US president Donald Trump has admitted that Russian president Vladimir Putin could invade more of Europe beyond Ukraine.
Trump was asked whether he considered Putin an enemy and if he believed that the Russian president has territorial ambitions beyond Ukraine.
“It’s possible,” he answered at a press conference at the Nato summit in the Netherlands. "I consider him a person who I think is misguided," Trump said.
He said Putin “would like to get out of this thing”. “It’s a mess for him”. "He called the other day, and he said, 'Can I help you with Iran?' I said, 'No, you can help me with Russia,” Trump said.
His remarks came as he met with Volodymyr Zelensky at the talks where Nato leaders backed a big increase in defence spending.
Leaders gathered in The Hague for a Nato summit tailor-made for the US president endorsed a higher defence spending goal of 5 per cent of GDP by 2035.
Trump was asked at the summit if the US would supply more Patriot missile systems to Ukraine, something Kyiv has repeatedly requested. "We're going to see if we can make some available," he replied.
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Key Points
- Trump says he will look at giving Ukraine more Patriot missiles
- Trump shows warmth as he answers question on US Patriots for Ukraine
- Russia and Ukraine conduct another prisoner swap
- North Korea could send troops to Russia for summer offensive - South Korean intelligence
- Trump says 'misguided' Putin might invade countries beyond Ukraine
- Airports in Russia shutdown as drones headed for Moscow destroyed
Pictured: Ukraine's top general visits frontline Sumy region
16:00
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Alex Croft
Russia and Ukraine conduct another prisoner swap
15:36
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Alex Croft
Russia and Ukraine completed another round of prisoner exchanges, officials in both countries said on Thursday, part of an agreement struck in Istanbul recently between the two sides.
News agencies in Russia earlier reported the prisoner exchange.
Both sides exchanged the same number of prisoners but there was no word on how many soldiers were involved, the state RIA news agency reported.
Ukrainian teenage boxer hailed for saving friend after missile attack
15:11
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Alex Croft
A teenage boxer has been hailed for saving his friend following a missile strike on Ukraine’s Odesa region.
Maksym Tymchuk was saved by his friend, 15-year-old boxer Mark Avetikian, after an Iskander-M ballistic missile struck Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi in the region, according to the Juvenile Police of Ukraine.
The boys did not reach a shelter in time and part of the wall collapsed on them during the explosion. Despite being injured, Mark managed to escape and save his friend.
He is a boxing champion in Ukraine and a student at a sports school, Ukrainska Pravda reported.
A recap of events at the Nato summit yesterday
14:44
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Alex Croft
Nato backs big defence spending hike: At a summit in The Hague, Nato leaders agreed to significantly raise defence spending – a key demand from US president Donald Trump – and reaffirmed the alliance’s core commitment to collective defence under Article 5.
Trump claims ‘great victory’: Trump welcomed the new 5 per cent of GDP spending target, saying he hoped it would benefit the US defence industry. He confirmed his backing for Nato’s mutual defence pledge, saying: “If I didn’t stand with it, I wouldn’t be here.”
Macron pushes back on trade threats: French president Emmanuel Macron raised concerns over Trump’s threatened tariffs, saying it was contradictory to increase military spending while risking a trade war. “We can't say we are going to spend more and then launch a trade war,” he said.
Rutte praises Trump’s pressure: Nato secretary general Mark Rutte – hosting the summit in The Hague – said the alliance would become “stronger, fairer and more lethal”, crediting Trump for pushing allies to commit more.
New spending formula unveiled: The new 5 per cent target includes 3.5 per cent for core defence and 1.5 per cent for broader security. Achieving this will be difficult for many European economies.
Zelensky sidelined: Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky attended a pre-summit dinner but was not part of the main Wednesday meeting. He met with Trump separately.
Kremlin criticises Nato: Russia accused the alliance of “rampant militarisation” and demonising Moscow to justify the defence budget surge.
No progress towards next Russia-Ukraine peace talks, says Kremlin
14:23
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Alex Croft
The Kremlin said on Thursday there was no progress yet towards setting a date for the next round of peace talks with Ukraine, Interfax news agency reported.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia was in favour of continued US mediation effort, another news agency, Tass, reported.
Resuming negotiations after a gap of more than three years, Russia and Ukraine held face-to-face talks in Istanbul on May 16 and June 2 that led to a series of prisoner exchanges and the return of the bodies of dead soldiers.
But they have made no progress towards a ceasefire which Ukraine, with Western backing, has been pressing for.
The myriad of countries arming Russia and Ukraine – and the billions it costs
14:05
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Alex Croft
Donald Trump has suggested that the US could send more Patriot missile systems to Ukraine, and has not ruled out providing the war-torn country with a new military support package.
Speaking at the Nato summit in the Netherlands on Wednesday, the president said “we’ll see what happens” when asked whether Washington would add to the $8 billion pledged by Nato allies.
"They do want to have the anti-missile missiles, OK, as they call them, the Patriots," the US president said. "And we're going to see if we can make some available. We need them, too. We're supplying them to Israel, and they're very effective, 100 per cent effective. Hard to believe how effective. They do want that more than any other thing.”
Read the full report:
Watch: Ukraine shares footage of interceptor drones
13:44
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Alex Croft
Ukrainian interceptor drones pierce the sky every day, destroying russian strike and reconnaissance UAVs.
— Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) June 26, 2025
: Khartiia Brigade pic.twitter.com/jk28uSg394
Nato spending increase will not affect Russia's security significantly, says Lavrov
13:25
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Alex Croft
Nato's decision to increase defence spending will not significantly affect Russia's security, foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said on Thursday.
Nato allies on Wednesday agreed to raise their collective spending goal to 5 per cent of gross domestic product over the next decade, citing what they called the long-term threat posed by Russia and the need to strengthen civil and military resilience.
Russia wants Iran to continue nuclear cooperation, says Lavrov
13:04
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Alex Croft
Russia wants Iran to continue its cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Thursday.
Iran's parliament approved a bill on Wednesday to suspend cooperation with the IAEA, the UN’s nuclear watchdog, after Israel and the United States bombed Iran's nuclear sites with the aim of preventing Tehran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.
Iran denies any intention of building a nuclear bomb. Russia, which has a strategic partnership with Iran, has condemned the Israeli and U.S. strikes and says Tehran has the right to a peaceful nuclear energy programme.
Trump says he will look at giving Ukraine patriot missiles as he calls on Putin to end war
12:45
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Alex Croft
Ukrainian lawmaker who nominated Trump for Nobel Peace Prize withdraws it after ceasefire talks stall
12:21
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Alex Croft
A Ukrainian lawmaker who pushed for President Donald Trump to receive the Nobel Peace Prize has withdrawn his nomination after Russia-Ukraine ceasefire talks stalled.
It’s been more than three years since Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Trump had promised to end the war within 24 hours of taking office, but it’s been five months, and the two eastern European countries have not agreed to a peace deal.
Oleksandr Merezhko, the head of Ukraine's parliamentary foreign committee, nominated Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize last November, but told Newsweek Tuesday that he withdrew his nomination.
Merezhko had "lost any sort of faith and belief" in Trump and his ability to get a ceasefire deal between Russia and Ukraine.
Read the full report:
North Korean troops to be sent to help rebuild Kursk - reports
11:56
,
Alex Croft
More details on the allegations that North Korea is preparing to nsend thousands of mnilitary personnel to Russia has now come through,
Top Russian security official Sergei Shoigu said Kim decided to send 1,000 sappers and 5,000 military construction workers to help rebuild the war-torn area of Kursk, according to South Korea's spy agency. It comes after North Korea has already provided combat troops and ammunition to support Russia's war efforts against Ukraine.
On Thursday, South Korea's National Intelligence Service (NIS) told a closed-door parliamentary committee meeting that the dispatch of those 6,000 additional military personnel will likely come as early as July or August, according to lawaker Lee Seong Kweun.
Lee cited the NIS as saying that North Korea has begun recruiting soldiers to be sent to Russia. He told reporters the NIS noted that North Korea's dispatch of combat troops last year came about one month after Shoigu visited North Korea and signed an agreement with Pyongyang officials.
North Korea may also send troops to fight in the war and will continue sending artillery ammunition and missiles to Russia, the spy agency said.
Hungary says citizens overwhelmingly voted against Ukraine's EU accession in referendum
11:35
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Alex Croft
Hungary has announced the results of a referendum held regarding support for Kyiv’s accession to the European Union, claiming that 95 per cent of participants voted against it.
Of the 2.278 million who took part - around 29 per cent of registered voters - only 5 per cent voted in favour of Ukraine joining the economic bloc, Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban announced according to European Pravda.
But Hungarian news site Telex has highlighted possible doubts over the integrity of the vote, with some tests showing that individuals could vote multiple times using different email addresses for electronic votes.
Trump would join peace talks between Putin and Zelensky, says Erdogan
11:12
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Alex Croft
Turkish president Tayyip Erdogan has just claimed that Donald Trump said he would attend potential peace talks between the leaders of Ukraine and Russia in Turkey.
But it all depends on if Russian president Vladimir Putin also agreed to take part, Mr Erdogan said.
On his return flight from the Nato summit, where he met Mr Trump for the first time since he returned to office, Mr Erdogan said he told the US president Ankara aims to bring the Russian and Ukrainian leaders together in Turkey for peace talks.
"He (Trump) said, 'if Russian President Vladimir Putin comes to Istanbul or Ankara for a solution, then I will also come," Mr Erdogan told reporters according to his office.
"We will hold the necessary contacts and God willing realise this meeting as soon as possible."
Zelensky approves plans on special tribunal to prosecute Russian leaders over Ukraine
10:51
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Alex Croft
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky formally approved plans Wednesday to set up a new international court to prosecute senior Russian officials for the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The special tribunal will be created through an agreement between Ukraine and the Council of Europe, the continent’s top human rights body. Zelenskyy visited the Strasbourg-based organization for the first time as part of the announcement.
The special tribunal aims to target senior Russian leaders for the “crime of aggression,” which underpins the countless war crimes Ukraine accuses Russian forces of committing since the start of the war on Feb. 24, 2022. Existing international courts, including the International Criminal Court in The Hague lack jurisdiction to prosecute Russian nationals for that specific offense.
Read the full report:
Russia seizes two villages in eastern Ukraine, defence ministry says
10:35
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Alex Croft
Russian troops took control of the settlements of Novoserhiivka and Shevchenko in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine, Russia’s defence ministry said on Thursday.
Moscow’s forces continue to push forward in the east, slowly seizing village-by-village as Ukraine struggles against the sheer manpower of the Russian army.
The Independent could not independently confirm the battlefield report.
Watch: Trump shows concern for worried BBC Ukraine reporter during press conference
10:21
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Alex Croft
Ukraine halting Russian advances in Sumy region, says Kyiv general
10:07
Ukraine's forces stopped Russian advances in the border area of Ukraine's northern region of Sumy this week, the country's top general said in a statement released on Thursday.
"The advance of Russian troops in the border areas of Sumy region has been halted, and the line of combat has stabilized," Oleksandr Syrskyi said in a statement about the front visit.
Moscow’s forces had advanced deeper into Ukraine’s Sumy region earlier this month, threatening the regional capital after taking more than 150 square miles of the area in less than two weeks.
Dutch PM 'hopeful' that EU sanctions package will pass despite opponents
09:53
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Alex Croft
Dutch prime minister Dick Schoof is "hopeful" that the 18th sanctions package against Russia will happen despite some EU countries like Slovakia and Hungary opposing it, he said on Thursday ahead of meeting other EU leaders in Brussels.
Slovakia has said it will not support a new European Union sanctions package on Russia and will demand a delay in the vote until Slovak concerns over gas supplies after 2027 are resolved.
North Korea could send troops to Russia for summer offensive - South Korean intelligence
09:38
,
Alex Croft
North Korea may send more troops to Russia to fight against Ukraine this summer, South Korean lawmakers have claimed citing the country’s intelligence agency.
The National Intelligence Service (NIS) believes Russia may be readying to mount a large-scale assault against Ukraine in July or August, South Korean member of parliament Lee Seong-kweun told reporters.
This assessment is based on new round-up of troops by the North Korean military, and the visit of a top Russian presidential security official.
Pyongyang is likely to receive technical advice on satellite launches and missile guidance systems in return, the briefing said according to Mr Lee.
Russia and North Korea have said their cooperation is based on a treaty signed by Vladimir Putin and North Korean supreme leader Kim Jong-un, which includes a mutual defence pact.
China is not supplying weapons to Russia, says Beijing
09:25
,
Alex Croft
China's foreign ministry on Thursday denied that China supplied weapons to parties in the Ukraine war, and accused "relevant Nato personnel" of slandering China's "normal military build-up".
Guo Jiakun, a spokesperson for the foreign ministry, was responding to Nato chief Mark Rutte saying there was a "massive build-up" of the military in China, and that China was supporting the war effort in Ukraine.
Watch: Trump admits Putin could invade more of Europe after meeting Zelensky at Nato summit
09:13
,
Rachel Clun
South Korean spy agency reports North Korea is continuing to supply Russia with weapons
09:03
,
Rachel Clun
South Korea’s spy agency has reported that North Korea is continuing to supply Russia with weapons for its war against Ukraine, according to a South Korean lawmaker.
North Korea has been supporting Russia’s war effort through military equipment and personnel.
An international watchdog, the Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team, found that through 2024 North Korea send artillery, ballistic missiles and combat vehicles to Russia.
South Korea’s intelligence agency said that as of the end of April, about 600 North Korean troops had died fighting for Russia against Ukraine. It estimated 15,000 troops had been deployed from North Korea to assist in Russia’s war.
In pictures: Trump meets western leaders at Nato summit
08:30
,
Rachel Clun
Watch: Trump arrives in US after Nato Summit
08:14
,
Rachel Clun
Putin will not go to BRICS summit due to ICC arrest warrant
07:58
,
Rachel Clun
Vladimir Putin will not attend the BRICS summit in Brazil next week because of an outstanding International Criminal Court arrest warrant issued against him, a Kremlin aide said.
The warrant was issued in 2023, a little over a year after Russia launched its war against Ukraine. The ICC accused the Russian president of the war crime of forcibly deporting hundreds of children from Ukraine.
Russia denies allegations of war crimes and the Kremlin, which did not sign the ICC's founding treaty, has dismissed the warrant as null and void.
But it means that Putin needs to weigh the risk he might be arrested if he travels to another country that is a signatory to the ICC treaty.
In 2023, he decided not to travel to one signatory, South Africa, for a BRICS summit.
Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov said Putin would take part in the summit via video link.
"This is due to certain difficulties, in the context of the ICC requirement. In that context, the Brazilian government could not take a clear position that would allow our president to participate in this meeting," Ushakov said on Wednesday.
Russia warns European military supplies to Ukraine lift threat of regional destabilisation
07:40
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Rachel Clun, Reuters
Russia has warned that European supplies of arms and mercenaries to Ukraine have increased the threat of destabilisation in the region.
Russian Defence Minister Andrei Belousov made the comments on Thursday, Russia’s Interfax news agency reported, a day after allied nations agreed to boost defence spending and continue supporting Ukraine at the Nato summit in the Netherlands.
"Attempts to prolong military actions by supplying Ukraine with arms and mercenaries increase the threat of destabilisation. Including in Europe itself," Belousov was quoted as saying.
Watch: Trump shows warmth towards BBC Ukraine reporter whose husband is a soldier
07:22
,
Arpan Rai
Trump says he believes in Article 5 of Nato. What is it?
07:05
,
Arpan Rai
Donald Trump yesterday said the US would remain committed to Nato's mutual defence pledge, affirming that he would abide by Article 5 of the alliance's treaty just a day after he rattled the 32-nation alliance by being equivocal about the pact.
"I stand with it. That's why I'm here," Trump said when asked to clarify his stance on Article 5. "If I didn't stand with it, I wouldn't be here,” he said.
Let’s take a look at what the Article 5 means for Nato:
Article 5 is the foundation stone on which the 32-member North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato) is built.It states that an armed attack against one or more of the members shall be considered an attack against all members.
It also states that if such an armed attack occurs, each member would take, individually and in concert with others, “such action as it deems necessary, including the use of armed force, to restore and maintain the security of the North Atlantic area.’’
That security guarantee is the reason previously neutral Finland and Sweden sought to join Nato after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, and why Ukraine itself and other countries in Europe also want in.
Article 5 has only been invoked once, in the wake of the 11 September 2001 terror attacks on the US, paving the way for Nato’s biggest ever operation in Afghanistan.
But Nato allies have also taken collective defence measures, including joining the US to fight Isis in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as help keep the peace in the Balkans.
Ukraine forces continue to advance along the frontline – ISW
06:48
,
Arpan Rai
The Institute for the Study of War has noted Ukrainian advances along the war frontline from north to the eastern theatre of fighting.
Here are some of the advances seen in the past 24 hours.
1. Ukrainian forces recently advanced in the Borova direction.
Assessed Ukrainian advances: Geolocated footage published on 25 June indicates that Ukrainian forces recently regained positions in Zelenyi Hai (east of Borova) and likely liberated the settlement.
2. Ukrainian forces reportedly advanced north of Lyman on Tuesday
Unconfirmed claims: A Ukrainian brigade operating in the Lyman direction reported that it launched a successful counterattack against elements of the Russian 283rd Motorized Rifle Regiment (144th Motorized Rifle Division, 20th CAA, MMD) and advanced near Ridkodub (north of Lyman).
The Ukrainian brigade reported that the counterattack "destroyed" a platoon of the 283rd Motorized Rifle Regiment. A Russian milblogger claimed that Russian forces advanced east of Zelena Dolyna (north of Lyman) and north of Novomykhailivka (northeast of Lyman).
3. Ukrainian forces recently advanced in the Velyka Novosilka direction
Assessed Ukrainian advances: Geolocated footage published on 23 June indicates that Ukrainian forces recently advanced southeast of Novopil (southwest of Velyka Novosilka).
4. Ukrainian forces may have conducted a strike against a Russian command post in occupied Crimea overnight on 23 to 24 June 23
Russian milbloggers claimed that Ukrainian forces struck the command staff building of a naval detachment of the Russian 88th “Hispaniola” Volunteer Brigade (Russian Volunteer Corps) in occupied Crimea with two Neptune anti-ship missiles.
Russia says it downs 50 Ukrainian drones overnight
06:21
,
Arpan Rai
Russia's air defence units destroyed 50 Ukrainian drones overnight, the Russian defence ministry said this morning.
Of these, nearly half of the drones were downed over the Kursk region on the border with Ukraine, the defence ministry said on its Telegram channel.
The rest were destroyed over several Russian regions, including three over the Moscow region, the ministry added.
Zelensky hails 'good meeting' with Trump at Nato summit
06:02
,
Arpan Rai
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said he had a “good meeting” with US president Donald Trump on the sidelines of the Nato summit.
“We talked about the situation on the battlefield. Putin is definitely not winning. I presented the President with the facts about what is really happening on the ground,” Mr Zelensky said.
The meeting between the two leaders was their first face-to-face since April, when they met at St Peter's Basilica during Pope Francis' funeral.
Mr Trump also had a major confrontation with Zelensky earlier this year at the White House.
Mr Zelensky said he discussed with Mr Trump the possibility of Kyiv producing drones with American companies and buying US air defence systems.
Ukraine, which is not a Nato member, has been front and centre at recent alliance summits.
I had a good meeting with @POTUS in The Hague.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) June 25, 2025
I congratulated President Trump on the successful operation in the Middle East. It is important that the U.S. actions have weakened not only their nuclear program but also their drone production capabilities. We will continue to… pic.twitter.com/pzoaBSn0Yi
Nato 'softens stance' on Putin
05:35
,
Arpan Rai
A row has broken out over the language used in the Nato declaration signed yesterday, with some reports suggesting the alliance has softened its stance on Russia to please Donald Trump.
The communique released refers to Nato’s unity “in the face of profound security threats and challenges, in particular the long-term threat posed by Russia to Euro-Atlantic security” and reaffirms support for Ukraine, but does not explicitly condemn the Russian invasion.
Asked whether Donald Trump did not want Nato to condemn Russian leader Vladimir Putin in the summit’s joint communique, Sir Keir Starmer said: “On the question of Ukraine, the position in Nato has not changed nor has my position changed.
“In fact, over the last couple of days I would say in my discussions with leaders there’s been a real resolve that now is the time to push again to get Putin to the table for the unconditional ceasefire.”
Russia says it has destroyed two drones headed for Moscow as airports shut down
05:18
,
Arpan Rai
Russian air defence units destroyed two drones targeting Moscow, mayor Sergei Sobyanin said this morning.
Specialists were examining debris on the ground, the mayor added.
Moscow's Vnukovo International Airport suspended departures and arrivals in response to the threat, news agencies quoted aviation watchdog Rosaviatsiya as saying. Restrictions were also in place for a time at airports along the Volga River.
The governor of the border region of Voronezh earlier reported that more than 40 drones had been destroyed throughout the day. In Bryansk region, also on the border, the regional governor said seven drones had been destroyed.
According to the Russian defence ministry’s report from yesterday evening, at least 18 drones had been destroyed over a three-hour period in several regions extending through central and southern Russia.
Trump praises Nato leaders’ ‘historic’ agreement to hike defence spending
04:40
,
Arpan Rai
European leaders in Nato have agreed to a historic increase in defence spending to 5 per cent of GDP – and praised Donald Trump for driving the uplift.
Secretary general Mark Rutte fawned over the US president for intervening in the conflict between Iran and Israel, likening him to a “daddy” figure overseeing two warring sides and calling the US president “a man of strength” for piling pressure on allies to put more money into security against a backdrop of worsening global tensions and the war in Ukraine.
The new spending pledge – 3.5 per cent of GDP on core defence by 2035, and 1.5 per cent on security and resilience measures – was described by Mr Trump as a “monumental win” for the US, Europe, and “Western civilisation”.
Millie Cooke, our political correspondent in The Hague for the Nato summit, reports:
Trump shows warmth as he answers question on US Patriots for Ukraine
04:27
,
Arpan Rai
US president Donald Trump has left open the possibility of sending Kyiv more US-made Patriot air defence missile systems as he answered a question from a Ukrainian journalist who said that her husband was a frontline soldier in Ukraine.
Mr Trump acknowledged that sending more Patriots would help the Ukrainian cause.
"They do want to have the antimissile missiles, OK, as they call them, the Patriots," Mr Trump said.
"And we're going to see if we can make some available. We need them, too. We're supplying them to Israel, and they're very effective, 100 per cent effective. Hard to believe how effective. They do want that more than any other thing,” the US president said.
Mr Trump laid into the US media throughout his news conference but showed unusual warmth toward the Ukrainian reporter.
"That's a very good question," Mr Trump said about the query about Patriots. "And I wish you a lot of luck. I mean, I can see it's very upsetting to you. So say hello to your husband,” he said.
Trump says 'misguided' Putin might invade countries beyond Ukraine
04:19
,
Arpan Rai
US president Donald Trump has not rejected the chances of Russian president Vladimir Putin invading other countries beyond Ukraine.
Mr Trump was asked whether he considered Mr Putin an enemy and if he believed that the Russian president has territorial ambitions beyond Ukraine.
Answering the question at a press conference at the Nato summit in the Hague yesterday, Mr Trump said “It’s possible”.
"I consider him a person who I think is misguided," Mr Trump said.
Mr Trump reiterated his belief that Mr Putin wants to end the war in Ukraine that began with Moscow's invasion in February 2022.
"He'd like to get out of this thing. It's a mess for him," Mr Trump said. "He called the other day, and he said, 'Can I help you with Iran?' I said, 'No, you can help me with Russia."'
A recap of events at the Nato summit yesterday
04:08
,
Arpan Rai
Nato backs big defence spending hike: At a summit in The Hague, Nato leaders agreed to significantly raise defence spending – a key demand from US president Donald Trump – and reaffirmed the alliance’s core commitment to collective defence under Article 5.
Trump claims ‘great victory’: Trump welcomed the new 5 per cent of GDP spending target, saying he hoped it would benefit the US defence industry. He confirmed his backing for Nato’s mutual defence pledge, saying: “If I didn’t stand with it, I wouldn’t be here.”
Macron pushes back on trade threats: French president Emmanuel Macron raised concerns over Trump’s threatened tariffs, saying it was contradictory to increase military spending while risking a trade war. “We can't say we are going to spend more and then launch a trade war,” he said.
Rutte praises Trump’s pressure: Nato secretary general Mark Rutte – hosting the summit in The Hague – said the alliance would become “stronger, fairer and more lethal”, crediting Trump for pushing allies to commit more.
New spending formula unveiled: The new 5 per cent target includes 3.5 per cent for core defence and 1.5 per cent for broader security. Achieving this will be difficult for many European economies.
Zelensky sidelined: Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky attended a pre-summit dinner but was not part of the main Wednesday meeting. He met with Trump separately.
Kremlin criticises Nato: Russia accused the alliance of “rampant militarisation” and demonising Moscow to justify the defence budget surge.
Trump will look at giving Ukraine more Patriot missiles as he calls on Putin to end war
04:06
,
Arpan Rai
Donald Trump said he is considering sending more Patriot missile systems to Ukraine, as he renewed calls on Russian leader Vladimir Putin to end the war.
The president added that he isn’t ruli
