Ukraine-Russia war latest: Trump says Kyiv can ‘fight and win all of Ukraine back’ in major U-turn

WorldPolitics
24 Sep 2025 • 6:41 AM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

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US president Donald Trump has appeared to reverse his position on territory Ukraine has lost to Russia, saying Kyiv can win it all back.

He wrote on social media: “I think Ukraine, with the support of the European Union, is in a position to fight and WIN all of Ukraine back in its original form.

“With time, patience, and the financial support of Europe and, in particular, Nato, the original Borders from where this War started, is very much an option.”

Until now, he has called on Ukraine to make concessions. Mr Trump wrote the post soon after meeting Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.

In his speech, the US president targeted Russian leader Vladimir Putin for his “bad leadership” and issued a fresh threat of “powerful tariffs” on Moscow.

He said Russia’s war in Ukraine was “making them look bad” because it was “supposed to be a little skirmish”.

Danish prime minister Mette Frederiksen said she “cannot rule out” Russian involvement after Copenhagen Airport was shut down due to drone sightings on Monday evening.

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Key Points

  • Trump reverses stance on Ukraine's lost territory
  • Zelensky says Trump's latest comments signal 'big shift'
  • Trump fires shot at Putin for his 'bad leadership' in UN speech
  • Danish PM doesn't rule out Russian involvement after drones cause Copenhagen Airport shutdown
  • Trump threatens 'strong, powerful tariffs' on Moscow

Zelensky asks for Trump's help with China

04:17

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Arpan Rai

Volodymyr Zelensky has said he believes that US president Donald Trump could help change Chinese president Xi Jinping's stance on Russia's war in Ukraine.

"I think that President Trump can change the attitude of Xi Jinping to this war, because China, we don't feel that China wants to finish this war," Zelensky told Fox News after his meeting Trump on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

Acknowledging concern about Russian energy supplies to India and China, Zelensky said he believes Trump and European allies would work to ensure a closer, stronger relationship with India.

"I think we have to do everything not to withdraw Indians and they will change their attitude to Russian energy sector," Zelensky said.

"With China, it's more difficult because... for today, it's not in their interests not to support Russia."

The US has highlighted China and India as contributors to the Russia-Ukraine war due to their ongoing purchases of oil from Moscow.

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Poland to reopen border with Belarus after major Russia-led military exercise

04:00

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Alex Croft

Border crossings between Poland and Belarus will be reopened on midnight from Wednesday to Thursday, Polish prime minister Donald Tusk said on Tuesday.

Poland closed its border with Belarus this month as a result of Russia-led military exercises taking place in Belarus.

Nato alliance and European Union member Poland's concerns about the "Zapad" (West) war games were reinforced when some 21 Russian drones entered its airspace on the night of September 9-10.

"The conclusion of these exercises reduces - although I can't say eliminates - various threats, and taking into account the economic interests of Polish carriers and railways, we concluded that this measure has served its purpose," Tusk told the government.

"If tensions increase, we will not hesitate and we will make appropriate decisions."

Rutte says Russian incursions either intentional or 'blatant incompetence'

03:01

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Alex Croft

Mark Rutte, Nato’s secretary general, has been speaking to reporters about Russia’s repeated incursions into Nato territory.

Either they were intentional, or they were an example of “blatant incompetence”, Mr Rutte said.

But he says Nato had not immediately assessed a threat when Nato jets escorted Russian jets out of Estonian airspace last week.

"We will always assess the danger, whether it is a direct threat to our overall defence, our posture and (...) we will always act accordingly, but in this case there was no immediate threat assessed," he said during a news conference, referring to Estonia.

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Use Ukraine's counter drone expertise to protect Nato's borders, says Lithuania

01:30

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Alex Croft

Lithuania has called for Ukraine’s wartime military experience of downing Russian drones to be integrated into Nato’s plans for a “drone wall”.

“We have big holes in our EU defence. We lack the right equipment that would allow us to detect drones, to follow them, to track them, and then to destroy them. We lack it," Lithuanian foreign minister Kestutis Budrys told Reuters on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.

Budrys said Ukraine was fighting back drones every night and had the integrated systems to counter drones.

The EU is looking at how to create a "drone wall" along the EU's eastern border – a project infused with urgency by a Russian drone incursion into Poland.

“We have to bring this technology to the front line and to build it there, build it there so that it will be effective together with Ukrainians," Budrys said.

Speaking on Russian incursions into Nato airspace, Budrys said Moscow was using the alliance's hesitations and debate on how to respond to expand the grey zone around the conflict.

“We have to also very clearly articulate and show to Russia that further escalation from their side will bring a harsher response," he said.

Analysts and officials said the incursion exposed gaps in Europe's and Nato's ability to protect against drones, although Polish and Nato forces shot down several of them, albeit using expensive air defence systems and warplanes.

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Watch: Ukraine braces for new test as Russia steps up drive to seize Donetsk’s fortress belt

00:00

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Alex Croft

Zelensky says Trump could help change China's support for Russia invasion

23:49

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Tom Watling

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says he believes that Donald Trump could help change Chinese President Xi Jinping's stance on Russia's war in Ukraine.

He added that he was surpised by Trump’s earlier comments in which the US president said that he believed Ukraine could retake all its land occupied by Russia.

Cooper says UK ‘ready to act’ after Trump tells Nato to down Russian planes

23:09

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Tom Watling

Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper has said the UK is “ready to act” after Donald Trump urged Nato countries to shoot down intruding Russian planes.

Ms Cooper criticised Moscow for its “provocative and reckless” violations of Nato air space in recent weeks during a speech to the United Nations.

It came as Mr Trump said Ukraine can win back all territory it has lost to Russia – a dramatic shift from his previous call on Kyiv to make concessions.

Ms Cooper told the United Nations Security Council meeting on Tuesday: “Ukraine’s security is our security, and all of us depend on upholding the UN Charter.

“Russia’s actions seek to undermine democracy, secure conflict and spread instability far beyond Europe’s borders.

“In recent weeks, we’ve seen provocative and reckless violations of Nato air space in Estonia, Poland and Romania, against which Nato stands firm, and we will be ready to act.”

Nato has said it will respond to Russian aerial incursions with “military and non-military tools”.

Zelensky: Trump is a ‘game changer’ in Ukraine conflict

23:08

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Tom Watling

Why is a functioning rail network so important for Ukraine?

23:01

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Alex Croft

As the country faces nightly Russian air attacks, the rail network has become a crucial replacement for air transport since Vladimir Putin ordered a full-scale invasion in February 2022.

The railway network has been a lifeline for those moving around Ukraine and out of the country, after all civilian flights were grounded.

World leaders and politicians have arrived into wartime Ukraine by train, including former US president Joe Biden, Indian prime minister Narendra Modi and French president Emmanuel Macron.

The rail company's popular sleeper carriages are seen as a reliable way to travel overnight and arrive early in the morning in cities many hundreds of miles away.

But the recent intensification of Russian attacks has increased delays for passengers by several hours.

The railway is also crucial for transporting military equipment and commercial cargo, although volumes of the latter have dropped significantly in wartime.

Trump stance on Ukraine is 'big shift', Zelensky says

22:34

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Tom Watling

UK lacks will and leadership to do more to help Ukraine, says Boris Johnson

22:04

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Tom Watling

Boris Johnson has said the UK and its allies lack “the will and the leadership and the sense of urgency” to do more to help Ukraine.

Speaking at the opening of an exhibition called Indomitable Ukraine on Tuesday evening, the former prime minister said the UK is “still apprehensive about the consequences” of stepping up support.

He asked why frozen Russian assets are still not being used to fund the war effort, why the UK is still buying uranium from Russia, why it has not sanctioned Russian energy company Rosneft and why it has not imposed secondary sanctions on those still buying hydrocarbons from Russia.

Mr Johnson said: “I’ll tell you why. It’s because we’re still apprehensive about the consequences, and because we still fundamentally lack the will and the leadership and the sense of urgency to get this done.

“When you consider the immensity of their (Ukrainians’) sacrifice, there is absolutely no excuse for our continuing vacillation.

“The Ukrainians, my friends, are going to win. Ukraine will win. This is a war for independence. They are fighting for their land, they are fighting for their statehood.

“It’s a war of independence, and in the end, wars of independence only end one way, but it will end all the faster if we finally discover the collective will and courage that we need to give the Ukrainians what they need.”

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Ukrainian rail network surviving amid heavy wave of Russian attacks

22:00

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Alex Croft

Russia has unleashed a massive wave of attacks on Ukraine's railways since the summer using long-range drones, but the rail network is holding up for now, the chief of the state railway company has told Reuters news agency.

"Their first aim is to sow panic among passengers, their second aim is to hit the overall economy," Oleksandr Pertsovskyi said in an interview held in a rail carriage at Kyiv's central station.

There did not appear to be a particular focus on targeting military cargo. "These are all, in essence, strikes on civilian infrastructure," he said.

Ukrzaliznytsia, Ukraine’s state-owned railway company, employs 170,000 people and has been the target of Russian attacks since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022 but attacks have intensified, causing regular delays.

Mr Pertsovskyi said the railway is recovering from each blow for now.

The immediate disruption to trains after an attack usually lasts six to 12 hours and electric locomotives are switched out for diesel while power is restored.

"It's a marathon... They strike us, we recover," he said. "They strike us, we recover."

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Zelensky says Trump's latest comments signal 'big shift'

21:59

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Tom Watling

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has hailed Donald Trump’s latest comments appearing to back Kyiv’s hopes of reclaiming the entire mainland from Russian occupation as a “big shift”.

Speaking to Sky News after a meeting with Trump, Zelensky referred to the US president’s latest post on Truth Social, saying “this post of Trump is a big shift”.

He added that though the details of further security guarantees remain unclear, it was “ good that we will work on some types of it and some types of drones and some types of weapons that we need for security guarantees”.

Earlier, he told the United Nations Security Council that he and Trump “spoke about how to finally bring peace and we discussed a few good ideas and I hope they will work”.

He added: “We expect America to push Russia towards peace. Moscow fears America and always pays attention to it.”

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Moscow claims control over village in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region

21:02

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Alex Croft

Reuters news agency is reporting that Moscow has claimed another village in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region.

The Russian Defence Ministry claimed that its forces have captured the small settlement of Pereizne, according to the Russia’s RIA news agency.

Although The Independent could not independently verify the report, authoritative Ukrainian online battlefield map DeepState shows Russian forces as being very close to seizing the village.

Trump wishes both Russia and Ukraine well

20:59

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Jane Dalton

In a bizarre rant, Donald Trump both slated Vladimir Putin’s regime as a “paper tiger” and at the same time wished both Russia and Ukraine well.

The US president wrote: “Russia has been fighting aimlessly for three and a half years a War that should have taken a Real Military Power less than a week to win. This is not distinguishing Russia. In fact, it is very much making them look like “a paper tiger”...

“Putin and Russia are in BIG Economic trouble, and this is the time for Ukraine to act. In any event, I wish both Countries well. We will continue to supply weapons to NATO for NATO to do what they want with them. Good luck to all!”

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Trump reverses stance on territory, saying Kyiv can win it back

20:39

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Jane Dalton

Donald Trump has said Ukraine can win back all territory it has lost to Russia - a dramatic shift from the American leader's previous call on Kyiv to make concessions.

Soon after meeting Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Mr Trump wrote on TruthSocial: "I think Ukraine, with the support of the European Union, is in a position to fight and WIN all of Ukraine back in its original form.

“With time, patience, and the financial support of Europe and, in particular, NATO, the original Borders from where this War started, is very much an option."

What do Russia's drone incursions mean for airspace safety?

20:01

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Nicole Wootton-Cane

Russia has been accused of multiple incursions into foreign airspaces, most notably Estonia and Poland, over the last two weeks.

While the incursions were generally not understood to constitute a military threat, they have raised concern across Europe and, in some cases, resulted in disruption to civilian flights.

Speaking to The Independent, Matthew Borie, chief intelligence officer and co-founder at Osprey Flight Solutions, said the aviation industry would be watching developments closely.

“On 20 plus occasions during 2025, fighter jets have been scrambled to the Ukrainian border by Poland as a precaution,” he said.

“So while the instance in Poland on 10 September was unprecedented due to the shootdowns and the fact that the number of drones and potentially cruise missiles was the largest ever, plus the airport disruption hadn’t occurred before, it has been building up towards this gradually over the last several years.

“Nato, now that this is the first time they are using kinetic air defences, is going to be tested in civil military deconfliction in a way they haven’t had to deal with before,” he continued.

“But if airlines don’t do thorough and robust risk assessments and governments don’t engage in proactive civil military mitigation efforts, that’s when you can have a catastrophic event occur.

“So airlines and governments and militaries need to work together to safely operate under these kinds of conditions.”

Trump sits down with Zelensky

19:08

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Tom Watling

Donald Trump has sat down with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly for a bilateral talk.

Russia 'choosing escalation and provocation,' French representative tells UN security council

19:00

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Alex Croft

The UN security council is now meeting over Russia’s incursion into Estonian airspace.

“This is an intentional violation,” the French representative told the council. “This is the third time in 10 days that Russia has violated the airspace of EU and Nato.

“This latest incursion leaves no room for doubt - Russia is choosing escalation and provocation.”

International rules of war being 'violated' in Ukraine, top aid chief warns

18:29

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Alex Croft

The rules of war are being “violated” in conflicts around the world including Ukraine, the boss of a leading humanitarian aid organisation has warned.

Speaking ahead of the UN General Assembly, the president of the International Committee of the Red Cross said states have a “moral and legal responsibility” to ensure the rules of war are followed.

“In the armed conflict between Russia and Ukraine, thousands of families are without any news of their missing relatives, while drone warfare is killing and injuring civilians hundreds of kilometres from the front lines,” Mirjana Spoljaric said.

“The rules of war are one of our most powerful tools in the fight for human life, safety, dignity and ultimately peace. Failure to respect those rules betrays the foundations of humanity they were designed to protect.

“By upholding IHL, states protect their own people. Violating or letting others violate them fuels instability.

“Every state has a moral and legal responsibility to reverse the erosion of those rules worldwide. The fate of millions living through war today and tomorrow will be defined by the choices leaders make to preserve—or abandon—humanity in war.”

Russia suffering fuel shortages following Ukrainian attacks

17:32

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Alex Croft

Russia is seeing shortages of certain fuel grades as Ukrainian drone attacks reduce refinery runs, trade and retailers said according to Reuters news agency.

High borrowing costs also mean private filling stations can't afford to stockpile fuel, they said.

Kyiv’s forces have ramped up drone attacks on Russian energy infrastructure in recent weeks, striking refineries and export terminals in attempts to reduce Moscow's export revenues, stir domestic discontent and push the Kremlin to peace talks.

The attacks have reduced Russian oil refining by almost a fifth on certain days and cut exports from key ports, pushing Moscow close to reducing its oil production.

Russia has a big surplus of diesel but its gasoline production matches domestic demand, meaning the drop in refining runs could lead to shortages.

There are no large queues at the pumping stations, but certain grades of gasoline, such as popular Ai 92 and Ai 95, are frequently absent.

Zelensky arrives in New York for ‘intense’ week of meetings with Trump and world leaders

17:01

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Alex Croft

President Volodymyr Zelensky has arrived in New York to meet US President Donald Trump ahead of the UN General Assembly summit, which commences today.

His arrival follows Russian missile attacks in Odesa overnight, while 33 Ukrainian drones headed for Moscow were downed on Monday and Tuesday.

The Ukrainian leader was joined by First Lady Olena Zelenska and is expected to address the gathering of nations on Wednesday as part of a week of “intense” meetings to appeal for a ceasefire and call for sanctions against Russia.

Our reporter Maira Butt reports on a critical week ahead for the Ukrainian president:

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Hungary will not stop buying Russian oil despite Trump's demands - foreign minister

16:29

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Alex Croft

Hungary will not stop using Russian energy supplies, the country’s foreign minister has said, as a diplomatic row between Budapest and Kyiv continues.

The refusal also comes despite Donald Trump’s demands that European countries halt all imports of Russian oil, making news sanctions on Moscow conditional on Nato disconnecting from Russia’s energy supplies.

“We can’t ensure the safe supply [of energy resources] for our country without Russian oil or gas sources,” Péter Szijjártó told The Guardian on the sidelines of the 80th annual session of the UN general assembly.

MOL Group, Hungary’s state-owned energy company, imports around 5 million tonnes of oil through the Druzhba pipeline each year, supplying to refineries in Hungary and Slovakia.

“For us, energy supplies are a purely physical question. It can be nice to dream about buying oil and gas from somewhere… but we can only buy from where we have infrastructure,” Mr Szijjártó added.

“And if you look at the physical infrastructure, it’s obvious that without the Russian supplies, it is impossible to ensure the safe supply of the country.”

Trump threatens 'strong, powerful tariffs' on Moscow

16:28

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Alex Croft

Donald Trump has issued a sharp threat of “powerful tariffs” to Moscow.

The threat came as the US president hit out at European countries who are still buying oil from Russia.

Trump told the UN General Assembly that the US is “fully prepared to impose a strong round of powerful tariffs”.

“In the event that Russia isn’t ready to make a deal then the United States is fully prepared to impose a strong round of powerful tariffs which would stop the bloodshed, I believe, very quickly.”

But he said European countries would need to issue the same tariffs for them to work effectively.

Putin proposal signals change of policy

16:05

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Alex Croft

Russian leader Vladimir Putin said his proposal on extending the nuclear arms limitation deal was in the interests of global non-proliferation and could help spur dialogue with Washington about arms control.

"This measure will only be viable if the United States acts in a similar manner, and does not take steps that undermine or violate the existing balance of deterrence capabilities," Putin said.

The proposal appears to be a unilateral change of policy by Moscow, which has until now insisted it would engage with Washington on such matters only if overall ties - hampered by stark differences over the war in Ukraine - improved.

Trump slams 'embarrassing' European countries still buying oil from Russia

15:46

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Alex Croft

Trump has now hit out at the “embarrassing” European Nato-member countries who are continuing to buy Russian oil despite Moscow’s war in Ukraine.

“China and India are the primary funders of the ongoing war by continuing to purchase Russian oil, but inexcusably even Nato countries have not cut off much Russian energy and Russian energy products,” he told delegates at the United Nations General Assembly.

“Think of it, they’re funding the war against themselves. Who the hell ever heard of that one?”

He said the US is “fully prepared to impose a strong round of powerful tariffs”, but that for them to be effective, Europe would have to adopt the same tariffs.

“In the event that Russia isn’t ready to make a deal then the United States is fully prepared to impose a strong round of powerful tariffs which would stop the bloodshed, I believe, very quickly.

“[European countries] can’t be doing what they’re doing. They’re buying oil and gas from Russia while they’re fighting Russia. It’s embarrassing to them, and it was very embarrassing to them when I found out about it, I can tell you that.

“They have to immediately cease all energy purchases from Russia, otherwise I’m wasting a lot of time.”

He demanded that European countries cease all energy purchases from Russia and said US representatives will be speaking with European countries about the subject on the fringes of the UN assembly.

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As the UK talks up its global vision in New York, Trump abandons the UN

15:40

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Alex Croft

Every year the United Nations General Assembly gathers for high-level talks, and high-minded proclamations, full of sound and fury signifying - not very much.

As the British delegation arrived in New York, there was a desperate attempt to save the international talking shop from being drowned by the national self-interest of America at this year’s gathering at the UN’s headquarters.

On her arrival Yvette Cooper, the new UK foreign secretary, laid out the British principles for the future.

“At this moment of intense global instability and conflict, UK diplomacy and leadership has never been more important. Innocent civilians are suffering in Gaza, Ukraine and Sudan,” she said.

Over the coming week, the UN plenary sessions will be used, no doubt, by Trump to advance his claims to have earned several Nobel Peace Prizes for his (unsuccessful) attempts to bring peace to seven conflicts, by his count.

Sergei Lavrov, Russia’s foreign minister, will try to slap away efforts by Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday to call for UN support to condemn Russia and demand a ceasefire.

Trump’s administration is unlikely to make good on threats to increase sanctions against the Kremlin and may even duck outright support for Kyiv.

World affairs editor Sam Kiley reports from New York:

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Trump fires shot at Putin for his 'bad leadership' in UN speech

15:35

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Alex Croft

Donald Trump has now begun talking about Ukraine in his speech at the UN general assembly today.

He has taken the chance to fire a shot at Russian president Vladimir Putin for what he described as his “bad leadership”.

“It was supposed to be a quick little skirmish, it’s not making Russia look good, it’s making them look bad,” Trump told world leaders.

“It shows you what leadership is, what bad leadership can do to a country. The only question now is how many lives will be needlessly lost on both sides,” he added claiming that Russian forces have been killing between 5,000 to 7,000 young soldiers “on both sides every single week”.

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Russia systematically tortured Ukrainian civilians in over 100 detention centres - UN

15:14

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Alex Croft

Russia has systematically tortured Ukrainian civilians in over 100 detention centres in Russia and occupied Ukraine since the start of the war, the UN human rights office said on Tuesday.

Its report detailed cases of mock executions, electric shocks and the use of prolonged stress positions on Ukrainian citizens for non-criminal acts, such as criticising Russia's invasion, which it said had proved fatal in some cases.

"It's widespread and systematic torture. It was documented in every region of occupied territory, as well as dozens of regions inside the Russian Federation," Danielle Bell, head of the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine, told a Geneva press briefing, presenting the 22-page report.

Ukraine says some 15,000 civilians have been detained by Russia since 2022 of whom at least 1,800 remain in detention. Bell said her office had confirmed at least 400 ongoing detentions, with the real scale probably much greater.

Russia recruiting nearly 8,000 troops per week - ISW

15:02

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Alex Croft

The Russian are recruiting an average of nearly 8,000 new people each week, the Institute for the Study of War has said in its daily assessment.

Between the start of 2025 and 15 September, an average of 7,900 recruits per week or 31,600 per month have signed contracts with the Russian Ministry of Defence, an insider source told the ISW.

After the number of Russia’s troop losses began to significantly decrease in summer this year, the military may have assessed that it can afford to create a strategic reserve, the think tank reported.

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Nato condemns 'increasingly irresponsible Russian behaviour' after Europe incursions

14:38

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Alex Croft

Nato’s North Atlantic Council strongly condemned Russia’s incursion into Estonian air space, describing it as part of a “wider pattern of increasingly irresponsible Russian behaviour”.

The alliance demanded that the Russian incursions stop, and said Moscow bore full responsibility for its recent actions “which are escalatory, risk miscalculation and endanger lives”.

Russia should not be in doubt, the alliance added, that Nato will deploy all necessary military and non-military tools to defend itself.

Poland to reopen border with Belarus after major Russia-led military exercise

14:11

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Alex Croft

Border crossings between Poland and Belarus will be reopened on midnight from Wednesday to Thursday, Polish prime minister Donald Tusk said on Tuesday.

Poland closed its border with Belarus this month as a result of Russia-led military exercises taking place in Belarus.

Nato alliance and European Union member Poland's concerns about the "Zapad" (West) war games were reinforced when some 21 Russian drones entered its airspace on the night of September 9-10.

"The conclusion of these exercises reduces - although I can't say eliminates - various threats, and taking into account the economic interests of Polish carriers and railways, we concluded that this measure has served its purpose," Tusk told the government.

"If tensions increase, we will not hesitate and we will make appropriate decisions."

Trump preparing to lay out 'vision for the world' at UN summit

13:49

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Alex Croft

Donald Trump is preparing to lay out his “vision for the world” in his address at the UN General Assembly on Tuesday, the White House has said.

He will take aim at “globalist institutions” and discuss as he touts the “renewal of American strength around the world”, press secretary Karoline Leavitt said.

It is unclear how much, if at all, the US president will discuss the war in Ukraine, given his failure thus far to push Kyiv and Moscow into signing a peace deal - something he claimed before his presidency he would achieve rapidly.

We’ll bring you any key lines from Trump and other world leaders speaking in New York today.

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Ukraine strikes Russian oil sites, military says

13:40

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Alex Croft

Ukrainian forces struck two Russian oil distribution facilities in the Bryansk and Samara regions overnight, Kyiv's general staff said on Tuesday.

In Samara, the military hit a line production station that mixes Russian oil for its flagship Urals oil grade for export, the general staff said on Telegram.

In Bryansk, it hit a line production station of a pipeline critical for Russian army supplies, it said.

"The extent of the damage is being determined," it added.

Ukraine has in recent weeks renewed its campaign of long-range drone attacks on Russian oil production sites, systematically targeting key facilities to try to reduce Moscow's export revenues and frontline supplies.

The Russian defence ministry said on Telegram that its units destroyed Ukrainian drones over Bryansk and Samara. There was no immediate comment from Russia issued publicly.

Kyiv's troops also hit a military airfield in Russia-occupied Crimea, Ukraine's general staff said, adding that two planes were hit.

Rutte says Russian incursions either intentional or 'blatant incompetence'

13:27

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Alex Croft

Mark Rutte, Nato’s secretary general, has been speaking to reporters about Russia’s repeated incursions into Nato territory.

Either they were intentional, or they were an example of “blatant incompetence”, Mr Rutte said.

But he says Nato had not immediately assessed a threat when Nato jets escorted Russian jets out of Estonian airspace last week.

"We will always assess the danger, whether it is a direct threat to our overall defence, our posture and (...) we will always act accordingly, but in this case there was no immediate threat assessed," he said during a news conference, referring to Estonia.

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Ukraine faces a shortage of soldiers. The army is using robots to help

13:10

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Alex Croft

Amidst a battlefield saturated with deadly Russian drones, Ukrainian soldiers are increasingly deploying agile, remote-controlled armoured vehicles to undertake critical tasks and safeguard personnel from hazardous operations.

The Ukrainian army is particularly keen to utilise these "robots on wheels," which resemble miniature tanks, as it grapples with a soldier shortage in a conflict now spanning over three and a half years. These versatile machines are capable of ferrying essential supplies, clearing dangerous mines, and evacuating both the wounded and the deceased.

Read more here:

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Use Ukraine's counter drone expertise to protect Nato's borders, says Lithuania

12:51

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Alex Croft

Lithuania has called for Ukraine’s wartime military experience of downing Russian drones to be integrated into Nato’s plans for a “drone wall”.

“We have big holes in our EU defence. We lack the right equipment that would allow us to detect drones, to follow them, to track them, and then to destroy them. We lack it," Lithuanian foreign minister Kestutis Budrys told Reuters on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.

Budrys said Ukraine was fighting back drones every night and had the integrated systems to counter drones.

The EU is looking at how to create a "drone wall" along the EU's eastern border – a project infused with urgency by a Russian drone incursion into Poland.

“We have to bring this technology to the front line and to build it there, build it there so that it will be effective together with Ukrainians," Budrys said.

Speaking on Russian incursions into Nato airspace, Budrys said Moscow was using the alliance's hesitations and debate on how to respond to expand the grey zone around the conflict.

“We have to also very clearly articulate