President Donald Trump has met with Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky at the G7 summit in France on Tuesday to discuss the ongoing conflict with Russia.
The US leader vowed to do what he can on the conflict and said that Russia should make a deal.
Zelensky took part in the first session of the day dedicated to "Building peace in Ukraine" and is also due to meet other G7 leaders individually.
Trump has said a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine could be next after Iran as he held talks with Russian leader Vladimir Putin and Zelensky separately.
He said he had “good conversations” with Putin and Zelensky on Sunday and that both leaders are open to “do something” about bringing an end to the war.
He made the remarks alongside French president Emmanuel Macron as he arrived in Evian-les-Bains in France for talks with G7 leaders.
The summit comes as Russian advances in Ukraine have slowed and Ukraine seeks more military funding from its allies, amid a barrage of attacks on Kyiv.
Read MoreRussian shadow fleet vessel formally detained off British coast after Royal Marine commandos seizure
‘Like bombing Notre-Dame’: The 1,000-year-old Ukraine monastery damaged in Russia’s latest strike
Trump tells Putin it is ‘vital’ he end Ukraine war and offers to help broker peace in hour-long call
Key Points
- Trump says he can now focus on ending Ukraine war after peace deal struck with Iran
- In photos: Zelensky reaches France for G7 summit
- Russian bank chief who threatened to quit over Ukraine war ‘vanishes’
- Starmer to unveil fresh sanctions on Russian shadow fleet vessels
- UK announces more nuclear fuel for Ukraine at G7 talks
- The 1,000-year-old Ukraine monastery damaged in Russia’s latest strike
Zelensky discusses air defence supplies for Ukraine at G7
13:45 , Maira ButtPresident Volodymyr Zelensky said on Tuesday that he discussed critical air defence supplies for Ukraine with the leaders of the G7 countries this week.
“We discussed what Ukraine needs,” the Ukrainian leader told reporters in Whatsapp media chat.
“Air defence – everyone recognises this, everyone will help, and the entire international community will work to strengthen our defences.”
Canada imposes sanctions on Russia’s shadow fleet, energy revenues and other targets
13:15 , Maira ButtCanadian prime minister Mark Carney announced new sanctions on Russia as the G7 summit got underway in France on Tuesday.
The new penalties will target Russia’s shadow fleet, energy revenues, defence-industrial and disinformation actors, the Canadian government said in a statement after his meeting with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky.
Trump says Russia should make deal with Ukraine after 'very good' meeting with Zelensky
12:43 , Maira ButtPresident Donald Trump and Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky met on the sidelines of the G7 summit in France on Tuesday.
The US leader said the pair had a “very good”meeting and added: “Look, Russia should make a deal. I settled eight wars. This was the one I thought was going to be the easiest to settle.”
G7 leaders agree to support Ukraine and put more pressure on Russia, French diplomat says
12:09 , Maira ButtThe leaders of the G7 agreed during “very productive” talks over Ukraine on Tuesday to be united in their support for Ukraine and to add more pressure against Russia, a French diplomatic source has told Reuters.
The G7 leaders agreed to increase pressure on Russia through sanctions on its oil and gas, the diplomat said.
In pictures: Zelensky meets Trump and Rubio at sidelines of G7 summit
11:42 , Maira Butt
Trumps says he will 'do what he can' on Ukraine
11:07 , Maira ButtPresident Donald Trump has said that he will do what he can on Ukraine, as he took part in working sessions at the G7 summit in France on Tuesday.
He said that he would be meeting Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky later today and said that Russia should “make a deal”.
Zelensky joins G7 leaders for talks on Ukraine
11:00 , Maira ButtPresident Volodymyr Zelensky has joined G7 leaders in France for talks on Ukraine.
Zelensky will seek to convince the wealthy nations that Russia is now on the defensive and is being overpowered by Ukraine’s rapid development of drone technology.
He took part in the first session of the day dedicated to "Building peace in Ukraine" and may talk separately with Trump. He was also due to meet other G7 leaders individually.
Starmer to unveil fresh sanctions on Russian shadow fleet vessels
10:15 , Arpan RaiSir Keir Starmer is set to unveil a fresh package of sanctions on Russian shadow fleet vessels as part of an attempt to choke Vladimir Putin’s war effort, whilst bolstering Ukraine’s nuclear power infrastructure with a £210m export finance package.
The prime minister, who set out the plans as he arrived in France for the G7 summit, warned that Putin’s “aggression threatens not just Ukraine, but the security of all Europe”.
It comes after the British armed forces intercepted a Russian shadow fleet vessel in the Channel early on Sunday during a six-hour operation – the first UK-led operation of its kind.
Speaking on Tuesday, Sir Keir said: “The UK is stepping up – choking off the revenues that fuel Putin's war and powering Ukraine through the winters ahead.
Starmer unveils new sanctions on Russian vessels and support for Ukrainian energy
Drone debris causes fire at oil depot in Russia's Krasnodar region near Crimea
10:00 , Arpan RaiDrone debris caused a fire at an oil depot in Russia's southern Krasnodar region, authorities said this morning, as they closed a local road connecting the damaged area to the Crimean peninsula.
The bridge is one of the supply routes to the Black Sea peninsula in addition to a few other roads from the nearby Russia-held areas of Ukraine.
There were no casualties following the fire at the oil depot, located in the Poltavskaya area of the region of Krasnodar, just across from Crimea, regional officials said.
Authorities said they closed a local road connecting the area with a regional route leading to the bridge across the Kerch Strait linking Crimea to the Krasnodar region, built by Moscow after illegally annexing the peninsula.
The attack could deal a serious blow to the population in Crimea which is already facing a massive fuel shortage amid rising drone attacks on fuel and oil facilities.
Animals killed as Russian drone hits zoo in Ukraine's Kharkiv
09:45 , Arpan RaiA Russian drone struck enclosures at the zoo in Ukraine's second-largest city of Kharkiv, killing rabbits and inflicting stress on other animals, prosecutors said.
Prosecutors in Kharkiv region in Ukraine's northeast said the drone hit an area described as a vivarium in which hundreds of rabbits, Guinea pigs, rats and mice were housed.
A statement on Telegram said 10 rabbits were killed and 15 injured.
The statement said an elephant was suffering from stress after the strike damaged the outside of its adjacent enclosure. There were no casualties among staff or visitors.
An "eco park" outside Kharkiv came under a Russian attack earlier this year and staff said at the time that several birds had been killed. Kharkiv, about 30km (18 miles) from the Russian border, has been a frequent target of Russian attacks in the more than four-year-long war.
Watch: Macron welcomes world leaders for the G7 summit in France
09:32 , Arpan RaiZelensky joins world leaders at G7 summit talks in France
09:18 , Arpan RaiUkrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky joined world leaders at the Group of Seven summit of major industrialised nations for talks on ending the war in Ukraine.
Zelensky was welcomed by French president Emmanuel Macron ahead of a morning working session with G7 leaders to discuss the war.
He was also seen at a table with Trump and Macron as the three huddled for a working session.
Macron said he’ll seek to persuade Trump to continue supporting Ukraine and increase pressure on Russia to help reach a peace agreement.
Hours before the start of the G7 summit yesterday, Russia fired hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles at Ukraine’s biggest cities in a barrage that killed 11 people and set fire to a religious landmark.
Zelensky celebrates attack on Moscow oil refinery from 500km away
09:03 , Arpan RaiUkrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has lauded an attack on major oil facilities in Moscow, saying it was a response to Russian attacks.
“This time, the Moscow region felt the reach of Ukraine’s long-range capabilities. An oil refinery was hit at a distance of 500 kilometres,” he said in a post on X this morning.
“Russia must be forced to end its war against our people. And Ukraine’s long-range weapons are one of the important components of such pressure. This is a just response to Russian strikes – and to the dragging out of a war that must be ended. Glory to Ukraine!” Zelensky said, sharing a video of the strike.
The 35-second-long clip showed a facility reported to be operated by Gazpromneft, Russia’s third biggest oil producer, on fire after a purported drone attack. A drone is also seen flying freely in the skies of Moscow in the video.
This time, the Moscow region felt the reach of Ukraine’s long-range capabilities. An oil refinery was hit at a distance of 500 kilometers. I thank the warriors of the Security Service of Ukraine, the Unmanned Systems Forces, the Special Operations Forces, the Defense Intelligence… pic.twitter.com/TayWYZYjEI
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) June 16, 2026
Trump says he can now focus on ending Ukraine war after peace deal struck with Iran
08:54 , Arpan RaiDonald Trump has suggested that after reaching a deal to end the war with Iran, he will now have greater bandwidth to focus on the Russia-Ukraine war.
“Now that this [Iran] is finished, we’re going to be focusing on that [Ukraine],” he said, referring to diplomatic efforts to stop the fighting that has followed Moscow’s full-scale invasion of its neighbour in February 2022.
His remarks were quickly followed by Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky’s offer to meet Vladimir Putin at a G7 summit in France this week or even in the United States.
Zelensky said the US had agreed to invite Putin to the gathering, which started yesterday in Evian-les-Bains.
“We gave message that we are ready to meet with Putin during (the) G7, because Trump is there and Macron is there, so Europeans plus America. This is a good, I think, very good opportunity to meet all together," Zelensky told reporters.
Maybe we can do something on Ukraine. I think both Putin and Zelensky are open to it. Now that Iran is finished, we're going to be focusing on that — Trump on Ukraine
— KyivPost (@KyivPost) June 15, 2026
Video: Clash report pic.twitter.com/GMVco0OCos
In photos: Zelensky reaches France for G7 summit
08:40 , Arpan Rai
‘Like bombing Notre-Dame’: The 1,000-year-old Ukraine monastery damaged in Russia’s latest strike
08:17 , Arpan RaiA 1,000-year-old monastery that symbolises Ukraine’s spiritual and cultural heritage was badly damaged in the heaviest Russian aerial attack on Kyiv in two weeks, authorities said on Monday, while 10 people were killed nationwide in the overnight strikes.
France’s foreign minister said the attack on the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra, a Unesco world heritage site founded in 1051, was akin to bombing Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris.
The Russian strikes came after Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky said on Sunday he had discussed with US president Donald Trump efforts to secure an end to the conflict, ahead of a G7 meeting in France this week.
“A Russian strike on the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra set the Dormition Cathedral on fire – a church whose history dates back to the 11th century. And this is one of Russia’s most serious crimes against Christian culture to date,” Mr Zelensky said on X.
‘Like bombing Notre-Dame’: The Ukraine monastery damaged in Russia’s latest strike
Moscow oil refinery damaged in Ukrainian drone attack, mayor says
07:46 , Arpan RaiA Ukrainian drone attack has damaged a Moscow oil refinery owned by Russia's Gazpromneft, Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin said this morning.
The Gazpromneft refinery serves the Moscow region, which has not so far been among the dozen or so Russian regions where there have been supply disruptions.
“There were no casualties. Emergency services are working at the scene," Sobyanin wrote on Telegram.
Sobyanin did not say whether the refinery's operations have been affected.
The plant, the biggest in the Moscow region, processed 11.6 million tonnes of oil, producing 2.9 million tonnes of petrol and 3.2 million tonnes of diesel in 2024, the latest available data.
The number of drone strikes on Russian refineries has doubled since the start of 2026, leading to full or partial shutdowns of oil processing and a decline in the production of gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel, according to official data, social media, and Reuters calculations.
New EU sanctions target Russian shadow fleet, judges and a bishop
07:36 , Arpan RaiThe European Union has issued new sanctions targeting Russia, including those accused of involvement in Russia's shadow fleet and linked to the murder of opposition leader Alexei Navalny.
In total, 34 individuals and 47 entities linked to Russia's military and industrial complex, its shadow fleet of oil and gas tankers and others involved in political interference activities were added to the list, the European Council said.
Among them were Tahir Garayev – founder of Coral Energy, which later became 2Rivers Group – and Konstantin Rogach.
Garayev had enabled the shipment and export of Russian crude, in particular from sanctioned energy giant Rosneft, through a network of companies by concealing the oil's true origin, the EU said.
Rogach had "facilitated insurance coverage and provided administrative consultancy for the benefit of vessels transporting crude oil or petroleum products originating in Russia or exported from Russia," the EU said.
The EU also targeted 15 individuals, including Russian judges and prosecutors, related to the 2024 poisoning death of Alexei Navalny, a leading opponent of Russian president Vladimir Putin.
A number of people "responsible for spreading disinformation aimed at justifying, promoting or legitimising Russia's war of aggression" were also targeted with sanctions, including journalists, a Russian social media influencer and Georgiy Shevkunov, a bishop in the Russian Orthodox Church.
Lukashenko says Ukraine has nothing to fear from Belarus
07:34 , Arpan RaiBelarusian president Alexander Lukashenko has claimed Ukraine has nothing to fear from his country.
Belarus offered a launch pad to Russia in February 2022 to station troops and artillery ahead of its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. It has continued to offer military and diplomatic support to Moscow and also stations nuclear weapons for Russian leader Vladimir Putin.
“Absolutely nothing to fear. Absolutely. They know it, the soldiers know it. The people of Ukraine know it," he said.
“This topic gets stirred up by political ambitions,” Lukashenko claimed.
Nearly two weeks ago, Lukashenko threatened to strike a “major” target in Ukraine if the two countries came to blows.
“They may have identified 500 targets. But we have one major target, with precise coordinates, and it is very close to Belarus. They understand that too,” Lukashenko said in late May, likely referring to Ukraine's capital Kyiv – located less than 200km from the Belarus border.
Ending Ukraine war on agenda as G7 leaders open summit talks
06:59 , Arpan RaiLeaders at the Group of Seven summit of major industrialised nations face a packed agenda on their first full day today, including challenging discussions on ending Russia's war in Ukraine and addressing the Middle East crisis.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky will be in attendance at the invitation of host France.
The Ukraine talks come on the heels of US president Donald Trump's announcement of an agreement to end the US war against Iran.
Trump said he had good conversations on Sunday with both Zelensky and Vladimir Putin.
“Now that this (Iran) is finished, we’re going to be focusing on that,” he said, speaking during a bilateral meeting Monday with French president Emmanuel Macron.
The exchange suggests Washington hasn’t given up on its diplomatic efforts to stop the fighting that followed Moscow’s all-out invasion of its neighbour in 2022.
“The right negotiation is one in which Ukraine and Russia are at the table, but with Europeans and Americans present as well,” Macron said on French television.
Macron said he’ll seek to persuade Trump to continue supporting Ukraine and increase pressure on Russia to help reach a peace agreement.
Hours before the start of the G7 summit, Russia fired hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles at Ukraine’s biggest cities in a barrage that killed 11 people and set fire to a religious landmark.
Belarus's Lukashenko says battlefield victory unrealistic for both Russia and Ukraine
06:26 , Arpan RaiBelarusian president Alexander Lukashenko has said it was clear that victory on the battlefield was unrealistic for both sides in the Russia-Ukraine war but claimed that Russian forces were still advancing.
Speaking to Al Arabiya newspaper, one of Vladimir Putin's closest allies said that both sides – Russia and Ukraine – must compromise to end the war that has raged for more than four years with no end in sight.
“Today, we need to use any steps to reach a peaceful agreement through compromises. For the long term," he said in the interview, which was republished by Belarus' Belta news agency.
“If they realise on both sides... you can't go further, otherwise there will be escalation and an even worse situation... If this sinks into the minds of the fighters and their supporters, it means a compromise can be reached," he said.
Belarus allowed Russia to use its territory for the 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine and has allowed Moscow to deploy nuclear weapons on its soil.
Lukashenko said that while Russian forces were "advancing step-by-step" in the face of stout Ukrainian defence, both sides faced a shortage of troops.
“Russians are experiencing this shortage. Maybe not like in Ukraine, but it's there. But that's the main issue of this conflict – they are running out of people," Lukashenko said.
Animals killed as Russian drone hits zoo in Ukraine's Kharkiv
05:53 , Arpan RaiA Russian drone struck enclosures at the zoo in Ukraine's second-largest city of Kharkiv, killing rabbits and inflicting stress on other animals, prosecutors said.
Prosecutors in Kharkiv region in Ukraine's northeast said the drone hit an area described as a vivarium in which hundreds of rabbits, Guinea pigs, rats and mice were housed.
A statement on Telegram said 10 rabbits were killed and 15 injured.
The statement said an elephant was suffering from stress after the strike damaged the outside of its adjacent enclosure. There were no casualties among staff or visitors.
An "eco park" outside Kharkiv came under a Russian attack earlier this year and staff said at the time that several birds had been killed. Kharkiv, about 30km (18 miles) from the Russian border, has been a frequent target of Russian attacks in the more than four-year-long war.
Drone debris causes fire at oil depot in Russia's Krasnodar region near Crimea
05:17 , Arpan RaiDrone debris caused a fire at an oil depot in Russia's southern Krasnodar region, authorities said this morning, as they closed a local road connecting the damaged area to the Crimean peninsula.
The bridge is one of the supply routes to the Black Sea peninsula in addition to a few other roads from the nearby Russia-held areas of Ukraine.
There were no casualties following the fire at the oil depot, located in the Poltavskaya area of the region of Krasnodar, just across from Crimea, regional officials said.
Authorities said they closed a local road connecting the area with a regional route leading to the bridge across the Kerch Strait linking Crimea to the Krasnodar region, built by Moscow after illegally annexing the peninsula.
The attack could deal a serious blow to the population in Crimea which is already facing a massive fuel shortage amid rising drone attacks on fuel and oil facilities.
Starmer to unveil fresh sanctions on Russian shadow fleet vessels
04:55 , Arpan RaiSir Keir Starmer is set to unveil a fresh package of sanctions on Russian shadow fleet vessels as part of an attempt to choke Vladimir Putin’s war effort, whilst bolstering Ukraine’s nuclear power infrastructure with a £210m export finance package.
The prime minister, who set out the plans as he arrived in France for the G7 summit, warned that Putin’s “aggression threatens not just Ukraine, but the security of all Europe”.
It comes after the British armed forces intercepted a Russian shadow fleet vessel in the Channel early on Sunday during a six-hour operation – the first UK-led operation of its kind.
Speaking on Tuesday, Sir Keir said: “The UK is stepping up – choking off the revenues that fuel Putin's war and powering Ukraine through the winters ahead.
Starmer to unveil new sanctions on Russian vessels and support for Ukrainian energy
UK announces more nuclear fuel for Ukraine at G7 talks
04:45 , Arpan RaiBritain is set to supply more nuclear fuel to Ukraine in renewed support for the war-hit nation and also ramp up sanctions against Russia, prime minister Keir Starmer will announce at a meeting with G7 leaders in France today.
As part of an effort to show support for Ukraine remains steadfast, the UK will now provide £210 million of UK Export Finance to power Ukraine's nuclear plants for the next two years as part of a package which will enable UK-based Urenco to supply enriched uranium to Ukraine's nuclear power producer, Energoatom – which provides more than half of the country's electricity.
It was agreed last week at a meeting in Downing Street between Sir Keir and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky.
The agreement also supports UK jobs and exports, the government said, with more than a third of the uranium content originating from Urenco's processing plant in the North-West of England.
Zelensky says he is ready to meet Putin in the US
04:42 , Arpan RaiUkrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has offered to meet with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin after he met with Donald Trump and European leaders at the G7 gathering in France yesterday.
“Yesterday (Sunday), we discussed with President Trump that such a meeting could be organised in the US, in a format where Putin would find it much harder to refuse,” Zelensky said in a video address posted on X.
“We will see what comes of it. If Russia refuses this chance as well, additional pressure will be needed.”
A Ukrainian official familiar with the matter said the Kremlin has not replied to Zelensky’s proposal. The Kremlin has said repeatedly that if Zelensky wants to meet Putin, he can come to Moscow.
Earlier, Zelensky said he offered to meet Putin during the G7, but that Moscow had “once again demonstrated that it is not ready to speak about this.”
Putin is wanted by the ICC on a warrant dating to March 2023 for alleged involvement in the abduction of children from Ukraine during the conflict. France would be obliged as an ICC member to arrest him. The United States and Russia both oppose the court.
Russian bank chief who threatened to quit over Ukraine war ‘vanishes’
04:37 , Arpan RaiThe head of Russia’s central bank, Elvira Nabiullina, who warned president Vladimir Putin that she would exit the top role if he continues to escalate the war in Ukraine, has not been seen in public for almost three weeks.
Nabiullina had been tasked with protecting the Russian economy at a time when it has invaded Ukraine and poured much of its resources into the war.
The former Russian economy minister and a close adviser to the Kremlin has been in her position since 2013.
She was last seen in public at the end of May, and reportedly missed the key economic forum in St Petersburg where Putin attempted to project financial stability and strength in his bid to shore up investments.
Nabiullina also did not appear at a meeting chaired by Putin on inflation and interest rates.
However, the Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov rubbished reports of her being "missing" and said it is not a cause for “conspiracy theories”. “People get sick sometimes,” he added.
This was backed up by the central bank, which announced Nabiullina was on sick leave but will make an appearance at a press conference on 19 June following a Board of Directors meeting on Russia’s monetary policy.
UK charges captain of Russian shadow fleet tanker with sanctions breach
04:33 , Arpan RaiThe captain of a Russian shadow fleet vessel intercepted by British commandos was charged with contravening sanctions, Britain's National Crime Agency announced.
Ajay Pant, an Indian national, was charged with "directly or indirectly supplying or delivering by ship prohibited oil/oil products from Russia to a third country...," the agency said.
Pant is set to appear at the Southampton Magistrates' Court on Tuesday, the agency added.
British commandos on Sunday boarded and intercepted Smyrtos, a sanctioned Russian oil tanker sailing under a Cameroonian flag, in the English Channel. The tanker has been detained.
The UK has sanctioned almost 600 Russian shadow fleet vessels. Russia's oil revenue helps fund its war in Ukraine.
‘Like bombing Notre-Dame’: The 1,000-year-old Ukraine monastery damaged in Russia’s latest strike
04:00 , Alex CroftA 1,000-year-old monastery that symbolises Ukraine’s spiritual and cultural heritage was badly damaged in the heaviest Russian aerial attack on Kyiv in two weeks, authorities said on Monday, while 10 people were killed nationwide in the overnight strikes.
France’s foreign minister said the attack on the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra, a Unesco world heritage site founded in 1051, was akin to bombing Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris.
The Russian strikes came after Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky said on Sunday he had discussed with US president Donald Trump efforts to secure an end to the conflict, ahead of a G7 meeting in France this week.
“A Russian strike on the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra set the Dormition Cathedral on fire – a church whose history dates back to the 11th century. And this is one of Russia’s most serious crimes against Christian culture to date,” Mr Zelensky said on X.
Read more here:
‘Like bombing Notre Dame’: The Ukraine monastery damaged in Russia’s latest strike
Trump's former Ukraine envoy says Putin's attack on monastery 'makes no sense'
03:00 , Alex CroftThe former US special envoy for Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, has condemned the Russian attack on Kyiv’s monastery and said it is like the bombing of St Paul's Cathedral in 1940 by Nazi Germany.
“This attack tonight on the Monastery by the Russians in Kyiv makes no sense. It has a parallel with the bombing of London’s St. Paul’s in 1940 by the Germans. It won’t work,” Kellogg said on X.
He added: “Someone tell me the military necessity of the Russian attack. There is none.”
Metropolitan Epifaniy calls out 'anti-Christ' Putin after attack on Kyiv monastery
02:00 , Alex CroftThe head of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine has condemned Russia's attack on a major cathedral in Kyiv, calling Vladimir Putin the "Kremlin Antichrist".
“Due to the Russian shelling that is currently taking place, on the night of 15 June, the roof of one of the holiest places in the Christian world – the Dormition Cathedral of the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra – is burning,” Metropolitan Epifaniy said on X, calling the attack “another Russian crime against humanity, against history and against Christianity”.
“What more must the Kremlin Antichrist do for the world to realize that decisive action must be taken so that the Russian terror against Ukraine and the very principles of peace comes to an end?” he asked.
Bridges connecting Russia-occupied Kherson region with Crimea hit by attack
01:01 , Alex CroftAt least two bridges connecting the Russian-held part of Ukraine's Kherson region with Crimea were damaged and traffic suspended by an overnight drone attack by Ukraine, the Russian-installed governor Vladimir Saldo said on Telegram this morning.
The bridge was one of the few connectivity options for Russian forces to supply their troops with manpower and ammunition. It is not yet clear how badly Russia's military operations in Ukraine's east will be impacted due to the attack.
The illegally-annexed Crimea peninsula has faced a fuel supply crisis after intensifying attacks.
Zelensky accuses Russia of 'deliberately' hitting historic cathedral - ICYMI
Tuesday 16 June 2026 00:01 , Alex CroftPresident Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Russia of “deliberately” targeting a historic cathedral, which is also a Unesco world heritage site.
“It has been confirmed that two Russian drones deliberately targeted the part of the city where the Lavra and the Mystetskyi Arsenal are located,” he wrote in a post on X on Monday.
“As of now, 35 people are reported injured in Kyiv. Across the country, 53 people have been wounded, and 11 people are known to have been killed in this massive Russian attack.”
EU imposes fresh sanctions on individuals and entities related to Russia
Monday 15 June 2026 23:00 , Alex CroftThe EU has approved a series of new sanctions against individuals and entities that support the Russian war effort.
The EU added a total of 34 individuals and 47 entities related to Russia's military and industrial complex, the shadow fleet of oil and gas tankers as well as others that are related to Russia's political interference activities, the EU council said on Monday.
The new restrictions were approved, while a 21st package of wider sanctions is being discussed by EU member states' ministers, EU's chief diplomat Kaja Kallas said in a statement.
Watch: Historic Kyiv cathedral catches fire after Russian strike
Monday 15 June 2026 22:00 , Alex CroftMerz: Iran deal could open up window for Ukraine peace
Monday 15 June 2026 21:01 , Alex CroftGerman chancellor Friedrich Merz has said that a peace deal in Iran could open a window of diplomacy for the Ukraine war.
He added that he wanted to discuss this with US president Donald Trump.
Speaking ahead of a Group of Seven (G7) meeting hosted by France this week, Merz also said that the deal could stabilise the global economy, adding that the agreement must also count for Lebanon.
Downtown Geneva boards up as drastic security tightens ahead of anti-G7 protests
Monday 15 June 2026 20:01 , Maira ButtScores of shops and businesses in downtown Geneva boarded up their storefronts with wooden panels ahead of planned anti-G7 protests on Sunday.
French and Swiss authorities have imposed extensive security measures as U.S. President Donald Trump and other leaders attend a G7 summit of leading industrialized nations starting on Monday. There are concerns the gathering could trigger violent unrest.
The June 15-17 summit of some of the world’s richest nations being held in the French town of Evian-les-Bains, on Lake Geneva, is meant to discuss the Middle East, Ukraine and global economic imbalances. Activist groups including environmentalists, feminists and foes of capitalism have called for a big demonstration later Sunday.
Downtown Geneva boards up as drastic security tightens ahead of anti-G7 protests
‘Like bombing Notre Dame’: The 1,000-year-old Ukraine monastery damaged in Russia’s latest strike
Monday 15 June 2026 19:00 , Maira ButtA 1,000-year-old monastery that symbolises Ukraine's spiritual and cultural heritage was badly damaged in the heaviest Russian aerial attack on Kyiv in two weeks, authorities said on Monday, while 10 people were killed nationwide in the overnight strikes.
France's foreign minister said the attack on the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage site founded in 1051, was akin to bombing Notre Dame cathedral in Paris.
The Russian strikes came after Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Sunday he had discussed with U.S. President Donald Trump efforts to secure an end to the more than four-year conflict, ahead of a G7 meeting in France this week.
‘Like bombing Notre Dame’: The Ukraine monastery damaged in Russia’s latest strike
Ukrainian man found guilty of setting property linked to UK PM Starmer on fire
Monday 15 June 2026 18:00 , Maira ButtA Ukrainian man was found guilty on Monday of carrying out arson attacks on property connected to British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in May last year on behalf of a mystery figure he knew only as “El Money”.
Over five days last May, police were called to fires at a house in north London connected to Starmer, another at a property nearby where he had previously lived, and to a blaze involving a Toyota car that also once belonged to the British leader.
Roman Lavrynovych, 22, was found guilty at London's Old Bailey Court of two counts of committing arson being reckless as to whether life was endangered. He was acquitted of two counts of committing arson with intent to risk life.
Lavrynovych and Romanian national Stanislav Carpiuc, 27, who was born in Ukraine, were found guilty of conspiracy to commit arson. Fellow Ukrainian Petro Pochynok, 35, was acquitted of the same charge.
They will be sentenced on Friday.
