Vladimir Putin remains “open” to speaking with Donald Trump despite the US president saying he was “very angry” and “pissed off” with the Russian leader.
The Kremlin has responded to the US president’s fury over Putin’s suggestion Volodymyr Zelensky should be replaced by a UN-mandated government as part of a ceasefire deal.
Trump on Monday said he wants to see Putin follow through and make a deal to end the war in Ukraine.
Speaking to reporters inside the Oval Office, Trump said he doesn't want to have to move forward with secondary tariffs that he's previously threatened to impose on buyers of Russian oil.
British, French and Ukrainian military leaders will meet in the coming days to discuss the next steps to ensure Ukraine's security for the long term, a spokesperson for Sir Keir Starmer said on Monday.
"A meeting of the British, French and Ukrainian military leadership in the coming days would drive forward the next stage of detailed planning," the statement said following a phone call between Starmer and Zelenksy.
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Key Points
- Trump urges Putin to 'follow through' and make Ukraine peace deal
- Trump 'very angry' and 'pissed off' with Putin
- Kremlin responds to Trump comments
- Sam Kiley visits Kherson where Ukrainian civilians are being targeted
- Russia launches over 100 drones in overnight attack
Kremlin offers another call between Trump and Putin after US president says he is 'very angry'
04:00
,
Arpan Rai
The Kremlin has offered to arrange another call between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump after the US president said was “pissed off” with Russia.
Mr Trump told NBC News he was very angry after the Russian leader criticised the credibility of Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, and the US president suggested he could impose secondary tariffs of 25-50 per cent on buyers of Russian oil.
Mr Trump later reiterated to reporters he was disappointed with Mr Putin but added: "I think we are making progress, step by step."
Asked about Mr Trump's comments, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Moscow was continuing to work with Washington and that Mr Putin remained open to contacts with Mr Trump.
"We are continuing to work with the American side, first of all to build our bilateral relations, which were badly damaged during the previous (US) administration," Mr Peskov said.
"And we are also working on the implementation of some ideas related to the Ukrainian settlement. This work is underway, but so far there are no specifics that we could or should tell you about. This is a time-consuming process, probably due to its complexity."
A call between both the presidents, he said, could be arranged at short notice if necessary, though none was scheduled for this week.
China says Ukraine peace deal must be binding and acceptable for all
03:46
,
Arpan Rai
A peace agreement on ending the conflict in Ukraine should be fair, binding and acceptable to all parties involved, Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi said in remarks published this morning.
"We advocate eradicating the causes of the crisis through dialogue and negotiations, ultimately achieving a fair, long-term, binding peace agreement acceptable to all parties involved, which would make it possible to achieve truly lasting peace and stability in Eurasia and throughout the world," Mr Wang told the Russian RIA state news agency in an interview.
Full story: Trump in foul-mouthed rant at Putin over lack of ceasefire deal
03:00
,
Athena Stavrou
President Donald Trump escalated his criticism towards Russia on Sunday after weeks of being accused of taking Vladimir Putin’s side in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
The US president called up NBC’s Kristen Welker prior to her Sunday appearance as host of Meet the Press, according to Welker. He told her that he was “p***ed off” after the Russian president called for elections in Ukraine and once again questioned the legitimacy of Volodymyr Zelensky’s government — comments the U.S. president said were unhelpful.
Read the full story:
Putin conscripts increased number of soldiers for Spring
02:02
,
Barney Davis
Vladimir Putin has signed a decree on the spring conscription for military service to boost his army.
"To carry out the conscription for military service of Russian citizens aged 18 to 30 who are not in the reserve and subject to conscription for military service, in the amount of 160,000 people, from April 1 to July 15, 2025," the decree, quoted by TASS, says.
Last year, the spring conscription was extended to 150,000, in 2023 - to 147,000 and in 2022 - 134,500.
Volodymyr Zelensky honours 'fallen defenders of Ukraine'
01:01
,
Barney Davis
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has honoured another 353 defenders of Ukraine with state awards, 184 of them posthumously.
The defenders were awarded the Orders of Bohdan Khmelnytskyi, Danylo Halytskyi "For Courage", and medals "For Military Service to Ukraine", and "To the Defender of the Fatherland" and “For Saved Life.”
The full list can be seen here.
Zaporizhzhia shelling kills one
Tuesday 1 April 2025 00:01
,
Barney Davis
Russian forces shelled a frontline settlement in Ukraine's southeast Zaporizhzhia region on Monday, killing one person and injuring five, the regional governor said.
Ivan Fedorov, writing on the Telegram messaging app, did not identify the settlement, but posted pictures of heavily damaged homes and other buildings alongside piles of rubble.
He said a 66-year-old woman had died in the attack.
Zaporizhzhia is one of four regions partly occupied by Russian forces. All four were formally annexed by Moscow seven months after the Kremlin sent tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine in February 2022.
Trump urges Putin to 'follow through' and make Ukraine peace deal
Monday 31 March 2025 23:52
,
Barney Davis
US President Donald Trump on Monday said he wants to see Russian President Vladimir Putin follow through and make a deal to end the war in Ukraine.
Speaking to reporters inside the Oval Office, Trump said he doesn't want to have to move forward with secondary tariffs that he's previously threatened to impose on buyers of Russian oil.
Starmer speaks to Zelensky days before meeting of military leaders
Monday 31 March 2025 23:03
,
Barney Davis
Sir Keir Starmer paid tribute to the citizens of Bucha on the third anniversary of the city’s liberation in a call with Volodymyr Zelensky days before a meeting of military chiefs to discuss peacekeeping plans for Ukraine.
More than 1,400 civilian deaths, including 37 children, were documented in the Bucha district by Ukrainian authorities and more than 175 people found in mass graves and alleged torture chambers.
Sir Keir also told the Ukrainian president that a meeting of top brass from Britain, France and Ukraine “in the coming days” will “drive forward the next stage of detailed planning” to protect Kyiv’s security, Downing Street said.
In a readout of the call between the two leaders, a Number 10 spokesperson said: “The leaders reflected on their visit to Paris last week and agreed there was real momentum to support Ukraine’s security for the long term.
“A meeting of the British, French and Ukrainian military leadership in the coming days would drive forward the next stage of detailed planning, the Prime Minister added.
“The leaders also discussed the third anniversary of the liberation of Bucha today. The Prime Minister reflected on his visit to the city in 2023 and paid tribute to the courage and strength of the residents and their loved ones that he met.
“Their stories of suffering were a painful reminder of Russia’s barbarity over the past three years, he added.
End to war in Ukraine is 'drawn-out process', Kremlin says.
Monday 31 March 2025 22:02
,
Athena Stavrou
Vladimir Putin’s efforts to end its three-year war with Ukraine are “a drawn-out process,” the Kremlin has claimed.
"We are working to implement some ideas in connection with the Ukrainian settlement. This work is ongoing," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
The comments come despite Donald Trump’s anger at the Russian leader dragging his feet over a ceasefire, and Moscow’s repeated aerial assaults on Ukraine.
Trump and Putin’s ‘bromance’ is over – the Russian leader has been playing him like a cheap violin - comment
Monday 31 March 2025 21:27
,
Athena Stavrou
The US president has finally realised what the rest of the world already knew – the Russian leader has been stringing him along, writes Sean O’Grady. But despite Trump’s fury, Putin remains in control. The damage is already done.
Read the full comment piece here:
Watch: Sam Kiley visits Kherson where Ukrainian civilians are being targeted by Russian drones in near-daily attacks
Monday 31 March 2025 21:01
,
Athena Stavrou
Why is Trump 'very angry' with Putin?
Monday 31 March 2025 20:27
,
Athena Stavrou
After weeks of working with Vladimir Putin to reach a peace deal in Ukraine, Donald Trump has now said he is “pissed off” with the Russian leader.
In and NBC interview, the US president said he was “very angry” with Putin for attacking Volodymyr Zelensky's governence.
"You could say that I was very angry, pissed off, when... Putin started getting into Zelensky's credibility, because that's not going in the right location," Trump told NBC.
Last week, the Russian president said Ukraine should be put under external UN governance as part of the ceasefire process.
His suggestion that Zelensky’s leadership was illegitimate was met with condemnation from leaders around the world.
"New leadership means you're not gonna have a deal for a long time," Trump added in his interview with NBC.
Watch: Trump warns Zelensky of ‘big problems’ after accusing him of minerals deal u-turn
Monday 31 March 2025 20:01
,
Athena Stavrou
Analysis | Trump wants to trap Ukraine in US colonial protection racket
Monday 31 March 2025 19:27
,
Athena Stavrou
The latest version of the much-mutated minerals deal from the White House, which has been tabled in Kyiv, goes further than ever before in attempting to get Ukraine to sign up to back pay for US support in the war, plus four per cent.
On top of that it demands that the US, under Delaware law, controls most of Ukraine’s industrial output and much of its transport and communications system.
It is the result of a mafia-style protection shakedown on Ukraine by its former friends in Washington DC supported (by accident or design) by thuggery from the Kremlin.
Ukrainian parliamentarians told The Independent that even if, as is unlikely, president Volodymyr Zelensky signed up to the offer it would stand no chance of ratification by Ukraine’s legislature.
Latest pictures from Ukraine
Monday 31 March 2025 19:01
,
Athena Stavrou
'Gangster' Putin making mockery of truce efforts, Ukrainian MP tells Independent- ICYMI
Monday 31 March 2025 18:29
,
Athena Stavrou
Vladimir Putin is making a mockery of ceasefire efforts, a Ukrainian MP has told The Independent.
Oleksandr Merezhko, who chairs the Ukrainian parliament’s foreign policy committee, said earlier this week that Donald Trump may change his attitude towards the Russian autocrat when he realises Putin is not serious about peace.
Dealing with Putin is “worse than dealing with gangsters” because “you can never trust, you can never rely [on him]”, Mr Merezhko said.
He added: “It’s an illusion to believe you can make a deal with Putin [which will] be followed conscientiously by Putin. It’s a total illusion.
“Trump should understand that on Putin’s part, it’s a mockery. It’s a mockery, all this negotiation process. When Trump realises this, maybe he will change his attitude towards Putin.”
Former MI6 chief and Rusi boss discuss Russia, Trump and the future of the West – how to watch our panel
Monday 31 March 2025 17:55
,
Athena Stavrou
The panel, chaired by world affairs editor Sam Kiley, will feature Alex Younger, former MI6 chief, and Rachel Ellehuus, director-general of RUSI, discussing global security, US foreign policy under Trump, and the future of Ukraine and Nato.
Find out how to watch:
What could Trump's secondary tariffs mean for the global economy?
Monday 31 March 2025 17:26
,
Athena Stavrou
After saying he was “very angry” with Vladimir Putin, Donald Trump threatened to impose 50 per cent secondary tariffs on Russian oil.
The US president said if a peace deal with Ukraine is not made - and he believes it to be Moscow’s fault - we would introduce a 25 to 50 per cent secondary tariff on those still buying oil from Russia.
"If Russia and I are unable to make a deal on stopping the bloodshed in Ukraine, and if I think it was Russia's fault - which it might not be - I am going to put secondary tariffs on all oil coming out of Russia," he said.
“That would be, that if you buy oil from Russia, you can’t do business in the United States.”
Secondary tariffs could mean countries who buy oil from Russia will face large tax bills on goods entering the US.
The move could hit China and India particularly hard. India has surpassed China to become the biggest buyer of seaborne Russian crude, which comprised about 35 per cent of India's total crude imports in 2024.
What did Putin say about regime change in Ukraine?
Monday 31 March 2025 16:59
,
Athena Stavrou
Speaking from the far north Russian city of Murmansk last week, Mr Putin floated the idea of a UN-mandated government in Kyiv as a way of allowing Ukraine to “hold democratic elections”.
The comments sparked condemnation from world leaders, including Donald Trump who said the suggestion made him “very angry”.
He said a temporary administration under the auspices of the UN could be discussed "with the United States, with European countries, and of course with our partners and friends".
"This would be in order to hold democratic elections, to bring to power a capable government trusted by the people and then to begin with it talks on a peace agreement and sign legitimate documents," he said.
Mr Zelensky has served beyond his term due to elections being put on hold under martial law following Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Leadership in Ukraine war puts UK 'back in game' - Finland president
Monday 31 March 2025 16:33
Finland’s president has praised Sir Keir Starmer’s leadership when it comes to Ukraine.
Speaking after a meeting in Downing Street, Alexander Stubb said: “I’m really glad to see the leadership the UK is showing, not least in the war in Ukraine. And in many ways, in my mind, the UK is back, back in the game.
“We’ve had an interesting week in many ways, last week in Paris with the Coalition of the Willing, many phone calls with Zelensky, myself meeting President Trump on Saturday, and we continue the conversations today and try to find solutions together.”
Putin sees efforts to end Ukraine war as drawn-out process, claims Kremlin – despite Trump’s anger over ceasefire
Monday 31 March 2025 16:01
,
Athena Stavrou
Vladimir Putin’s efforts to end its three-year war with Ukraine are “a drawn-out process,” the Kremlin has claimed – despite Donald Trump’s anger at the Russian leader dragging his feet over a ceasefire, and Moscow’s repeated aerial assaults on Ukraine.
"We are working to implement some ideas in connection with the Ukrainian settlement. This work is ongoing," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters
Read the full story:
European leaders call for ceasefire deadline
Monday 31 March 2025 15:41
,
Athena Stavrou
European leaders are calling for a deadline to be set for Russia to accept a ceasefire deal with Ukraine.
Poland’s Foreign Minister, Radoslaw Sikorski, said some kind of deadline needed to be established, a day after Finland's President Alexander Stubb called for similar measures.
Mr Stubb said he had told US President Donald Trump that a deadline needed to be set and told reporters in London: "April 20 would be a good time for a full ceasefire without any conditions ... Because a deadline is needed, because it is Easter and because President Donald Trump will have been in office for three months.”
Trump 'running out of patience' with Putin - Finnish president
Monday 31 March 2025 15:18
,
Athena Stavrou
Finland’s president believes Donald Trump is running of patience with Vladimir Putin as little progress is made on a peace deal.
Alexander Stubb spoke to Sky News after spending the day playing golf with the US president over the weekend.
He said “there was a combination of impatience and a tad of frustration,” when it came to Putin.
"We were talking a lot about the ceasefire and the frustrations he had that Russia was not committing to it,” Mr Stubb said.
"If there was a pendulum of trust and distrust, certainly Russian activity in the past few weeks has proven that we're moving more towards the distrust side of things."
Pictured: Kyiv's troops train eastern Ukraine
Monday 31 March 2025 15:02
,
Athena Stavrou
Putin 'open' to talking with trump as Moscow claims to be 'working' on Ukraine peace
Monday 31 March 2025 14:48
,
Athena Stavrou
The Kremlin has said it is “working” on ideas to reach peace in Ukraine, and that Vladimir Putin is open to speaking with Trump despite the US president’s angry comments.
Trump told NBC news on Sunday that he was “very angry” and “pissed off” with Putin as he grows frustrated with the lack of progress on a ceasefire deal.
Asked about Trump's comments, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow was continuing to work with Washington and that Putin remained open to contacts with Trump.
"We are continuing to work with the American side, first of all, to build our bilateral relations, which were badly damaged during the previous US administration," Peskov said.
"And we are also working on the implementation of some ideas related to the Ukrainian settlement. This work is underway, but so far there are no specifics that we could or should tell you about. This is a time-consuming process, probably due to its complexity."
Watch: Trump warns Zelensky of ‘big problems’ after accusing him of minerals deal u-turn
Monday 31 March 2025 14:02
,
Athena Stavrou
Russia accuses Ukraine of attacking energy infrastructure
Monday 31 March 2025 13:24
,
Athena Stavrou
Russia has accused Ukraine of attacking its energy facilities, despite an agreement to stop such strike.
“The continuation of deliberate attacks by the Ukrainian army on Russia’s energy facilities is evidence of the Kyiv regime’s complete lack of commitment to its obligations regarding settling the conflict in Ukraine,” the Russian defence ministry said in a statement.
Russia and Ukraine have both accused eachother of attacking energy infrastructure, despite a 30-day moratorium.
Sweden announces biggest Nordic aid package for Ukraine to date
Monday 31 March 2025 12:59
,
Athena Stavrou
Sweden has announced a new military aid package to Ukraine worth 16 billion crowns (£1. 2 billion), the biggest package to date from the Nordic country.
The largest part of the package, 9.2 billion crowns, will consist of equipment that will be purchased in processes led by the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration, , Defence Minister Pal Jonson said.
Pictured: Ukrainian rescuers work at the site of a drone strike in Kharkiv
Monday 31 March 2025 12:41
,
Athena Stavrou
Kremlin responds to Trump comments
Monday 31 March 2025 11:38
,
Athena Stavrou
The Kremlin has responded to Donald Trump’s threatened sanctions after he said he was “very angry” with Vladimir Putin.
On Sunday, Mr Trump told NBC News he was furious with the Russian leader over his suggestion that a temporary administration should be installed to negotiate an end to Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.
Asked about Trump's comments, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Putin remained open to contacts with Trump and that a call between them could be set up at short notice if necessary though no call was scheduled for this week.
Peskov added that Moscow and Washington were continuing to work on “building up bilateral ties”.
Former MI6 chief and Rusi boss discuss Russia, Trump and the future of the West – how to watch our panel
Monday 31 March 2025 11:19
,
Athena Stavrou
The panel, chaired by world affairs editor Sam Kiley, will feature Alex Younger, former MI6 chief, and Rachel Ellehuus, director-general of RUSI, discussing global security, US foreign policy under Trump, and the future of Ukraine and Nato.
Find out how to watch:
Watch: Trump ‘p***ed off’ at Putin over disparaging Zelensky comments
Monday 31 March 2025 11:02
,
Athena Stavrou
Pro-Trump pastor visits Ukraine
Monday 31 March 2025 10:44
,
Athena Stavrou
A Donald Trump-backed pastor has visited Ukraine, Kyiv’s Chief Rabbi said.
Described as Trump’s “special spiritual advisor”, Pastor Mark Burns visited the towns of Bucha, Irpin and Borodyanka in Ukraine, which have been heavily impacted by the war with Russia.
Chief Rabbi Moshe Azman shared pictures of the visit on social media and said: "What he saw deeply moved him — he did not hide his pain, outrage, and sincere compassion. I am confident that these emotions and testimonies will not remain with him alone.”
At my invitation, a special guest has arrived in Ukraine - @pastormarkburns Burns, President Donald Trump's special spiritual advisor. He is a well-known figure in the religious and political circles of the United States, whose voice today is important in shaping the new strategy… pic.twitter.com/PsDbtfokNB
— Chief Rabbi Of Ukraine Moshe Azman (@RabbiUkraine) March 31, 2025
Russian downs 66 Ukrainian drones in overnight attack
Monday 31 March 2025 10:33
,
Athena Stavrou
Russia said it intercepted 66 Ukrainian drones launched overnight.
Moscow’s defence ministry said 41 of the drones were estroyed over the border Bryansk region, 24 over the territory of the Kaluga region and one over the territory of the Kursk region.
No damage was reported as a result of the attacks.
China's foreign minister travelling to Moscow
Monday 31 March 2025 10:14
,
Athena Stavrou
China’s foreign minister is travelling to Moscow today for talks with his Russian counterpart.
Wang Yi is set to meet Sergei Lavrov on Tuesday, though the visit threatens to be overshadowed by Donald Trumps’ comments on Vladimir Putin.
China’s foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun, emphasised Beijing's assertions of neutrality in the Ukraine conflict.
"We always believe that dialogue and negotiation are the only viable way out of the crisis. China's cooperation with Russia does not target a third party and should not be affected by any third party," Guo told reporters at a daily briefing.
Russia changing drone tactics - reports
Monday 31 March 2025 10:03
,
Athena Stavrou
Russian milbloggers have claimed Moscow has changed its drone strike tactics, a war monitoring think-tank has reported.
US based think-tank the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), said a Kremlin-affiliated milbloggers agreed with reports that Russian forces had altered their long-range drone strike tactics.
It said that Putin’s forces now have drones “loiter several kilometers from their targets at high altitudes before conducting synchronized strikes with multiple drones”.
The milblogger speculated that these tactics have been used in recent Russian attacks on Kharkiv, Odesa, and Dnipropetrovsk oblasts, the ISW said.
Ukraine to establish space policy department
Monday 31 March 2025 09:44
,
Athena Stavrou
Kyiv’s ministry of defence has announced the creation of a space policy department.
The department to become a point of contact for both domestic and international developers and scientists to help develop Ukraine’s space sector.
"During these three years of full-scale invasion, Ukraine has gained invaluable experience in the space sector thanks to our partners,” Kateryna Chernogorenko, deputy minister of defence of Ukraine for digitalization said.
“Despite the challenges of the war, we have not only maintained our ambitions for space, but are also ready to implement them.”
Shares tumble across Asia after Trump threatens ‘all the countries’ with tariffs
Monday 31 March 2025 09:36
,
Athena Stavrou
Shares across Asia slumped on Monday after president Donald Trump threatened a global trade war with a tariffs for all nations.
Stocks tumbled from Japan to Hong Kong, with the Nikkei 225 down by 4 per cent, falling to its lowest level in over six months, and the Hang Seng in Hong Kong sinking by 1.3 per cent.
The shock was felt across markets with the US president set to impose a barrage of tariffs on all goods from overseas from Wednesday – a day he has dubbed America's "Liberation Day".
My colleague Shweta Sharma reports:
What could Trump's secondary tariffs mean for the global economy?
Monday 31 March 2025 09:19
,
Athena Stavrou
After saying he was “very angry” with Vladimir Putin, Donald Trump threatened to impose 50 per cent secondary tariffs on Russian oil.
The US president said if a peace deal with Ukraine is not made - and he believes it to be Moscow’s fault - we would introduce a 25 to 50 per cent secondary tariff on those still buying oil from Russia.
"If Russia and I are unable to make a deal on stopping the bloodshed in Ukraine, and if I think it was Russia's fault - which it might not be - I am going to put secondary tariffs on all oil coming out of Russia," he said.
“That would be, that if you buy oil from Russia, you can’t do business in the United States.”
Secondary tariffs could mean countries who buy oil from Russia will face large tax bills on goods entering the US.
The move could hit China and India particularly hard. India has surpassed China to become the biggest buyer of seaborne Russian crude, which comprised about 35 per cent of India's total crude imports in 2024.
Starmer updates Trump on peacekeeping force
Monday 31 March 2025 08:59
,
Athena Stavrou
Sir Keir Starmer and Donald Trump have discussed the Coalition of the Willing’s plans, Downing Street said.
The prime minister updated Trump on the plans for the potential peacekeeping force in Ukraine in a phone call on Sunday.
A Downing Street spokesperson said: “Discussing Ukraine, the Prime Minister updated the President on the productive discussions at the meeting of the Coalition of Willing in Paris this week. The leaders agreed on the need to keep up the collective pressure on Putin.
“They agreed to stay in touch in the coming days.”
Several injured as Russia continues attacks on Kharkiv
Monday 31 March 2025 08:42
,
Athena Stavrou
Russia repeatedly bombed the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv over the weekend, with the latest attacks leaving several injured.
On Monday morning, Kyiv said two people had been injured in overnight attacks which sparked fires and damaged a kindergarten and private homes.
The strikes followed another on Kharkiv over the weekend, which killed two people and wounded 35, Ukrainian official said.
A strike on the city of Kupiansk, east of Kharkiv, late on Sunday also left three injured and demolished more than 10 houses and a local cemetery.
Watch: Trump warns Zelensky of ‘big problems’ after accusing him of minerals deal u-turn
Monday 31 March 2025 08:27
,
Athena Stavrou
Trump: Ukraine will never be member of Nato
Monday 31 March 20
