US president Donald Trump has doubled down on Washington’s threats to abandon talks aimed at brokering a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine if there are no signs of immediate progress.
“Now if for some reason one of the two parties makes it very difficult, we’re just going to say, ‘you’re foolish, you’re fools, you’re horrible people, and we’re going to just take a pass,” Mr Trump told reporters at the White House on Friday.
“But hopefully we won’t have to do that,” he added.
The president’s comment came hours after US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, said the White House may move on unless there are signs of progress.
Meanwhile, Russia launched eight missiles and 87 drones in an overnight attack on Ukraine on Saturday, causing damage in five regions across the country, the Ukrainian air force said.
On Friday, another attack launched by Russia on Ukraine killed one person and wounded more than 100 others, including six children, in Kharkiv, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said.
Mr Zelensky also claimed that China is supplying weapons, including gunpowder and artillery, to Russia – accusations that China has dismissed.
Meanwhile, Ukraine said it had signed a preliminary agreement on a minerals deal with the US, and that a final accord could be reached by the end of next week.
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Key Points
- Russia launches barrage of missiles and drones on Ukraine overnight
- Trump wants to 'take a pass' if peace deal not done quickly
- Russian ex-president backs US quitting peace deal
- Editorial: Abject failure of Trump’s peace initiative is plain for all to see
- Explained: Ukrainian territories at the heart of Trump peace deal
Russian forces retake village from Ukraine in Kursk region, state news agency reports
10:30
,
Tara Cobham
Russian troops recaptured the village of Oleshnya in Russia's western Kursk region from Ukrainian forces, the RIA state news agency cited the Russian defence ministry as saying on Saturday.
The battlefield report could not be independently verified.
Russia has been fighting to eject Ukrainian troops from Kursk since Kyiv sent its forces across the border in a lightning incursion in August 2024.
Watch: Trump insists he's not being 'played by Russia' as Ukraine peace talks stall
10:01
,
Tara Cobham
Editorial: The abject failure of Donald Trump’s peace initiative is now plain for all to see
09:28
,
Tara Cobham
Painful as it is to recall at this juncture, it was not so very long ago that Donald Trump – as candidate and then as president-elect – bragged that he could end the war in Ukraine “in a day” – or, just to emphasise the spurious precision and seriousness of his outlandish claim, “within 24 hours”. Perhaps the president was speaking figuratively, after all.
Since he took power almost 100 days ago, it is fair to say that progress has been slow, and that what little has been achieved by the various rounds of peace talks – often with Ukraine cruelly absent – has not been sustained.
Even Mr Trump has declared himself “very angry” and “pissed off” at the delays, which have usually been caused by Russia playing for time in a fairly blatant manner. Yet that was a month ago, and even a threat (which turned out to be empty) to sanction Russia’s oil export trade failed to push Moscow along the path towards peace.
Read more here:
Russia launches barrage of missiles and drones on Ukraine overnight
09:00
,
Vishwam Sankaran
Russia launched 8 missiles and nearly 90 drones, damaging infrastructure in five regions across Ukraine on Friday night.
More than a third of the drones were shot down, and another 36 were redirected by electronic warfare, the Ukrainian air force said.
It remains unclear how many people were injured in the attack.
"During the night of April 19, 2025 (from 9:00 p.m. Kyiv time on April 18), the Russian occupiers carried out a strike on Ukraine with ground- and air-launched missiles and attack UAVs," the air force said in a statement.
Damage has been recorded in five of Ukraine's regions in the south, northeast and east, it said.
However, the air force did not reveal details regarding the fate of the missiles.
The statement noted that the eight missiles included three Iskander ballistic missiles as well as anti-ship missiles suspected to be launched from the Crimean region.
Russia jails teen for quoting Ukrainian poet
08:44
,
Vishwam Sankaran
A St. Petersburg court sentenced a 19-year-old Russian activist for nearly three months on Friday after she affixed a quote from a Ukrainian poem onto a monument.
Darya Kozyreva was sentenced to two years and eight months in a penal colony for “discrediting” the Russian army after she affixed a verse from a Ukrainian poet. Taras Shevchenko’s "My Testament" to his statue in St Petersburg.
The quote she pasted reads: “Oh bury me, then rise ye up. And break your heavy chains. And water with the tyrants’ blood. The freedom you have gained” (translation by John Weir).
She was arrested in February 2024 and has spent over a year in pre-trial detention, according to local news sources.
In her defiant final statement at the court, Ms Kozyreva said: "I still dream that Ukraine will reclaim every inch of its territory: Donbas, Crimea, all of it. And I believe that one day, it will. History will judge, and judge fairly. But Ukraine has already won. It has won. That’s all."
Ceasefire on energy infrastructure strikes has ended, Kremlin says
08:22
,
Vishwam Sankaran
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Friday that the temporary ceasefire agreement on the use of long-range missiles targeting energy infrastructure had ended.
It remains unclear whether there will be an intensification of long-range missile strikes, as the terms of the ceasefire were never made public.
Peskov added that the Russian president has not issued any further instructions.
On Thursday, the Ukrainian president warned energy workers that Russia may escalate strikes on Ukraine around Easter.
Australia pledges support for Melbourne man charged by Russia over fighting in Ukraine
08:10
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Vishwam Sankaran
Australia says it would use “whatever avenues” it can to help release Melbourne man Oscar Jenkins, facing a 15-year jail term in Russia for fighting on Ukraine's side.
Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese said his administration would “continue to make representations to the reprehensible regime of Vladimir Putin" for Jenkins' release.
The 33-year-old former teacher reportedly arrived in Ukraine to participate as a mercenary in the war and was paid up to $15,000 a month to fight on Ukraine's side.
The Australian prime minister said his government would “stand up and use whatever avenues we have at our disposal to continue to make those representations".
Ukraine bans Chinese firms for making missiles for Russia
07:56
,
Vishwam Sankaran
Ukraine has imposed sanctions against three Chinese companies for their involvement in manufacturing Russian Iskander missiles, which is a road-mobile nuclear-capable short-range missile system developed by Russia.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said these companies were involved in the production of these missiles such as the one that struck Kharkiv on Friday, killing one civilian and injuring nearly 100 others.
Firms banned by Ukraine include Beijing Aviation And Aerospace Xianghui Technology Co. Ltd, Rui Jin Machinery Co. Ltd, and Zhongfu Shenying Carbon Fiber Xining Co. Ltd – all registered in China and allegedly operating in Russia.
You can read more about the missile system here:
Russian cluster missile strike kills 1, injures nearly 100 in Kharkiv
07:47
,
Vishwam Sankaran
A Russian missile strike at a residential area of Kharkiv has killed one civilian and injured 98 others on Friday, according to the city's mayor, Ihor Terekhov.
The ballistic missiles were equipped with cluster munitions, causing widespread damage to at least 21 apartment buildings, 40 houses, and two schools, the mayor said.
Russia has continued to use missiles with cluster munition warheads to target civilian centres in Ukraine.
One such attack on 4 April led to at least 89 casualties in Kryvyi Rih, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast.
This tactic to hit civilian areas is likely an attempt to take advantage of the ceasefire on energy infrastructure strikes, the Institute for the Study of War reported.
Explained: What minerals are sought by the US in Ukraine under the new deal
07:34
,
Vishwam Sankaran
Ukraine has signed a memorandum of intent for a mineral deal with the US as part of its efforts to end the war.
The deal would give the US access to a wealth of rare-earth minerals hidden in Ukraine's nearly 2.5 billion-year-old crystalline rock formations.
These rocks are some of Earth’s oldest and are a treasure trove of several key minerals like lithium, graphite, manganese, titanium and rare earth elements, which are critical for modern industries and the global green energy transition.
Most of these minerals are essential for manufacturing electric vehicles, wind turbines, solar panels and energy storage systems.
Ukraine's deposits contain 22 of 34 key minerals identified by the EU as critical for the green energy transition.
The US has heavily relied on China for importing most rare-earth minerals, which dominate the extraction of these metals.
But the ongoing Trump tariff-driven trade war with China has led to Beijing halting its export of key minerals.
Now, with access to Ukraine’s minerals in exchange for a peace deal, the US could avoid reliance on China.
You can read more on the mineral deal here:
Ukraine signs pre-agreement for US mineral deal
07:19
,
Vishwam Sankaran
Ukraine signed a memorandum of intent with the US on Friday to proceed with initial steps towards a bilateral US-Ukrainian mineral deal.
Ukrainian economic minister Yulia Svyrydenko confirmed that Ukraine and the US finalised and signed the memorandum of intent (moI) towards a rare-earth minerals deal expected to be signed next week.
"We are happy to announce the signing, with our American partners, of a Memorandum of Intent, which paves the way for an Economic Partnership Agreement and the establishment of the Investment Fund for the Reconstruction of Ukraine," Svyrydenko said in a post on X.
We are happy to announce the signing, with our American partners, of a Memorandum of Intent, which paves the way for an Economic Partnership Agreement and the establishment of the Investment Fund for the Reconstruction of Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/AQsHPkWh5X
— Yulia Svyrydenko (@Svyrydenko_Y) April 17, 2025
"Ahead is the finalisation of the text of the Agreement and its signing—and then, ratification by parliaments...In the meantime, we continue to work on the Agreement itself," she said.
Russia continues to press pre-war demands to address war's 'root causes'
07:17
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Vishwam Sankaran
Russia’s foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, has reiterated the Kremlin's position that any resolution to the conflict must “comprehensively” address what Moscow refers to as the war’s "root causes".
Since the start of the war in 2022, Moscow has defined these “root causes” as Nato’s alleged violation of a promise not to expand eastward, and Ukraine’s alleged discrimination against ethnic Russians.
Russia’s insistence on these demands as a condition for ending the war effectively amounts to Ukraine’s full capitulation and the potential installation of a pro-Russian government in Kyiv.
While the Kremlin continues to participate in bilateral discussions, Russian officials remain committed to Moscow’s pre-war demands.
Meanwhile, Marco Rubio received an “encouraging” response to the “outlines of a durable and lasting peace” during meetings with representatives from Ukraine and Europe, according to the US department of state.
Russian UN representative calls ceasefire discussion 'unrealistic'
06:54
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Vishwam Sankaran
Vasily Nebenzya, permanent representative of Russia to the UN, claimed on Friday that the discussion of a general ceasefire in Ukraine is "unrealistic".
He further accused Ukraine of not observing a moratorium on long-range strikes against energy infrastructure in the past month.
This appear's to be in line with Russia's broader strategy to deflect blame onto Ukraine and extract additional concessions from the US.
Reports of ongoing talks between US and European officials suggest Washington is planning to ease its economic sanctions against Moscow if a lasting ceasefire deal is achieved.
China building weapons on Russian soil and arming Moscow, Zelensky says
06:43
,
Vishwam Sankaran
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky accused China of manufacturing weapons in Russian territory and supplying them to Moscow's troops.
“We have finally received information that China is supplying weapons to the Russian Federation...We believe that Chinese representatives are engaged in the production of some weapons on Russian territory," the Ukrainian president said.
"We see the cooperation between these two countries in this area, and we must acknowledge it is happening," he said.
“We are ready to speak in detail about this,” Zelensky said, adding that Ukraine would share documented evidence to support its claim next week.
US plans to ease sanctions on Russia if ceasefire lasts
06:36
,
Vishwam Sankaran
The US is planning to ease its economic sanctions against Russia if a lasting ceasefire deal is achieved between Moscow and Kyiv, Bloomberg reported.
US officials discussed details of their plan to end the war in Ukraine during meetings with their European counterparts in Paris on Thursday.
A proposal cited in the report calls for ceasing the war at the current frontline with Ukrainian territories already occupied by Russian troops coming under Moscow's control.
Ukraine would also not be able to join Nato, according to this proposal, as per the Bloomberg report.
The plan also includes an ease of US sanctions against Russia if a lasting ceasefire is achieved.
Trump dismisses idea of being played by Putin
06:16
,
Vishwam Sankaran
US president Donald Trump dismissed accusations of being played by his Russian counterpart saying: "Nobody is playing me."
"My whole life has been one big negotiation and I know when people are playing us and when they're not," he said.
"I'm trying to help," the president added.
Speaking to reporters at the White House, the US commander-in-chief, who has been accused of being soft on Russia, said he needed "enthusiasm" from both Moscow and Kyiv to end the war.
"I think I see it...It's coming to a head right now," Trump said.
Explained: Ukrainian territories at the heart of Trump peace deal
05:54
,
Vishwam Sankaran
The fate of five Ukrainian territories hangs in the balance amid negotiations for a potential peace deal proposed by US president Donald Trump.
One of these is Crimea, a Ukrainian territory that Russian troops invaded and claimed in 2014, following an internationally condemned referendum.
Russia also controls parts of four other territories — the Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, and Luhansk oblasts — but has not managed to capture them in their entirety.
The Kremlin has repeatedly insisted that any peace deal must involve international recognition of these territories as part of Russia, along with the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from the areas.
Such terms would go beyond freezing the war at current front lines and would amount to Ukraine conceding roughly four of its 24 oblasts to Russia.
Ukraine, however, maintains that while it is open to negotiating a ceasefire, it will not recognise any of its territories as Russian.
“These lands belong to our people, to our nation, and to the future generations of Ukrainians,” president Volodymyr Zelensky said on Thursday.
Trump peace deal talks to continue in London next week
05:31
,
Vishwam Sankaran
US officials are reportedly planning to meet in London next week to continue discussions with their European counterparts about ending the war in Ukraine.
European and American officials, including representatives from Ukraine, met in Paris on Thursday to conduct high-level, in-person talks on Trump's peace deal.
Officials are to re-engage in London next week, giving Ukraine some time to agree to a "term sheet" presented by Washington.
Kyiv is reportedly ready for a comprehensive ceasefire over sea, land and air for at least 30 days or longer.
The US president is also expected to sign a minerals deal with Ukraine next week following a preliminary deal.
US has preliminary plan for monitoring Ukraine ceasefire – report
05:13
,
Vishwam Sankaran
The United States has reportedly developed a draft plan to monitor any potential ceasefire in Ukraine that could emerge from ongoing peace negotiations with Moscow and Kyiv, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing an official familiar with the matter.
The draft plan was reportedly shared during meetings on Thursday with European, Ukrainian, and US officials. According to WSJ, participants discussed how a comprehensive ceasefire could be monitored and maintained if an agreement is reached.
Ukraine’s presidential office head, Andriy Yermak, described the talks as “very substantive” but did not disclose details of the monitoring framework.
Officials are expected to reconvene next week to continue discussions on a potential ceasefire.
US peace deal could recognise Crimea as part of Russia – report
05:12
,
Vishwam Sankaran
The US is preparing to recognise Crimea as part of Russia under a potential peace deal to end the war in Ukraine, Bloomberg reported, citing people familiar with the matter.
Russian troops took control of the Crimean peninsula from Ukraine in 2014.
Later that year, the Russian-controlled Crimean parliament held a referendum on joining Russia, conducted without international observers and under the presence of Russian troops at polling stations.
Despite international concerns that the vote was fabricated, Russian president Vladimir Putin has maintained Russia's claim over the territory.
Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, has repeatedly asserted that Ukraine will not cede any of its territory to Russia.
While no final decision has been made, a US official told Bloomberg that the White House is prepared to recognise Russian control of Crimea as part of a broader peace agreement.
Russia says contact with Washington is 'difficult' as Trump threatens to quit peace deal
04:47
,
Vishwam Sankaran
While some progress has been made with the US brokering a peace deal between Moscow and Kyiv, contact with Washington, however, has been difficult, Russia says.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov says Russia remains open to dialogue with the White House.
Russian president Vladimir Putin has repeatedly stressed that he wants Ukraine to drop its Nato ambitions.
Putin also demanded that Ukraine permanently cede to Russia the four regions it has lost and limit the size of its army.
However, Kyiv responded that those demands are equivalent to demanding its capitulation.
Trump wants to 'take a pass' if peace deal not done quickly
04:34
,
Vishwam Sankaran
US president Donald Trump has threatened to abandon the peace deal Washington is brokering with Russia and Ukraine if it is not done "quickly".
"Quickly, we want to get it done," Trump told reporters at the White House on Friday.
"Now, if for some reason one of the two parties makes it very difficult, we're just going to say, 'you're foolish, you're fools, you're horrible people, and we're going to just take a pass. But hopefully we won't have to do that," the US president said.
Trump's comments come a day after US secretary of state Marco Rubio warned that the White House would not endeavour "for weeks and months on end" to broker a peace deal.
"If it's not possible, if we're so far apart that this is not going to happen, then I think the president is probably at a point where he's going to say, 'well, we're done'," Rubio said.
Russian ex-president backs US quitting peace deal
04:26
,
Vishwam Sankaran
Russia’s former president Dmitry Medvedev expressed his approval for the US threat to pull out of peace negotiations.
"American officials have said that if there is no progress on the Ukrainian case, the United States will wash its hands of it. Wisely," Mr Medvedev, now deputy head of Russia's Security Council, said in a post on X.
American officials have said that if
— Dmitry Medvedev (@MedvedevRussiaE) April 18, 2025
there is no progress on the Ukrainian case, the United States will wash its hands of it. Wisely. And the EU should do the same. Then Russia will figure it out faster.
"And the EU should do the same. Then Russia will figure it out faster,” he said.
New prisoner swap due today
04:22
,
Vishwam Sankaran
Russia and Ukraine will conduct a new prisoner swap today, mediated by the United Arab Emirates, Reuters reported.
Nearly 500 Russian and Ukrainian prisoners and 46 injured soldiers are expected to be exchanged in the latest swap.
The exchange, involving 246 prisoners from each side, would make it one of the largest prisoner swaps to date.
This comes after the two sides exchanged 175 prisoners in March.
Editorial: Abject failure of Trump’s peace initiative is plain for all to see
04:17
,
Vishwam Sankaran