DR Congo-Rwanda ceasefire deal still faces many challenges
More about the DR Congo conflict from the BBC:
Congolese rebels want peaceful solution to crisis, UN saysEx-DR Congo president returns from self-imposed exile, party saysDR Congo conflict tests China's diplomatic balancing actHow DR Congo's Tutsis become foreigners in their own country'They took all the women here': Rape survivors recall horror of DR Congo jailbreak
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The Independent
24 minutes ago
- The Independent
Starmer to join Trump-Zelensky summit after Putin talks fail to reach Ukraine-Russia ceasefire: Live updates
Sir Keir Starmer will join Volodymyr Zelensky and other European leaders for a crucial meeting with President Trump at the White House on Monday. Downing Street confirmed the prime minister would be attending, after six key allies announced they would be travelling to Washington DC in a show of support for Ukraine. Finish president Alexander Stubb, German chancellor Friedrich Merz and French president Emmanuel Macron are among those who will on hand to prevent any flare-ups between the Ukrainian president and Trump, and to represent Europe's interests. European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen will also be in attendance at the request of Zelensky.. The Russian leader told Trump that he would be prepared to stop fighting on the rest of the frontline if Ukraine gave in to the demand. The concessions were discussed at the summit of the two leaders in Alaska on Friday, which ended with no peace deal despite nearly three hours of talks. Sources very close to the meeting told The Independent the dramatic move appears to have been endorsed by Mr Trump as a means to bring an end to the war. EU's von der Leyen says content of ceasefire is more important European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told reporters on Sunday the term "ceasefire" was less important than the need to stop the killing. "It matters what's the effect. And the effect must be to stop the killing," von der Leyen said. "So it's not the term itself, it's the content that matters. It is so important to have as soon as possible a trilateral meeting ... between the President of Ukraine, the President of the United States, and of Russia." Holly Evans17 August 2025 14:25 Is Zelensky about to walk into another White House ambush? The free world's most celebrated president is showing some mettle in agreeing to a meeting with the leader of the free world. When Volodymyr Zelensky walks into the Oval Office on Monday, he knows he's risking another ambush. The Ukrainian president is prepared to gamble that he'll get another White House schoolyard bullying session, because there's a slim chance that Donald Trump may finally have tired of being played by the Kremlin. It is now conceivable, just, that Trump is prepared to consider security guarantees for Ukraine that reflect Nato's Article 5, which could mean that if Ukraine signed up to a peace deal then its long-term future sovereignty and security would be protected, by force of arms, by allies including the US. Is Zelensky about to walk into another White House ambush after Trump-Putin meeting? Trump's problem with Zelensky is personal but, as World Affairs Editor Sam Kiley explains, he may finally understand that Ukraine cannot be handed to Putin Holly Evans17 August 2025 14:10 Russia's FSB says it prevented Ukrainian drone attack on Smolensk nuclear power plant Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) said on Sunday it had prevented a Ukrainian drone attack on the Smolensk nuclear power plant, Interfax news agency reported. Earlier, Moscow's forces announced they shot down 300 Ukrainian drones and struck storage sites for Sapsan missiles while fierce battles raged in the Donetsk region where Ukrainian forces were trying to halt a Russian advance, the defence ministry and war bloggers said. "Four guided aerial bombs and 300 aircraft-type unmanned aerial vehicles were shot down by air defense systems," the ministry said. Holly Evans17 August 2025 13:54 State department papers left behind on Alaska hotel Trump-Putin summit details U.S. State Department documents containing sensitive government information were discovered on a public printer at an Alaska hotel, two hours before a high-stakes summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Eight pages — containing a schedule, several phone numbers of government employees, and a luncheon menu — were found in a public hotel printer at Hotel Captain Cook in Anchorage, a 20-minute drive from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson where the two world leaders met Friday to discuss the future of the war in Ukraine. Three guests staying at Hotel Captain Cook found the pages around 9 a.m. Friday, two hours before the summit began, according to NPR. It's not clear who left the papers but seven of the pages were 'produced by the Office of the Chief of Protocol,' according to images obtained by NPR, which is part of the State Department. State department papers left at Alaska hotel reveal Trump-Putin summit details Pages found at Hotel Captain Cook in Anchorage before high-stakes meeting between two global leaders Holly Evans17 August 2025 13:30 Swedish prime minister to attend Sunday's 'Coalition of the Willing' meeting Swedish prime minister Ulf Kristersson will virtually attend Sunday's meeting with the "Coalition of the Willing", ahead of President Volodymyr Zelenskiys visit to Washington on Monday, a spokesperson from the prime minister's office told Reuters. Kristersson will however not fly to Washington together with Zelensky alongside other European leaders on Monday, the spokesperson said. Holly Evans17 August 2025 13:15 Mapped: The key territories Putin wants handed over to bring about peace in Ukraine As all eyes turn to Washington DC on Monday, one of the key issues that is likely to be a sore topic for Volodymyr Zelensky is the prospect of relinquishing land to secure peace for Ukraine. Such a move would effectively hand over Ukraine's industrial heartland, giving Russia control of the Donbas region, where the majority of the heavy fighting has taken place since February 2022. The Donetsk and Luhansk provinces in the Donbas region form the industrial heartland of Ukraine Holly Evans17 August 2025 13:00 Putin discusses Alaska summit with Belarus Russian President Vladimir Putin held a phone call with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, the press service of the Belarusian president said via its Telegram channel on Sunday. "Two Presidents discussed the situation in the region in the light of the talks in Alaska. Putin informed his Belarusian counterpart in detail about the results of the last Russia-US summit," the press service said. Holly Evans17 August 2025 12:45 Sir Keir Starmer to travel to Washington to meet Trump Sir Keir Starmer will join President Zelensky and European leaders for a meeting with President Trump at the White House on Monday, Downing Street has said. Holly Evans17 August 2025 12:29 Merz, Macron and Meloni to join Zelensky – but no word from Starmer European leaders will join Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky when he meets Donald Trump for peace talks at the White House on Monday. Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission president, German chancellor Friedrich Merz and Finnish president Alexander Stubb were the first leaders to confirm they will join Mr Zelensky in Washington DC. Mr Zelensky's Oval Office rendezvous with the US president will take place after Western allies meet for a coalition of the willing video call on Sunday afternoon. Downing Street would not comment on whether Sir Keir plans to travel to Washington to join other European leaders on Monday. European leaders to support Zelensky in Trump talks – but no word from Starmer Western leaders will host a call of the coalition of the willing on Sunday to discuss steps to ending the war in Ukraine Holly Evans17 August 2025 12:11 Italy's prime minister Giorgia Meloni to travel to Washington Giorgia Meloni is the latest European leader to announce she will be joining Volodymyr Zelensky for his meeting at the White House on Monday. Her office confirmed she would be joining Germany's Friedrich Merz, France's Emmanuel Macron, and Finland's Alexander Stubb. Holly Evans17 August 2025 11:58
The Guardian
25 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Keir Starmer hopes to exploit curious relationship with Trump in Ukraine talks
Asked behind the scenes at June's G7 summit if he could explain why Donald Trump seems to like him so much, Keir Starmer admitted he didn't really know. Whatever the reason, when it comes to Ukraine, the UK prime minister is once again hoping to exploit this somewhat curious relationship. As soon as it was announced that a string of European leaders planned to join Volodymyr Zelenskyy to back the Ukrainian president in crucial talks with Trump at the White House on Monday, it was obvious Starmer would be joining them. The idea of Britain being some sort of bridge between US and European interests is something of a longstanding UK diplomatic cliche, and not one that always necessarily carries much meaning. But when it comes to Ukraine, Starmer has very deliberately sought to position himself as a leader who can get along with Trump while consistently stressing to him Europe's red lines over any peace plan, and trying to sweet-talk the president into offering US security guarantees. Recent months have presented several opportunities for Starmer to make this case in person, including February's Oval Office meeting between the pair, a bilateral at the G7 in Canada and talks during Trump's ostensibly non-work visit to Scotland last month. Starmer has shown his willingness to throw the diplomatic kitchen sink at efforts to keep Trump on side, including in February handing the president a written invitation from the king for an unusual second state visit. Similarly, the No 10 statement announcing Starmer would join the Zelenskyy meeting had more praise for Trump's 'efforts to end Russia's illegal war in Ukraine', even if many UK diplomats would most likely privately view Trump's summit with Vladimir Putin in Alaska as at best inconclusive, at worst a Russian trap. Such efforts have yielded results, with Trump repeatedly saying how much he likes Starmer, despite their very obvious political differences. As with anything Trump-related, even the best-worked plans can be upended by events, most spectacularly the way that Starmer's ultra-careful Oval Office appearance was followed a day later by Zelenskyy being humiliated by Trump and JD Vance. More recently, Starmer's delicate handling of Trump at the G7 – which in its most visible form saw the PM bend down to collect papers spilled by the president – did not prevent Trump leaving the summit early and then reneging on a plan to call for restraint in tensions between Israel and Iran. Monday's White House event could go south at similar speed, especially given reports that Trump seems minded to take up Putin's suggestion on Ukrainian territorial concessions in exchange for peace, something Zelenskyy and other European leaders have consistently ruled out. There is an extent to which this does not matter. Any sort of Trump diplomacy is always in part an exercise in luck. And as Starmer knows, when it comes to Ukraine, even if it doesn't work, it has to be attempted. Sign up to First Thing Our US morning briefing breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what's happening and why it matters after newsletter promotion Support for Kyiv is one of the few remaining cross-party, even national, political consensuses, as shown by Starmer and Zelenskyy's hug outside Downing Street on Thursday, ahead of the Alaska summit. While Trump is publicly fussed over by No 10, Zelenskyy seems genuinely cherished, as shown by diplomatic symbols such as the Ukrainian leader's post-White House debacle meeting with King Charles at the much more intimate surrounding of the royals' Sandringham estate in Norfolk, while Trump will be hosted in September in the formality of Windsor Castle. Starmer's disinclination to publicly criticise Trump, a leader disliked by many British voters, can seem anomalous, even jarring. But No 10 can point to results, notably the UK's relatively light treatment under the new regime of US tariffs. Pulling Trump out of Putin's orbit when it comes to peace in Ukraine could be a bigger ask. But yet again, Starmer will try.
Daily Mail
42 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
How the world's media descended on Alaska only to find themselves with no beds, no phone signal and just 12 minutes of speeches from Trump and Putin
Reporters who attended the Alaska summit have claimed there were no proper beds and no phone signal after an arduous journey to make it to the crunch talks. Members of the media travelled thousands of miles to Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson for just 12 minutes of speeches from Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin. Journalists had initially been told that talks between the US President and Russian leader about brokering an end to the war in Ukraine could last up to seven hours. But three hours in, the media waiting under a large tent were informed that a press conference had been called and wider bilateral talks were no longer taking place. Mr Trump and Mr Putin were on stage in Anchorage for 12 minutes, with no questions taken from the hundreds of gathered journalists and no ceasefire announced. One American journalist was quoted to have exclaimed at the end of the press conference: 'What the f*** was that? Is that all?' Among the British reporters who travelled to Alaska with high expectations was former Daily Mail journalist Connor Stringer, now the Telegraph 's deputy US editor. Writing about the press conference finishing so quickly, he said: 'The press pack, who had flown more than 2,000 miles in the hopes of witnessing history, were left shouting into the abyss. Colleagues looked around in bewilderment. 'Almost immediately, chatter between journalists turned from astonishment to frustration, as we realised that the pair had spoken for a twentieth of the painstaking time that it took for us to each be individually screened by the Secret Service that morning. 'In the few days before the highly-anticipated summit, we had scrambled to secure hire cars and accommodation in Anchorage, which turned out to be as scarce as details of what the two leaders agreed in their talks.' With just a week to prepare after Mr Trump announced the summit, Anchorage was already strained to capacity with hotels full of prebooked tourists on fishing trips and coastal cruises. Russian journalists, unable to secure accommodation, posted disapproving pictures of staying inside a sporting arena, where they slept on cots partitioned off from one another by black curtains. The Russians also found that their mobile data roaming was not working, and instead had to connect to a wifi network provided by the US Air Force. The US hosts served the Russian journalists a selection of familiar foods - shashlik meat skewers, grilled fish and even chicken Kiev. Mr Trump did not secure a deal to end the conflict in Ukraine after nearly three hours of talks with his Russian counterpart. After the negotiations, which took place alongside senior officials, the two presidents refused to answer questions from reporters. However, both made statements, with Mr Trump saying 'some great progress' was made with 'many points' agreed and 'very few' remaining. After the summit, Mr Trump suggested there were only a few major stumbling blocks holding up the prospect of a peace deal. Speaking to Fox News, he said it was now up to Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky to 'make a deal' to end the war. Tomorrow, Sir Keir Starmer will join Mr Zelensky and European leaders for a meeting with Mr Trump at the White House. The Prime Minister and a host of European leaders will travel to Washington DC in a show of solidarity with the Ukrainian leader, whose last visit to the Oval Office ended in a tumultuous spat with Mr Trump.
