Donald Trump has said negotiators are “dividing up” Ukrainian lands with a full ceasefire set to come “pretty soon” - despite no hint of any upcoming direct talks between Kyiv and Moscow.
A contract to divide up land in Ukraine is being “negotiated as we speak”, the US president, who has spoken to presidents Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky in the past week, told reporters on Friday.
It is not clear who is involved in the apparent negotiations, but US officials are set to meet with both Russian and Ukrainian delegations in Saudi Arabia next week. Mr Zelensky said the US team would first meet Ukrainian experts on Monday before separate talks with Russian representatives.
It comes after Vladimir Putin’s forces were accused by Kyiv of bombing stations along their own crucial gas pipeline in an effort to sabotage any ceasefire deal.
A gas pumping station in Sudzha, in the Russian border region of Kursk was on fire on Friday morning after being rocked by a major explosion. Ukraine’s general staff has denied that its forces struck the pipeline and instead said it had been “repeatedly shelled by the Russians themselves”.
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Key Points
- 'Coalition of the willing' to meet in Paris next week - Zelensky
- Trump: Negotiators 'dividing lands' with full ceasefire will to come 'pretty soon'
- Talks on Ukraine peacekeepers will accelerate next week, with 'nothing off the table'
- Ukraine still in talks with US about minerals deal, spokesman says
- Ukraine accuses Russia of blowing up own gas pipeline
Kyiv accuses Russia of illegally pressuring Ukrainians to change legal status
20:29
,
Alex Croft
Kyiv has accused Russia of illegally pressuring Ukrainians in occupied territories to change their legal status, in an apparent move to enforce Russian nationality on Ukraine’s occupied citizens.
It comes after Moscow issued a presidential decree ordering Ukrainian citizens living “in Russia without legal grounds” to “regulate” their status.
While there was no clear explanation on what it meant by “regulate”, Moscow has been pressing Ukrainians in those areas to obtain Russian citizenship.
Holding a Russian passport in the occupied territories has been made necessary for Ukrainians who want to access healthcare, retirement income, social services, or prove property ownership. A Russian law stipulated that anyone in the occupied territories who did not have a Russian passport by 1 July 2024 was subject to imprisonment as a “foreign citizen”.
Kyiv’s foreign ministry spokesman, Heorhii Tykhyi, said the move was a "despicable act".
"It is yet another step in Russia's campaign of discrimination, persecution and forced displacement of Ukrainian citizens from their homeland, or forcing them to acquire foreigner status," he told a briefing in Kyiv.
Russia, which regularly denied accusations of carrying out abuses, did not immediately respond to a request for comment sent to its foreign ministry.
Where is the Sudzha gas station?
19:29
,
Alex Croft
A huge fire has broke out earlierat a Russian gas and pumping station after it was rocked by a major explosion.
The facility in Sudzha is in Russia’s Kursk region near the border with Ukraine.
It was once used by Gazprom to export gas to Europe from Russia visa Ukraine, until Kyiv decided to end the agreement in January this year.
The Kursk region has been a key area in the war between Russia in Ukraine.
In August 2024, Ukraine launched an incursion into the region and captured an estimated 1,300 square kilometers of land, including the town of Sudzha.
However in recent weeks, Putin’s troops have re-captured much of the region.
The Independent View | Keir’s ‘coalition of the willing’ is proving to be principled – and a rallying cry for Ukraine
19:15
,
Alex Croft
The separate tracks of European and US approaches to ending the Ukraine war have barely been clearer. Exemplifying the high ground that the prime minister has taken since Mr Trump re-established ties with Moscow, Sir Keir set the tone – before visiting Barrow-in-Furness and laying the keel for the next generation of UK nuclear-armed submarines. There, he made clear that nuclear deterrence was both necessary and effective.
Vladimir Putin, he said, feared Britain’s nuclear weapons as a “credible capability”. In other words, there was no reason for either the UK – or, by extension, the European members of Nato – to be intimidated by Russia. Or, he might also have said, by the United States threatening to leave Europe to rely on its own resources.
The British prime minister’s moral clarity on support for Kyiv, and the need for it to continue, has been quietly appreciated by his fellow European leaders, and more loudly by Ukraine. It has also contributed to a sense of European solidarity as the United States has increasingly seen to be on a different track.
Report: Russian official thanks North Korea’s Kim Jong Un for Ukraine war support
18:57
,
Alex Croft
Russia’s Security Council secretary Sergei Shoigu thanked Kim Jong Un for North Korea’s ongoing support in its war against Ukraine during a visit today, Russian state-owned news agency Tass reported.
North Korea has supplied vast amounts of weapons to Russia including artillery and ballistic missiles, and has sent up to 12,000 troops to support Russia’s army in its war with Ukraine, according to intelligence officials from the US, South Korea and Ukraine.
In late February, South Korea's spy agency said North Korea appeared to have sent additional troops to Russia. South Korean media put the number of newly sent North Korean soldiers at about 1,000 to 3,000.
Rachel Clun reports:
Starmer: Putin is trying to delay and add conditions to ceasefire
18:41
,
Alex Croft
Sir Keir Starmer has accused Vladimir Putin of attempting to “delay and add conditions” to any ceasefire in Ukraine, a Downing Street spokesperson has said.
The prime minister spoke to EU chiefs along with the leaders of Turkey, Norway and Iceland, the spokesperson said.
“The Prime Minister began by updating on his recent call with President Zelenskyy, and said it was clear President Putin was trying to delay and add conditions to any meaningful ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine.
“The Prime Minister also outlined the new military sub-planning groups, across land, sea, air, regeneration and reconstruction, which would continue discussions across three intensive planning days next week,” they added.
The leaders discussed the importance of keeping up investment in military equipment to outpace any European threats.
Watch: Sam Kiley visits Kherson where Ukrainian civilians are being targeted by Russian drones in near-daily attacks
18:30
,
Alex Croft
Kyiv denies Russian accusations of 'war crimes' in Kursk
18:13
,
Alex Croft
Ukraine has dismissed Moscow’s accusations that Kyiv’s troops committed war crimes in Russia’s Kursk region, describing them as “completely unfounded”.
"The Russian accusations of atrocities and crimes committed by Ukraine in Kursk Oblast are completely unfounded,” foreign ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi said.
“Ukraine has always adhered to international humanitarian law, particularly in ensuring the humane treatment of civilians in conflict zones, and has not violated these principles."
Moscow fabricates this “evidence base” to make false accusations against Kyiv, Mr Tykhyi added according to Ukrainska Pravda.
"All of this is false. The majority of local population and property in Kursk Oblast have been impacted by Russian bombardments, including targeted strikes,” he added.
'Coalition of the willing' to meet in Paris next week - Zelensky
17:55
,
Alex Croft
Volodymyr Zelensky has said a summit will be held next week for the ‘coalition of the willing’, the group of countries prepared to invest in peacekeeping efforts in Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire.
The summit will be held in Paris, Mr Zelensky told a media briefing with the Czech president Petr Pavel, adding that it will address future security guarantees for Ukraine.
"Next week we have a bilateral meeting with President Macron. We have many issues to discuss. I hope the outcome of this meeting will be a good one,” he said.
The meeting will be followed by the summit, where countries among the coalition will discuss “what the infrastructure of the contingent will look like”, and “who is ready” to be part of peacekeeping efforts in Ukraine.
"I would like us to have some concrete outcomes. We have discussed this with President Macron," the Ukrainian president added.
Mapped: Russia's advance is slowing down in the Donetsk region
17:38
,
Alex Croft
Zelensky defies Trump: Hands off my nuclear plants
17:21
,
Athena Stavrou
Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky has insisted that “all nuclear power plants belong to the people of Ukraine” after reports that his US counterpart Donald Trump said an American takeover of the country’s nuclear power would offer the “best protection” for it.
In their first conversation since Mr Trump verbally attacked Mr Zelensky in the White House and had him thrown out, the US president reportedly suggested Washington take ownership of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.
But Kyiv says the discussions referred only to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, which is under Russian occupation.
Read the full story here:
Full ceasefire will come 'pretty soon', says Trump
17:04
,
Alex Croft
Donald Trump has said he expects a “full ceasefire” in Ukraine to be agreed “pretty soon”.
Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office on Friday, the US president said the full ceasefire will be followed up by a “contract” to divide Ukrainian land between Moscow and Kyiv.
“The contract is being negotiated, the contract in terms of dividing up the lands, it’s being negotiated as we speak,” added Mr Trump, who has spoken with both Russian president Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky in the last week.
Why is the Sudzha gas pumping station important?
16:53
,
Athena Stavrou
A fire has erupted at a gas pumping station in the Russian region of Kursk bordering Ukraine, after a huge explosion rocked the site.
The station has been a critical hub for Russian gas transit to Europe via Ukraine, before Kyiv refused to extend the agreement in January this year.
Once it passed through the station, it entered Ukraine’s pipeline system into Slovakia, before going onto the Czech Republic and Austria.
In 2023, almost half of all Russian gas exports to Europe were pumped through the station.
Recap of events today
16:36
,
Athena Stavrou
• Three were injured and fires broke out after Russia launched a mass drone attack on Ukraine’s Black Sea port in Odesa on Thursday night.
• Ukraine accused Russia of bombing its own gas infrastructure in an effort to undermine ceasefire talks.
• Putin’s top security adviser met North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and discussed Ukraine.
• The US is said to be seeking new terms for US access to minerals in Ukraine to include control over Kyiv’s nuclear power plants, the Financial Times reported.
• Britain is set to accelerate plans next week for a potential peacekeeping force in Ukraine, including a discussion about how it can operate and the structure.
Watch: Gas pumping station in Sudzha rocked by major explosion
16:19
,
Athena Stavrou
Serbian deputy PM says Moscow helped put out anti-government protests
15:57
,
Athena Stavrou
Serbia's deputy prime minister has said Russia’s spy services helped authorities respond to months of anti-government protests.
Students, backed by teachers, farmers and workers, have maintained daily protests across Serbia since last November, when 16 people died in a roof collapse at a train station in the northern city of Novi Sad, which they blame on corruption.
"I am very grateful to Russia's special services, which always support us in our fight against colour revolutions, primarily with information," Deputy Prime Minister Alexandar Vulin said in an interview with Russia's RIA state news agency.
"They know what danger hangs over Serbia," RIA quoted Vulin as saying.
Russian court jails anti-war dissident for 16 years
15:43
,
Athena Stavrou
A military court has jailed a Soviet-era anti-war activist for 16 years.
The court in St Petersburg convicted Alexander Skobov of "justifying terrorism," the Prosecutor General's office said,
It said he had repeatedly posted information on social media "justifying carrying out terrorist acts, including calls to carry out illegal activity" and that he had taken part in the activities of a "terrorist organisation."
Skobov, who was jailed in the Soviet Union for his opposition to the authorities, publicly condemned President Vladimir Putin's decision to send tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine in 2022 and has repeatedly said that Moscow should return any territory it had taken during the conflict.
Russian authorities have jailed outspoken critics of what Moscow calls its "special military operation" in Ukraine, drawing fierce condemnation from Western human rights groups who say the crackdown amounts to a repressive clamp-down on free speech.
Zelensky and Czech PM host joint press conference
15:29
,
Athena Stavrou
Zelensky rejects UN mission as alternative to foreign peacekeeping troops
15:08
,
Athena Stavrou
Ukraine does not consider a UN mission an alternative to the deployment of foreign troops or security guarantees to end the war with Russia, Volodymyr Zelensky said on Friday.
"With all due respect, the UN will not protect us from the occupation or Putin's desire to come back," Zelenskiy said at a joint press conference with Czech President Petr Pavel in Kyiv.
His comments come after reports Emmanuel Macron is looking to the UN for alternatives to putting European troops on the ground.
The Telegraph reported that the French president was considering the possibility of a UN-led mission.
Ballistic missile interceptors and pamphlets dropping in France: How Europe is preparing for nuclear war
14:59
,
Athena Stavrou
Homeland defence is not some abstract concept to the countries bordering Russia, nor is the nuclear threat, says defence analyst Francis Tusa.
So, if the US could use a ‘kill switch’ to stop the UK from using Trident should an attack happen, how ready would we be?
Read the In Focus article here:
Ukraine still in talks with US about minerals deal, spokesman says
14:47
,
Athena Stavrou
Ukraine is continuing to hold talks with the United States about a minerals deal, a foreign ministry spokesman said on Friday.
The White House said on Wednesday it had moved beyond "just the economic minerals deal framework" and was focused on peace between Ukraine and Russia.
It added Donald Trump said on Thursday that the US would sign the minerals and natural resources deal with Ukraine shortly.
Earlier, it was reported by the financial times that Trump was seeking to extend the terms of the mineral deal to include control over Kyiv’s nuclear power plants.
Polish PM: EU must be prepared for Russian attack by 2030
14:38
,
Athena Stavrou
Poland’s prime minister has said the European Union has agreed it must be ready to defend itself against a Russian attack in five years.
Donald Tusk said EU countries currently spending less on defence were reluctant to accept the plan to be prepared by 2030.
“Behind the scenes... it stirred some emotions. Especially in countries that spend little on defence now. There are several large countries that still spend very little. And they don’t want to spend more. For now,” he told a press conference after an EU summit.
“By 2030 Europe must be, in terms of army, weapons, technology, clearly stronger than Russia. And it will be.”
William rides in tank on visit to British troops helping defend against Russian aggression
14:23
,
Athena Stavrou
The Prince of Wales rode in a Challenge 2 tank defending Estonia against Russian aggression after telling British troops he hoped his visit would “keep everyone on their toes”.
William, wearing a camouflage military uniform, googles and a helmet, travelled in the commander’s turret of the tank as it sped across muddy terrain in Estonia less than 100 miles from the border with Russia.
German budget committee gives green light for 3bn euros in Ukraine aid
14:16
,
Athena Stavrou
Germany's budget committee has cleared the way for another 3 billion euros in military aid for Ukraine, parliamentary sources said.
The green light on Friday comes after chancellor-in-waiting Friedrich Merz pushed through reforms to ramp up investment in defence.
The 3 billion euros include 2.547 billion earmarked by the finance ministry for Ukraine this year, topped up by other contributions, including a reimbursement from the European Peace Facility.
Mapped: Where is key Russian gas pumping station hit by huge explosion
14:02
,
Athena Stavrou
A fire has erupted at a gas pumping station in the Russian region of Kursk bordering Ukraine, after a huge explosion rocked the site.
Both Kyiv and Moscow have denied responsibility for the attack, with both sides accusing the other of targeting the key facility near the Russian town of Sudzha.
Kursk has been the focus of fierce fighting between Ukrainian and Russian forces in recent weeks, as Vladimir Putin’s forces push to retake territory seized by Ukraine in a daring assault last year.
Read the full story:
Czech President and Zelensky attend a commemorative ceremony for Ukrainian servicemen killed in battle
13:50
No10 not ruling out ground troops for Ukraine
13:45
Asked whether the focus of discussions had shifted away from the prospect of ground troops for Ukraine, a Number 10 spokesman said: "No, nothing is off the table on any of these fronts, so I wouldn't start ruling anything out.
"But clearly thousands of troops will be required to support any deployment, whether that is at sea, on land or in the air."
Any deployment will require significant support and the firming up of "basic logistics of ... moving people and ensuring deployment rotations, so as the PM said we need to be prepared for all eventualities," the official said.
"We've moved into an operational phase now and what that means is ... bringing together military planners to look at the potential design of force structures, interoperability and what capability is needed to ensure a sovereign Ukraine is able to defend itself for generations to come.
"Next week, we'll continue to accelerate the pace and scale of operational planning with further meetings at our Northwood headquarters as we look forward more closely at the details and structure of any future force."
Top Russian official thanks Kim Jong Un for support
13:16
,
Rachel Clun
Russia’s Security Council secretary Sergei Shoigu thanked Kim Jong Un for North Korea’s ongoing support in its war against Ukraine during a visit today, Russian state-owned news agency Tass reported.
North Korea has supplied vast amounts of weapons to Russia including artillery and ballistic missiles, and has sent up to 12,000 troops to support Russia’s army in its war with Ukraine, according to intelligence officials from the US, South Korea and Ukraine.
In late February, South Korea's spy agency said North Korea appeared to have sent additional troops to Russia. South Korean media put the number of newly sent North Korean soldiers at about 1,000 to 3,000.
Tass quoted Mr Shoigu as saying: "I would like to express my gratitude to our Korean friends for solidarity with Russia’s position on all critical geopolitical issues and on the Ukrainian issue in particular," when speaking with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Friday.
Mr Shoigu emphasised that Russia “highly values the achieved level of strategic relations between the countries and is committed to deepen them."
Talks on Ukraine peacekeepers will accelerate next week, with 'nothing off the table'
13:04
,
Rachel Clun
Western military planning to enforce a potential ceasefire in Ukraine is set to intensify in London next week as Downing Street said "nothing is off the table" over possible troop deployment for Kyiv.
Number 10 said "thousands" of personnel would be required to support any operation whether by "sea, on land or in the air" as allies prepare "for all eventualities" amid diplomatic efforts to end the war.
Officials from the so-called coalition of the willing will "accelerate the pace and scale" of work to consolidate proposals for possible troop deployment across land, air or sea to safeguard any peace deal, a No 10 spokesman said.
It comes after Sir Keir Starmer warned Vladimir Putin would face "severe consequences" for breaching any truce as he met defence planners for the first stage of talks at the UK's Northwood military headquarters on Thursday.
Downing Street on Friday said officials from allied countries will meet again at the same site next week to firm up a strategy to protect Kyiv as plans enter an "operational phase".
Ukrainian president tours site of fierce battle
12:59
,
Rachel Clun
Volodymyr Zelensky visited the site of one of the initial battles in the war with Russia today, alongside the president of the Czech Republic Petr Pavel.
Heavy fighting in Moshchun lasted for most of March 2022 before Ukraine successfully repelled Russian forces, less than 30 kilometres from Kyiv. Zelensky said the village was a symbolic and “deeply memorable” place for Ukrainians.
“The battles for Moshchun against the Russian occupiers played a crucial role in the defense of Kyiv, and therefore the defence of our entire country,” Zelensky said on X
“Together, we honoured the memory of our fallen warriors who fought for Ukraine’s freedom, and expressed our gratitude to all the heroes — thanks to whom we are here today – in Ukrainian Kyiv, in our independent state. And it will always be this way – we will definitely preserve Ukraine’s independence.”
French President reiterates support for Ukraine
12:44
,
Rachel Clun
Emmanuel Macron has reiterated his support for Ukraine following continued Russian bombardments.
“Once again last night, Russia showed that it sincerely does not want peace. Full support for the Ukrainian people,” he wrote on X, along with a picture of a building on fire.
His tweet followed an earlier post from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who shared video footage of firefighters battling large blazes and called for tougher sanctions on Russia.
“It is joint pressure on Russia, along with tougher sanctions and stronger defence support for our country, that paves the way to ending this kind of terror and Russia’s prolongation of the war,” Zelensky said.
“We expect real pressure on Russia from the United States, Europe, and all our partners. This is what will enable diplomacy to work. “
Germany seizes tanker belonging to Russian 'shadow fleet'
12:30
,
Athena Stavrou
Germany has seized a tanker believed to be part of a shadow fleet used by Russia to circumvent oil sanctions.
Spiegel magazine cited German security services who said the decrepit Panama-flagged ship, called Eventin, was found adrift off its northern coast in January.
The tanker is believed to have been heading from Russia to Egypt with cargo of around 100,000 metric tons of oil, worth some 40 million euros.
The German government declined to comment in detail but said "Customs measures are currently under way,” and the local customs authority said in a statement that the measures had not yet been made legally binding, without commenting further on the case.
Moscow has no information about the ship and no knowledge about its owner or reasons for its seizure, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Friday, responding to a Reuters query.
Top Russia official discussed Ukraine with Kim Jong Un - Russian media
12:20
Putin’s top security adviser discussed Ukraine with Kim Jong Un on Friday, Russian media has reported.
Sergei Shoigu also discussed talks between Russia and the US with the North Korean leader, TASS news agency reported.
The top Russian official has visited North Korea on Friday as security ties between the countries advances.
The Independent View: Starmer's ‘coalition of the willing’ is a rallying cry
11:53
,
Athena Stavrou
Editorial: Convened by the British prime minister, the meeting of military leaders from more than 20 countries to discuss a peacekeeping force for Ukraine may have jumped the gun. If they are to work together, the UK and EU must first negotiate some key differences:
£25bn Russian assets frozen by UK since start of Ukraine war, Treasury says
11:39
,
Athena Stavrou
Some £25 billion worth of Russian assets have been frozen by the UK Government since the start of the Ukraine war, newly-released figures have revealed.
A report released by the Treasury on Friday revealed the total, which accounts for all assets that have been sanctioned by the UK since February 2022 when the invasion of Ukraine began.
Some 2,001 individuals and entities have been sanctioned under the regime as of March 2024, according to the Treasury.
France restores gunpowder production due to Ukraine war
11:37
,
Athena Stavrou
France has restored its gunpowder production, which it scrapped in 2007.
Explosives manufacturer Eurenco is set to produce some 1,200 tonnes of gunpowder pellets a year, rising to 1,800 tonnes, which would feed into about 100,000 artillery shells,
Most of these French-made artillery shells will head to Ukraine.
Backed by the government and with an investment of 100 million euros of which half came from an EU programme to support the bloc's defence industry, the firm put together new infrastructure in less than a year.
France has a tradition of producing gunpowder dating back to the 14th Century, and a long history of pride in being self sufficient in arms production.
Eurenco produced gunpowder as far back as World War One. But after the end of the Cold War, weapons production and supply chains were no longer a priority and governments scaled back.
Russia accuses Ukraine of bombing gas pumping station
11:23
Russia accused Ukraine of being behind the attack on the Sudzha gas pumping station, saying it had been under the control of Kyiv's forces "until now" who had used it as a logistics base.
"The blowing up of an important Russian energy facility by Ukrainian army units retreating from the Kursk region is a deliberate provocation by the Kyiv regime," the defence ministry said in a statement.
"(This) should be viewed as part of a series of recent strikes against the energy infrastructure of the Russian Federation aimed at discrediting the peace initiatives of the president of the United States."
The region has been the focus of fierce fighting between Ukrainian and Russian forces in recent weeks, with Moscow’s troops recapturing much of the region which held by Kyiv since August last year.
Locals inspect site of a drone strike in Odesa
11:09
