Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has said the US “too often” asks Kyiv for concessions, rather than Russia in renewed calls for 20 year security guarantees.
Speaking at the Munich Security Conference, Ukraine’s leader acknowledged he was feeling "a little bit" of pressure from Donald Trump, who yesterday said Zelensky should not miss the "opportunity" to make peace soon and urged him "to get moving".
"The Americans often return to the topic of concessions and too often those concessions are discussed only in the context of Ukraine, not Russia," Mr Zelensky said.
He confirmed that the US side had proposed 15 year security guarantees, although Ukraine wanted two decades or more instead.
Earlier at the conference, Britain blamed the Kremlin for killing opposition leader Alexei Navalny, which it said was likely done using a poison developed from a dart frog toxin.
Two years on from the death of Mr Navalny, the UK and its allies have pinned the blame on the Russian state following analysis of material samples found on his body, saying it was likely conducted using a poison developed from a dart frog toxin.
The Kremlin has always denied causing Mr Navalny’s death.
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Key Points
- Zelensky says US too often asks Ukraine, not Russia, for concessions
- Denmark PM: Pressure from the US on Greenland is 'totally unacceptable'
- Full statement from Yulia Navalnaya
- Navalny died ‘after being poisoned with dart frog toxin by Kremlin’
- Zelensky tells summit: We can stand up to Russia
Zelensky says Russia’s negotiator swap could delay Geneva talks
04:00 , Stuti MishraRussia’s decision to replace the head of its negotiating team ahead of the next round of US-brokered talks could be aimed at delaying progress, Volodymyr Zelensky said..
The Ukrainian president said he was surprised by Moscow’s move before the upcoming negotiations in Geneva.
He also said Russian opposition to any foreign troop presence in Ukraine indicated Vladimir Putin wanted to retain the option of attacking again in future.
During negotiations, Russian officials have insisted that Ukraine give up more territory in the east to end the war. Zelensky rejected that demand, calling it “a little bit crazy” to suggest Ukraine withdraw from its own land or exchange it.
Thousands of Ukrainians have been killed defending the Donbas region, he said, noting that around 200,000 people still live there and it would not be acceptable to effectively hand them over to Russia.
What is dart frog toxin, the poison linked to Alexei Navalny’s death?
03:30 , Bryony Gooch What is dart frog toxin, the poison linked to Alexei Navalny’s death?
The life of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny
03:00 , Bryony Gooch Protests, poisoning and prison: The life of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny
Recap: Russia suffering 'crazy losses' in Ukraine says Nato boss
02:00 , Bryony GoochRussia is suffering "crazy losses" in Ukraine, tallying around 65,000 soldiers over the last two months, NATO secretary general Mark Rutte said on Saturday at the Munich Security Conference.
Separately, he told a media roundtable that the NATO alliance was strong enough that Russia would not currently try to attack it.
"We will win every fight with Russia if they attack us now, and we have to make sure in two, four, six years that same is still the case," he said.
Watch: Navalny died after being poisoned with dart frog toxin by Russia, UK says
01:00 , Bryony GoochRubio meets with Zelensky to discuss country's security and defence
00:00 , Bryony GoochUS secretary of state Marco Rubio has said he met with Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky to discuss the country’s security and ways to deepen defence and economic partnerships.
Zelensky surprised Moscow replaced head of negotiating team
Saturday 14 February 2026 23:00 , Bryony GoochUkrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has said he was surprised that Moscow had replaced the head of its negotiating team before another round of US-brokered talks and suggested the move was deliberately aimed at delaying negotiations.
The talks take place against a backdrop of continued fighting along the roughly 1,250-km (750-mile) front line, relentless Russian bombardment of civilian areas of Ukraine and the country's power grid, and Kyiv's almost daily long-range drone attacks on war-related assets on Russian soil.
During negotiations, Russian officials have insisted Ukraine give up more territory in the east of the country to end the war. But Mr Zelensky told The Associated Press that it was "a little bit crazy" to suggest Ukraine withdraw from its own territory or exchange it.
Thousands of Ukrainians have been killed defending the country's Donbas region, he said, pointing out that 200,000 people also live there and it would not be acceptable to effectively hand them over to Russia.
Mr Zelensky also questioned how the concept of a free economic zone would work.
Imagine, he said, if foreign soldiers patrolled the zone and "Putin provoked them and they left". In that case, he said, there could be a "big occupation" of Ukraine and a lot of losses.
If Mr Putin is given any opportunity for victory "we don't know what he will do next", Mr Zelensky said.
The Independent View: Keir Starmer is right to embrace our European future
Saturday 14 February 2026 22:00 , Bryony Gooch Keir Starmer is right to embrace our European future
Zelensky thanks international allies for support at conference
Saturday 14 February 2026 21:40 , Bryony GoochUkraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky thanked his international allies for their support but suggested there was still questions remaining over the future security guarantees for his country.
Speaking at the Munich Security Conference in Germany, Mr Zelensky repeatedly thanked American and European allies for helping Ukraine by providing air defence systems that protect infrastructure such as power plants and "save lives".
Previous US-led efforts to find consensus on ending the war, most recently two rounds of talks in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, have failed to resolve difficult issues, such as the future of Ukraine's Donbas industrial heartland that is largely occupied by Russian forces.
Russia killed opposition leader Alexei Navalny with dart frog toxin, UK and allies say
Saturday 14 February 2026 21:20 , Bryony Gooch Navalny died after being poisoned with dart frog toxin by Russia, UK says
Zelensky meets with Witkoff and Kushner ahead of Geneva talks
Saturday 14 February 2026 21:00 , Bryony GoochUkrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has spoken with US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner ahead of trilateral meetings in Geneva.
“We count on the meetings being truly productive. We also discussed some developments following the meetings in Abu Dhabi. Not everything can be shared over the phone, and our negotiating team will present Ukraine’s position next week.
He continued: “I also spoke about our meeting with US secretary of state Marco Rubio. We greatly appreciate that America consistently maintains a constructive approach and is ready to assist in protecting lives. I thank President Trump, his team, and the people of the United States for their support.”
I had a conversation with envoys of President Trump, @SteveWitkoff and @JaredKushner, ahead of the trilateral meetings in Geneva. We count on the meetings being truly productive.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) February 14, 2026
We also discussed some developments following the meetings in Abu Dhabi. Not everything can be… pic.twitter.com/JVl833Ig2J
US ‘squandered’ claim to world leadership, German chancellor suggests
Saturday 14 February 2026 20:40 , Bryony Gooch US has ‘squandered’ its claim to world leadership, German chancellor Merz suggests
Recap: UK claims Alexei Navalny was poisoned in prison
Saturday 14 February 2026 20:20 , Bryony GoochUK to deploy warships to Arctic following Trump’s Greenland threats
Saturday 14 February 2026 20:00 , Bryony Gooch Britain to deploy UK warships to Arctic after Trump’s Greenland threats
Zelensky calls for more investment in Ukraine's energy and defence sectors
Saturday 14 February 2026 19:45 , Bryony GoochUkraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky has called for investment in Ukraine’s energy sector as he met with heads of international investment companies at the Munich Security Conference.
He said on X: “With the heads of international investment companies, we discussed rallying greater support for Ukraine, investing in the energy and defense sectors, developing proposals for Ukraine’s post-war recovery plan, and work on the security guarantees.
“We need support for Ukraine's resilience. I am confident that helping our people now will deliver mutually beneficial results in the future.
“I am grateful for this meeting and for the interest in partnering with Ukraine – I thank everyone who took part.”
With the heads of international investment companies, we discussed rallying greater support for Ukraine, investing in the energy and defense sectors, developing proposals for Ukraine’s post-war recovery plan, and work on the security guarantees.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) February 14, 2026
We need support for Ukraine's… pic.twitter.com/Wo7SD36KmJ
Kremlin rejects claims of poisoning Navalny
Saturday 14 February 2026 19:30 , Bryony GoochThe Kremlin has rejected the claims, with Russian foreign ministry Maria Zakharova telling TASS: "When the test results are available and the formulas for the substances are disclosed, we will comment accordingly.
“Until then, all such assertions are merely propaganda aimed at diverting attention from pressing Western issues," the news agency cited her as saying.
The report also said she described Navalny as a blogger "officially designated as a terrorist and extremist in Russia".
Watch: Zelensky receives Ewald-von-Kleist prize in Munich
Saturday 14 February 2026 19:20 , Bryony GoochProtests, poisoning and prison: The life of Alexei Navalny and his opposition to Vladimir Putin
Saturday 14 February 2026 19:09 , Bryony Gooch Protests, poisoning and prison: The life of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny
Watch: US won’t be ‘caretakers’ of West’s ‘managed decline’, Rubio warns in Munich speech
Saturday 14 February 2026 18:40 , Bryony GoochDanish PM: Nato must be able to tackle multiple crises at once
Saturday 14 February 2026 18:32 , Bryony GoochDanish prime minister Mette Frederiksen has said Nato must be able to tackle more than one crisis at once, in reference to threats in the Arctic circle and Ukraine.
She said: “We have to be able to tackle more crisis at the same time, because the old world is not coming back. And I mean, and everything is interlinked. So the war in Ukraine has never been about Ukraine. Yeah, it's those who are suffering, but it's about Russia, and it's about Russia's imperial dreams.
“The same goes for the Arctic region. This is not about the Arctic region, it's about Russia's imperial dreams, the hybrid war against Europe that is going on every day has to be tackled at the same time as the war in Ukraine and the Arctic.”
Alaskan senator: It's been 'offensive' the way the US has behaved towards Greenland
Saturday 14 February 2026 18:18 , Bryony GoochAlaskan senator Lisa Murtowski, a Republican, has criticised the United States’ approach to Greenland.
She said: “In my view, it has been offensive, this view that we can... that the United States can come in and say, ‘we want this to to a sovereign territory’.
“That's not how how major powers should act. This is not the way the United States should lead when it comes to the Arctic.
“This is not how we should lead when we are trying to build our alliances in an area that is so very necessary now.”
Alaska senator: Threat from Russia 'very real' to Alaskans
Saturday 14 February 2026 18:14 , Bryony GoochAlaskan senator Lisa Murtowski has said Russia’s threat is “very real” and is “every day”.
“For us in Alaska, it is very real. It is every day. It is two miles, two miles between Little Diomede, which is us, and Big Diomede, which is Russian, 57 miles from from from basically the shoreline of Alaska to the shoreline of Russia. So it is real. We see it, we feel it. And I think the geography hasn't changed.
She continued: “The threats have changed because we have seen the warming temperatures due to climate change that are opening up these avenues of commerce, that we are seeing.
“The threats to infrastructure that we had previously built up in the Arctic, that are now challenged. We are seeing changes to this threat because of this combined operation or cooperation between Russia and China.”
Denmark PM: Pressure from the US on Greenland is 'totally unacceptable'
Saturday 14 February 2026 18:03 , Bryony GoochDanish prime minister Mette Frederiksen has called the United States’ desire to own Greenland an “unacceptable” pressure.
Asked if she believed US president Trump still wanted to own Greenland, she said: “Unfortunately, I think the desire is is the same. It's something we, of course, talk a lot about. And I would also add that I think the pressure on Greenland is totally unacceptable.
“We are talking about threats. But as you often say, Jens Feige, the people of Greenland have never been threatened before by anyone.
“So I think the pressure is unacceptable. I think we have been very clear from Greenland and Denmark, and, by the way, from all of our allies, Canada in Europe and good friends in us, that there are, of course, things that you cannot compromise on our basic values.
“The cornerstone, I mean, of our democracy is of course the respect of other states, sovereignty and territorial integrity. And by the way, a people's right for self determination.”
China is working with Russia mapping in the Arctic circle, says Alaska senator
Saturday 14 February 2026 18:00 , Bryony GoochLisa Murkowski, senator for Alaska, has said China is working closely with Russia to do research and mapping in the region.
“We're seeing China up in the Arctic doing research or mapping, whatever it is they may say they're doing, but the new factor here is what is happening together in cooperation with Russia, whether it is the joint bomber operations that we are seeing flying over the North that we are sending firefighters to intercept, whether it is the Coast Guard and naval vessels that are operating jointly.”
Watch: Starmer has finally grasped Britain is better off with Europe than US
Saturday 14 February 2026 18:00 , Bryony GoochAnita Anand: Russia's infrastructure is getting closer to the Arctic circle
Saturday 14 February 2026 17:55 , Bryony GoochCanadian foreign minister Anita Anand reflected on the threat of Russia in the Arctic circle, warning that Vladimir Putin’s “infrastructure” has moved closer to the region since the war in Ukraine began.
“So after the illegal and unjustifiable further invasion of Ukraine in 2022 we have seen Russian infrastructure move further and further north towards the Arctic Circle.
“The geopolitical environment is shifting rapidly, and that is one way in which it is doing so. From Canada's perspective, we have the second largest country in the world, 40 per cent of our land mass interfaces with the Arctic. 70 per cent of Canada's coastline interfaces with the Arctic.
“So this is a very real and important shift in the geopolitical environment that we must acknowledge, in addition to climate change, which is melting the polar ice caps and making transition through the Northwest Passage, for example, much different than it has been in previous decades.”
Greenland PM: We're willing to take on more responsibility and welcome NATO Arctic sentry plans
Saturday 14 February 2026 17:52 , Bryony GoochPrime minister of Greenland, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, said his territory is willing to take on more responsibility in order to welcome the NATO Arctic sentry.
“We are also very happy to have the NATO Arctic sentry in Greenland. I think it's a step in a really good direction.”
He reflected on the threat of Russian and Chinese ships around Greenland, adding: “It's not now, but we also we are not naive, and we see the longer perspective, when our routes in the North West and the Northeast, they melt, there might be more traffic.
“The most important thing is that that we will do more, and we are willing to lift our responsibility in Greenland to to make that happen with our allies in the NATO alliance.
“It's very important for me to say the Arctic sentry and the NATO alliance, it's something that we are truly committed on as Greenlanders, so Trans Atlantic cooperation and international rule of law and so on and so on. That's that's deeply in our values.”
Mette Frederiksen: We've asked for NATO to be a permanent presence in and around Greenland
Saturday 14 February 2026 17:47 , Bryony GoochPrime minister of Denmark Mette Frederiksen says Arctic circle countries have asked for NATO to be a permanent presence in and around Greenland.
It follows recent concerns that the United States might annex Greenland.
“We are very satisfied that NATO is now into working with security in the Arctic region in a more structured way,” she said. “We have, by the way, asked for this for several years. But as you know, there's been this idea about low tension.
“It sounds very nice on a paper, but it doesn't reflect reality and the world that we are living in, unfortunately. So what we have suggested NATO is to be permanent present in the Arctic region, also in and around Greenland.
“Now we have Arctic sentry as a framework. We have to put substance into it. The good thing about Arctic sentry is that it's a flexible way of working. So it can be changed. It can be moved. It can be on a high level. It can be on a lower level.”
Pictured: Zelensky meets with NATO chief Mark Rutte
Saturday 14 February 2026 17:40 , Bryony Gooch Spotlight on Arctic Security to begin soon
Saturday 14 February 2026 17:31 , Bryony GoochWe will be reporting live as Mette Frederikson, prime minister of Denmark, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, prime minister of Greenland, Anita Anand, foreign minister of Canada, and Boris Pistorius, defence minister of Germany speak about Arctic security following Donald Trump’s recent threat against Greenland.
Stay tuned.
Zelensky says US too often asks Ukraine, not Russia, for concessions
Saturday 14 February 2026 17:30 , Bryony GoochUkrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky voiced hope on Saturday that US-brokered peace talks in Geneva next week would be substantive, but he said Ukraine was being asked "too often" to make concessions.
He also accused Moscow of seeking to delay decisions by changing its lead negotiator. Ukrainian, Russian and American delegations are due to meet in the Swiss lakeside city on Tuesday and Wednesday as US president Donald Trump seeks to push through a deal to end Europe's biggest war since 1945.
"We truly hope that the trilateral meetings next week will be serious, substantive, helpful for all us but honestly sometimes it feels like the sides are talking about completely different things," Zelensky said in a speech at the annual Munich Security Conference.
Von Der Leyen: 'Now is the time to raise the cost of Russia's war higher than ever'
Saturday 14 February 2026 17:15 , Bryony GoochUrsula Von Der Leyen, president of the European Commission, met with US senator Lindsey Graham, who has campaigned for more sanctions against Russia.
She said following the meeting: “Now is the time to raise the costs of Russia’s war higher than ever. To bring Putin to the negotiating table with genuine intent. Sanctions work. And they work best when coordinated.
"Europe’s 20th package of sanctions package will further tighten the pressure through measures on energy, financial services, and trade, and by cracking down on sanctions circumvention.
"We propose a full maritime services ban which can further isolate Russia and cut its fossil fuel revenue especially if coordinated closely with our G7 partners and the United States."
Good meeting with @LindseyGrahamSC and a bipartisan delegation of US Senators.
— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) February 14, 2026
Now is the time to raise the costs of Russia’s war higher than ever.
To bring Putin to the negotiating table with genuine intent.
Sanctions work.
And they work best when coordinated.
Europe’s… pic.twitter.com/Eh0Vh9mx6M
Watch: Zelenksy appeals to Trump for 'strong security guarantees' before Russia peace deal can be struck
Saturday 14 February 2026 16:53 , Bryony GoochZelensky's says Russia's change of negotiator meant to postpone any decisions
Saturday 14 February 2026 16:34 , Bryony GoochUkrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said on Saturday he was surprised that Russia had decided to change the leadership of its negotiating team for peace talks in Geneva next week, a move he said was designed to postpone any decisions.
Speaking to journalists on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, Zelensky said foreign troops would be needed in Ukraine after a peace deal was reached to deter any future aggressions from Russia.
He said the US had proposed a security guarantee lasting for 15 years after the war, but Ukraine wanted a deal for 20 years or longer.
Recap: British warships to patrol Arctic amid Trump Greenland threats
Saturday 14 February 2026 16:15 , Bryony GoochA group of British warships will patrol the Arctic, Sir Keir Starmer has said, following Donald Trump’s threats to annex Greenland after he cited concerns about its security.
The prime minister announced the British efforts to bolster security in the so-called High North at the Munich Security Conference, and said the US, Canada and other Nato allies would join the initiative.
Sir Keir also announced Britain will seek “deeper economic integration” with the European Union and to “move closer to the single market” in more sectors during his speech.
He insisted the EU-UK “status quo is not fit for purpose”, but he acknowledged there would be “trade-offs” as a result of the move.
German defence minister calls for predictable US partnership
Saturday 14 February 2026 15:43 , Dan HaygarthGerman Defence Minister Boris Pistorius called for a predictable and reliable partnership between the United States and its European partners, which he said had to build up their hard defence capacity.
Responding to Marco Rubio's remarks earlier on Saturday, which criticised many aspects of what the international system had become, Pistorius agreed that institutions needed reform but said the answer could not be for a state to try to go it alone.
Downing Street: Starmer and von der Leyen 'agreed that Europe needs to step up'
Saturday 14 February 2026 15:34 , Dan HaygarthA government spokesperson said: “The Prime Minister met the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen in Munich today.
“Both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to continue work that will bolster our collective defences in the face of growing threats to European security.
“They agreed that Europe needs to step up and work towards becoming a more European NATO, while protecting our strong transatlantic ties.
“The Prime Minister shared his high ambition for the future UK-EU partnership. He set out his desire for further integration across the economy, defence and technology - in the interests of greater security, stronger growth and higher living standards for the British people. There is no question where the national interest lies and I will always fight for what’s best for the United Kingdom, he added.
“They committed to take forward further work ahead of the next UK-EU summit. They also agreed to double down on the existing negotiations to agree a food and drink deal which could lower prices, an emissions trading scheme which could lower bills, and a youth experience scheme to give our young people more opportunities to work and travel abroad.”
Von der Leyen: 'Now is the time to raise the costs of Russia’s war higher than ever'
Saturday 14 February 2026 15:31 , Dan HaygarthAfter a panel discussion which saw European powers discuss putting more pressure on the Kremlin, the EU Commission president wrote on social media: “Now is the time to raise the costs of Russia’s war higher than ever.
“To bring Putin to the negotiating table with genuine intent. Sanctions work. And they work best when coordinated.
“Europe’s 20th package of sanctions package will further tighten the pressure through measures on energy, financial services, and trade, and by cracking down on sanctions circumvention.
“We propose a full maritime services ban which can further isolate Russia and cut its fossil fuel revenue especially if coordinated closely with our G7 partners and the United States.”
Full statement from Yulia Navalnaya
Saturday 14 February 2026 15:01 , Dan HaygarthAlexei Navalny’s widow said on social media: “Scientists from five European countries have established: my husband, Alexei Navalny, was poisoned with epibatidine — a neurotoxin, one of the deadliest poisons on earth. In nature, this poison can be found on the skin of the Ecuadorian dart frog. It causes paralysis, respiratory arrest, and a painful death.
“I was certain from the first day that my husband had been poisoned, but now there is proof: Putin killed Alexei with chemical weapon.
“I am grateful to the European states for the meticulous work they carried out over two years and for uncovering the truth.
“Vladimir Putin is a murderer. He must be held accountable for all his crimes.”
The Kremlin has always denied causing Navalny’s death, but the UK and its allies said that "only the Russian state had the combined means, motive and disregard for international law" to carry out the attack on the Russian opposition leader.
Putin not interested in peace, Denmark says
Saturday 14 February 2026 14:49 , Dan HaygarthDenmark's Mette Frederiksen says that if Putin “wanted peace, he wouldn’t do what he’s doing these days.”
She says Russia “will not change” and points to attacks on Ukraine energy systems in minus 25 temperatures as proof of a lack of appetite for peace.
“It’s so crazy that only Russians would do such a thing”, she adds.
Demonstration for regime change in Iran held in Munich
Saturday 14 February 2026 14:35 , Dan HaygarthSupporters of Iran's exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi rallied on the sidelines of the conference on Saturday, aiming to crank up international pressure on Tehran.
Banging drums and chanting for regime change, the large and boisterous demonstration in Munich was part of what Pahlavi described as a "global day of action" to support Iranians in the wake of deadly nationwide protests. Pahlavi also called for rallies in Los Angeles and Toronto.
"Change, change, regime change" the crowd chanted, bringing together many thousands of people and waving green-white-and-red flags with lion and sun emblems, which Iran used before its 1979 Islamic Revolution that toppled the Pahlavi dynasty.
Some demonstrators sported "Make Iran Great Again" red caps, mimicking the MAGA caps worn by U.S. President Donald Trump 's supporters. Many waved placards showing Pahlavi, some that called him a king.
The son of Iran's deposed shah has been in exile for nearly 50 years but is trying to position himself as a player in Iran's future.
Trump's desire for Greenland 'exactly the same', Denmark says
Saturday 14 February 2026 14:29 , Dan HaygarthDenmark’s prime minister Mette Frederiksen is asked about Trump’s interest in Greenland and whether it has changed.
She says she believes Trump remains “very serious”, adding: “I think the desire from the US president is exactly the same.”
The president has pushed for the U.S. to acquire Greenland, a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark, since before he returned to the White House. Trump has claimed the country needs Greenland for “national security” purposes, warning that it is threatened by adversaries Russia and China.
Navalny's widow Yulia Navalnaya: 'I was certain from the first day that my husband had been poisoned'
Saturday 14 February 2026 14:00 , Daniel HaygarthScientists from five European countries have established: my husband, Alexei Navalny, was poisoned with epibatidine — a neurotoxin, one of the deadliest poisons on earth. In nature, this poison can be found on the skin of the Ecuadorian dart frog. It causes paralysis, respiratory… pic.twitter.com/doHGgSgzMA
— Yulia Navalnaya (@yulia_navalnaya) February 14, 2026
Joint statement from UK and allies on Alexei Navalny
Saturday 14 February 2026 13:45 , Dan HaygarthThe UK, Sweden, France, Germany and The Netherlands are confident that Alexei Navalny was poisoned with a lethal toxin.
— Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (@FCDOGovUK) February 14, 2026
We and our partners will make use of all policy levers at our disposal to continue to hold Russia to account. pic.twitter.com/amXI9bx9cp
Starmer has grasped what his predecessors would not – that Britain is better off in Europe than with the US
Saturday 14 February 2026 13:30 , Dan HaygarthKeir Starmer is announcing a pivot away from America and towards Europe in the most radical shift in British foreign policy for decades – re-setting the UK’s place in a world that will diminish America’s power.
There will be consternation in some quarters of the nation’s armed forces, particularly the Special Forces, but ending the junior partner status of Britain under the US puts an end to the fantasy of the Special Relationship.
Read Sam Kiley’s full analysis: Starmer has grasped what his predecessors would not – that Britain is better off in Europe than with the US
Yvette Cooper met with Mr Navalny’s widow in Munich
Saturday 14 February 2026 13:28 , Dan HaygarthForeign Secretary Yvette Cooper has met with Mr Navalny’s widow Yulia Navalnaya at the Munich Security Conference this weekend.
Mrs Navalnaya announced her husband’s death at the gathering in 2024.
Ms Cooper said: “Since Yulia Navalnaya announced the loss of her husband here in Munich two years ago, the UK has pursued the truth of Alexei Navalny’s death with fierce determination
“Only the Russian Government had the means, motive and opportunity to deploy this lethal toxin against Alexei Navalny during his imprisonment in Russia.
“Today, beside his widow, the UK is shining a light on the Kremlin’s barbaric plot to silence his voice.
“Russia saw Navalny as a threat.
“By using this form of poison the Russian state demonstrated the despicable tools it has at its disposal and the overwhelming fear it has of political opposition.”
BREAKING: Navalny died ‘after being poisoned with dart frog toxin by Kremlin’
Saturday 14 February 2026 13:21 , Dan HaygarthRussian opposition leader Alexei Navalny died after being poisoned with a lethal toxin and Russia is to blame for the attacks, the UK and its allies have said.
The UK, France, Germany, Sweden and the Netherlands said on Saturday during a press conference at the Munich security conference that analysis of samples from Navalny, who died two years ago, "have conclusively confirmed the presence of epibatidine."
It is a toxin found in poison dart frogs in South America.
It is not clear how the frog poison was allegedly administered to Navalny, who had been in a penal colony in Siberia when he died.
The countries said that "only the Russian state had the combined means, motive and disregard for international law" to carry out the attack.
In pictures: Rubio, Starmer and Zelensky address conference
Saturday 14 February 2026 13:15 , Dan Haygarth Starmer comes out fighting
Saturday 14 February 2026 13:00 , Dan HaygarthAnalysis by Kate Devlin, Whitehall Editor:
After the week from hell on the domestic front, Keir Starmer has come out fighting on the international stage - in more ways than one.
He had a message for Europe - that they had to be “ready to fight” Russia and should open up to greater economic and defence co-operation with the UK.
He rebuked Donald Trump for the President’s remarks that he did not know if the UK and other Nato countries would come to the US’s aid if needed.
He hit out at his party political rivals - Nigel Farage and the Greens - warning they would make the world a more dangerous place with their policies, as he called Reform UK “pro-Putin”.
And he had a message for his political enemies in his own party - that he was now “stronger” after the week’s failed attempt to oust him from office.
Zelensky sweeps aside Donald Trump’s latest ultimatum
Saturday 14 February 2026 12:52 , Dan HaygarthBy Sam Kiley, World Affairs Editor in Kyiv
Volodymyr Zelensky has swept aside Donald Trump’s latest ultimatum to agree to Russian terms on a peace deal for Ukraine.
Speaking at the Munich Security Conference, the Ukrainian president said that, while he would be happy to hold elections “within two months” of a successful ceasefire underpinned by security guarantees for Kyiv, if that’s what Russia and America wants, he’d also offer a ceasefire to Vladimir Putin if the Russian president agreed to stage fresh ballots in his country.
Addressing the summit, where he was greeted with a long standing ovation and where his speech was frequently interrupted by applause, the Ukrainian president appeared to set little store in the latest round of negotiations expected later this week.
“The Americans often return to the topic of concessions and too often those concessions are discussed in the context only of Ukraine, not Russia. Europe is practically not present at the table,” he said.
“It's a big mistake to my mind and it is, I think, we Ukrainians who are trying to bring Europe fully into the process so that Europe's interests and voice are taken into account.
“This is very important. And Ukraine keeps returning to one simple point. Peace can only be built on clear, clear security guarantees. Where there is no clear security system, war always returns,” he warned.
Putin has come under no military pressure from weapons supplied by the United States to Ukraine in a year since Trump stopped helping the embattled European democracy.
The UN Congress next week will consider a bill that would authorise the sale of Tomahawk missiles for long range attacks inside Russia but a decision on whether to sell them to Europe to pass on to Kyiv rests in the White House.
Nato secretary general Mark Rutte said that such weapons were essential to put real pressure on Putin, who only entered into any negotiation process after Ukraine was able to conduct deep strikes against his strategic oil supplies inside Russia.
Putin, the Ukrainian president said, was a “slave to war” – a view that is now widely shared in Nato outside the US where there is deep concern that while Putin is able to prosecute a war he will do so indefinitely.
It means Russia needs to come under more intense economic and military pressure to force him into concessions that, so far, have only been made by Ukraine.
“Can you imagine Putin without war? Be honest. Right now his focus is on Ukraine and no but he will not let other European nations go either,” Zelensky said.
Zelenksy appeals to Trump for 'strong security guarantees'
Saturday 14 February 2026 12:45 , Dan HaygarthRubio tells Europe Trump expects ‘seriousness and reciprocity’
Saturday 14 February 2026 12:17 , Dan HaygarthMarco Rubio, the US Secretary of State, has sought to mend transatlantic ties at the Munich Security Conference, despite also delivering a stark critique of Western nations’ missteps over the past four decades.
His address earlier on Saturday offered a significant contrast to a blistering attack on America’s European allies made by vice president JD Vance in 2025.
Mr Rubio insisted that the fate of the United States and Europe “will always be intertwined”, stating that Donald Trump “demands seriousness and reciprocity from our friends here in Europe” because “we care deeply about your future and ours”.
However, he also criticised the United Nations and warned that the "rules-based global order" that emerged after the Cold War had been a "dangerous delusion". The conference agenda is dominated by European defence and the future of the transatlantic relationship, particularly as America’s commitment to Nato faces scrutiny.
Read more: Marco Rubio tells Europe Trump expects ‘seriousness and reciprocity’
Zelensky: 'Putin is a slave to war'
Saturday 14 February 2026 12:03 , Dan HaygarthUkraine was being asked "too often" to make concessions, Zelensky says
Saturday 14 February 2026 12:00 , Dan HaygarthZelensky expressed hope US-brokered peace talks next week in Geneva will be serious and substantive, but he voiced concern that Ukraine was being asked "too often" to make concessions.
"We truly hope that the trilateral meetings next week will be serious, substantive, helpful for all us but honestly sometimes it feels like the sides are talking about completely different things," Zelensky said in his speech.
"The Americans often return to the topic of concessions and too often those concessions are discussed only in the context of Ukraine, not Russia."
Zelensky takes aim at Viktor Orban
Saturday 14 February 2026 11:57 , Dan HaygarthZelensky said the Hungarian leader “can think about how to grow his belly” rather than stopping Russian tanks returning to Budapest.