Vladimir Putin has warned Donald Trump not to give Tomahawk cruise missiles to Kyiv, hours before Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Washington for talks with the US president on Friday.
The Ukrainian president had hoped to strengthen US support for Kyiv on Friday, after Trump appeared to harden his stance on Putin in recent weeks.
But this progress appears to have been undone after a two-hour Trump-Putin phone call which the US president afterwards described as “very productive” with “great progress”.
Trump will now hold another in-person meeting with Putin in Budapest on an unspecified date.
The Kremlin said Putin had warned Trump that giving Kyiv Tomahawk cruise missiles - one of the most important upgrades in US support which Mr Zelensky has been seeking - would harm relations between Moscow and Kyiv.
Writing on X after landing in Washington, Mr Zelensky accused Moscow of “rushing to resume dialogue as soon as it hears about Tomahawks”.
The US president is set begin a flurry of diplomatic activity on Friday aimed at ending Russia’s invasion.
After meeting Mr Zelensky and his officials, Secretary of State Marco Rubio would meet with Russian officials next week, Trump said on Truth Social.
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Key Points
- Zelensky arrives in Washington ahead of meeting with Trump
- Zelensky says Russia ‘on the defensive’ as Trump announces new Putin meet
- US may have to keep Tomahawks for itself, Trump says
- Putin congratulates Trump for 'solving peace in the Middle East'
Putin warns Trump not to give Ukraine Tomahawks in phone call
09:59
,
Alex Croft
Vladimir Putin has warned Donald Trump not to give Ukraine Tomahawks in a crucial phone call last night.
The discussion appears to have softened the US president’s stance against Putin, which had become increasingly hardened in recent weeks while Trump appeared to ponder whether to send the long-range missiles to Kyiv.
The Kremlin said Putin had warned Trump that giving Kyiv Tomahawk cruise missiles - one of the most important upgrades in US support which Zelensky has been seeking - would harm relations between Moscow and Kyiv.
“Vladimir Putin reiterated his point that Tomahawks would not change the situation on the battlefield but would cause significant harm to relations between our countries, not to mention the prospects for peaceful settlement,” Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said according to The Kyiv Independent.
The US president seems unlikely to make a decision to send the missiles to Ukraine.
“We need Tomahawks for the United States of America too. We have a lot of them, but we need them. I mean, we can’t deplete for our country,” he told reporters in the Oval Office.
“I don’t know what we can do about that,” he added.
Putin met with Russia's powerful Security Council after Trump call
08:59
,
Alex Croft
Russian president Vladimir Putin convened a meeting of Russia's powerful Security Council following a phone call with Donald Trump, Russian news agencies reported on Friday, citing Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov.
According to Ushakov, Putin provided a detailed briefing to Security Council members about the conversation with Trump.
Trump and Putin agreed on Thursday to another summit on the war in Ukraine, a surprise move that came as Moscow feared fresh US military support for Kyiv.
In Putin's Russia, the Security Council is a key arena for the formulation of decisions on Russia's most important national security issues.
Russian forces launch 70 drones at Ukraine
08:41
,
Alex Croft
Russian forces launched 70 drones at Ukraine overnight into Friday, Kyiv’s air force has said.
The air attack was largely repelled by Ukrainian missile defences but strikes were recorded in 10 locations.
"As of 09:00, air defence units destroyed or jammed 35 enemy UAVs of the Shahed, Gerbera and other types in the country's north and east,” it said.
“Strikes from 31 attack drones were recorded in 10 locations, with debris from downed UAVs falling in two more."
Watch: Trump says Tomahawks were discussed during ‘very productive’ call with Putin
08:21
,
Alex Croft
Trump claims Modi has agreed to halt import of Russian oil
08:09
,
Alex Croft
Our Asia correspondent Shweta Sharma reports:
US president Donald Trump has claimed that Indian prime minister Narendra Modi has agreed to halt the import of Russian oil, even as New Delhi has clarified that the discussions on the topic are ongoing.
India’s increasing import of Russian energy since the start of the war in Ukraine has emerged as one of the most contentious points in India-US relations under Mr Trump’s second term. The US has directed its anger towards India for taking advantage of the discounted prices offered by Moscow, which Mr Trump claims have helped fund Vladimir Putin’s war efforts.
The Trump administration imposed secondary sanctions on India with a 50 per cent tariff on goods from the country as a punishment for India’s reliance on Russian energy, putting a strain on India-US ties for the first time in years.
Talking to reporters at the White House, Mr Trump said Mr Modi agreed to phase out the purchase of Russian oil during a conversation on Wednesday, which was previously not disclosed.
Mr Trump called it a “big step” and said India will halt imports "within a short period of time".
Hungary's Orban says he will talk to Putin later
07:40
,
Maroosha Muzaffar
Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban said he will talk to Russian president Vladimir Putin today.
Earlier, he said Budapest had begun preparations to host a summit between Putin and US president Donald Trump after the two leaders agreed to meet in Hungary.
Orban said the meeting “will be about peace” and if there is a peace deal, that would lead to a new phase of economic development in Hungary and Europe.
Trump said he made “great progress” in his own phone call with Putin on Thursday, describing the conversation as “very productive”.
EU unveils anti-drone system to defend Europe from Russian attacks
07:20
,
Maroosha Muzaffar
The European Union has unveiled a strategy to bolster its defences, to be fully operational by the decade's end, amidst concerns over Russian incursions.
A key component is the “European Drone Defense Initiative,” to detect, track, and neutralise rogue drones, following troubling airspace violations across Europe, some near Russian, Belarusian, and Ukrainian borders.
Complementing this is “Eastern Flank Watch,” a scheme to fortify its eastern frontier across land, Baltic and Black seas, air, and against hybrid attacks.
Initial operation for both is December next year, the drone system fully functional by late 2027 and Eastern Flank Watch in full swing by the end of 2028.
Separate air and space shields are also envisioned.
Read more here:
Why is Trump meeting Putin in Hungary?
07:00
,
Maroosha Muzaffar
US president Donald Trump and Russian president Vladimir Putin are set to meet in Budapest, with the location reportedly suggested by Trump and immediately agreed to by Putin, according to the Kremlin.
Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban welcomed the news enthusiastically. He called Hungary an “island of peace” and confirmed that preparations for the summit were underway after speaking directly with Trump.
Budapest is not new to hosting high-level US–Russia talks. It was among the shortlisted locations for the last Trump–Putin summit in Alaska, and it carries significant historical weight in the context of Ukraine.
In 1994, Ukraine handed over the world’s third-largest nuclear arsenal under the Budapest Memorandum, receiving security guarantees from Russia, the US, and the UK in return.
Those guarantees were intended to protect Ukraine’s sovereignty – promises that were broken first with Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 and later with the full-scale invasion in 2022.
Tomahawk missiles are Trump’s ace card for Ukraine – Zelensky says it’s time to play it
06:40
,
Maroosha Muzaffar
The US president has shown he loves to back a winner – especially one that uses US weapons – which means Zelensky must convince him that he’s the one to back with Tomahawk missiles, writes Sam Kiley in Dnipro:
Hungarian prime minister says ‘we are ready’ for planned Trump-Putin summit
06:25
,
Maroosha Muzaffar
Hungary’s prime minister Viktor Orban has expressed strong support for the planned summit between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin.
“The planned meeting between the American and Russian presidents is great news for the peace-loving people of the world. We are ready!” he said.
The Hungarian leader added that he had spoken by phone with Trump and that preparations for a US–Russia summit were already underway.
Earlier, Trump announced he would be taking part in a new meeting with Putin in Hungary, with the timing yet to be agreed.
He is meeting the Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky in Washington DC later today.
Hundreds gather for rare anti-Putin demonstration in St Petersburg singing protest songs: ‘The old man clings to his throne’
06:10
,
Maroosha Muzaffar
Hundreds of people gathered in the centre of St Petersburg in a rare moment of protest against Russian president Vladimir Putin to sing anti-war songs.
A crowd of young people gathered to sing anti-war songs in Kazanskaya Square, including the proscribed song “Swan Lake Collective” by Russian rapper Noize MC, in footage that has now gone viral on social media.
The song, banned from distribution by the Primorsky District Court in May, features anti-Putin lyrics including “The old man still clings to his throne, afraid to let go” and “When the tsar dies, we’ll dance again — ‘Swan Lake’ on every screen.”
Crowds could be heard chanting the chorus: “I want to watch the ballet, let the swans dance. Let the old man shake in fear for his lake”.
Read more here:
Trump says he will meet Putin in Budapest for second Ukraine war summit
05:52
,
Maroosha Muzaffar
Donald Trump has agreed to a second Ukraine war summit with Vladimir Putin after a “productive” phone call between the pair on the eve of a White House visit by Volodymyr Zelensky.
A date has not been set, but Mr Trump wrote on social media that the meeting would take place in Budapest.
“I believe great progress was made with today's telephone conversation,” the US president wrote after the conversation, which lasted more than two hours.
Their previous summit, in Alaska in August, ended without any significant diplomatic breakthroughs for Mr Trump. Yuri Ushakov, Putin’s foreign affairs adviser, said the Russian president initiated the call, which he described as “very frank and trusting”.
It came as Mr Zelensky was heading to the White House to push for more military support, including long-range Tomahawk missiles that would allow Ukraine to strike deeper into Russian territory.
Read more here:
Trump-Putin phone call may slow down momentum to toughen stance on Moscow, former state department official says
05:38
,
Maroosha Muzaffar
Russian president Vladimir Putin’s latest phone call with Donald Trump may have slowed growing US momentum to toughen its stance on Moscow, according to a former US State Department official.
“Putin is trying to derail the momentum toward greater pressure on Russia,” said Dan Fried, a former US State Department official and veteran diplomat who oversaw sanctions policy under multiple administrations.
“We’ll see what happens tomorrow [on Friday, with Zelensky due to meet Trump] but the chances of moving toward a ceasefire by pushing Russia to get serious seem to have diminished.”
The Kremlin described Thursday’s Trump and Putin call as “extremely frank and trustful”.
Earlier, Trump had appeared to harden his position, voicing frustration with Russia’s continued attacks and hinting at a possible decision to provide Tomahawk cruise missiles to Ukraine.
Drone attacks target areas inside Russia-held territory - report
05:20
,
Maroosha Muzaffar
Explosions were reported overnight in both occupied Donetsk and the Russian resort city of Sochi, as suspected Ukrainian drone attacks targeted sites deep inside Russian-held territory.
“An air defence system is active in Sochi. An attack by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) is being repelled,” Sochi Mayor Andrei Proshunin said.
In Donetsk, local channels reported that a Russian ammunition depot had been struck, setting off a series of explosions and large fires visible across the occupied city.
Videos circulating on social media appeared to show multiple blasts lighting up the night sky, Kyiv Independent reported.
Ukrainian officials have not commented on either incident.
Trump says ‘we need Tomahawks too’ before his meeting with Zelensky
04:50
,
Maroosha Muzaffar
Donald Trump appeared uncertain on Wednesday about supplying Tomahawk cruise missiles to Ukraine, saying the US must also keep enough for its own defence – just hours before his scheduled meeting with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky in Washington.
“We need Tomahawks for the United States of America too. We have a lot of them, but we need them. I mean, we can’t deplete for our country,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.
“I don’t know what we can do about that,” he added.
Zelensky, who arrived in Washington earlier in the day, is expected to make a fresh push for the long-range missiles, which can strike targets up to 2,500 kilometres away.
Already in Washington.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) October 16, 2025
Today, I am having meetings with representatives of defense companies – producers of powerful weapons that can definitely strengthen our protection. In particular, we will discuss additional supplies of air defense systems. I will also meet today with… pic.twitter.com/MRFmPARkq1
Earlier, Putin’s aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters that Moscow had warned Trump against arming Kyiv with the missiles.
“Vladimir Putin reiterated his point that Tomahawks would not change the situation on the battlefield but would cause significant harm to relations between our countries, not to mention the prospects for peaceful settlement,” Ushakov said, according to the Kyiv Independent.
Russia targets Ukraine’s gas sites as Zelensky flies to US for Trump talks
04:37
,
Maroosha Muzaffar
Russia launched one of its biggest aerial attacks in months on Thursday, pounding Ukraine’s energy network just as president Volodymyr Zelensky flew to Washington to ask Donald Trump for long-range Tomahawk missiles.
More than 300 drones and 37 missiles rained down across Ukraine overnight, sparking blackouts in eight regions and fires at key gas facilities.
“This autumn, the Russians use every single day to strike at our energy infrastructure,” Zelensky said on X.
Last night brought strikes against our people, our energy sector, and our civilian infrastructure. Russia launched more than 300 attack drones and 37 missiles, a significant number of them ballistic, against Ukraine. Infrastructure in the Vinnytsia, Sumy, and Poltava regions came… pic.twitter.com/bH3TipG4d2
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) October 16, 2025
One of the main targets was the Shebelinka gas processing plant in Kharkiv region, where drones and missiles hit around 5.30am.
Huge columns of black smoke rose from the site as crews battled multiple fires.
Zelensky says Russia ‘on the defensive’ as Trump announces new Putin meet
04:17
,
Maroosha Muzaffar
Volodymyr Zelensky has said the Russian president’s sudden push to meet Donald Trump shows the Russian leader is “on the defensive”.
Speaking in Washington on Thursday, the Ukrainian president said Putin’s eagerness to resume talks was directly tied to Trump’s recent suggestion that the US could send Tomahawk cruise missiles to Kyiv.
“We can already see that Moscow is rushing to resume dialogue as soon as it hears about Tomahawks,” Zelensky said.
His comments came after Trump confirmed he is planning to meet Putin in Budapest in the coming weeks.
Trump boasts 'tremendous prospects' for US-Russia economic cooperation if war were to end
04:01
,
Harriette Boucher
One of Trump’s main arguments for ending the war in Ukraine is that it would allow for strong economic cooperation between the US and Russia, the Kremlin said.
In a statement, Yury Ushakov said: “It is noteworthy that one of the US President’s key arguments centred on the premise that the resolution of the conflict in Ukraine would open up tremendous – and he stressed this – tremendous prospects for the development of US-Russian economic cooperation.”
After Trump and Putin’s meeting, Trump said the pair “spent a great deal of time talking about trade between Russia and the United States when the war with Ukraine is over.”
What is in the EU’s five-year plan to defend against Russian attacks?
03:00
,
Harriette Boucher
The European Union has unveiled four flagship projects to strengthen its defence capabilities against Russia by 2030, as recent airspace violations show that “Europe is at risk”.
The European Commission will submit the ‘Defence Readiness Roadmap 2030’ to EU leaders next week, essentially presenting them with a checklist of equipment to buy, with hopes of encouraging states to decide who will take the lead on projects.
What are the projects?
The European Drone Defence Initiative
As a top priority, the plans include the European Drone Defence Initiative, which aims to build counter-drone capabilities to detect, track, and disable rogue drones. The system is expected to be initially operational by December 2026 and fully functional in late 2027.
The Eastern Flank Watch
The drone system is part of the wider Eastern Flank Watch scheme, which aims to fortify defences along Europe's eastern border on land, in the Baltic and Black seas, in the sky, and against hybrid operations. It hopes to be fully functional by 2028.
The European Air Shield
The European Air Shield aims to protect member states’ airspace by creating an integrated, multi-layered air and missile defence shield to protect against all Russian air threats.
The European Space Shield
The fourth project is the European Space Shield, which aims to protect space assets and services against growing threats.
US may have to keep Tomahawks for itself, Trump says
02:00
,
Harriette Boucher
Donald Trump has suggested that the US may need to keep its Tomahawk missiles for itself, as Zelensky is expected to push for its supply at their meeting tomorrow.
He said: "Tomahawks. We have a lot of them, but we need them. We can't deplete” US stockpiles, the BBC reported.
The Russian president has warned Trump that supplying Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine would harm peace prospects and damage US-Russia relations, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters.
Trump said: "I did actually say to him, 'Would you mind if I gave a couple of thousands of Tomahawks to your opposition?' I did say that to him. I said it just like that. He didn't like that idea,” according to the BBC.
"You have to be a bit light-hearted sometimes.”
Preparations underway for US-Russia summit, says Hungary's PM
01:00
,
Harriette Boucher
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said preparations for Putin and Trump’s summit in Budapest were underway.
Posting on X after a phone call with Trump, the president said: “Hungary is the island of PEACE!”
He previously said the meeting was “great news for the peace-loving people of the world.”
Putin congratulates Trump for 'solving peace in the Middle East'
Friday 17 October 2025 00:00
,
Harriette Boucher
Moscow rushing to renew dialogue over Trump's Tomahawk threat, says Zelensky
Thursday 16 October 2025 23:30
,
Harriette Boucher
Zelensky expects the momentum from the ceasefire will help end the Ukraine war as Moscow tries to renew its dialogue after Trump threatened to supply Ukraine with Tomahawk missiles.
In a post on X, the president said: “Putin is certainly no braver than Hamas or any other terrorist. The language of strength and justice will inevitably work against Russia as well.
“We can already see that Moscow is rushing to resume dialogue as soon as it hears about Tomahawks.
“There must be no alternative but peace and reliably guaranteed security – and it is crucial to protect people from Russian strikes and assaults as soon as possible.”
'Putin is not a rational man', says Farage
Thursday 16 October 2025 22:46
,
Harriette Boucher
Nigel Farage supports shooting down Russian fighter jets that violate Nato airspace, as he calls Putin “a very bad dude”.
“Clearly, Putin is not a rational man,” Farage said in an interview with Bloomberg.
“The idea that I’m soft on this is just nonsense.”
Farage has faced criticism that his stance on Moscow could hurt his chance of becoming Prime Minister.
In the interview on Thursday, he said he would support spending frozen Russian assets to help Ukraine, and may even deploy British troops to the country if he were to become PM.
Zelensky arrives in Washington ahead of meeting with Trump
Thursday 16 October 2025 22:30
,
Harriette Boucher
Trump and Putin to meet in next two weeks, says Trump
Thursday 16 October 2025 22:00
,
Harriette Boucher
Trump and Putin will meet in Budapest in the next two weeks, while foreign ministers Marco Rubio and Sergei Lavrov will speak beforehand.
Speaking at the White House, Trump said: "We have a problem, they don't get along too well, those two," Trump says, arguing that this requires separate meetings,” Sky News reported.
"This is a terrible relationship the two of them have."
Trump's call to Putin was initiated by Russia, says Kremlin
Thursday 16 October 2025 21:31
,
Harriette Boucher
Trump and Putin’s phone call was initiated by Moscow, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said.
The pair are now planning to meet in Budapest soon, the location of which was suggested by Trump and immediately agreed to by Putin, Mr Ushakov said.
He said the two countries will now quickly prepare for the summit, and the timing of the meeting will depend on how the preparations go.
Zelensky touches down in Washington to meet with defence and energy companies ahead of meeting
Thursday 16 October 2025 21:17
,
Harriette Boucher
Zelensky has landed in Washington ahead of his visit to the Oval Office on Friday.
In the meantime, he is having meetings with defence company representatives, who produce powerful weapons that can strengthen Ukraine’s protection, he said. He is planning to seek out additional supplies of air defence systems.
Zelensky will also meet with energy companies.
“Now, as Russia is betting on terror against our energy sector and carrying out daily strikes, we are working to ensure Ukraine’s resilience,” he said.
Ukrainian officials hope for 'concrete decisions' on Friday as they prepare for Zelensky's meeting with Trump
Thursday 16 October 2025 20:44
,
Harriette Boucher
High-level Ukrainian figures, including Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko, are already in the US, planning ahead of Zelensky’s visit to the Oval Office on Friday.
Andriy Yermak, the head of Zelensky’s office, said they hoped for concrete decisions at Friday’s meeting.
Putin thanked Melania Trump for her 'involvement with children'
Thursday 16 October 2025 20:10
,
Harriette Boucher
During their phone call, Trump said Putin thanked the First Lady for her involvement in returning kidnapped Ukrainian children to their families.
“He was very appreciative, and said that this will continue,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.
Last week, Melania Trump revealed that she had sent a letter to Putin in August regarding the fate of the thousands of children who had been taken by Russian forces during the invasion of Ukraine.
Putin responded in writing to signal a “willingness to engage” with Mrs Trump, she said.
“Since then, President Putin and I have had an open channel of communication regarding the welfare of these children,” she said.
Eight children had been rejoined with their families, according to Mrs Trump.
Putin cautioned Trump against supplying Tomahawks to Kyiv, Kremlin says
Thursday 16 October 2025 19:33
,
Harriette Boucher
Putin warned Trump that supplying Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine would harm peace prospects and damage US-Russia relations, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters.
Zelensky is visiting Trump at the Oval Office on Friday where he is expected to push for the supply of Tomahawks.
Trump told reporters travelling with him to Israel on Sunday that he planned to discuss providing Kyiv with the weapons as a way to pressure Putin to end the war.
"Do they want to have Tomahawks going in that direction? I don't think so," Trump said on Sunday.
"I think I might speak to Russia about that."
Hungarian PM says Putin and Trump's planned meeting in Budapest is 'great news'
Thursday 16 October 2025 18:54
,
Harriette Boucher
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has applauded Trump and Putin’s plans to meet in Budapest in a post on X.
UK and EU try very hard to derail peace, says Russia
Thursday 16 October 2025 18:50
,
Harriette Boucher
Following Putin’s phone call with Trump, Putin's special envoy, Kirill Dmitriev, said in a post on X: “UK and EU warmongers try very very hard to derail peace prospects.
“But dialogue and peace and the US-Russia cooperation will prevail.”
Trump announced he would soon be meeting Putin in Budapest to discuss bringing an end to the war in Ukraine.
In a separate post, Mr Dmitriev said: “Hungary has been the voice of reason in Europe and a peacemaker.”
Trump believes Putin and Zelensky could still meet
Thursday 16 October 2025 18:38
,
Harriette Boucher
Trump still thinks it could be possible for Putin and Zelensky to meet, his spokeswoman said after their phone call on Thursday.
Following Trump’s two-hour call with Putin, Karoline Leavitt said the president was trying to move the ball forward on peace, Sky News reported.
Trump had hoped that Putin and Zelensky could talk after he met with Putin in Alaska in August, and Zelensky said he was ready to do so. However, Russia has not committed to a meeting.
Trump says phone call with Putin was 'very productive' as pair to meet in Budapest soon
Thursday 16 October 2025 18:25
,
Harriette Boucher
Trump has ended his phone call with Putin, saying it was “very productive” and that the pair will meet in Budapest soon to discuss bringing the war in Ukraine to an end.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said Putin congratulated him on bringing “peace to the Middle East”, which he said had been “dreamed of for centuries.”
Trump said the “success” of the peace deal in Gaza would help bring an end to the Ukraine war.
High-level advisors from Russia and the US, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, are meeting next week. Trump and Putin will then meet again in Budapest.
No precise date was given for either meeting.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky will visit Trump in the Oval Office on Friday to discuss the future of the conflict, including the potential supply of Tomahawks to Kyiv.
Ukraine imposes emergency power cuts across every region
Thursday 16 October 2025 17:20
,
Harriette Boucher
Ukraine's national energy operator, Ukrenergo, has imposed emergency power cuts across all regions following Russia’s continuous attacks on its energy system.
It announced the cuts on Thursday following a large Russian attack overnight, which targeted the energy sector, alongside civilians and civilian infrastructure.
EU reveals five-year plan to defend against Russian attack
Thursday 16 October 2025 16:57
,
Harriette Boucher
The European Union has unveiled its plan to ensure that it can defend itself from a Russian attack by the end of the decade, as Russia continues to test its defences through airspace violations across Europe.
It will include the European Drone Defence Initiative, which aims to build counter-drone capabilities to detect, track, and disable rogue drones.
The system is expected to be initially operational by December 2026 and fully functional in late 2027.
As she unveiled the European Commission’s plan, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said danger would not disappear, even if the Ukraine war were to end.
"Russia has no capacity to launch an attack on the European Union today, but it could prepare itself in the years to come.”
The drone system is part of the broader ‘Defence Readiness Roadmap 2030’, which proposes four flagship European defence projects.
Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission president, said: “The recent threats have shown that Europe is at risk. We have to protect every citizen and square centimetre of our territory.”
Trump confirms call with Putin has begun
Thursday 16 October 2025 16:31
,
Daniel Keane
Donald Trump has confirmed that his call with Vladimir Putin is now underway.
He wrote on Truth Social: “I am speaking to President Putin now. The conversation is ongoing, a lengthy one, and I will report the contents, as will President Putin, at its conclusion.”
Recap: What are Trump's most recent comments on Ukraine?
Thursday 16 October 2025 16:17
,
Daniel Keane
Ending the wars in Ukraine and Gaza were central to Donald Trump’s reelection pitch in 2024.
In the Middle East, a fragile ceasefire between Hamas and Israel is holding - despite a row over the return of hostages held by the militant group.
Now Trump will turn his attention to Ukraine. He had told reporters traveling with him to Israel on Sunday that he had planned to discuss the provision of Tomahawks to Kyiv with Putin as a way to pressure him to end the war.
"Do they want to have Tomahawks going in that direction? I don't think so," Trump said on Sunday. "I think I might speak to Russia about that."
Pictured: A residential building is seen on fire after a Russian strike in Nizhyn, Chernihiv
Thursday 16 October 2025 16:00
,
Bryony Gooch
Trump and Putin to speak this evening before Zelensky's White House visit
Thursday 16 October 2025 15:48
,
Daniel Keane
Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin will hold a phone call this evening - a day before the US president welcomes Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to the White House.
The White House confirmed an earlier report in Axios that the two leaders would speak, amid growing signs that Trump is willing to offer further military support to Ukraine.
Trump has recently voiced his frustration with Putin over a lack of effort on Moscow’s part to end the war in Ukraine.
Tomahawk missiles are Trump’s ace card for Ukraine – Zelensky says it’s time to play it
Thursday 16 October 2025 15:30
,
Bryony Gooch
Ukraine armed forces unload shells for M114 self-propelled howitzer in Donetsk
Thursday 16 October 2025 15:00
,
Bryony Gooch
Ukraine in talks with international allies to raise funds for gas as energy infrastructures targeted
Thursday 16 October 2025 14:30
,
Bryony Gooch
Ukraine's cash-strapped government is in talks with international allies to raise funds to import more for gas the cold autumn and winter months.
