Top US diplomatic envoy Steve Witkoff has travelled to Russia ahead of a meeting with Vladimir Putin, according to reports.
It comes as John Healey has urged allies to “look again” at what else they can do to provide military aid to Ukraine.
The UK defence secretary was addressing defence ministers at a meeting in Brussels, and unveiled a fresh round of military support for Ukraine worth £450m, of which the UK is providing £350m.
Germany will provide €11billion of military support for Ukraine until 2029, Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov said on Friday.
It came as an EU-Ukraine Association Council meeting in Brussels, agreed to finance two million artillery shells for Ukraine's defense.
Earlier, Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of running active recruitment campaigns in China, and having as many as 155 Chinese nationals fighting in his ranks.
The US says it is working to end the war as Mr Witkoff is expected to meet the Russian president on Friday, according to Axios.
Donald Trump has also pledged that US officials will look into evidence that Chinese mercenaries are fighting alongside Russian forces against Ukraine.
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Key points
- UK Defence Secretary urges allies to provide more military aid to Kyiv
- Russian ads recruiting Chinese mercenaries seek 'tough man'
- Russia accuses Ukraine of attacking its energy infrastructure five times in past 24 hours
- British troops could be deployed in Ukraine for five years
- Germany to provide €11billion military support for Ukraine
- Prince Harry pictured with wounded soldiers in surprise visit to Ukraine
Live: UK defence secretary meets Ukraine allies as Britain pledges £450m 'surge' in support
10:58
,
Barney Davis
Two million artillery shells to be funded by EU
10:45
,
Barney Davis
During the EU-Ukraine Association Council meeting in Brussels, discussions centered on financing two million artillery shells for Ukraine's defense.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal announced on Ukrainian television that all parties agreed to start implementing the project immediately.
“Europe has awakened and is actively advancing defense industry and security innovation programs. Ukraine holds a significant role in this cooperation, participating in major initiatives such as the European Defense Strategy and the European Defense Program,” he said.
“We are already participants in these processes and will continue to play an active role.”
The Prime Minister revealed that the European Commission plans to allocate approximately €800 billion for defense industry development and innovation in the coming years.
Russia accuses Ukraine of attacking its energy infrastructure five times in past 24 hours
10:39
,
Barney Davis
The Russian Defence Ministry has accused Ukraine of attacking Russian energy infrastructure five times in the last 24 hours.
The ministry said in a statement that Ukrainian strikes had hit power facilities in Russia's Kursk and Bryansk regions, as well as energy targets in Russian-controlled parts of the Ukrainian regions of Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia, which Moscow has claimed as its own.
The Independent was unable to verify the reports of the strikes.
Ukraine has made similar accusations against Russia since the US-brokered moratorium on strikes on each other's energy facilities.
Germany to provide €11billion military support for Ukraine
10:33
,
Barney Davis
Germany will provide €11billion of military support for Ukraine until 2029, Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov said on Friday.
In his post on X, Umerov said that the deliveries planned for this year would help strengthen Ukrainian air defences and support Kyiv troops on the battlefield.
Technical consultations over US-Ukraine minerals deal to occur today
10:31
,
Rachel Clun, with Reuters
Another key meeting taking place today is a technical consultation over the US-Ukraine minerals deal.
Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Olga Stefanishyna confirmed on Thursday that negotiations over the deal will occur in Washington on Friday.
The minerals deal is part of Donald Trump’s push to end the war and recoup the billions America has spent on military assistance to Ukraine, which was not initially provided as a loan.
Ms Stefanishyna said any deal could not clash with Ukraine’s obligations to the European Union or the International Monetary Fund.
"Nothing...can be negotiated with Ukraine in a way that will undermine the existing commitments and obligations Ukraine has, including financial ones," she said. "This is something that is not subjected to any negotiation format."
Earlier this week it was revealed that Kyiv had set aside $2.7m (£2.1m) for consulting on how to "protect the national interests of Ukraine and to formulate the position of Ukraine"
Zelensky says bolstering air defence is a priority
10:16
,
Rachel Clun
Volodymyr Zelensky welcomed today’s meeting of defence ministers in Brussels and reiterated that Ukraine’s priority is air defence.
“It is very important that our partners hear us,” he said.
“Ukrainians know how to be precise. We have already learned to shoot down a significant amount of Russia’s weapons of terror. We just need to address the shortage of air defense systems to make our sky protection stronger.”
He continued: “Our partners can help with this and also speed up the implementation of all agreements reached earlier.”
The Ukrainian president said the country needs more Patriot surface-to-air missile systems.
“Patriots that remain unused in storage with our partners should be protecting lives.”
In the 27th meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group at the Nato headquarters today, the group has committed an additional £450m to Ukraine’s military aid.
The new package includes funding for hundreds of thousands of drones, as well as radar systems and anti-tank mines, and repair and maintenance support for armoured vehicles.
'Ukraine is becoming stronger': German defence minister
09:59
,
Rachel Clun
Germany’s Defence Minister Boris Pistorius declined to comment on the US decision to step back from its leadership role in Ukraine, saying that "it's a decision of the new administration in Washington."
"We are here to take over the lead," he told reporters in Brussels, "and we are willing and determined to do that with full responsibility and together with our allies."
Germany and the UK are co-chairing the 27th meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group at the Nato headquarters today, and the group has committed an additional £450m to Ukraine’s military aid - £350m of which is from the UK.
Mr Pistorius said it was vital for other countries to step up in support of Ukraine, as the conflict was much broader than just two countries.
“Ukraine has become the epicentre of a broader conflict: a conflict between freedom and opporession, between the recog of global standards and aggressive imperialism, between democracy and authoritarianism,” he said.
“All this is about whether the strength of law, or the law of the strongest will prevail in international relations”
He said Russia will only negotiate if Europe shows Ukraine can continue fighting if necessary, and that it would be able to defend itself even after a possible peace accord.
“Russia should be under no illusion: Ukraine is becoming stronger. We must, and we will make sure of that,” he said.
Analysis: US absence at crunch summit shows Trump’s focus is elsewhere
09:45
,
Archie Mitchell
John Healey was careful to praise Pete Hegseth for taking the time to virtually check in at a crunch summit of countries backing Ukraine’s ongoing war effort against Vladimir Putin.
The defence secretary thanked his US counterpart for being “determined to join us” despite being busy “travelling” - even before giving a shout out to Volodymyr Zelensky, who is also dialing in.
Mr Hegseth’s decision to snub the meeting and attend virtually is the clearest sign yet of America’s waning interest in the war under Donald Trump. The US president’s administration is bogged down in its damaging global trade war, and peace talks brokered by the Americans have stalled after Russia rejected a 30-day ceasefire proposal.
Mr Trump once promised to end the war in Ukraine in 24 hours if he was re-elected. Having failed, it seems the issue is now on the backburner for the US president.
Defence secretary says 2025 is 'critical year' for Ukraine
09:30
,
Rachel Clun
Addressing defence minister in Brussels, John Healey said: “2025 is the critical year for the war in Ukraine”.
“This is the critical moment, a moment for our defense industries to step up, and they are a moment for our militaries to step up, and they are a moment for our governments to step up, and we are together.
“We are sending a signal to Russia, and we are saying to Ukraine that we stand with you in the fight and we will stand with you in the peace.”
‘We cannot jeopardise the peace by forgetting about the war,’ Healey warns
09:24
,
Archie Mitchell
John Healey has warned countries not to jeopardise the peace process by “forgetting about the war”.
The defence secretary wants world leaders to ensure Ukraine remains in the strongest position possible as negotiations about a peace deal with Russia have stalled.
The fighting is ongoing and the UK fears Volodymyr Zelensky losing further ground and finding himself in a weaker position in future talks.
He said: “Today at this Ukraine contact group, we step up our support for Ukraine in the fight, and our job as defense ministers is to get urgent military aid into the hands of Ukrainian war fighters.
“And to those nations not making fresh commitments today, I urge you to look again, to look hard at what more you can do.”
UK Defence Secretary urges allies to provide more military aid to Kyiv
09:18
,
Rachel Clun
John Healey has urged allies to “look again” at what else they can do to provide military aid to Ukraine.
The Defence Secretary has been opening the meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group at Nato headquarters in Brussels this morning.
He said: "Today, at this Ukraine Contact Group, we step up our support for Ukraine in the fight.
"Our job as defence ministers is to get urgent military aid into the hands of Ukrainian warfighters.
"And to those nations not making fresh commitments today, I urge you to look again, to look hard at what more you can do.”
The group is committing £450 million in military aid to Ukraine today, and Mr Healey said: "All military aid now will help Ukraine in the fight today and help secure a durable peace tomorrow, because the Ukrainian armed forces must be their own strongest deterrent against further Russian attacks."
US working 'for that war to end', state spokesperson says
09:03
,
Rachel Clun
US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said that America was “working for that war to end”.
Ms Bruce said President Donald Trump and Secretary Marco Rubio have both made it clear what is at stake if Russia does not come to the table for peace talks.
“It is a dynamic that will not be solved militarily, it is a meatgrinder,” she told reporters on Thursday. “Nothing else can be discussed before the shooting and the killing stops.”
The spokesperson said Mr Rubio has previously made it clear that it will soon be obvious whether Russia is serious about ending the conflict.
“This is not going to go on for six months or a year,” she said.
Trump envoy travels to Russia for Putin meeting
08:47
,
Rachel Clun
A key Trump administration diplomatic envoy has traveled to Russia ahead of meetings with Vladimir Putin, according to reports.
Steve Witkoff is expected to meet the Russian president on Friday, Axios reports, which would be their third meeting.
Last week on the sidelines of a Nato summit, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said it will soon become clear whether Russia actually wants peace.
"We will know soon enough, in a matter of weeks, not months, whether Russia is serious about peace or not. I hope they are," he said.
British forces could help Ukraine training on the ground
08:37
,
Rachel Clun
British troops could help to train and rebuild Ukraine’s armed forces on the ground as soon as a “reassurance force” is deployed, according to reports.
The joint French and British-led force would also offer to help defend Ukraine’s air and seas, a report from The Telegraph says.
The report said Britain is considering deploying troops to Ukraine for five years, and military chiefs also discussed a plan for a phased withdrawal.
Ukraine military says Russia launched 39 drones overnight
08:22
,
Rachel Clun
Ukraine’s military said Russia launched 39 drone attacks overnight.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces said they successfully shot down 24 drones and another 13 failed to reach their targets.
It did not say what happened to the remaining two drones.
Former UK spy chief tells Trump to go slow on Ukraine if he wants the Nobel
07:59
,
Arpan Rai
Britain’s former top spy has advised US president Donald Trump not to rush a ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia, dangling the prospect of a Nobel prize if he does so.
Richard Dearlove, the ex-head of MI6, told NBC News that rushing a truce in the war could encourage president Vladimir Putin to launch other hostile forays into Europe.
“If you want to get the Nobel Peace Prize, don’t do a premature deal with Ukraine – wait,” Sir Dearlove said, adding that the Russians badly need a ceasefire as they face waning Kremlin cash reserves and the falling price of crude oil, which Moscow exports to fund its war machine.
“Ukraine is pretty close to a tipping point,” he said. “But the worry at the moment is that Trump will do a premature deal with the Russians” and make too many concessions, he said.
British troops could be deployed in Ukraine for five years – report
07:31
,
Arpan Rai
Britain is considering deploying troops to Ukraine for five years under plans being discussed by allies, unnamed sources told The Telegraph.
Under the plan, one of a number of options on the table, a European-led force would be dispatched to Ukraine to initially deter Russia from breaching any settlement and to offer Kyiv’s men some much-needed respite, the report added.
A "significant number" of countries are willing to provide peacekeeping troops in Ukraine in the event of a peace deal with Russia, a spokesperson for prime minister Keir Starmer said in March.
Healey asks Ukraine 'Coalition of the Willing' to make plans for deploying troops in event of ceasefire
07:18
,
Arpan Rai
Defence secretary John Healey has urged his counterparts from around 30 countries to press ahead with plans to deploy troops to Ukraine to police any future peace agreement with Russia.
His plea to allies in the so-called "Coalition of the Willing" on Thursday came as questions loomed over whether the US would be willing to provide such backup to the peace deal it is trying to rush through.
Chairing the first meeting of the coalition at the level of defence ministers, Mr Healey said its members must ensure "that we're fully prepared for the moment a peace agreement is reached."
"We must be ready for when that peace comes. That's why the work of this coalition is so vital," Mr Healey said at Nato headquarters in Brussels yesterday.
He added that 200 military planners have been developing plans to deepen European involvement in Ukraine.
Mr Healey said the "reassurance force for Ukraine would be a committed and credible security arrangement to ensure that any negotiated peace does bring what President Trump has pledged: a lasting peace for Ukraine."
What the capture of Chinese soldiers says about Beijing’s role in Ukraine
07:01
,
Arpan Rai
The Chinese prisoner has a fearful expression as his Ukrainian captors train a video camera on him. He speaks in Mandarin, the common language of his homeland. His green uniform is like any regular soldier’s. But is it proof that China is fighting alongside the Russian army?
This is a hybrid war and while China has not disputed the facts, the boundaries of truth are cloaked in deniability. The incident – astutely publicised by Ukraine just as America is in a trade showdown with China – has illuminated the shadows of a very modern conflict.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said his troops captured two Chinese citizens after a skirmish in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine. They found identity documents, bank cards and other evidence of their nationality. In most armies that would be a severe security lapse.
Prince Harry visits Ukraine to meet war heroes
06:24
,
Arpan Rai
Russian ads recruiting Chinese mercenaries seek 'tough man'
06:02
,
Arpan Rai
Several Russian advertisements have been found on Chinese social media seeking “tough men” to fight in the war on Ukraine, it has been reported.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said earlier this week that his troops captured two Chinese citizens during a skirmish in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine and more than 155 are already fighting Ukraine.
China has denied actively deploying troops to help its ally Russia in the war and said it was making efforts to discourage its citizens from signing up as mercenaries or volunteers.
But the Guardian reported that a number of recruitment clips were easy to find on China's heavily-censored social media platforms, offering pay ranging from 60,000 to 200,000 RMB (£6,000 to £21,000) in sign-up bonuses and a monthly salary of about 18,000 RMB (£1,900).
“Do you want to show strength here? Is this the path that you long for? You are a tough man, be like them!” says one advertisement seen across several platforms.
Russia says it captures village in Sumy region
05:39
,
Arpan Rai
Russia's defence ministry said its forces had captured the village of Zhuravka in Ukraine's northern border region of Sumy yesterday.
Officials in Ukraine have made no acknowledgement that it had been taken.
The latest report by Russia's defence ministry made no further comment beyond saying its troops were in control of Zhuravka.
Ukrainian officials said there was intensified Russian military activity on their side of the border, but made no mention of Zhuravka falling into Russian hands.
Four days ago, Moscow said its forces had seized another village in the region, Basivka, a claim denied by Ukrainian officials.
John Healey to present £450m Ukraine support package and pile pressure on Putin
05:22
,
Arpan Rai
The defence secretary John Healey is set to chair a meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group in Brussels along with his German counterpart Boris Pistorius, where he will announce new military package for the war-hit country.
The group includes Nato and other nations supporting Ukraine.
The military funding will provide repairs and maintenance to vehicles and equipment as well as radar systems, anti-tank mines and hundreds of thousands of drones.
"The work of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group is vital to put Ukraine in the strongest possible position and pile pressure on (Russian President Vladimir) Putin to help force him to end this terrible war," he is expected to say at the meeting.
"We cannot jeopardise peace by forgetting the war, which is why today's major package will surge support to Ukraine's frontline fight."
This comes just a day after the defence minister chaired a meeting of the defence ministers of the so-called "coalition of the willing", a British and French-led peacekeeping initiative in the event of a peace deal in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Mapped: All Ukrainian incursions into Russia - including activity in Belgorod confirmed by Zelensky
04:51
,
Arpan Rai
Volodymyr Zelensky has confirmed that Ukrainian troops are active inside Russia’s Belgorod region, as Kyiv seeks to protect towns near the border.
The Ukrainian president described the move as “absolutely justified” as Ukraine looks to stave off Russian advances, as Moscow delays ceasefire negotiations in an apparent effort to seize more land.
After Ukraine’s foothold in Russia’s Kursk region collapsed in dramatic fashion - despite Ukrainian troops remaining in small pockets of the area - Kyiv may be searching to rebuild the leverage it had hoped to keep for any future ceasefire negotiations.
US-Russian ballerina Ksenia Karelina freed from Russian jail in prisoner swap
04:50
,
Arpan Rai
A US ballerina jailed for 12 months in Russia after donating $51 to a charity supporting Ukraine has been freed.
Ksenia Karelina was arrested in Yekaterinburg in February last year after returning to Russia to visit her family.
On Thursday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed she had been released and was on a plane home to the US in a post on X.
Zelensky accuses Putin’s forces of systematically recruiting Chinese citizens to fight in Ukraine war
04:40
,
Arpan Rai
Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Russia of systematically recruiting people from China to fight its deadly war in Ukraine, deepening the row over Chinese fighters.
Two Chinese citizens were caught among Russia’s ranks in Ukraine’s war-torn Donetsk region, Mr Zelensky announced on Tuesday, before claiming that there are more than 150 Chinese fighters currently among Russia’s ranks.
The allegations have prompted a furious response from Beijing, which on Thursday warned Kyiv and its allies not to make “irresponsible remarks” after previously decrying what it described as Mr Zelensky’s “baseless” claims that there were more fighters.
US ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink to step down as peace talks uncertain
04:35
,
Arpan Rai
Bridget Brink, the US ambassador to Ukraine, is stepping down from her post after nearly three years in Kyiv amid uncertainty over the Trump administration’s attempts to broker a peace deal to end the Russia-Ukraine war.
Her resignation had been expected for some time, especially considering her differences with the Trump administration on rapprochement with Russia and ending the war.
The State Department announced yesterday that Ms Brink will be leaving her post in the near future, although it was not immediately clear exactly when she would depart.
Ms Brink assumed the post under former president Joe Biden’s administration and has been a staunch advocate for US military assistance to Ukraine.
“Ambassador Brink is stepping down,” the department said.
“She’s been the ambassador in Kyiv for three years — that’s a long time in a war zone. And frankly, the war has gone on for far too long.”“The real issue is whether the Russians and Ukrainians are ready to do what’s necessary to end this war,” it said.
Prince Harry pictured with wounded soldiers in surprise visit to Ukraine
04:30
,
Arpan Rai
The Duke of Sussex has met war victims in Ukraine in an unannounced visit to the country as part of his work with wounded veterans, a spokesperson said.
Prince Harry visited the Superhumans Centre, an orthopaedic clinic in Lviv that treats and rehabilitates wounded military personnel and civilians.
He saw some of the sophisticated services provided free of charge, including prosthetics, reconstructive surgery and psychological help.
Ukraine to sanction Putin's shadow fleet
04:06
,
Arpan Rai
Volodymyr Zelensky has said Ukraine’s new sanctions package will target Russia’s “shadow fleet”, which has helped finance Vladimir Putin’s war.
The shadow fleet is made up of aging tankers bought used, often by nontransparent entities with addresses in non-sanctioning countries such as the United Arab Emirates or the Marshall Islands, and flagged in places like Gabon or the Cook Islands.
Some of the vessels are owned by the Russian state Sovcomflot shipping company.
Their role is to help Russia’s oil exporters elude the $60 per barrel price cap imposed by Ukraine’s allies.
“They (the sanctions) target, in particular, the shadow tanker fleet that Moscow uses to finance the war; war propagandists – those who are trying to undermine our defence and help Russia; and also certain officials – these are names well known to all Ukrainians – who used to have influence," the Ukrainian president said.
He said that the Ukraine is working with its European allies on the new sanctions.
"We are working to synchronise our sanctions packages with the decisions of partners – first and foremost in the European Union, as well as in other strong jurisdictions around the world," Mr Zelensky said.
Ukraine to receive $580m of UK-led military support
03:58
,
Arpan Rai
Ukraine will receive fresh military support worth £450m, Britain said this morning as European allies attempt to strengthen the war-hit nation’s position ahead of any peace deal with Russia.
Britain will provide £350m of the amount from its £4.5bn military support package for Ukraine this year, with Norway contributing further funding, the Ministry of Defence said.
The funding was announced just hours before British defence minister John Healey is due to chair a meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group in Brussels along with his German counterpart Boris Pistorius. The group includes Nato and other nations supporting Ukraine.
The funding will provide repairs and maintenance to vehicles and equipment as well as radar systems, anti-tank mines and hundreds of thousands of drones.
Prince Harry meets war victims
03:39
,
Arpan Rai
Prince Harry has met war victims in an unannounced visit to Ukraine as part of his work with wounded veterans, a spokesperson said.
Harry visited the Superhumans Centre, an orthopaedic clinic in Lviv that treats and rehabilitates wounded military personnel and civilians, to see top-notch services provided in a country in the midst of war.
The centre provides prosthetics, reconstructive surgery and psychological help free of charge.
The Duke of Sussex, who served 10 years in the British Army, has made helping injured soldiers one of his most prominent causes.