Ukraine and Russia to hold parallel talks in Saudi Arabia next week
Both Zelensky and Putin have agreed to a ceasefire in principle during conversations with the US - but one has yet to materialise due to conflicting conditions.The Russian leader most recently agreed to a halt to air strikes on energy and rail infrastructure, as well as ports - but such strikes from both sides have continued.Zelensky was in Oslo, Norway on Thursday, where he met Norwegian prime minister Jonas Gahr Støre.Asked about comments by the White House touting the possible US ownership of Ukraine's nuclear power plants at a joint news conference, Zelensky ruled this out entirely.He said that he had not directly discussed ownership of the Zaporizhia power plant - which is currently under Russian control - in his phone call with US President Donald Trump on Wednesday, adding that "all nuclear power plants belong to the people of Ukraine".However, he said he was open to the US taking the plant from Russia to invest in or modernise.Asked if he was ready to make territorial concessions to Russia, particularly Crimea, which has been in Russian hands since 2014, Zelensky said: "That is a Ukrainian peninsula," adding that Crimea was an "integral part" of his country.Crimea is internationally recognised as part of Ukraine, despite Russia's occupation and claimed annexation.When asked what a ceasefire might look like, Zelensky said the first stage would have to be a ceasefire by land and sea, as Ukraine sees this as the only way to stop Russian aggression.Trump was able to extract an agreement for a ceasefire on energy infrastructure - which Russia has repeatedly targeted - from Putin in a call on Tuesday, but nothing more.In the meantime, the war - which began with Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022 - continues. Strikes overnight killed two people in Ukraine, while Ukrainian drone attacks injured 10 and set an airfield on fire in Russia.Speaking to EU leaders via video link, Zelensky reiterated calls for military aid to continue, asking European leaders for at least €5bn (£4.18bn) for artillery shells "as soon as possible", and said that continued support for Ukraine was "crucial".Zelensky also said the EU must be involved in peace talks, and urged Europe not to "ease pressure on Russia over the war".EU leaders in Brussels were deciding their defence strategy and bolstering security measures for Ukraine.
Meanwhile, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said "the time for planning is now" when it comes to a peace deal for Ukraine, after proposing a "coalition of the willing" to enforce peace in Ukraine following a deal.Speaking during a visit to a military base in London, he said he was "well aware that a deal may be in stages" but added that the "more planning we can do here now... the better because we're getting ahead of the challenge to make sure that we're as effective as possible". Earlier, the prime minister held a closed-door meeting with senior military officers from nations of the "coalition of the willing" to draw up plans.According to a government spokesman, more than 30 countries are expected to contribute to the coalition, which is led by the UK and France.
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BBC News
14 minutes ago
- BBC News
Trump shifts ceasefire position ahead of Zelensky talks
Donald Trump has said he wants to bypass a ceasefire in Ukraine to move directly to a permanent peace agreement after his meeting with Russian President Vladimir a major shift of position, the US president said on Truth Social following Friday's summit that this would be "the best way to end the horrific war between Russia and Ukraine", adding ceasefires often "do not hold up".Trump will welcome Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukraine's president, to Washington on Monday and urged him to agree to a peace a phone call with Trump after the summit, Zelensky called for a real, lasting peace, while adding that "the fire must cease" and killings stop. Trump's comments indicate a dramatic shift in his position on how to end the war, having said only on Friday ahead of the summit that he wanted a ceasefire "rapidly".Ukraine's main demand has been a quick ceasefire before talks about a longer-term settlement, and Trump reportedly told European leaders beforehand that his goal for the summit was to obtain a ceasefire deal. Meanwhile, multiple news outlets reported on Saturday that Putin had presented an offer that involved Ukraine handing over complete control of its eastern Donetsk region, which is 70% occupied by Russia. In return, Russia would reportedly agree to front lines being frozen and other unspecified concessions were apparently US president, who has previously said any peace deal would involve "some swapping of territories", is said to have relayed the offer to Zelensky in a phone call following the summit. Just days ago, Ukraine's president ruled out ceding control of the Donbas, saying it could be used as a springboard for future Russian attacks. The BBC's US partner CBS has reported, citing diplomatic sources, that European diplomats were concerned Trump may try to pressure Zelensky on Monday into agreeing to deal terms he and Putin may have discussed at the summit. CBS quotes sources as saying that Trump told European leaders in a call after the summit that Putin would make "some concessions", but failed to specify what they were. In an interview with Fox News following Friday's summit, Trump was asked what advice he has for the Ukrainian leader, to which he responded by saying "make a deal"."Russia's a very big power and they're not," he had previously threatened "very severe consequences" if Putin did not agree to end the war, last month setting a deadline for Moscow to reach a ceasefire or face tough new sanctions, including secondary was announced by way of an agreement by either president following Friday's summit, but Trump insisted progress had been Saturday, Putin described the summit as "very useful" and said he had been able "set out our position" to Trump. "We had the opportunity, which we did, to talk about the genesis, about the causes of this crisis. It is the elimination of these root causes that should be the basis for settlement," the Russian president the "coalition of the willing" - a group of countries that have pledged to strengthen support for Ukraine that includes the UK, France, and Germany - will hold a call on Sunday afternoon before Zelensky's visit to the White House on Monday. A group of European leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, said "the next step must now be further talks including President Zelensky".The leaders said they were "ready to work" towards a trilateral summit with European support."We stand ready to uphold the pressure on Russia," they said, adding: "It will be up to Ukraine to make decisions on its territory. International borders must not be changed by force."UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer praised Trump's efforts to end the war, saying they had "brought us closer than ever before"."While progress has been made, the next step must be further talks involving President Zelenskyy. The path to peace in Ukraine cannot be decided without him," he in Kyiv, Ukrainians have described feeling "crushed" by the scenes from Alaska."I understand that for negotiations you shake hands, you can't just slap Putin in the face when he arrives. But this spectacle with the red carpet and the kneeling soldiers, it's terrible, it makes no sense," Serhii Orlyk, a 50-year-old veteran from the eastern Donetsk region said.
Telegraph
14 minutes ago
- Telegraph
Trump ‘played into Putin's hands'
Donald Trump has 'played into Vladimir Putin 's hands' by dropping his demands for a Russian ceasefire, a senior Ukrainian politician has warned. By aligning himself with Putin's 'insincere' peace proposal, the US president risked repeating Neville Chamberlain's betrayal of Czechoslovakia at the Munich conference of 1938, Oleksandr Merezhko, the chairman of the Ukrainian parliament's foreign affairs committee, said. 'If Trump is serious about supporting Putin's peace treaty idea without calling for a ceasefire first, then it looks very much like a betrayal,' Mr Merezhko told The Telegraph. 'It looks like Munich 1938,' he added referring to the decision to carve out Czechoslovakia's Sudetenland and award it to Hitler in the vain hope of staving off war. Mr Trump's effusive welcome of Putin at their summit in Alaska coupled with subsequent revelations of the concessions the US president appears to have made have triggered widespread anguish in Ukraine. Mr Merezhko said he believed Mr Trump had allowed Putin to hoodwink him into believing he was offering something bigger than a ceasefire, while remaining intent on destroying Ukraine. After emerging from his talks with the Russian leader, the US president said he now agreed with Putin that the best way to end the war was 'to go directly for a peace agreement and not a mere ceasefire agreement'. Yet in accepting that framework – and splitting from Ukraine and his European allies in doing so – Mr Trump had allowed himself to be captured by a long-held Kremlin narrative. 'When Putin talks of a peace treaty and addressing the root causes of the conflict, what he really means is the surrender and capitulation of Ukraine,' Mr Merezhko said. 'Trump has played into the hands of Putin. In choosing to support this idea it is a clear sign that unfortunately he is on the road to aligning with Putin.' In Kyiv, residents shared their dismay over the welcome given to Putin by Mr Trump. Olena and Yuriy, a couple who lost their son in the war, said they watched the Alaska summit unfold on television and were sickened by images of the Russian leader responsible for the invasion being welcomed on a red carpet. They spoke to The Telegraph as they put up a photograph of their son on the memorial wall of fallen soldiers at Saint Michael Square. 'The soldiers of the United States of America were unrolling this red carpet before Putin,' Yuriy said. 'For what reason is a person given such respect, who actually invaded our country?' In a nearby café, the events in Alaska were the topic of the day. 'We are supposed to be allies,' said Yevgheny Sofychuk, 39, who was getting a coffee during his morning dog walk. 'They behaved in a way that suggests they [Russia] are better.' The barista interrupts, 'All I want to say is that Trump is a chicken.' No ceasefire deal was reached at Friday's summit in Alaska and one Ukrainian MP described the outcome as one of the 'worst' possible for Ukraine. 'Putin has won some time for him and his troops,' she said. 'President Trump, in his own words, got a very good meeting. Ukraine got nothing.' On Saturday, after a call between Mr Trump, Volodymyr Zelensky and European leaders, the US president outlined a new proposal under which Ukraine would concede the entirety of the Donbas – Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts – in exchange for Article 5-style security guarantees, though these guarantees would not involve Nato membership. It has also been suggested that in other regions, such as Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, the front line will be frozen, according to officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity to several media outlets. While the fate of the Donbas region is already part of public debate, some Ukrainians said they would rather continue fighting for the land, even at the risk of losing it, than concede it to Putin. 'Our boys have been fighting and dying and they will never give away those territories. They are not ready for this.' Katerina, 35, said. 'But on the other side, for us civilian citizens, we've been working hard. We've lost a lot of relatives, lost properties, lost emotional and nerve cells. We want it to be over.' While Ukraine's constitution forbids recognition of any territory ceded to Russia, Serhii, 44, argued for a national deliberation. 'I think we should conduct some kind of pan-Ukrainian referendum to decide. It's a tough choice and there are no good options,' he admitted. 'The people of Donbas should also be consulted. I know that many there don't care much who is in charge – Russians or Ukrainians. Some are fine with being under Russian rule – that's a fact.' He added that with so much mixed messaging, it is hard to know whether Ukraine still has any 'cards' to play. 'If it's really bad and we are not in a position to choose or decide, then why should they ask us anyway? But if we still have some cards, then why not bargain for a bit longer?' Standing beside Serhii was a friend, pale-faced and silent. He refused to give his name or comment, explaining only that he has just returned from Russian captivity and the subject was too sensitive. Back at the memorial wall of heroes, the photograph of Olena and Yuriy's son now fills a once-empty space. The wall runs the length of a city block, with large sections of blue plaster still bare — spaces that could yet be filled if Ukraine continues the fight. 'Even if Trump stops all this weapons support,' said his father, Yuriy, 'we Ukrainians, those who care about our future, will be standing up to the very end.'
Sky News
26 minutes ago
- Sky News
Starmer to meet with European leaders for 'coalition of the willing' talks on Ukraine
European leaders who make up the 'coalition of the willing' are set to hold a conference call on Sunday - ahead of crunch talks between Donald Trump and Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskyy next week. The coalition - co-chaired by Sir Keir Starmer, France's President Emmanuel Macron and Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz - has the aim of bringing countries together to protect a peace deal in Ukraine. Top of the agenda at Sunday's meeting will be securing a concrete commitment from Mr Trump on a security guarantee that would act as a powerful backstop in any Russia-Ukraine peacekeeping arrangement. European leaders seemed buoyed by the US president's most recent hints on the subject, in the knowledge that US military might is likely to deter Vladimir Putin from advancing in the future. They will also discuss how to bring Mr Zelenskyy into talks after Mr Trump and Mr Putin's Alaska meeting saw him left out in the cold. In coordinated statements, European leaders said Mr Zelenskyy must play a greater role in future talks, and that peace cannot be achieved without him. The hard bit will be to persuade the unpredictable US administration to change its approach, something that has proved almost impossible in the past. 5:55 When Mr Trump re-entered the White House and made it clear the US would no longer provide a blank cheque to protect peace in Europe, others decided they had to step up, and the 'coalition of the willing' was thrown together in March. Since then, information about the allied peacekeeping effort has been patchy, but we know it includes over 30 countries, which have been asked to pledge whatever military support they can, including troops. What has been forthcoming from the group though, has been consistent attempts to use their limited leverage to put pressure on the US. That will continue ahead of crunch talks between Mr Trump and Mr Zelenskyy, which are set to take place in Washington on Monday.
