Ukraine war briefing: Russia issues warning over direct conflict with Nato

WorldPolitics
20 May 2026 • 12:16 AM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

Ukraine war briefing: Russia issues warning over direct conflict with Nato

  • China has denied a Financial Times report claiming President Xi Jinping told Donald Trump that Vladimir Putin would regret his invasion of Ukraine during talks last week.
  • Vladimir Putin arrived in Beijing for a two-day summit with Xi Jinping, with both nations expressing readiness to support each other on issues including national unity and sovereignty.
  • A senior Russian diplomat warned of increasing risks of a direct clash between Russia and the Nato military alliance, citing potentially catastrophic consequences.
  • Ukrainian officials state that their strategic use of medium-range drones is significantly damaging Russia's war effort by targeting air defences and logistics behind front lines.
  • A Russian lawmaker called for a swift end to the conflict with Ukraine due to economic strain, while a Nato jet shot down a drone of apparent Ukrainian origin over Estonia.

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