Guards Motorized Rifle Brigade pushed out the enemy from Novoheorhiivka in the Dnipropetrovsk region," Russia's defence ministry said. We could not independently confirm the battlefield report.
Russia's Lavrov says security discussions without Moscow are 'road to nowhere'
12:13
,
Bryony Gooch
Russia is in favour of reliable security guarantees for Ukraine but it hopes the United States understands that discussing security issues without Russia is a "road to nowhere", Sergei Lavrov said on Wednesday.
The U.S. has an increasingly clear understanding of the "root causes" of the Ukraine crisis, Lavrov added.
Russia's Putin discussed Ukraine with Turkey's Erdogan, Kremlin says
12:00
,
Bryony Gooch
Russian President Vladimir Putin held a phone call with his Turkish counterpart Tayyip Erdogan to discuss Ukraine and the outcome of Putin's summit last week with U.S. President Donald Trump, the Kremlin said on Wednesday.
Belarus and Iran, both friends of Putin, plan to strengthen military and broader ties
11:45
,
Bryony Gooch
Belarus and Iran - two countries that have backed Russia's war in Ukraine - plan to deepen bilateral ties across all areas including defence, their presidents said at talks in Minsk on Wednesday.
Belarusian state news agency Belta said presidents Alexander Lukashenko and Masoud Pezeshkian agreed to work on a strategic partnership treaty.
"In conditions of geopolitical turbulence, Minsk and Tehran are undertaking consistent and balanced steps to further develop cooperation, and are working hard to turn each new challenge into a new opportunity," it quoted Lukashenko as saying.
"We are ready to discuss any issues, we have no closed topics," Lukashenko said, adding that the two countries could partner across a range of areas including "military-technical cooperation".
Russia says its forces hit port infrastructure in Ukraine, captured more settlements
11:30
,
Bryony Gooch
Russia's defence ministry said on Wednesday its forces had hit port infrastructure used to supply fuel to Ukrainian forces, Interfax news agency said.
The statement didn't name the port. Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelenskiy said earlier that Russia had struck a gas distribution station in the southern region of Odesa.
Russian defence ministry also said that its forces had captured the settlements of Novoheorhiivka, Pankivka and Sukhetse in eastern Ukraine.
Mapped: Where is the Donbas region? Ukrainian territory highly coveted by Putin
11:20
,
Bryony Gooch
German prosecutors charge Russian with planning attack on Israeli embassy in Berlin
11:15
,
Bryony Gooch
German prosecutors have charged a Russian national they suspect of planning an attack on the Israeli embassy in Berlin and of trying to join militant organisation Islamic State, they said on Wednesday.
Prosecutors believe the accused, identified only as Akhmad E. in line with German privacy rules, obtained instructions from the Internet on how to make explosives but the plan failed as he could not get the components he needed.
"From the beginning of February, he planned to carry out an attack in Germany, for example on the Israeli embassy in Berlin," said federal prosecutors in a statement.
He has been detained since his arrest at Berlin airport in February. Prosecutors suspect he was on the way to Pakistan for military training with IS and that he funded the trip by selling expensive smartphones that he obtained via signing up for mobile phone plans.
He is also accused of translating propaganda into Russian and Chechen for IS, said the statement.
Prosecutors charged him on August 7 with preparing and incitement to commit a serious act of violence endangering the state and, as a minor, of trying to join a terrorist group abroad.
UK Defence minister: UK remains willing to consider putting boots on the ground
10:58
,
Bryony Gooch
Defence Secretary John Healey has reiterated the UK's willingness to "consider putting boots on the ground" to help provide security guarantees to Ukraine as part of a peace deal.
Speaking to ITV's Good Morning Britain, he said: "The Prime Minister has made clear that he's ready to consider putting UK boots on the ground in the circumstances of a negotiated peace."
He added that the UK and "many other nations" want to support Ukraine in being able to deter future Russian aggression and to reassure them that "we will stay with them to try and secure a long-term peace".
Recap watch: Trump says there will be no US troops in Ukraine as part of peace deal
10:42
,
Bryony Gooch
Nato defence chiefs to meet this afternoon
10:39
,
Bryony Gooch
Nato defence chiefs are due to hold a virtual meeting, a senior alliance official said, as countries pushing for an end to Russia's war on Ukraine devise possible future security guarantees for Kyiv that could help forge a peace agreement.
Italian admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, chair of Nato's Military Committee, said that 32 defence chiefs from across the alliance would hold a video conference as a US-led diplomatic push seeks to end the fighting.
US general Alexus Grynkewich, Nato's supreme allied commander in Europe, will take part in the talks, Mr Dragone said on social platform X.
The meeting will take place at around 1.30pm local time (2.30pm CET).
Trump ready to ‘crush’ Russian economy if Putin avoids talks with Zelensky, says Lindsey Graham
10:34
,
Bryony Gooch
Senator Lindsey Graham has said that Trump is ready to “crush” the Russian economy if Putin avoids talks with Zelensky.
“Trump believes that if Putin doesn’t do his part, that he’s going to have to crush his economy. Because you've got to mean what you say,” Graham told reporters on Tuesday.
“If we don’t have this thing moving in the right direction by the time we get back, then I think that plan B needs to kick in,” he added.
Pope calls for a day of fasting and prayers for peace in Ukraine and other war-torn countries
10:26
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Bryony Gooch
Pope Leo has asked Catholics and other religious faithful to observe a day of fasting and prayers for peace in Ukraine and other war-torn countries on Friday.
"As our Earth continues to be wounded by wars in the Holy Land, in Ukraine, and in many other regions ... I invite all the faithful to live the day of August 22 in fasting and prayer," the pontiff said during his weekly audience at the Vatican on Wednesday.
Leo suggested the faithful could ask God to "grant us peace and justice and to wipe away the tears of those who suffer because of the ongoing armed conflicts."
Poland says it is not ruling out drones or sabotage in overnight explosion
10:09
,
Bryony Gooch
Polish authorities are not ruling out that an unidentified object that exploded over eastern Poland overnight could be an act of Russian sabotage or a smuggling drone, Defence Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz said on Wednesday.
The army had said earlier that an object which fell and exploded in a cornfield may have been a component of an old propeller engine, adding that there had been no violation of Poland's airspace from Ukraine or Belarus.
Mapped: The key territories Putin wants handed over to bring about peace in Ukraine
10:00
,
Bryony Gooch
Pictured: Ukrainian emergency worker in action following an air attack, in Okhtyrka, Sumy region
09:51
,
Bryony Gooch
Where could talks between Putin and Zelensky take place?
09:43
,
Bryony Gooch
Here are the potential destinations where a summit between Putin and Zelensky could take place:
- Hungary - The White House has said they are considering Budapest as a potential venue for trilateral talks having spoken to Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban.
- Switzerland - The traditional choice, Switzerland has said they are ready for the warring leaders to meet in its Neutral country despite the fact it’s a signee of the Rome Statute.
- Turkey - Talks between Russia and Ukraine have previously taken place in Istanbul. French president Emmanuel Macron has favoured this location.
- Russia - The New York Times reported that Vladimir Putin suggested Moscow as a potential venue, however the American side has rejected this idea.
- Belarus - Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko’s press secretary has said Minsk is ready to mediate a possible meeting between Russia and Ukraine. Bordering Russia and Ukraine, Belarus has maintained close ties with Putin.
Polish PM Donald Tusk hits back at suggestion of Budapest as a venue for peace talks
09:36
,
Bryony Gooch
Poland’s prime minister Donald Tusk has brushed away suggestions that Budapest might be a potential venue for peace talks between Zelensky and Putin.
“Budapest? Not everyone may remember this, but in 1994 Ukraine already got assurances of territorial integrity from the US, Russia and the UK. In Budapest,” he said on X. “Maybe I’m superstitious, but this time I would try to find another place”
Budapest? Not everyone may remember this, but in 1994 Ukraine already got assurances of territorial integrity from the US, Russia and the UK. In Budapest. Maybe I’m superstitious, but this time I would try to find another place.
— Donald Tusk (@donaldtusk) August 20, 2025
This comes as US president Donald Trump suggested the Hungarian capital as a venue for the trilateral meeting with Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban on Tuesday, according to a White House official.
Orban remains Putin’s closest ally in Europe and Hungary is one of the few European places Putin could visit without fear of arrest on International Criminal Court charges
Gas distribution station struck in Odesa
09:30
,
Bryony Gooch
Ukraine's president said on Wednesday that Russia had struck a gas distribution station in the southern region of Odesa.
"All of these are demonstrative strikes that only confirm the need to put pressure on Moscow, the need to impose new sanctions and tariffs until diplomacy is fully effective," Volodymyr Zelensky wrote on X.
Ukraine's State Emergency Services reported a "massive drone strike" on the southern region of Odesa, saying one person was wounded and a large fire erupted at a fuel and energy facility.
Officials of the Izmail district in the Odesa region said port infrastructure in the city was damaged.
Last night, a drone strike on Okhtyrka in the Sumy region injured 14 people. A family with wounded children – 5 months, 4 years, and 6 years old – sought assistance after the attack. In Kostiantynivka, Donetsk region, a glide bomb strike damaged five apartment buildings, and at… pic.twitter.com/TWRPo4Po6F
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) August 20, 2025
Russia has stepped up its attacks on Ukraine's energy sector this week. One attack sparked fires at an oil depot belonging to Azerbaijani state oil company SOCAR, while another damaged a gas transport facility in the central region of Poltava.
Russia has regularly attacked oil depots and fuel storage facilities since the first days of the full-scale invasion it launched in February 2022. The Energy Ministry said Ukrainian energy facilities had been attacked 2,900 times since March 2025 alone.
Analysis: The White House just watered down the only concession it can claim Trump won from Putin — Ukraine security
09:21
,
Bryony Gooch
Watch: White House responds to question about US air power being used in Ukraine
09:12
,
Bryony Gooch
In pictures: A firefighter works at the site of a fuel storage facility hit by a Russian drone strike
09:03
,
Bryony Gooch
