Donald Trump is set to speak with Vladimir Putin in the next week to further discuss a ceasefire deal with Ukraine.
Speaking to CNN on Sunday, US envoy Steve Witkoff said the leaders will speak over the phone after what he described as a "positive" meeting with Putin in Moscow.
"I expect that there will be a call with both presidents this week, and we're also continuing to engage and have conversation with the Ukrainians," said Witkoff, who met with Putin on Thursday night, adding that he thought the talk between Trump and Putin would be "really good and positive."
Ukraine has confirmed its withdrawal from the biggest town it held in Kursk, as Russia battles the last of Kyiv’s troops out of the key region.
In early August 2024, Ukrainian troops staged an incursion into Russia’s Kursk region, capturing areas they hoped could be a crucial bargaining chip in peace negotiations.
But seven months later, Kyiv’s forces are rapidly losing ground amid a major Russian offensive to recapture land.
A battleground map shared by Ukraine’s general staff on Sunday seemingly confirmed they had retreated from Sudzha, the biggest town Ukraine controlled in Kursk, and the surrounding area.
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Key Points
- Trump and Putin to speak in coming days
- Ukraine confirm withdrawal from key Kursk town
- Moscow closes in on recapturing Kursk
- 10,000 troops could be deployed for peacekeeping force - reports
- Zelensky warns Russian troops planning fresh ground invasion
Russia demands peace deal includes ban on Ukraine joining Nato
02:47
,
Arpan Rai
Russia will seek "ironclad" guarantees in any peace deal on Ukraine that Nato nations will exclude Kyiv from membership and that Ukraine will remain "neutral", a Russian deputy foreign minister said in remarks published today.
Russia’s deputy foreign minister Alexander Grushko said that any long-lasting peace treaty on Ukraine must meet Moscow's demands in a broad-ranging interview with the Russian media outlet Izvestia that made no reference to the US ceasefire proposal.
"We will demand that ironclad security guarantees become part of this agreement," Izvestia cited Mr Grushko as saying.
"Part of these guarantees should be the neutral status of Ukraine, the refusal of Nato countries to accept it into the alliance,” he said.
The ‘nyet’ factor: Will Putin accept a ceasefire in Ukraine?
02:00
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Jabed Ahmed
Steve Witkoff: Who is the real estate mogul Trump picked to broker Ukraine peace with Putin?
01:00
,
Jabed Ahmed
Watch | Putin ally clashes with LBC host as he claims Ukrainians are 'thankful' for Russian invasion
Sunday 16 March 2025 23:59
,
Jabed Ahmed
Russia launches drone attack on Ukraine's capital of Kyiv, mayor says
Sunday 16 March 2025 23:49
,
Holly Evans
Russia launched an overnight drone attack on Kyiv, Vitali Klitschko, mayor of the Ukrainian capital said early on Monday.
Klitschko, in a post on the Telegram messaging app, said that Ukrainian air defence units were trying to repel the attack.
Reuters' witnesses heard blasts in parts of the city in what sounded like air defence systems in operation.
Comment | Putin has given Trump a clear message – he still wants to win
Sunday 16 March 2025 23:00
,
Jabed Ahmed
Russia seeks NATO exclusion in Ukraine's peace treaty
Sunday 16 March 2025 22:49
,
Holly Evans
Russia will seek guarantees that NATO countries will exclude Ukraine from membership and Ukraine will remain neutral in any peace deal, a Russian deputy foreign minister said in remarks published on Monday.
"We will demand that ironclad security guarantees become part of this agreement," Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko told the Russian media outlet Izvestia.
"Part of these guarantees should be the neutral status of Ukraine, the refusal of NATO countries to accept it into the alliance."
Pictured | Russian drone strike in Chernihiv
Sunday 16 March 2025 22:00
,
Jabed Ahmed
Watch | Meet the American medic serving on Ukraine's frontline
Sunday 16 March 2025 21:01
,
Jabed Ahmed
Lithuania backs plan to double EU military aid for Ukraine
Sunday 16 March 2025 20:43
,
Holly Evans
Lithuania on Sunday backed an EU proposal to pledge up to 40 billion euros ($43.5 billion) in military aid for Ukraine this year and said a similar amount would also be needed in future years to deter any future Russian attack.
"If we can sustain this amount ... for a longer period of time, that would be the amount that would allow Ukrainians to keep their armed forces at current strength," Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys told Reuters on Sunday.
Budrys spoke on the eve of a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels that will discuss the proposal, put forward by the bloc's diplomatic service, headed by former Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas.
The meeting comes at a time of uncertainty about the outcome of U.S. negotiations with Russia, the future of U.S. assistance to Ukraine and Washington's commitment to European security.
EU diplomats suggested doubling military aid to Ukraine to as much as 40 billion euros, according to a document seen by Reuters on Friday.
Putin’s troops say they’re close to retaking Kursk from Ukrainian forces – here’s why it matters
Sunday 16 March 2025 20:01
,
Jabed Ahmed
The Independent View | Keir Starmer’s steady leadership offers the best chance of forcing Putin to make peace
Sunday 16 March 2025 19:01
,
Jabed Ahmed
Read The Independent’s editorial below:
What has the US said regarding a ceasefire?
Sunday 16 March 2025 18:01
,
Jabed Ahmed
President Trump, who said he was willing to talk to the Russian leader by phone, called Mr Putin's statement "very promising" and said he hoped Moscow would "do the right thing".
But, he added: “Now we’re going to see whether or not Russia is there, and if they’re not, it’ll be a very disappointing moment for the world.”
He said Steve Witkoff, his special envoy, was engaged in serious talks with the Russians in Moscow on the US proposal, which Kyiv has already agreed to.
Mr Trump claims he has received “positive messages” about the ceasefire from Moscow and reiterated on Wednesday that he would “do things financially that would be very bad for Russia” if they did not accept it.
He said that a ceasefire would make sense for Moscow but said there was “a lot of downside for Russia too”, without elaborating.
“We have a very complex situation solved on one side, pretty much solved. We've also discussed land and other things that go with it,” he said.
“We know the areas of land we're talking about, whether it's pull back or not pull back.”
He acknowledged that positive signals from the Russians meant “nothing” until a deal had been signed. Much of Europe and Ukraine believe Mr Putin’s positive signals will continue to mean nothing even after a peace agreement is signed; history is filled with examples of Russia, under Mr Putin’s leadership, breaking ceasefire agreements, they say.
US secretary of state Marco Rubio, who led the delegation in Saudi Arabia, said after the talks that the US would take the offer to Russia, and the ball is in Moscow's court. "Our hope is that the Russians will answer 'yes' as quickly as possible, so we can get to the second phase of this, which is real negotiations," he told reporters.
‘No ceasefire will work’: Medics on Ukraine’s frontline scorn Trump’s peace talks
Sunday 16 March 2025 17:39
,
Jabed Ahmed
Our World Affairs Editor Sam Kiley reports:
Zelensky appoints new chief of general staff to speed up reforms
Sunday 16 March 2025 17:29
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Jabed Ahmed
President Volodymyr Zelensky has appointed Major-General Andriy Hnatov as Ukraine's chief of the general staff as Kyiv seeks to speed up army reform.
A decree published on the presidential website said General Hnatov, a deputy chief of staff, would replace Lieutenant-General Anatoliy Barhilevych.
"We are consistently changing the armed forces to make them even more combat ready. To achieve it, we are changing the management system and introducing clear standards," Defence Minister Rustem Umerov said in a statement.
Hnatov has 27 years of military experience, having risen through the ranks from marines brigade commander to leading troops in the eastern Donetsk region.
Barhilevych would now oversee military standards and strengthen discipline in the army, the minister said.
What are Vladimir Putin’s demands?
Sunday 16 March 2025 17:01
,
Jabed Ahmed
During a press conference in the Kremlin on Thursday, Vladimir Putin said he agreed with the ceasefire but added there were “nuances” that had to be discussed.
He would agree to a truce based on the assumption it would lead to “a long-term peace”, he claimed, adding that any such agreement had to eliminate the “root causes” of the conflict.
The Russian president said Russian forces were moving forward along the entire front line and that the ceasefire would have to ensure that Ukraine did not seek to use it simply to regroup.
While Russian forces have staged a successful counteroffensive in the border region of Kursk in the last week, their attacks in the eastern Ukrainian region of Donetsk have slowed to a halt. Ukrainians have begun launching counterattacks along that eastern line, particularly in Toretsk.
The overwhelming concern among Ukrainians and their European allies is that it is Russia that would use a pause in fighting to regroup and attack Ukraine again.
Ukrainian soldiers in Kursk would have to “surrender or die”, Mr Putin warned. He questioned what would happen to troops currently in Kursk during any truce.
Previously, he has ruled out territorial concessions and said Ukraine must withdraw fully from four Ukrainian regions claimed and partly controlled by Russia. He has also insisted any ceasefire could proceed only if the West gave a guarantee that Ukraine would not join Nato.
Sunday 16 March 2025 16:45
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Jabed Ahmed
More information on expected call between Trump and Putin
Sunday 16 March 2025 15:53
Donald Trump is set to speak with Vladimir Putin in the next week to further discuss a ceasefire deal with Ukraine.
Speaking to CNN on Sunday, US envoy Steve Witkoff said the leaders will speak over the phone after what he described as a "positive" meeting with Putin in Moscow.
"I expect that there will be a call with both presidents this week, and we're also continuing to engage and have conversation with the Ukrainians," said Witkoff, who met with Putin on Thursday night, adding that he thought the talk between Trump and Putin would be "really good and positive."
Moscow closes in on recapturing Kursk
Sunday 16 March 2025 15:34
,
Athena Stavrou
Seven months after Ukraine launched an incursion into the western Russian region of Kursk, Moscow are close to driving them out completely.
Kyiv’s forces are rapidly losing land in the region which they hoped could be a crucial bargaining chip in peace negotiations.
Moscow claims that recent advances from its forces have left Ukrainian troops with less 200 square km (77 square miles) in Kursk, down from 1,300 square km (500 square miles) at the peak of the incursion.
A battleground map shared by Kyiv on Sunday also confirmed they had retreated from Sudzha, the biggest town Ukraine controlled in Kursk.
But Ukraine is still holding on to a sliver of land in the region, and Kyiv denies claims that its troops are surrounded.
Yuri Podolyaka, a Ukrainian-born, pro-Russian military blogger, claimed Russia has pushed back Ukrainian forces to the border in some areas, though intense battles are still underway and Kyiv’s forces were fighting back as they retreated.
Watch: Putin ally in heated clash with radio host as he claims Ukrainians ‘thankful’ for Russian invasion
Sunday 16 March 2025 15:23
Vladimir Putin's former advisor has suggested that Ukrainians should be "thankful" for Russia invading their country, prompting a heated clash with a UK radio host.
On Sunday, 16 February, Lewis Goodall spoke to Sergei Markov, former advisor to the Russian president and representative to the Council of Europe.
When discussing the possibility of peace, Mr Markov claimed Ukrainians should be "thankful" as Russia's bombs will liberate them from a "Neo-Nazi" regime, in what escalated into a heated clash between the Putin ally and the LBC host.
Britons could be conscripted if war broke out with Russia, Lib Dem MP says
Sunday 16 March 2025 15:11
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Athena Stavrou
A Liberal Democrat MP has warned Britons could be conscripted if a war broke out between Russia and the UK.
Mike Martin, an Afghanistan veteran and MP for Tunbridge Wells told the Express: “There’s a significant chance that it [war with Russia] might happen so we must be prepared.
"Obviously, if we get involved in a general war with Russia, we’ll be conscripting the population - there’s no question about that,"
However, he said that it is unlikely tensions will escalate that far as added: "[It is] quite unlikely that we get to that situation of sort of generalised war. I think you can see a space in between here and there, where we are increasing the size of the military quite rapidly.”
Turkish president backs Trump's steps to end war in Ukraine
Sunday 16 March 2025 14:48
,
Athena Stavrou
The Turkish president has backed Donald Trump’s steps to end the war in Ukraine after the pair spoke on the phone.
A statement released by Tayyip Erdogan’s office on Sunday said that the Turkish leader “supports President Trump's decisive and direct initiatives to end the war between Russia and Ukraine.”
The statement also says he “emphasised that Turkey has been striving for a just and lasting peace since the beginning of the war and will continue to do so.”
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan spoke by phone with President Donald Trump of the U.S.
— Republic of Türkiye Directorate of Communications (@Communications) March 16, 2025
The call addressed bilateral relations between Türkiye and the U.S., as well as regional and global matters.
President Erdoğan expressed his belief that Türkiye and the U.S., as two allies,…
Revealed: Ukraine’s red lines for any peace deal with Putin
Sunday 16 March 2025 14:28
,
Jabed Ahmed
What is Starmer's 'coalition of the willing'?
Sunday 16 March 2025 14:09
,
Jabed Ahmed
Sir Keir Starmer held a virtual meeting with 29 other world leaders to discuss peace in Ukraine.
The countries in the “coalition of the willing”, which include Britain, France, Australia and Canada, will discuss how to help Kyiv deter future Russian aggression in the event of any peace deal.
The leaders discussed how countries plan to contribute to the coalition of the willing, ahead of a military planning session next week.
Sunday 16 March 2025 13:49
,
Jabed Ahmed
Trump and Putin to speak this week
Sunday 16 March 2025 13:32
Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin are expected to speak this week amid pressure for Russia to accept a ceasefire deal.
Envoy Steve Witkoff said on Sunday that he expects the two leaders to speak after what he called positive talks with Putin in Moscow.
Ukraine confirm withdrawal from key Kursk town
Sunday 16 March 2025 13:08
,
Athena Stavrou
Ukraine has confirmed its troops have withdrawn from the town of Sudzha in the Kursk region.
In recent days, Moscow recaptured the town which was originally taken by Kyiv during their military operation in the Kursk region last last year.
On Sunday, Ukraine’s general staff posted a map of the region, depicting a full withdrawal of its forces from the town.
Kyiv has denied reports that is has retreated from the Kursk region entirely.
Pictured: Firefighters work at the site of an apartment building hit by a Russian drone strike in Chernihiv
Sunday 16 March 2025 12:30
,
Athena Stavrou
Ukraine will decide on peacekeepers, says Macron
Sunday 16 March 2025 12:00
,
Athena Stavrou
Emmanuel Macron has said Ukraine will have the power to decide whether Western troops are deployed as a peacekeeping force.
The French president said Russia will not have a say in whether the plan goes ahead, as plans for troop deployment become more concrete.
"Ukraine is sovereign. If it asks for allied forces to be on its territory, it's not something for Russia to accept or not," he told French media.
Putin’s troops say they’re close to retaking Kursk from Ukrainian forces – here’s why it matters
Sunday 16 March 2025 11:24
,
Athena Stavrou
Ukrainian forces are rapidly losing ground in the Kursk region amid a major Russian offensive to recapture land which Kyiv hoped could be a crucial bargaining chip in peace negotiations.
In an attempt to divert Russian forces from the brutal frontlines in eastern Ukraine – and embarrass Vladimir Putin – Ukraine smashed across the border into the Kursk region in August, the biggest attack on Russian territory since the Nazi invasion of 1941.
Putin visited the western region for the first time since its seizure on Wednesday, in a sign of the confidence Moscow has that they will retake complete control of the region.
Below my colleague Alex Croft details what is happening in Kursk:
Ukraine still operating in Kursk - ISW
Sunday 16 March 2025 11:12
,
Athena Stavrou
Kyiv’s forces have not been completely pushed out of the Kursk region, The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) has said.
Analysis by the US think tank says Russian forces continued offensive operations in the area, but have not recaptured it entirely.
It comes after Moscow’s troops recaptured the town of Sudzha and some surrounding villages - which were taken by Ukraine in August last year.
On Saturday, Zelensky denied reports that Ukraine had completely withdrawn from the region.
'Putin doesn't want a ceasefire' - Finland PM
Sunday 16 March 2025 10:42
,
Athena Stavrou
President of Finland Alexander Stubb has said the chances of Vladimir Putin entering peace negotiations are “abysmal”.
Asked about the Russian president’s willingness to enter peace talks, he told the BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg: “I think the chances are abysmal. I don’t think Putin doesn’t want a ceasefire. Putin doesn’t want peace.
“His original aim was basically to destroy the independent sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. Basically to have Ukraine ceasing to exist. He hasn’t changed his aim and this is what all of us around the table have to understand.
“That’s why we have to maximise the pressure on Putin which means more sanctions which means using the frozen assets and which actually means militarising Ukraine to the teeth.”
Recap: What is happening on Sumy border?
Sunday 16 March 2025 10:10
,
Athena Stavrou
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has warned that Putin could be planning an attack into Ukraine’s Sumy region.
On Saturday, Zelensky said Moscow had accumulated troops on the eastern border of Ukraine, indicating an “intention to attack our Sumy region”.
“We are also observing directions along our eastern border of Ukraine, where the Russian army is building up forces,” Zelensky wrote on X.
“This indicates an intention to attack our Sumy region. We are aware of this, and will counter it. I would like all partners to understand exactly what Putin is planning, what he is preparing for, and what he will be ignoring.”
Former UK national security adviser says peacekeeping force 'considerable risk'
Sunday 16 March 2025 09:59
,
Athena Stavrou
Former UK national security adviser Lord Peter Ricketts has said that a European force in Ukraine is a "considerable risk" without US support.
He told Sky News's Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips: "To be credible, a deterrent force has to be willing to fight, so are we actually saying that this force might one day have to fight the Russians in Ukraine? I think it's a genuine question.
"And the way to avoid it, of course, is to have a cast iron American guarantee that if the force got into trouble, the Americans would come in and support. That's what the backstop means.
"I just don't think Trump is going to give that kind of commitment, so while I admire the work going into this, and maybe there are ways that European forces can help in Ukraine... I think a formed fighting force is a considerable risk without an American clear guarantee."
Wes Streeting responds to possibility of clashes between Russia and peacekeeping troops
Sunday 16 March 2025 09:46
A confrontation between Russian and British troops in Ukraine would be an “extraordinary escalation” by Moscow, the Health Secretary has said.
Asked what deterrence a peacekeeping force could present to Russia, Wes Streeting told Sky News’s Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips: “I think it would be an extraordinary escalation for Russian troops to find themselves in conflict with British troops.
“What Thursday is about, where the Prime Minister and the UK are convening military leaders from across allied countries, is about having a serious plan, a serious military strategy to secure a peace.
“And of course there’s a huge amount of effort that the Prime Minister is heavily involved in to negotiate the peace.
“So there are lots of moving parts at the moment, it’s moving incredibly quickly, and what the Prime Minister has tried to do at every stage is to make sure that we come up with a credible plan involving the Ukrainians that guarantees their peace and security, and Europe’s at large because our own security is intertwined with Ukraine’s.”
Minenhunter ships ready to be deployed as part of peacekeeping force
Sunday 16 March 2025 09:02
,
Athena Stavrou
More details about the support the ‘coalition of the willing’ is planning to provide have been revealed.
According to The Times, two minehunter ships which were transferred from the Royal Navy to Ukraine last year are ready to be deployed as part of the potential peacekeeping force.
The paper reported that the ships are taking part in training exercises to prepare for deployment to the Black Sea - which they have been unable to enter due to the war shutting the Bosphorus Strait.
10,000 troops could be deployed for peacekeeping force - reports
Sunday 16 March 2025 08:43
,
Athena Stavrou
Over 10,000 troops could be deployed as part of the ‘coalition of the willing’ peacekeeping force in Ukraine, reports have suggested.
Sir Keir Starmer reportedly won over a number of countries in his virtual summit on Saturday, which discussed plans for Western troops to be deployed to enforce a ceasefire deal between Ukraine and Russia.
A senior government source told The Times that Starmer has now received support from “considerably more” than the three countries that initially backed sending troops on the ground.
Around 35 countries have agreed to supply weapons, logistical and intelligence support, as military source told the paper that the force could be “comfortably north of 10,000”.
Italy rules out deploying peacekeeping forces in Ukraine - despite joining meeting
Sunday 16 March 2025 08:30
,
Athena Stavrou
Italy has no plans to deploy peacekeeping forces on the ground in Ukraine to support a potential ceasefire, prime minister Giorgia Meloni's office announced on Saturday.
Despite joining Starmer’s ‘coalition of the willing’ meeting on Saturday, where members discussed sending troops in the event of a deal, Italy have ruled out sending their own forces.
“The Prime Minister confirmed that Italy intends to continue working with European and Western partners and with the United States to define credible and effective security guarantees, reiterating that national participation in a possible military force on the ground is not envisaged,” the statement said.
It was not certain whether Meloni would join Saturday’s meeting, as she had been critical of plans to deploy a peacekeeping force in the past.
Trump narrows envoy role to just Ukraine
Sunday 16 March 2025 08:12
,
Athena Stavrou
Donald Trump has narrowed General Keith Kellogg's role from special envoy for Ukraine and Russia to only Ukraine.
The decision comes after Russian officials had sought to exclude him from talks aiming to end the war.
"General Kellogg, a Highly Respected Military Expert, will deal directly with President Zelensky, and Ukrainian leadership," Trump said in a post on Truth Social.
"He knows them well, and they have a very good working relationship together."
Russia launches dozens of drones overnight
Sunday 16 March 2025 07:42
,
Athena Stavrou
Russia launched 90 drones in an overnight attack on Ukraine overnight, Kyiv has said.
Ukraine’s air defence units said it shot down 47 of the 90 drones and that 33 drones were lost “in reference to the Ukrainian military using electronic warfare to redirect them”.
Damage was reported in four regions in the north, centre and south of the country, the air force said without providing details.
What are Putin and Zelensky’s demands for agreeing 30-day truce?
Sunday 16 March 2025 07:30
,
Shahana Yasmin
Russia has presented the US with a list of demands for a deal to end its invasion of Ukraine and reset relations with Washington, it has been reported.
The demands were submitted to Washington after Ukraine accepted a 30-day proposal discussed with the US during peace talks in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday.
It is unclear what was included in that letter, but former senior British officials who focus on Russia have suggested to The Independent that Moscow will try to extract maximal demands from Washington in exchange for a ceasefire.
Canada pledges almost £27 m to Ukraine energy fund
Sunday 16 March 2025 07:10
,
Shahana Yasmin
Canada has contributed an additional CA$50m (£26.8m) to the Ukraine Energy Support Fund, Ukraine’s energy ministry announced on Saturday, according to The Kyiv Independent.
This follows Ukraine’s receipt of the first tranche of a $1.7bn loan, secured through frozen Russian assets from Canada, as confirmed by Ukraine’s finance ministry on 13 March.
“As Russia continues its ruthless attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure, leaving millions without electricity, water, and heat, Canada is proud... to continue the important work it is doing to help Ukraine repair its critical infrastructure,” said Canadian foreign minister Mélanie Joly in a statement.
“Contributions to the Energy Support Fund are directed toward purchasing equipment necessary for restoring energy facilities after enemy attacks and ensuring the stable operation of Ukraine’s energy system,” said Ukraine’s minister of energy Herman Halushchenko.
Watch in full: Starmer gives Ukraine update after urging world leaders to keep pressure on Russia
Sunday 16 March 2025 06:50
,
Shahana Yasmin
Watch as Sir Keir Starmer held a press conference after hosting a meeting with world leaders to discuss peace in Ukraine on Saturday, 15 March.
The prime minister urged countries in his “coalition of the willing” to keep pressure on Moscow after he warned Vladimir Putin not to “play games” over a ceasefire deal.
Around 25 world leaders joined Sir Keir for a virtual call on Saturday, including Emmanuel Macron, Volodymyr Zelensky and Nato secretary general Mark Rutte.
How Trump’s ‘America First’ MAGA movement turned the Republican Party into an ‘arm of the Kremlin’
