Donald Trump has warned that Vladimir Putin’s response to a signifiant Ukrainian drone attack on Russian airfields will “not be pretty”.
The US President said that Mr Putin had told him in a phone call on Thursday that Moscow would strike back following Operation Spiderweb, which targeted Russia’s nuclear-capable long-range bombers.
“They went deep into Russia and he [Putin] actually told me we have no choice but to attack based on that, and it's probably not going to be pretty,” he said.
“I don't like it, I said don't do it, you shouldn't do it, you should stop it.”
Mr Trump added that there was “a lot of hatred” between Ukraine and Russia but that he remained hopeful that a ceasefire agreement could be reached to “stop the bloodshed”.
His comments came as he welcomed German Chancellor Friedrich Merz to the Oval Office in the first meeting between the two leaders.
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Key Points
- Trump 'secretly admired badass Ukrainian drone attack'
- US president says he could impose sanctions on both Ukraine and Russia
- Merz says Trump agrees with him on the war
- Gunfire aimed at drones targeting nuclear plant heard
- Russia drone attack hits northeast city of Kupyansk
Trump secretly admired 'badass' Ukrainian drone attack - reports
22:00
,
Daniel Keane
Donald Trump was reportedly left marveling at the ingenuity of Kyiv’s Operation Spider Web, which damaged more than Russian 40 war planes.
According to Axios, Trump has privately described it as “strong” and “badass.”
One of the US President’s advisers likened the audacious move to “a chihuahua inflicting some real damage on a much bigger dog."
Andrew Feinberg has a full-write up of that story below.
21:00
,
Daniel Keane
Ukraine and the US will aim to make a minerals deal operational by the end of the year, according to reports.
Ukraine’s First Deputy Prime Minister, Yulia Svyrydenko, met with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in Washington DC on Wednesday to help implement the US-Ukraine Reconstruction Investment Fund, the Kyiv Post reported.
Earlier this year, Kyiv and Washington agreed that the US would receive preferential access to Ukrainian minerals in exchange for military and financial aid.
Trump hints he could impose sanctions on both Ukraine and Russia
20:30
,
Jane Dalton
Donald Trump has hinted he might consider imposing sanctions on both Russia and Ukraine if the war goes on.
Before meeting German chancellor Friedrich Merz, Trump said he believed that "at some point" there would be peace between Russia and Ukraine.
Asked whether he would impose further sanctions on Russia, the president responded: "When I see the moment where it's not going to stop ... we'll be very, very, very tough.
“And it could be on both countries to be honest. You know, it takes two to tango."
Watch: Attack on Russian nuclear bombers captured in new Ukraine drone footage
20:00
,
Daniel Keane
Gunfire aimed at drones targeting nuclear plant heard
19:26
,
Jane Dalton
Repeated rounds of gunfire apparently aimed at drones reportedly attacking the training centre at the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine have been heard.
Teams from the International Atomic Energy Agency reported hearing the weapons go off, the head of the UN's nuclear safety watchdog said.
The IAEA team on site reported hearing at least five explosions between 11.30am and 1.45pm local time, each preceded by gunfire, his statement said, adding that there were no immediate reports of any damage to the centre.
Pictured: Donald Trump and Freidrich Merz discuss Ukraine and other issues at the Oval Office
19:00
,
Daniel Keane
Merz escapes Oval Office 'ambush'
18:29
,
Daniel Keane
The joint press conference between German Chancellor Freidrich Merz and President Donald Trump has now wrapped up.
Mr Merz avoided the same ambush that befell Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during his visit earlier this year, when he was told by Vice President JD Vance to “be grateful” in an extraordinary exchange in the Oval Office.
Here is a quick recap of Mr Merz’s and Mr Trump’s comments on Ukraine:
- Mr Trump said that it might be better to let Ukraine and Russia "fight for a while" before pulling them apart and pursuing peace.
- Mr Trump said the Russian response to Operation Spider Web will “not be pretty”.
- Mr Trump has said that he is “sad” about the war in Ukraine but that he was hopeful he could “stop the bloodshed”
- Mr Merz said he agreed with Mr Trump on the war and praised him as a “key person” who could stop the conflict
Trump is a 'key person' who can press Moscow, says Merz
18:00
,
Daniel Keane
German Chancellor Freidrich Merz said that Donald Trump is a “key person” who can bring the war in Ukraine to end.
"I told the president before we came in that he is the key person in the world who can really do that now by putting pressure on Russia,” he said.
Merz says Trump agrees with him on the war
17:52
,
Daniel Keane
German Chancellor Freidrich Merz stressed that Donald Trump agreed with him on the war in Ukraine when asked for his response to the US president’s comments.
He pointed to Mr Trump as the "key person in the world" who would be able to stop the bloodshed.
But Mr Merz also emphasised that Germany "was on the side of Ukraine" and that Kyiv was only attacking military targets, not Russian civilians.
"We are trying to get them stronger," Mr Merz said of Ukraine.
Trump suggests it would be better to leave Ukraine and Russia 'fighting for a while'
17:49
,
Daniel Keane
President Trump said that it might be better to let Ukraine and Russia "fight for a while" before pulling them apart and pursuing peace.
"Sometimes you're better off letting them a fight for a while and then pulling them apart," Mr Trump said at a press conference alongside German chancellor Freidrich Merz.
He added that he had relayed that analogy to Russian president Vladimir Putin in their phone conversation on Wednesday.
Trump says Russian response to Ukrainian drone attack 'will not be pretty'
17:27
,
Daniel Keane
President Trump has said that Vladimir Putin’s response to Ukraine’s sweeping drone attack on Russian aircraft “not be pretty”.
It follows a 75-minute phone call between the US and Russian leader on Thursday, in which the pair discussed a Russian response to Operation Spiderweb.
"They went deep into Russia and he [Putin] actually told me we have no choice but to attack based on that, and it's probably not going to be pretty," Mr Trump told reporters at the White House.
"I don't like it, I said don't do it, you shouldn't do it, you should stop it."
Mr Trump is holding a joint press conference in the Oval Office alongside Chancellor Freidrich Merz.
Trump says he is 'sad' about the war in Ukraine but hopeful he can 'stop the bloodshed'
17:15
,
Daniel Keane
President Donald Trump has said that he is “sad” about the war in Ukraine in his latest comments on Russia’s invasion.
During a press conference alongside German chancellor Friedrich Merz, the US President said: “I’m unhappy about it, but I think eventually we're going to be successful in stopping the bloodshed.”
Mr Trump held a 75-minute phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday, which he said was “not one that will lead to immediate peace”.
German chancellor meets Trump in Washington DC
16:54
,
Daniel Keane
German chancellor Friedrich Merz has met with President Donald Trump in the White House, marking the first meeting between the two leaders.
Ukraine is likely to be high on the agenda.
Mr Merz has been vocal in his support of Kyiv and outspoken in his criticism of Russia.
Mr Trump meanwhile promised to accelerate a peace deal on the campaign trial but has so far not delivered.
The White House has also demanded that European NATO allies raise defence spending to 5 per cent of their GDP.
Trump nominates NATO's next Supreme Allied Commander
16:20
,
Daniel Keane
President Donald Trump has announced his administration’s pick for the next top US general in Europe.
US Air Force Lieutenant General Alexus Grynkewich will be nominated for the role of Supreme Allied Commander Europe, Mr Trump said in a statement.
The move is expected to relieve European NATO allies concerned that Washington was stepping back from its leading role in European security.
Lt Gen Grynkewich is currently serving as Director for Operations of the Joint Staff.
Pictured: Village in north Ukraine destroyed by Russian drone strike
15:56
,
Daniel Keane
Starmer to meet NATO boss next week
15:49
,
Daniel Keane
Sir Keir Starmer will meet NATO chief Mark Rutte in London next week amid a push for members to commit to spending more on defence.
Mr Rutte is believed to be pushing for members of hte bloc to spend 3.5 per cent of GDP on the military, as well as a further 1.5% on defence-related measures.
European leaders have acknowledged that they must spend more on defence following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
The prime minister's spokesperson said: "You can expect the prime minister to raise how we can ensure all allies meet their stated pledges in support of our collective defence, to keep people safe.
“It is worth recognising the UK's track record on spending and indeed our contribution to NATO, both in terms of our spending and our capabilities."
Kyiv criticises decision to give frozen Russian wealth to investors
15:43
,
Daniel Keane
Kyiv has criticised a decision to take billions of euros of Russian wealth frozen in Europe and hand it to Western investors.
Belgium's Euroclear last month took 3 billion euros of Russian investor cash held at the clearing firm to pay Westerners who lost out when Moscow seized their money held in Russia.
Iryna Mudra, a senior official in Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's office, said of the move: “If private investors are compensated before the victims of war, it won't be justice.
"It creates a perception of inconsistency, of Europe wavering in its resolve," Mudra, a deputy head of Ukraine's presidential administration, added.
New German leader plans to discuss Ukraine and trade with Trump in Oval Office visit
15:00
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Tom Watling
Germany's new leader is meeting President Donald Trump in Washington on Thursday as he works to keep the U.S. on board with Western support for Ukraine, help defuse trade tensions that pose a risk to Europe's biggest economy and further bolster his country's long-criticized military spending.
You can read the full story below.
Russia drone attack hits northeast city of Kupyansk
14:30
,
Tom Watling
Ukraine’s state emergency services have posted photos showing the aftermath of a Russian drone attack on the city of Kupyansk.
Russian forces are within five miles of the city’s outskirts.
“As a result of discharges from Russian First-Person-View drones in the city of Kupyansk, fires broke out in the private sector, a 74-year-old woman was injured,” the emergency services wrote.
“A house, a car and outbuildings were on fire. 13 rescuers from the State Emergency Service fought the fire, risking their lives due to the threat of repeated shelling.”
#Харківщина: у результаті скидів з російських FPV–дронів по м. Куп’янськ виникли пожежі у приватному секторі, постраждала 74-річна жінка. Горіли будинок, автомобіль і господарчі споруди. З вогнем, ризикуючи життям через загрозу повторних обстрілів, боролись 13 рятувальників ДСНС pic.twitter.com/0csBe5jfud
— DSNS.GOV.UA (@SESU_UA) June 5, 2025
Brazil, India, China should put pressure on Russia to end war in Ukraine, Macron says
14:14
,
Tom Watling
Brazil, India and China should put pressure on Russia to end the war in Ukraine, French president Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday during a joint press conference with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who is on a state visit in France.
Russia planning to make 2 million FPV drones in 2025, says Kyiv
14:05
,
Tom Watling
Russia plans to produce two million first-person-view drones in 2025, Ukraine’s foreign intelligence service has claimed.
Intelligence official Oleh Aleksandrov told Politico that Moscow has rapidly upped its production of the lethal but cheap drones, which have become one of the most common weapons on the frontlines in Ukraine.
“They aim to produce about 30,000 long-range drones of those types plus 30,000 false target drones they use to exhaust Ukrainian air defenses in 2025,” Aleksandrov said.
“As for the FPV drones, Russians are aiming to produce a whopping 2 million of them in 2025.”
Ukrainian forces working on tight budgets pioneered FPV drones, which are essentially affordable quadcopters retrofitted with small-munitions and cameras connected to a headset, allowing the drone pilot to steer it using a live, first-person-view feed.
They are short-range weapons operating on a timer.
Ukraine upscaled FPV production in 2024, creating around a million sets. They are aiming to produce 2.5 million this year.
In pictures: Civilians clean up aftermath of deadly Russian strike
13:41
,
Tom Watling
Below you can see pictures from the site of a Russian drone strike in the central city of Pryluky .
At least five people were killed in the strikes, including a one-year-old boy. The baby’s mother and grandmother, who was the wife of the local fire chief, were also killed when a Russian drone hit their house.
Zelensky launched a string of daring raids against Russia. He’s proving to Trump that Ukraine has the cards after all
13:18
,
Tom Watling
First came dozens of armed drones launched from trucks traveling deep inside Russia, swarming over military airfields across the country and raining down nuclear-capable long-range bombers. Then, two days later, a massive underwater bomb targeted a key bridge linking occupied Crimea to the Russian mainland.
The two daring raids by Ukrainian special forces have stunned the Kremlin, bolstered Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and sent shockwaves through defence departments around the world.
But there has been an uncharacteristic silence from the White House, and its usually verbose inhabitants.
The Dutch queen unveils a bell made from Russian weapons to show solidarity with Ukraine
12:48
,
Tom Watling
Queen Maxima of the Netherlands handed over a bell made partly from Russian weapons to a church in the Czech Republic on Thursday in a sign of solidarity with Ukraine.
Known as the Bell of Freedom, it was manufactured by the Dutch Royal Eijsbouts bell foundry that used fragments of artillery shells and other weapons fired by Russia against Ukraine.
“This bell has a lot of symbolism in it and it’s a very special project for us,” the owner of the bell foundry, Joost Eijsbouts, told the Czech public radio. “To use material designed for violence and turn it into something peaceful is a good idea.”
Read the full story below.
Footage shows Russian attack on Kharkiv
12:29
,
Tom Watling
Footage published by officials from the northeast Ukrainian city of Kharkiv show the moment a Russian drone smashed into a high-rise building last night.
The video, shared by Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky’s chief advisor, Andriy Yermak, is doing the rounds on Ukrainian social media.
Igor Terekhov, the mayor of Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second most-populated city, home to some 1.3 million people, posted the footage this morning.
No one was killed in the attack shown below; Mr Terekhov said the couple at home at the moment of the strike “only escaped because they were sleeping in another room”. “It’s a miracle that everyone is alive,” he added.
He said 13 people were injured in total overnight after multiple Russian strikes on Kharkiv.
Mr Yermak wrote in a post on X alongside the video that it showed Vladimir Putin was only posing as a peacemaker by talking about negotiating an end to the conflict.
“Putin is a terrorist who tries to pose as a ‘peacemaker’ and makes hoax calls,” the official wrote. “What about the ceasefire?”
Ось так російські терористи атакували цивільні будинки Харкова. Також вбили людей у Прилуках.
— Andriy Yermak (@AndriyYermak) June 5, 2025
путін - терорист, який намагається вдавати з себе «миротворця» і здійснює дзвінки брехні.
Що з припиненням вогню? pic.twitter.com/Hall8lEO9u
Nato near consensus on 5% defence spending commitment, claims US
12:24
,
Tom Watling
Here we have some footage from today’s meeting of Nato defence ministers in Brussels.
US secretary of defence Pete Hegseth says the alliance is “nearing consensus” on Nato members hitting a pledge to spend five per cent of GDP on defence.
It will be a massive jump for most of the 32 Nato members to hit this increase; many have only just reached the two per cent threshold demanded of them a decade ago.
Railway track damaged after blast in Russia's Voronezh region, state TV reports
12:02
,
Tom Watling
A railway track in Russia's Voronezh region was damaged after an blast, state television Vesti Voronezh reported, citing an unidentified source.
There were no casualties as a result of the explosion, state TV reported.
Regional governor Alexander Gusev said via his channel in Telegram that several trains were stopped as a result of the damage to the railway. Gusev did not mention any blasts.
Russia's FSB security service also said that a railway track in the Voronezh region was damaged by the detonation of an explosive device, Interfax news agency reported.
The issue of opening a criminal case on terrorism is currently under consideration, the FSB said.
Russian strike kills 5, including 1 year old, hours after Trump calls Putin
11:48
,
Tom Watling
We have a write-through of last night’s Russian attacks across Ukraine, which came just hours after Donald Trump said Vladimir Putin had told him he would retaliate to Kyiv’s cross-border attacks.
Nato near consensus on 5% defence spending commitment, claims US
11:32
Nato is “almost near consensus” on an agreement for each of its member states to increase defence spending to five per cent, US secretary of defence Pete Hegseth has claimed, following a meeting with his alliance counterparts.
“Countries in there are well exceeding two per cent and we think very close, almost near consensus, on a five per cent commitment for Nato,” he said.
“There are a few countries that are not quite there yet, I won't name any names,” he added.
Asked specifically about the UK, he said: “We're going to get there.”
After a defence review was published at the start of this week in London, Sir Keir Starmer refused to set a deadline for when the UK would up its defence spending to three per cent.
The Donald Trump administration wants all Nato members to spend at least five per cent on defence.
Russia will respond to Ukrainian attacks as and when its military sees fit, Kremlin says
11:11
,
Tom Watling
Russia will respond to Ukraine's latest attacks as and when its military sees fit, the Kremlin said on Thursday, confirming that President Vladimir Putin had told Donald Trump that Moscow was obliged to retaliate.
Ukraine used drones to strike Russian heavy bomber planes at air bases in Siberia and the far north at the weekend, and Russia also accused it of blowing up rail bridges in the south of the country, killing seven people. Ukraine has not acknowledged responsibility for the bridge attacks, which Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called state terrorism.
Peskov said Putin and Trump did not discuss holding a face-to-face meeting when they spoke on Wednesday. He said there was a general understanding that such a meeting was necessary, but it had to be properly prepared.
The two did not discuss the possible lifting of sanctions against Russia, Peskov said in reply to a question.
Zelensky: We expect maximum sanctions after Russia’s latest attacks
10:56
,
Tom Watling
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has said Kyiv “expects” the Donald Trump administration and Europe to “impose maximum sanctions” on Russia following another round of deadly Russian strikes.
At least five people were killed overnight as Russia launched more than 100 drones and missiles at targets across Ukraine. Among the dead was a one-year-old child in the central city of Pryluky.
Russia then fired four glide bombs into the southern city of Kherson this morning, injuring at least two more people and heavily damaging several buildings, including the region’s government headquarters.
“This was another massive strike by terrorists. Russian terrorists who kill our people every night,” Zelensky wrote on X.
“This is yet another reason to impose maximum sanctions and apply pressure together. We expect action from the United States, Europe, and everyone in the world who can really help change these terrible circumstances.
“Strength matters, and the war can only end through strength. Moscow must be pressured by all available means and gradually deprived of its ability to continue this aggression.”
Earlier, we reported that Zelensky’s chief of staff has been in Washington DC attempting to persuade Congress to go ahead with a massive new sanctions package against Russia.
The Trump administration has threatened sanctions against Moscow repeatedly but has yet to follow through. It says it is waiting to see how peace talks progress between Russia and Ukraine before deciding on action against Moscow.
Last night, Russia struck Pryluky in the Chernihiv region with six attack drones. A rescue operation continued throughout the night. Unfortunately, there have been injuries and fatalities. One of the rescuers arrived to deal with the aftermath right at his own home — it turned… pic.twitter.com/5B0WhRwenr
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) June 5, 2025
Policewoman killed in Russian attacks named
10:48
,
Tom Watling
Earlier, we reported that the family of a local fire chief in Ukraine’s central city of Pryluky was killed during an overnight Russian drone attack.
Those killed included the fire chief’s wife, their daughter and a one-year-old grandchild.
Local media has now named the daughter as patrol policewoman Daryna Shyhyda.
Authorities have also raised the toll of casualties to nine, including a five-year-old. A total of five people were killed.
Today has been declared an official day of mourning in Pyrluky.
Kherson regional administration building hit by devastating glide bomb strike
10:15
,
Tom Watling
Below we have some footage taken by the Kherson regional administration detailing the impact of this morning’s Russian glide bomb attacks on the port city in southern Ukraine.
Ukraine’s FM: Russia must face real sanctions
10:14
,
Tom Watling
Ukraine's foreign minister has called for additional sanctions to be slapped on Russia after its latest overnight drone and missile attacks killed at least five people.
“Russia does not seek peace. It issues ultimatums and targets civilians,” Andrii Sybiha wrote on X.
“Every day that passes without sufficient pressure and strong responses encourages Russia to commit new crimes. Instead, Moscow must face real strength, sanctions, and unity.”
His comments echoed that of Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky’s chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, who has been in Washington DC to encourage Congress to pass a major sanctions bill against Russia.
The Republican leader of the US Senate, John Thune , said on Monday they could begin work this month to pass a sanctions bill on Russia, but added they were waiting to see the outcome of negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv first.
The bill, whose lead sponsors are Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, a close ally of Donald Trump, and Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, already has at least 82 co-sponsors in the 100-member Senate.
The measure would impose 500 per cent tariffs on countries that buy Russian oil, gas, uranium and other exports. China and India account for about 70 per cent of Russia's international energy business, which helps fund its war effort.
Overnight, Russia continued its terror against Ukraine and Ukrainians.
— Andrii Sybiha (@andrii_sybiha) June 5, 2025
Pryluky, Chernihiv region. Russian drones. Multiple casualties. One rescuer's wife, daughter, and one-year-old grandson were killed in a direct Russian strike on his home.
The Donetsk, Kharkiv, Odesa, Sumy,… pic.twitter.com/CM6PLYrDPp
Russia says it will repair warplanes damaged by Ukraine's drones
09:53
,
Tom Watling
Russian warplanes were damaged but not destroyed in a 1 June attack by Ukraine, and they will be restored, Russian deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov has claimed.
Ukrainian strikes targeted airfields in Siberia and the far north where Russia houses heavy bombers that form part of its strategic nuclear forces.
The United States assesses that up to 20 warplanes were hit and around 10 were destroyed, two US officials told Reuters, a figure that is about half the number estimated by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
But Ryabkov, who oversees arms control diplomacy, told state news agency TASS: "The equipment in question, as was also stated by representatives of the Ministry of Defence, was not destroyed but damaged. It will be restored."
It was not immediately clear how swiftly Russia could repair or replace the damaged aircraft - if at all - given the complexity of the technology, the age of some of the Soviet-era planes, and Western sanctions that restrict Russian imports of sensitive components.
The Russian glide bombs changing the face of the war in Ukraine
09:38
,
Tom Watling
As we bring you reports that a Russian glide bomb attack has heavily damaged several buildings in the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson, we remind you of a piece written last year explaining these devastating munitions.
Introduced to the battlefield around last March, glide bombs are modified, Soviet-era munitions that can carry up to 3,000kg warheads. Russian military bloggers, at the time, took to referring to these munitions as “building destroyers”.
One British humanitarian living in Ukraine’s second largest city, Kharkiv, described to me the devastation wrought by glide bombs as a kind of “psychological torture”.
Ukraine to revise 2025 budget, increasing financing for defence, lawmaker says
09:22
,
Tom Watling
Ukraine's finance ministry plans to revise the 2025 budget, increasing financing for defence, lawmaker Yaroslav Zhelezniak said on Thursday.
He said that Finance Minister Serhiy Marchenko reported in parliament on the budget situation, saying Ukraine needed to channel more funds to its army. The 2025 budget targets 2.23 trillion hryvnias (£40 billion) for defence spending.
Crimean bridge attack and Operation Spiderweb show Zelensky has a fist full of wild cards against Russia
09:00
,
Tom Watling
Below we have some snap analysis from our World Affairs editor, Sam Kiley, on the significance of Ukraine’s covert operations in occupied Crimea and across the border in mainland Russia over last weekend and into this week.
Ukraine strikes Russian missile systems - video
08:46
,
Tom Watling
Ukraine’s military says it successfully struck Russia Iksander ballistic missile systems that were being used to strike Kyiv.
In a post on Facebook, Ukraine’s General Staff posted a video of the reported attack. The target was a unit of the 26th missile brigade of the Russian army, located in the Bryansk region near the border with Ukraine.
They said the operation was conducted alongside Kyiv’s security services, which is largely responsible for operations outside of mainland Ukraine.
“One Russian missile launcher exploded, and two more were likely damaged,” they said.
Ukrainian Armed Forces Report Destruction of Russian Iskander Missile System
— Special Kherson Cat (@bayraktar_1love) June 5, 2025
According to a statement from the Armed Forces of Ukraine, a Russian Iskander missile launcher was destroyed in a coordinated strike involving Ukraine’s military, the Security Service of Ukraine… pic.twitter.com/xlIL7WAxi5
In pictures: Russia launches drone attacks across Ukraine
08:33
,
Tom Watling
Below, we have some pictures showing the aftermath of another overnight Russian drone strike. At least five people have been killed, including a one-year-old.
