Sir Keir Starmer will join Volodymyr Zelensky and other European leaders for a crucial meeting with President Trump at the White House on Monday.
Downing Street confirmed the prime minister would be attending, after six key allies announced they would be travelling to Washington DC in a show of support for Ukraine.
Finish president Alexander Stubb, German chancellor Friedrich Merz and French president Emmanuel Macron are among those who will on hand to prevent any flare-ups between the Ukrainian president and Trump, and to represent Europe’s interests. European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen will also be in attendance at the request of Zelensky..
It comes as Vladimir Putin has demanded Ukraine surrender the eastern Donetsk and Luhansk provinces of the Donbas region as one condition for ending the war.
The Russian leader told Trump that he would be prepared to stop fighting on the rest of the frontline if Ukraine gave in to the demand.
The concessions were discussed at the summit of the two leaders in Alaska on Friday, which ended with no peace deal despite nearly three hours of talks. Sources very close to the meeting told The Independent the dramatic move appears to have been endorsed by Mr Trump as a means to bring an end to the war.
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Ukraine-Russia latest: Key points
- Sir Keir Starmer to travel to Washington DC to meet Trump
- Merz, Macron and Meloni to join Zelensky
- Putin demands Zelensky surrenders Donestsk region as condition for ending war in Ukraine
- Ukraine says it presses Russian troops back on part of Sumy front
- Zelensky: Russia continues to reject ceasefire calls
- Starmer to speak with coalition of the willing ahead of Zelensky-Trump meeting
Russia's FSB says it prevented Ukrainian drone attack on Smolensk nuclear power plant
13:54
,
Holly Evans
Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) said on Sunday it had prevented a Ukrainian drone attack on the Smolensk nuclear power plant, Interfax news agency reported.
Earlier, Moscow’s forces announced they shot down 300 Ukrainian drones and struck storage sites for Sapsan missiles while fierce battles raged in the Donetsk region where Ukrainian forces were trying to halt a Russian advance, the defence ministry and war bloggers said.
"Four guided aerial bombs and 300 aircraft-type unmanned aerial vehicles were shot down by air defense systems," the ministry said.
State department papers left behind on Alaska hotel Trump-Putin summit details
13:30
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Holly Evans
U.S. State Department documents containing sensitive government information were discovered on a public printer at an Alaska hotel, two hours before a high-stakes summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Eight pages — containing a schedule, several phone numbers of government employees, and a luncheon menu — were found in a public hotel printer at Hotel Captain Cook in Anchorage, a 20-minute drive from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson where the two world leaders met Friday to discuss the future of the war in Ukraine.
Three guests staying at Hotel Captain Cook found the pages around 9 a.m. Friday, two hours before the summit began, according to NPR. It’s not clear who left the papers but seven of the pages were “produced by the Office of the Chief of Protocol,” according to images obtained by NPR, which is part of the State Department.
Read the full article here:
Swedish prime minister to attend Sunday's 'Coalition of the Willing' meeting
13:15
,
Holly Evans
Swedish prime minister Ulf Kristersson will virtually attend Sunday's meeting with the "Coalition of the Willing", ahead of President Volodymyr Zelenskiys visit to Washington on Monday, a spokesperson from the prime minister's office told Reuters.
Kristersson will however not fly to Washington together with Zelensky alongside other European leaders on Monday, the spokesperson said.
Mapped: The key territories Putin wants handed over to bring about peace in Ukraine
13:00
,
Holly Evans
As all eyes turn to Washington DC on Monday, one of the key issues that is likely to be a sore topic for Volodymyr Zelensky is the prospect of relinquishing land to secure peace for Ukraine.
Despite launching an illegal invasion, Vladimir Putin is understood to have demanded that Kyiv surrender the eastern Donetsk and Luhansk provinces as a condition for ending the war.
Such a move would effectively hand over Ukraine’s industrial heartland, giving Russia control of the Donbas region, where the majority of the heavy fighting has taken place since February 2022.
Read the full article here:
Putin discusses Alaska summit with Belarus
12:45
,
Holly Evans
Russian President Vladimir Putin held a phone call with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, the press service of the Belarusian president said via its Telegram channel on Sunday.
"Two Presidents discussed the situation in the region in the light of the talks in Alaska. Putin informed his Belarusian counterpart in detail about the results of the last Russia-US summit," the press service said.
Sir Keir Starmer to travel to Washington to meet Trump
12:29
,
Holly Evans
Sir Keir Starmer will join President Zelensky and European leaders for a meeting with President Trump at the White House on Monday, Downing Street has said.
Merz, Macron and Meloni to join Zelensky – but no word from Starmer
12:11
,
Holly Evans
European leaders will join Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky when he meets Donald Trump for peace talks at the White House on Monday.
Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission president, German chancellor Friedrich Merz and Finnish president Alexander Stubb were the first leaders to confirm they will join Mr Zelensky in Washington DC.
Mr Zelensky’s Oval Office rendezvous with the US president will take place after Western allies meet for a coalition of the willing video call on Sunday afternoon.
Downing Street would not comment on whether Sir Keir plans to travel to Washington to join other European leaders on Monday.
Read the full article here:
Italy's prime minister Giorgia Meloni to travel to Washington
11:58
,
Holly Evans
Giorgia Meloni is the latest European leader to announce she will be joining Volodymyr Zelensky for his meeting at the White House on Monday.
Her office confirmed she would be joining Germany’s Friedrich Merz, France’s Emmanuel Macron, and Finland’s Alexander Stubb.
Emmanuel Macron also to go to Washington with Zelensky
11:42
,
Holly Evans
President Emmanuel Macron will also go to Washington with President Volodymyr Zelensky alongside other European leaders on Monday, the French presidency office said in a statement on Sunday.
The leaders will pursue the "coordination work between the Europeans and the United States with the goal of coming to a just and lasting peace that preserves the vital interests of Ukraine and the security of Europe", the statement said.
German chancellor Merz to join Zelensky in Washington
11:25
,
Holly Evans
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz will also accompany Zelensky and other European leaders on a visit to Washington for discussions with Donald Trump about Ukraine, the German government said on Sunday.
"The talks will address, among other things, security guarantees, territorial issues, and continued support for Ukraine in its defence against Russian aggression. This includes maintaining pressure on sanctions," the government said.
EU's von der Leyen to meet Trump in White House
11:24
,
Holly Evans
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in a post on X that she will be meeting U.S. President Donald Trump along with other European leaders in the White House on Monday at the request of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.
She also said that she will welcome Zelensky in Brussels later on Sunday and together will participate in a meeting of European leaders.
This afternoon, I will welcome @ZelenskyyUa in Brussels.
— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) August 17, 2025
Together, we will participate in the Coalition of Willing VTC.
At the request of President Zelenskyy, I will join the meeting with President Trump and other European leaders in the White House tomorrow.
Russia says it destroyed 300 Ukrainian drones
10:54
,
Holly Evans
Russian forces shot down 300 Ukrainian drones and struck storage sites for Sapsan missiles while fierce battles raged in the Donetsk region where Ukrainian forces were trying to halt a Russian advance, the defence ministry and war bloggers said.
Russia's defence ministry said Russian forces had gained better positions near the settlement of Zolotyi Kolodiaz in the Donetsk region, though pro-Ukrainian maps showed that Ukrainian forces had contained the Russian advance.
The defence ministry said war planes, drones and missiles had been used to strike Ukrainian storage sites for Sapsan missiles across the country.
"Four guided aerial bombs and 300 aircraft-type unmanned aerial vehicles were shot down by air defense systems," the ministry said.
Russia 'complicating' efforts to end to war, Zelenskyy says
10:17
,
Holly Evans
In a post on social media site X, Volodymyr Zelensky said that Russia are complicating efforts to end the war in Ukraine.
He wrote: “We see that Russia rebuffs numerous calls for a ceasefire and has not yet determined when it will stop the killing. This complicates the situation.
“If they lack the will to carry out a simple order to stop the strikes, it may take a lot of effort to get Russia to have the will to implement far greater – peaceful coexistence with its neighbors for decades.
“But together we are working for peace and security. Stopping the killing is a key element of stopping the war.”
Thank you for the support! All the points mentioned are important to achieve a truly sustainable and reliable peace. We see that Russia rebuffs numerous calls for a ceasefire and has not yet determined when it will stop the killing. This complicates the situation. If they lack… pic.twitter.com/bkTXwjMSnX
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) August 16, 2025
Putin demands Zelensky surrenders Donetsk region as condition for ending war in Ukraine
09:45
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Holly Evans
Vladimir Putin is demanding Ukraine surrender the eastern Donetsk and Luhansk provinces as a condition for ending the war.
The Russian leader told Donald Trump that he would be prepared to stop fighting on the rest of the frontline if Ukraine gave in to the demand and addressed the “root causes of the conflict”.
The concessions were discussed at the highly anticipated summit of the two leaders in Alaska on Friday, which ended with no peace deal despite nearly three hours of talks.
Read the full article here:
Watch: Putin opens up on 'very frank' conversation with Trump
09:02
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Holly Evans
The key takeaways from Putin and Trump’s summit in Alaska
08:46
,
Holly Evans
The highly-anticipated meeting between US President Donald Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin had been hailed as an essential and crucial step in forging a path towards peace in wartorn Ukraine.
Three hours later, both leaders emerged claiming that the summit had been a “success” and “productive”. Yet no ceasefire deal has been struck, and little information has been given as to what was actually discussed behind closed doors.
In Moscow, the meeting has been praised as a success, while in the West, it has left more questions than answers.
Read the full article here:
Finnish president reportedly due to join Zelensky in Washington
08:19
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Holly Evans
While multiple European leaders have been invited to join Volodymyr Zelensky during his trip to Washington on Monday, it has been reported that Trump favourite Alexander Stubb will be the one to make the trip.
According to two European diplomats and a person familiar with the matter who spoke to Politico, the Finnish president will be on hand to prevent any flare-ups between the Ukrainian president and Donald Trump, and to include Europe in any discussions.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, who has a close relationship with Trump, may also make the trip to Washington.
After an inconclusive summit, Ukraine’s fate hangs in the balance
07:50
,
Holly Evans
Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, has named his price for ending the war in Ukraine. If he is given those parts of the eastern provinces of Donetsk and Luhansk that he does not already occupy, he would freeze the rest of the frontline.
His offer, made at the summit meeting in Alaska, was relayed by Donald Trump to Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian president, and Mr Trump then advised Mr Zelensky in a public interview to “make a deal” with Russia.
The US president’s position remains confused and ambiguous, but the implication that Ukraine should give up more land than it has already lost is not the right place to start. It is generally accepted, including by Mr Zelensky, that Ukraine will have to compromise in order to secure peace, but this would not be a compromise. It would be a straightforward concession, yielding to Mr Putin what he has been unable to win on the battlefield.
Read the full article here:
Contents of letter that Melania Trump sent to Putin revealed
07:30
,
Shweta Sharma
In the letter hand-delivered by Donald Trump to Russian leader Vladimir Putin, Melania Trump appealed to “protect the innocence of children” and said that by doing so he would not only serve Russia but humanity as a whole.
"Every child shares the same quiet dreams in their heart, whether born randomly into a nation's rustic countryside or a magnificent city-center,” she wrote.
“They dream of love, possibility, and safety from danger. As parents, it is our duty to nurture the next generation's hope. As leaders, the responsibility to sustain our children extends beyond the comfort of a few.”
She said the world should paint a dignity-filled world for all - so that every soul may wake to peace, and so that the future itself is perfectly guarded.
“Mr Putin, you can singlehandedly restore their melodic laughter," she wrote.
Fox News published a letter that Melania Trump reportedly sent to Putin through the US president.
— NOELREPORTS (@NOELreports) August 16, 2025
In it, she appeals to him as a father and leader, writing that all children dream of love, opportunity, and safety, regardless of where they are born. She urges him to “protect the… pic.twitter.com/6Dxzcq60rg
PM to speak with allies, amid reports Trump mulling Russian land grab in Ukraine
07:24
,
Holly Evans
Sir Keir Starmer will meet European allies on Sunday, amid reports Donald Trump favours a Russian land grab in Ukraine to end the war.
The Prime Minister, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz will host the coalition of the willing on Sunday afternoon.
The video conference of allies who plan to keep the peace in Ukraine comes ahead of Volodymyr Zelensky’s White House meeting with Donald Trump on Monday.
Several news outlets have cited sources which claimed that during the negotiations Mr Putin demanded full control of Donetsk and Luhansk – two occupied Ukrainian regions – as a condition for ending the war.
In exchange, he would give up other Ukrainian territories held by Russian troops.
Other outlets reported that Mr Trump is inclined to support the plan, and will speak to Mr Zelensky about it on Monday when they meet in the Oval Office.
Sir Keir commended Mr Trump’s “pursuit of an end to the killing” following a phone call with the US President, Mr Zelensky and Nato allies on Saturday morning.
Multiple European leaders invited to White House for Zelensky meeting
07:00
,
Shweta Sharma
Multiple European leaders have been invited to join president Donald Trump’s meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House on Monday, a US official told CNN.
It remains uncertain who will attend, though European diplomats have indicated that at least one leader from the continent is expected to take part in the talks.
Keir Starmer to meet European allies as Trump hints at Russian land grab
06:30
,
Shweta Sharma
Sir Keir Starmer will meet European allies on Sunday, amid reports Donald Trump favours a Russian land grab in Ukraine to end the war.
The prime minister, French president Emmanuel Macron and German chancellor Friedrich Merz will host the "Coalition of the Willing" talks on Sunday afternoon.
The video conference of allies who plan to keep the peace in Ukraine comes ahead of Volodymyr Zelensky's White House meeting with Donald Trump on Monday.
The one-on-one in the Oval Office could pave the way for a three-way meeting alongside Russian leader Putin, the US president has said.
Several news outlets have cited sources which claimed that during the negotiations Putin demanded full control of Donetsk and Luhansk – two occupied Ukrainian regions – as a condition for ending the war.
In exchange, he would give up other Ukrainian territories held by Russian troops.
Other outlets reported that Trump is inclined to support the plan, and will speak to Zelensky about it on Monday when they meet in the Oval Office.
Sir Keir commended Trump's "pursuit of an end to the killing" following a phone call with the US president, Zelensky and Nato allies on Saturday morning.But he insisted Ukraine's leader must not be excluded from future talks to broker a peace in Ukraine.
Ukraine pushes 2km inside Sumy, general says
06:14
,
Shweta Sharma
Ukraine’s army says it has pushed forward about 2km in Sumy oblast, reporting fresh gains just a day after US president Donald Trump and Russian president Vladimir Putin reportedly discussed possible “land swaps” in Alaska.
Kyiv’s general staff said troops were “actively destroying the enemy and liberating settlements.”
The military said that Ukrainian units had made gains in multiple areas in Sumy, according to Kyiv Independent.
Reports of advances come as Russia claims to have captured two more villages in Donetsk, where president Volodymyr Zelensky admitted the situation remains “extremely difficult” but noted successful Ukrainian counterattacks near Dobropillia and Pokrovsk.
The battlefield shifts highlight a volatile front line, even as Moscow and Washington explore controversial territorial deals.
Is Zelensky about to walk into another White House ambush after Trump’s Putin meeting?
06:00
,
Shweta Sharma
The free world’s most celebrated president is showing some mettle in agreeing to a meeting with the leader of the free world. When Volodymyr Zelensky walks into the Oval Office on Monday, he knows he’s risking another ambush.
The Ukrainian president is prepared to gamble that he’ll get another White House schoolyard bullying session, because there’s a slim chance that Donald Trump may finally have tired of being played by the Kremlin.
It is now conceivable, just, that Trump is prepared to consider security guarantees for Ukraine that reflect Nato’s Article 5, which could mean that if Ukraine signed up to a peace deal then its long-term future sovereignty and security would be protected, by force of arms, by allies including the US.
Read our World Affairs Editor Sam Kiley’s report.
One injured and power line damaged in Ukrainian drone attack on Russia's Voronezh
05:30
,
Shweta Sharma
A railway employee was injured and a power line damaged by a Ukrainian drone attack at a station in Russia's Voronezh region, the regional governor said on Sunday.
"According to preliminary information, a railway station track technician was injured in one of the municipalities," Alexander Gusev said of the overnight attack on the Telegram messaging app.
"He has been hospitalised," Gusev said, adding that the attack caused train delays.
Russia’s stance 'complicates' end to Ukraine war
04:45
,
Shweta Sharma
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said Vladimir Putin's refusal to agree to a ceasefire is complicating efforts to end the war, accusing Moscow of rebuffing repeated calls to halt its attacks.
Speaking ahead of his own trip to the US – he will meet US president Donald Trump in Washington DC on Monday – Mr Zelensky said stopping the killing is a key element of stopping the war.
"We see that Russia rebuffs numerous calls for a ceasefire and has not yet determined when it will stop the killing. This complicates the situation," he said in a statement on X.
Monday's meeting will inevitably evoke memories of an earlier event in the White House's Oval Office in February, where Trump and vice president JD Vance gave Zelensky a brutal public dressing-down.
Trump–Putin summit a “propaganda win for Russia”, says analyst
04:00
,
Jabed Ahmed
Olga Tokariuk, Fellow in Democratic Resilience at the Center for European Policy Analysis, said the Alaska meeting between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin offered “good news and bad news” for Ukraine – but ultimately handed Moscow a propaganda victory.
“The good news is that apparently no deal that would force Ukraine to capitulate or make major concessions was agreed,” she said.
“Another piece of good news is that a letter from Melania Trump was handed over to Putin, raising the issue of Ukrainian children illegally deported by Russia — a crime Putin was indicted for by the ICC.”
But she warned the optics were damaging. “The bad news is that Putin was given a five-star treatment by the US president Donald Trump… All these details and images are a clear propaganda win for Russia and are shared with delight in the Russian media. For Ukrainians, it was disheartening to watch Putin… being given such preferential treatment by the US.”
She added: “Putin had no intention to give up on his maximalist demands… Undoubtedly, Putin is coming back from Alaska even more convinced that he can get away with everything.”
03:00
,
Jabed Ahmed
Analysis | Is Zelensky about to walk into another White House ambush after Trump’s Putin meeting?
02:00
,
Jabed Ahmed
Recap | Zelensky braces for perilous Trump talks on Monday
01:00
,
Jabed Ahmed
Volodymyr Zelensky will fly to Washington on Monday under heavy US pressure to agree a swift end to Russia's war in Ukraine, but determined to defend Kyiv's interests - without sparking a second Oval Office bust-up with Donald Trump.
The US president invited Zelensky to Washington after rolling out the red carpet for Vladimir Putin, Kyiv's arch foe, at a summit in Alaska that shocked many in Ukraine, where hundreds of thousands have died since Russia's 2022 invasion.
The Alaska talks failed to produce the ceasefire that Trump sought, and the US leader said on Saturday that he now wanted a full-fledged peace deal and that Kyiv should accept because "Russia is a very big power, and they're not".
The blunt rhetoric throws the weight of expectation squarely back onto Zelensky, putting him in a potentially perilous position as he returns to Washington for the first time since his talks with Trump in the Oval Office spiralled into acrimony in February.
Trump briefed Zelensky on his talks with Putin during a call on Saturday that lasted more than an hour and a half, the Ukrainian leader said. They were joined after an hour by European and Nato officials, he added.
Comment | Putin got everything he wanted from Trump – Ukraine will be terrified for what comes next
Saturday 16 August 2025 23:59
,
Jabed Ahmed
Jon Sopel writes:
When I went to bed last night, Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin had just gone into their summit meeting in Anchorage, Alaska – and I really had not the faintest idea what I might wake up to.
Would it be a comprehensive peace deal agreed between the two of them that would totally screw Ukraine; or would it be a furious Trump announcing massive, punitive sanctions against Russia over Putin’s intransigence – something he had been threatening just a couple of weeks ago before announcing the summit? Or would it be any number of outcomes in between? Instead, we woke up to – well, what exactly?
Sure, there was a lot of vacuous vibe stuff about progress, constructive talks, deeper understanding, but let’s be clear about the headline: THERE WAS NO DEAL. The missiles, the attack drones, will continue and, as far as we can tell, there is no timetable for a ceasefire.
Read the full Voices article below:
Russia's Lavrov discusses Alaska summit's outcome with Turkish and Hungarian counterparts
Saturday 16 August 2025 23:24
,
Jabed Ahmed
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov held calls on Saturday with his Turkish and Hungarian counterparts, the Russian foreign ministry said, hours after a summit between the US and Russian presidents yielded no deal on ending the war in Ukraine.
The phone call between Lavrov and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan took place at Turkey's initiative, the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement on its website.
"The foreign ministers exchanged views on the outcomes of the high-level Russia–U.S. meeting held in Alaska on August 15," the ministry said.
Turkey has tried to keep diplomatic channels open to both sides during the war, acting as a Nato member, a partner for both Russia and Ukraine, and a potential mediator.
Lavrov also held a call with Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto, the Russian foreign ministry said, in which "the parties discussed issues related to the Ukrainian crisis in the context of the outcomes of the Russia–US summit."
Hungary has maintained close ties with Russia throughout the war, often opposing EU sanctions and continuing energy cooperation with Moscow, and drawing criticism from Western allies of Kyiv.
Europe to decide whether to join Zelensky on trip to meet Trump, German minister says
Saturday 16 August 2025 23:21
,
Jabed Ahmed
European officials will decide this weekend whether Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will be accompanied on a visit to Washington to meet Donald Trump on Monday, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul has said.
Asked whether German Chancellor Friedrich Merz could accompany Zelensky to Washington, Wadephul said plenty of Europeans would be willing to travel with the Ukrainian president if that decision were taken.
"That'll be agreed this weekend, and Friedrich Merz's willingness to assume responsibility is evident; he has demonstrated this very clearly in the last few days. This will be discussed together," Wadephul told German broadcaster ARD.
Putin ‘immediately’ read Melania Trump’s letter in front of delegates at Alaska summit, report claims
Saturday 16 August 2025 23:14
,
Jabed Ahmed
The key takeaways from Putin and Trump’s summit in Alaska
Saturday 16 August 2025 22:59
,
Jabed Ahmed
Starmer to speak with coalition of the willing ahead of Zelensky-Trump meeting
Saturday 16 August 2025 22:29
,
Jabed Ahmed
Sir Keir Starmer will speak to Western allies on Sunday ahead of Volodymyr Zelensky’s White House meeting with Donald Trump.
The Prime Minister, France’s Emmanuel Macron and Germany’s Friedrich Merz will host the meeting of the coalition of the willing on Sunday afternoon.
The coalition of the willing, made up of 30-plus nations, is prepared to deter Russian aggression by putting troops on the ground in Ukraine once the war is over.
The meeting, which is expected to take place at approximately 2pm UK time, comes on the heels of Mr Trump’s summit in Alaska with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.
Zelensky: Russia continues to reject ceasefire calls
Saturday 16 August 2025 22:15
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