The Kremlin has offered US president Donald Trump access to Russia’s rare earth minerals – including deposits from occupied parts of Eastern Ukraine.
Vladimir Putin told state TV on Monday that Russia was open to joint projects with American partners - including the government and private sector - under a future Russia-US economic deal.
The Kremlin’s official spokesperson reiterated the Russian president's calls, adding: "The Americans need rare earth metals. We have a lot of them".
"We have our own plans to develop strategic resources, but there are quite broad prospects for cooperation here," Dmitry Peskov said.
President Trump has pledged that "major economic development transactions with Russia" would take place, but Mr Peskov said there was still a lot of work to be done to normalise relations between Moscow and Washington before any deal.
"When there comes, let's say, a moment of political will, we will be open to this (cooperation on rare earth metals)," Mr Peskov added.
Russia has the world's fifth-largest reserves of rare earth metals, according to the US Geological Survey data.
The US and Ukraine are negotiating a separate deal involving rare earth metals. Trump said this week that the deal was "pretty close" to a conclusion.
Key Points
- Kremlin reiterates opposition to Nato peacekeepers in Ukraine
- Donald Trump suggests it will be Europe who guarantees peace in Ukraine
- Russia willing to work with US on rare earth metals deal
- Trump and Macron clash over funding of Ukraine war effort
- UN Security Council adopts neutral US stance on war
Russia says latest UK sanctions 'illegitimate'
11:14
,
Jabed Ahmed
Russia's embassy in London has said Britain's new package of sanctions against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine was "illegitimate" and many of those targeted had no connection to the conflict.
On Monday the foreign secretary announced what it said was its largest package of sanctions against Russia since the early days of the war in Ukraine, including companies worldwide that supply components used by the Russian military.
The Russian embassy called the measures "futile" in a statement posted on Facebook on Tuesday.
"The moment chosen by London to whip up the sanctions hysteria is quite symbolic — at a delicate time when the foundations of the future Ukraine settlement process are being shaped in line with the Russia-US agreements," the statement said.
Britain's sanctions package, timed to mark the third anniversary of the Russian invasion, also targeted North Korea's defence minister No Kwang Chol over the deployment of North Korean forces in Russia, and Kyrgyzstan-based Keremet Bank.
EU states to debrief with Macron following Trump meeting
10:59
,
Jabed Ahmed
European Council members will meet in a video conference tomorrow morning for a debriefing from French President Emmanuel Macron.
It comes after his meeting with US President Donald Trump in Washington yesterday, EU Council President Antonio Costa said on social media platform X.
Russia's top diplomat in Tehran following talks with US
10:46
,
Jabed Ahmed
Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov landed in Tehran on Tuesday for talks with Iranian officials, Iranian state media reported, days after Moscow held initial talks with the US just a month after Donald Trump returned to the White House.
Lavrov will discuss regional and bilateral topics with his Iranian counterpart during his one-day trip to Iran, state media reported.
The visit comes a day after the United States imposed a fresh round of sanctions targeting Iran's oil industry, the Islamic Republic's main source of income.
Trump earlier this month had restored his "maximum pressure" campaign on Iran that includes efforts to drive the country's oil exports to zero, reimposing Washington's tough policy on Iran that was practiced throughout his first term.
Moscow and Tehran have angered the West by developing stronger defence ties since the start of conflict in Ukraine in 2022.
Full report | World Bank estimates huge price Ukraine needs to recover from the war
10:28
,
Jabed Ahmed
Russia says it welcomes 'more balanced' US stance on Ukraine after UN Security Council vote
10:14
,
Jabed Ahmed
The Kremlin has said that it welcomed what it saw as a much more balanced US stance on Ukraine after the United Nations Security Council on Monday adopted a US-drafted resolution that took a neutral position on the conflict.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that Moscow saw the move as evidence of Washington's genuine willingness to try to find a peaceful settlement.
The latest UN resolution reflects US president Donald Trump's upending of US policy on Ukraine and his more conciliatory stance towards Russia after Trump claimed Russian president Vladimir Putin would accept European peacekeepers on Ukrainian soil as part of a peace agreement with Kyiv.
Kremlin reiterates opposition to European peacekeepers in Ukraine
09:59
,
Jabed Ahmed
The Kremlin, asked about an assertion by US President Donald Trump that Russia was open to European peacekeepers being deployed in Ukraine, referred reporters to an earlier statement that such a move would be unacceptable to Moscow.
Russia has repeatedly said it opposes having Nato troops on the ground in Ukraine, with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov saying last week that Moscow would view that as a "direct threat" to Russia's sovereignty, even if the troops operated there under a different flag.
Asked about Trump's comment, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov refrained from publicly contradicting the US president, but effectively reaffirmed Russia's opposition to the idea.
"There is a position on this matter that was expressed by the Russian Foreign Minister, Lavrov. I have nothing to add to this and nothing to comment on. I leave this without comment," said Peskov.
Trump said on Monday that both he and Putin accepted the idea of European peacekeepers in Ukraine if a settlement was reached to end the war.
"Yeah, he will accept that," Trump said. "I specifically asked him that question. He has no problem with it."
Russia has lots of rare earth metals that the US needs, says Kremlin
09:44
,
Jabed Ahmed
The Kremlin has said Russia had lots of rare earth metal deposits and that it was open to doing deals to develop them after President Vladimir Putin held out the possibility of such a deal with the United States.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow had its own plans to develop its metal deposits but was ready to cooperate with the US when the "moment of political will" arrived.
Putin told state TV on Monday that Russia was open to joint projects with American partners - including government and the private sector - under a future Russia-US economic deal.
Russia has the world's fifth-largest reserves of rare earth metals, according to the US Geological Survey data, after China, Brazil, India and Australia.
Ukraine needs more $500bn to rebuild after three years of war - World Bank
09:29
,
Jabed Ahmed
The estimated cost to rebuild Ukraine's economy after Russia's invasion has risen to $524 billion, nearly three times its expected 2024 economic output, a World Bank report has found.
A new study by the institutions included data from Russia's invasion three years ago through December 31, including a 70% increase in damages to Ukraine's energy infrastructure from Russian attacks.
It showed an increase of over 7% from the last estimate of $486 billion one year ago, with housing, transport, energy, commerce and education being the most affected sectors.
The study quantifies the direct physical damage to buildings and other infrastructure, the impact on people's lives and livelihoods and the cost to "build back better”.
"In the past year, Ukraine's recovery needs have continued to grow due to Russia's ongoing attacks," Ukraine's Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said in a statement.
Ukraine's government has allocated $7.37 billion to address priority needs for 2025, with support from donors, but still has a financing gap of nearly $10 billion, the joint statement said.
The latest assessment, using a universal methodology to assess damages and needs, found that direct damage in Ukraine from Russian attacks has risen to $176 billion from $152 billion reported in February 2024.
About 13% of Ukraine's total housing stock has been damaged or destroyed, affecting more than 2.5 million households.
It cited a 70% increase in damaged or destroyed assets in the energy sector since the last assessment one year ago, including power generation, transmission, distribution infrastructure and district heating.
Russian rouble strengthens against dollar after Putin outlines potential metals deals with US
09:14
,
Jabed Ahmed
The Russian rouble surged against the US dollar and China's yuan after President Vladimir Putin outlined potential deals with the U.S. on rare earth metals and aluminium as part of the future agreement to end the war in Ukraine.
At 8.30, the rouble was up 1.1% at 86.80 against the dollar in the over-the-counter market, the strongest since August 9, 2024. The rouble strengthened 1.3% to 11.81 against China's yuan, the most traded foreign currency in Russia.
Russian President Vladimir Putin offered the US on Monday the opportunity for joint exploration of the country's rare earth metals deposits, as well as the supply of aluminium to the US domestic market, under a future economic deal.
US President Donald Trump said earlier that "major economic development transactions with Russia" would take place. Within two hours of Trump's statement, Putin chaired a meeting with his ministers and economic advisers on rare earth metals.
Pictured | MRLS BM-21 'Grad' fires towards Russian army positions
08:59
,
Jabed Ahmed
Russia will not return to the G7, German finance minister says
08:44
,
Jabed Ahmed
Russia will not be readmitted into the Group of Seven nations as US president Donald Trump has requested, German Finance Minister Joerg Kukies has said.
"The condemnation of the G7 of Russia's war of aggression is very clear, especially on the third anniversary of Russia's brutal attack," Kukies told Reuters, adding that Trump's proposal would not get the unanimity required.
Kukies will travel on Tuesday to Cape Town for the G20 meeting of finance ministers, with the U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent staying away due to a scheduling conflict.
The current state of the global economy will be a central topic of the meetings.
"We really need to re-embark on a path of economic growth," Kukies said. Germany "has a lot of homework to do," he added.
Russia detains teenager suspected of helping Ukraine target the Ryazan oil refinery with drones, RIA reports
08:29
,
Jabed Ahmed
Russian authorities have detained a 17-year-old boy suspected of gathering intelligence to help Ukraine target Russia's Ryazan oil refinery with drones, Russian state news agency RIA reported.
RIA reported that law enforcement officers in the region of Bashkortostan had detained the boy who was being investigated under laws related to "terrorism and treason" which carry a prison sentence of up to 20 years.
RIA said the boy, whom it did not name, was accused of gathering information and painting graffiti for Ukrainian intelligence in return for money since the autumn of 2024. It said he had confessed to his crime under questioning.
It quoted him as saying that he went to Ryazan to gather information on the refinery at the Ukrainians' behest in early January.
The Ryazan refinery, which is located around 240km (150 miles) south of Moscow, suspended operations after an attack by Ukrainian drones on Monday, three industry sources told Reuters.
Ukraine has repeatedly targeted Russian energy infrastructure to try to undermine Moscow's financing for the war.
Why does Trump want Ukraine’s rare earth minerals?
08:15
,
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
The US is pushing for a deal that would grant it 50 per cent of Ukraine’s revenues from critical minerals, oil, gas, and stakes in key infrastructure, such as ports, through a joint investment fund.
Despite Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky rejecting an earlier version, negotiations have intensified, with Ukraine’s parliament speaker, Ruslan Stefanchuk, saying that Kyiv aimed to conclude the deal by 24 February, marking the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion.
The details of the draft offer reportedly guarantee Ukrainian sovereignty which had been an issue with earlier Trump proposals. These had said nothing about the future security for Ukraine but demanded it raise $500bn in payback for money spent by the US in defence of the country.
Tom Watling and Maroosha Muzaffar report.
Macron claims peace for Ukraine is just 'weeks away'
08:07
,
Bryony Gooch
French president Emmanuel Macron said it was "feasible" to talk about the start of negotiations for a sustainable peace within weeks.
In an interview with Fox News following their meeting, he said: "We want peace. And I think the initiative of President Trump is a very positive one. But my message was to say be careful because we need something substantial for Ukraine.
"I think the arrival of President Trump is a game-changer. And I think he has the deterrence capacity of the US to reengage with Russia."
US joins North Korea, Russia and Belarus in refusing to blame Putin
08:01
,
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
The United States joined Russia, North Korea and Belarus at the UN in refusing to blame Vladimir Putin for illegally invading Ukraine.
Washington, alongside the three dictatorships, rejected a UN General Assembly resolution calling on Russian forces to withdraw from the war-torn country.
The motion, which was drafted by Ukraine and other European countries, passed with 93 votes in favour on Monday. Eighteen countries voted against it and 64 countries, including China, abstained.
More here.
Russia's top security official heads to Indonesia to strengthen Moscow-Jakarta defence ties
07:41
,
Bryony Gooch
China's Xi affirms 'no limits' partnership with Putin
07:30
,
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
China's president Xi Jinping affirmed his "no limits" partnership in a phone call with Russian president Vladimir Putin on Monday, China's state media reported.
The leaders held the talks as US president Donald Trump has pushed for a quick deal to end the Ukraine war, raising the prospect that Washington could draw a wedge between Mr Xi and Mr Putin to focus on competing with the world's second-largest economy.
The call appeared aimed at dispelling any such prospects - the two leaders underscored the durability and the "long-term" nature of their alliance, with its own internal dynamics that would not be impacted by any "third party".
"China-Russia relations have strong internal driving force and unique strategic value, and are not aimed at, nor are they influenced by, any third party," Mr Xi said, according to the official readout.
"The development strategies and foreign policies of China and Russia are long-term," said Mr Xi, adding that the two countries "are good neighbours that cannot be moved apart".
Donald Trump suggests it will be Europe who guarantees peace in Ukraine
07:23
,
Bryony Gooch
Donald Trump has suggested it will be Europe that “make[s] sure nothing happens" in Ukraine when it comes to security, as he confirmed Vladimir Putin would be happy to see peacekeeping forces on the ground as part of a deal to end the war.
Speaking alongside French president Emmanuel Macron, Trump said: "Europe is going to make sure nothing happens."
Earlier on, Mr Trump had said Mr Putin "will accept" peacekeepers, after Sir Keir Starmer previously said he would be willing to put British troops on the ground as part of security guarantees that could end the war.
Trump said of the Russian president’s reaction to peacekeepers in Ukraine: "Yeah, he will accept it.
"I have asked him that question. Look, if we do this deal, he's not looking for world war."
In pics: People pay tribute at a makeshift memorial for the fallen Ukrainian soldiers
07:12
,
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Watch: I want to be known as a peacemaker and a unifier, Trump says
07:00
,
Alexander Butler
Ambassador warns against letting Russia win
06:41
,
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Britain's UN ambassador Barbara Woodward warned the UN Security Council that Moscow will act with impunity if Russia is allowed to win.
Her statement comes after the UN voted in favour of a Ukrainian resolution calling out Russian aggression while the US abstained on its competing resolution after European nations, led by France, amended it to make clear Russia was the aggressor.
A Security Council vote on the original US draft saw Britain, France, Denmark, Greece and Slovenia abstain.
"If Russia is allowed to win, we will live in a world where might is right, where borders can be redrawn by force, where aggressors think they can act with impunity," Ms Woodward said.
Japanese PM warns G-7 against sending wrong signal on Ukraine war
06:15
,
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Japanese prime minister Shigeru Ishiba has cautioned his counterparts from the Group of Seven nations against sending the wrong message to Russia during peace negotiations.
"We need to be careful that the wrong lesson may not be drawn that the status quo can be changed by force,” Mr Ishiba told an online G-7 summit on the third anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
He said the G-7 members must be unified to realise a “just and lasting peace” in Ukraine, adding that Tokyo will continue its support to Kyiv and sanctions against Moscow, The Asahi Shimbun reported.
Trump calls Ukraine war a 'bloody, horrible mess'
06:00
,
Alexander Butler
Opening his press conference alongside France’s Emmanuel Macron, US president Donald Trump described the war in Ukraine as a “horrible, bloody mess” and insisted that discussions with Russia for peace were moving “pretty quickly”.
Mr Macron told reporters that it was “good to have discussion” between the US and Russia, but warned that “peace must not be a surrender of Ukraine” and that there cannot be a “ceasefire without guarantees” of security for Kyiv.
Mr Macron also suggested that other European nations could assist in that process going forward, and need to contribute more to maintaining the defence and security of the continent – warning that Ukrainian sovereignty is an “existential issue” for stability in Europe.
And after a week in which Mr Trump and his domestic allies launched a series of vitriolic tirades against Ukraine’s leadership, the French president said: “We admire greatly the courage of the Ukrainian people”, adding: “I think that no one in this room wants to live in a world where it's the law of the strongest.”
For his part, Mr Trump once again claimed the war “would never have happened if I was president” and, in a nod to his attempts to secure a rare minerals deal with Ukraine, said: “I believe taxpayers in the United States also deserve to recoup the colossal amounts of money that we've sent.”
He added: “Our focus is on achieving a ceasefire as soon as possible, and ultimately permanent peace. My meeting with President Macron was a very important step forward.”
Woman in Kyiv injured in Russain airstrike
05:50
,
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
A 44-year-old woman was injured in a Russian airstrike in the Kyiv region, Mykola Kalashnyk, governor of the region that surrounds the Ukrainian capital.
"She received wounds to her leg, she has been hospitalised," Ms Kalashnyk on Telegram.
All of Ukraine was under air raid alerts after the country's air force warned of a Russian missile attack that also forced Nato-member neighbouring Poland to scramble aircraft to ensure air safety.
The full scale of the attack was not immediately clear. There was no comment from Russia.
Is Europe ready for a US-free Nato?
05:30
,
Alexander Butler
Putin says Europe is needed in Ukraine talks
05:15
,
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Europe's participation in Ukraine peace talks will be needed eventually but Moscow first wants to build trust with Washington, Russian president Vladimir Putin said.
As Ukraine marked the third anniversary on Monday of Russia's invasion that has killed thousands of civilians and displaced millions, US president Donald Trump suggested the war could end within weeks.
Mr Putin told Russian state television that Mr Trump was approaching the Russia-Ukraine conflict rationally and not emotionally, but gave the impression it might not end as soon as Trump would like.
Both his telephone conversation with Mr Trump and recent talks between the United States and Russia in Riyadh touched on the issue of resolution of the conflict in Ukraine, Mr Putin added.
"But it was not discussed in detail," he said in an interview. "We only agreed that we would move toward this. And in this case, of course, we are not refusing the participation of European countries."
Putin offers US deal on Russia's rare earth metals
05:00
,
Alexander Butler
Vladimir Putin has offered the US the opportunity for joint exploration of Russia’s rare earth metals deposits, of which the Russian president said Moscow “undoubtedly” has more of than Ukraine.
Within hours of Donald Trump touting “major economic development transactions with Russia”, Mr Putin chaired a meeting with his ministers and aides on rare earth metals.
Outlining a future economic deal with Washington, which would include the supply of aluminium to the US domestic market, Mr Putin later told state TV: “We, by the way, would be ready to offer our American partners, and when I say ‘partners’, I mean not only administrative and governmental structures but also companies, if they showed interest in joint work.”
“We undoubtedly have, I want to emphasise, significantly more resources of this kind than Ukraine," Mr Putin added. He insisted that the potential US-Ukraine deal involving rare earth metals is not a concern for Russia.
Mr Putin claimed that Russian companies could supply up to 2 million tonnes of aluminium to the US market if it were to reopen, and suggested that Russia and the US could work jointly on hydropower generation and aluminium production in Russia’s Krasnoyarsk region in Siberia.
“What is most important, in my opinion, is that we could consider working together with American companies in this area,” Mr Putin said.
Poland scrambles aircraft after Russia launches strikes
04:50
,
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Polish and allied aircraft were activated early this morning to ensure the safety of Polish airspace after Russia launched air strikes targeting western Ukraine, the Operational Command of the Polish armed forces said.
"The steps taken are aimed at ensuring security in the regions bordering the areas at risk," the Command said on X.
All of Ukraine was under air raid alerts starting at around 0350 GMT after Ukraine's Air Force warned of Russian missile attacks.
Breaking: All of Ukraine under air raid alerts
04:41
,
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
All of Ukraine is under air raid alerts as the air force warned of a Russian missile attack, a day after Kyiv marked the third year of Vladimir Putin's invasion.
Russia's Ryazan oil refinery halts operations
04:27
,
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Russia's Ryazan oil refinery has suspended operations after an attack by Ukrainian drones yesterday, Reuters reported citing industry sources.
The main crude distillation unit at the refinery, CDU-6, caught fire in the attack and the plant has fully suspended oil processing, the sources said.
Ukraine's military said some of its drones had hit the Ryazan oil refinery overnight, with at least five explosions occurring in its vicinity.
Pavel Malkov, the governor of the Ryazan region, said on Telegram that falling debris from destroyed Ukrainian drones had sparked a fire at an industrial enterprise in the region.
Two killed in Russian attack on Sumy Oblast
04:03
,
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
At least two people were killed and six others sustained injuries in a Russian airstrike on Sumy Oblast, which recorded at least 169 explosions.
The deaths were recorded in the town of Velyka Pysarivka, Myropil and the regional capital of Sumy, Kyiv Independent reported.
Three years of war in Ukraine: Ask our world affairs editor anything
04:00
,
Alexander Butler
UN Security Council adopts neutral US stance on war
03:16
,
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
The UN Security Council has adopted a US-drafted resolution on the third anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine that takes a neutral position on the conflict.
The short resolution reflects US president Donald Trump's upending of US policy on Ukraine after taking office last month and his more conciliatory stance towards Russia.
Russia's UN ambassador Vassily Nebenzia acknowledged "constructive changes" in the US position on the conflict. He told the council the resolution was "not an ideal one", but "a starting point for future efforts towards peaceful settlement".
The 15-member UN Security Council had been deadlocked throughout the war and unable to take any action because Russia holds a veto.
But the 193-member General Assembly has repeatedly supported Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity and called for a just, lasting and comprehensive peace in line with the UN Charter.
Watch: Trump and Macron clash over funding of Ukraine war effort
03:00
,
Alexander Butler
Trump right to re-engage with Putin, Macron says
02:30
,
Alexander Butler
French president Emmanuel Macron has praised Donald Trump’s decision to re-engage with Vladimir Putin.
“I stopped my discussion with President Putin after Bucha and the war crimes. We had nothing to get from him in the time,” he said.
“Now this is a chance because there is a new US administration. This is a new context.
“So there is good reason for President Trump to re-engage with President Putin.”
Trump wants to be remembered as a 'peacemaker'
02:00
,
Alexander Butler
US president Donald Trump just said he wanted to be remembered as a “peacemaker and unifier”.
“It is my hope that my greatest legacy will be as a peacemaker and a unifier. I want to bring peace, not war,” Mr Trump said.
Watch: Trump refuses to call Putin a dictator
01:30
,
Alexander Butler
US president Donald Trump has refused to call Vladimir Putin a dictator.
Asked if he would refer to Mr Putin as a dictator in the same way he claimed Mr Zelensky was last week, Mr Trump said he did “not use those words lightly.”
“I don’t use those words lightly. We are going to see how it all works out. We will see what happens,” he said.
Putin would accept European peacekeepers, Trump claims
01:00
,
Alexander Butler
Russian president Vladimir Putin would accept European peacekeepers on Ukrainian soil as part of a peace deal, Donald Trump claimed.
Mr Trump claimed Mr Putin had “no problem” with the idea at a White House meeting with French president Emmanuel Macron.
"Yeah, he will accept it," Mr Trump said. "I have asked him that question. Look, if we do this deal, he's not looking for World War."
War in Ukraine 'could end within weeks', Trump claims
00:30
,
Alexander Butler
Donald Trump and French president Emmanuel Macron are currently meeting in front of cameras at the White House.
Mr Trump told reporters the war in Ukraine "could end within weeks" and said he "does not see a problem with sending European troops as peacemakers".
As well as mentioning he could meet Volodymyr Zelenskyy "this week or next week", Mr Trump has also confirmed he will meet Vladimir Putin "at some point".
US in 'serious investment discussions' with Russia, Trump says
00:01
,
Alexander Butler
The United States is in “serious” discussions for economic development with Russia, US president Donald Trump said.
Writing on Truth Social, Mr Trump said: “I am in serious discussions with President Vladimir Putin of Russia concerning the ending of the War.
“And also major Economic Development transactions which will take place between the United States and Russia.”
UK should increase defence spending to 3%, former PM Boris Johnson says
Monday 24 February 2025 23:31
,
Alexander Butler
The UK should increase defence spending to three per cent of GDP, former British prime minister Boris Johnson said.
British prime minister Sir Keir Starmer is expected to set a timeframe as early as this week for when Britain will lift its defence budget to 2.5 per cent of GDP from 2.3 per cent - but Mr Johnson signalled that Mr Trump would be expecting a "bigger number".
"I think he needs to go higher…. I think in the United States, they're going to want to hear a bigger number," he said.
US votes with North Korea against UN resolution condemning Russia
Monday 24 February 2025 23:19
,
Alexander Butler
The United States joined Russia, North Korea and Belarus at the UN in refusing to blame Vladimir Putin for illegally invading Ukraine.
Washington, alongside the three dictatorships, rejected a UN General Assembly resolution calling on Russian forces to withdraw from the war-torn country.
The motion, which was drafted by Ukraine and other European countries, passed with 93 votes in favour on Monday. Eighteen countries voted against it and 64 countries, including China, abstained.
UNSC adopts resolution not blaming Putin for Ukraine invasion
Monday 24 February 2025 22:44
,
Alexander Butler
The United Nations Security Council has adopted a US-sponsored resolution on ending the war in Ukraine which does not mention Russia’s role in invading the country.
‘Toddler management’ of Trump may be behind Ukraine’s hints at rare earth minerals deal
Monday 24 February 2025 21:48
,
Alexander Butler
Trump calls Ukraine war a 'bloody, horrible mess'
Monday 24 February 2025 21:42
,
Andy Gregory
Opening his press conference alongside France’s Emmanuel Macron, US president Donald Trump described the war in Ukraine as a “horrible, bloody mess” and insisted that discussions with Russia for peace were moving “pretty quickly”.
Mr Macron told reporters that it was “good to have discussion” between the US and Russia, but warned that “peace must not be a surrender of Ukraine” and that there cannot be a “ceasefire without guarantees” of security for Kyiv.
Mr Macron also suggested that other European nations could assist in that process going forward, and need to contribute more to maintaining the defence and security of the continent – warning that Ukrainian sovereignty is an “existential issue” for stability in Europe.
And after a week in which Mr Trump and his domestic allies launched a series of vitriolic tirades against Ukraine’s leadership, the French president said: “We admire greatly the courage of the Ukrainian people”, adding: “I think that no one in this room wants to live in a world where it's the law of the strongest.”
For his part, Mr Trump once again claimed the war “would never have happened if I was president” and, in a nod to his attempts to secure a rare minerals deal with Ukraine, said: “I believe taxpayers in the United States also deserve to recoup the colossal amounts of money that we've sent.”
He added: “Our focus is on achieving a ceasefire as soon as possible, and ultimately permanent peace. My meeting with President Macron was a very important step forward.”
Trump says Zelensky is a ‘moderate comedian’? Takes one to know one…
Monday 24 February 2025 21:30
,
Alexander Butler
Putin offers US deal on Russia's rare earth metals
Monday 24 February 2025 21:22
,
Andy Gregory
Vladimir Putin has offered the US the opportunity for joint exploration of Russia’s rare earth metals deposits, of which the Russian president said Moscow “undoubtedly” has more of than Ukraine.
Within hours of Donald Trump touting “major economic development transactions with Russia”, Mr Putin chaired a meeting with his ministers and aides on rare earth metals.
Outlining a future economic deal with Washington, which would include the supply of aluminium to the US domestic market, Mr Putin later told state TV: “We, by the way, would be ready to offer our American partners, and when I say ‘partners’, I mean not only administrative and governmental structures but also companies, if they showed interest in joint work.”
“We undoubtedly have, I want to emphasise, significantly more resources of this kind than Ukraine," Mr Putin added. He insisted that the potential US-Ukraine deal involving rare earth metals is not a concern for Russia.
Mr Putin claimed that Russian companies could supply up to 2 million tonnes of aluminium to the US market if it were to reopen, and suggested that Russia and the US could work jointly on hydropower generation and aluminium production in Russia’s Krasnoyarsk region in Siberia.
“What is most important, in my opinion, is that we could consider working together with American companies in this area,” Mr Putin said.
Is Europe ready for a US-free Nato?
Monday 24 February 2025 20:50
,
Alexander Butler