Donald Tusk wins vote of confidence after Polish presidential election blow
The vote of confidence on Wednesday was passed by 243 votes in favour to 210 against.
The vote was requested by Tusk after an unexpected defeat for his government's preferred candidate in the presidential election, which prompted questions about the future of the coalition and fierce personal criticism of the prime minister.
Tusk leads an ideologically diverse and politically fragile alliance of pro-European parties, from the agrarian right to the social democratic left, which has promised to reverse the erosion of democratic checks and balances that had marked the eight-year rule of the Law and Justice party (PiS) between 2015 and 2023.
He had long hoped that a presidential win would make it easier for the government to adopt more progressive reforms, including on contentious issues such as abortion rights and same-sex relationships. Since coming to power, Tusk's government has faced fierce criticism from the incumbent president, Andrzej Duda, a former PiS European lawmaker, with fears Duda could use his robust veto powers to block some measures.
But the unexpected win of Karol Nawrocki, a Donald Trump-backed, previously little-known historian linked with the PiS, over the pro-European centrist mayor of Warsaw, Rafał Trzaskowski, put a question mark over the government's ability to deliver on its program.
Analysts partly blamed the result on the government's track record and Tusk's personal unpopularity, with voters reportedly unwilling to give too much power to one political camp.
A recent CBOS poll showed that 44% of voters were critical of the government, 32% supportive and 20% neutral. Tusk himself was even more unpopular, with 53% having a negative view of him and just 35% positive.
During a bruising seven-hour debate in parliament, more than 260 MPs took to the podium. Tusk strongly defended his government's track record and lamented its inability to communicate its successes to the electorate.
'If we told our story even half as well as we actually governed, we would be winning election after election,' he said.
Acknowledging the significance of Nawrocki's win, Tusk said: 'This is not an earthquake, but let's call things for what they are: we are facing two and a half years of very hard … work in [political] conditions that are not going to improve.'
But he insisted the government still had a clear political majority to pursue its measures, despite 'impatience, sometimes disappointment or anger' among its voters.
'I know the taste of victory, I know the bitterness of defeat, but I don't know the word surrender,' he quipped.
Opposition lawmakers lined up to criticise the government for showing little ambition and slow progress on its key promises, with too much focus on blaming the previous administration for all problems.
Speaking to reporters after the vote, Tusk said he had 'needed that vote for obvious reasons' as he had faced 'a lot of noise' about his and the government's future.
He said he intended to 'cut off all speculation' and move the narrative on as his ministers had 'two years to make amends' and win over the public before the 2027 parliamentary elections.
Under Tusk's plans to reassert control, the government will now appoint a 'heavyweight' spokesperson next week to overhaul its communications strategy, and will follow through with a ministerial reshuffle in July to get in shape before Nawrocki takes office in August.
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42 minutes ago
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Poland's F-16s Are About To Become Much More Potent
The Polish Ministry of Defense has signed a $3.8 billion contract to upgrade the country's 48 F-16C/D Block 52+ Viper fighters to the F-16V configuration. Poland's Block 52+ jets are already some of the most advanced F-16s in Europe. This is the latest example of a staggering Polish defense spending spree that has now been going on for years, as the country works to modernize its entire armed forces, with a particular eye toward meeting threats from Russia. Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz, Poland's Defense Minister and Deputy Prime Minister, announced the signing of the F-16 upgrade deal today. The state-run Wojskowe Zakłady Lotnicze No. 2 S.A. (Military Aviation Works No. 2), which has a formal relationship with the manufacturer of the jets, Lockheed Martin, will perform the upgrade work. 'Over 20 years ago, our predecessors made the choice of aircraft to replace the post-Soviet equipment in the Polish Air Force. We chose the F-16, and it was a very good decision – a proven aircraft, a platform capable of extraordinary combat operations,' Kosiniak-Kamysz said, according to a machine translation of a Polish-language statement put out today. 'The current capabilities of the F-16 C/D version are good, but after 20 years, they are insufficient to address the threats. We need to improve reconnaissance capabilities, communications, integration with the F-35 … as well as the ability to operate in any domain.' Poland is in the process of acquiring a fleet of 32 F-35A Joint Strike Fighters. The goal is for that force to reach full operational capability by the end of the decade. Lockheed Martin rolled out the first of the jets, which will be named Husarz (Hussar) in Polish service, last year. Polish pilots also began training on the F-35A in the United States in January. 'The modernization will cover not only the aircraft themselves but also radar, communications, friend-or-foe reconnaissance systems, ground infrastructure, simulators, and trainers,' Poland's Kosiniak-Kamysz said today, but did not provide further specifics. The U.S. government had approved the potential sale of items and services required for what was referred to as a 'Viper Midlife Upgrade' back in October 2024. At that time, the value of the total package was estimated to be around $7.3 billion, nearly twice as much as the stated price tag on the deal announced today. It is very possible that the contract with Wojskowe Zakłady Lotnicze No. 2 S.A. is just one part of what will be required to complete the upgrade program. From what was outlined last year, the upgrades for Poland's F-16s are set to most prominently include Northrop Grumman's AN/APG-83 active Scalable Agile Beam Radar (SABR). This active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar is the centerpiece of the F-16V configuration and is also now a standard feature on new-production Block 70/72 Vipers. SABR offers important benefits compared to the mechanically-scanned AN/APG-68 radars found on Poland's Vipers now. This includes being able to scan far faster, acquiring more targets and at longer ranges, as well as the ability to produce more precise and higher fidelity tracks, even when it comes to smaller and stealthier objects. The radar is also far more reliable than its predecessor and more resistant to electronic countermeasures. AESAs, in general, have secondary electronic warfare and communications potential, as well. Polish Vipers are also in line to get new modular, open-architecture mission computers, as well as upgrades to their communications and navigation capabilities. New AN/APX-126/127 Advanced Identification Friend or Foe (AIFF) combined interrogator/transponders were listed in the Pentagon's press release about the Viper Midlife Upgrade. A new electronic warfare package will also go into Poland's modernized F-16s, though what type is not yet clear. The door was left open last year to either L3Harris' AN/ALQ-254(V)1 Viper Shield or Northrop Grumman's AN/ALQ-257 Integrated Viper Electronic Warfare Suite (IVEWS). In September 2024, Breaking Defense reported that the two companies were hotly competing for a Polish contract. As Lockheed Martin has laid it out in the past, the F-16V upgrade package also includes improved datalinks and cockpit displays. Improved inoperability with the F-35 was also an important factor in the development of the V configuration. Poland's Block 52+ jets already feature conformal fuel tanks, and the country's two-seat D variants have enlarged dorsal spines, which can accommodate additional avionics, communications systems, countermeasures, and more. The Polish Ministry of Defense says the F-16 upgrade program will begin in earnest in 2028 and run through 2038. 'For 20 years, F-16s have protected Polish skies, participated in foreign missions, including air policing over the Baltic states, and were sent wherever our allies needed them,' Poland's Kosiniak-Kamysz noted in his statement today. Poland became a member of NATO in 1999. The aerial threat picture facing Poland has substantially evolved in recent years in light of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Polish authorities are acutely aware of the risk of spillover, including from stray missiles and drones. In 2022, two civilians in Poland were killed by falling debris as Ukrainian forces worked to intercept incoming Russian threats. Polish airspace has been violated on other occasions since then. For Poland, there is also the matter of simmering geopolitical friction with Russian ally Belarus. Tensions along the Polish-Belarusian border have flared multiple times in recent years. Amid all of this, Poland has steadily pushed to take a greater role in NATO. This includes moves to join the alliance's nuclear sharing agreements, through which select members are prepared to employ U.S. B61-series nuclear gravity bombs, if authorized. As noted, the F-16 upgrade plan is just one part of a larger Polish modernization effort across its entire military. In recent years, the country has signed billions of dollars' worth of contracts for other combat jets (including the F-35s and FA-50 light fighters from South Korea) and a massive buy of AH-64 Apache attack helicopters, as well as new main battle tanks, short-range ballistic missiles, and self-propelled artillery. On the air defense front, Poland is also planning to field a network of balloon-based early-warning sensors. Poland's Kosiniak-Kamysz also touted the benefits that the F-16 modernization work, specifically, will bring to the country's domestic defense industry, which has also been steadily expanding in recent years. 'This is a major investment, carried out with the state's finances in mind and thanks to taxpayers,' he said. 'Our goal is for Poland to be among the top three NATO countries in terms of operational capabilities. This modernization is a step in that direction.' Overall, Poland's F-16 upgrade program represents a major commitment by the country to continue operating the Viper for the foreseeable future, even as its stealthy F-35 fleet comes online. Contact the author: joe@ Solve the daily Crossword
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Trump tells Putin: Agree ceasefire on Friday or face severe consequences
Donald Trump has warned Vladimir Putin there would be 'severe consequences' if he did not agree to end his war on Ukraine at their summit in Alaska on Friday. The US president revealed on Wednesday his intention to seek an immediate second meeting with Putin, this time involving Volodymyr Zelensky, after their one-on-one talks in Alaska. Mr Trump said: 'If the first one goes okay, we'll have a quick second one. I would like to do it almost immediately, and we'll have a quick second meeting between President Putin and President Zelensky and myself, if they'd like to have me there.' Asked if Putin would face consequences if he failed to agree to stop the fighting, Mr Trump replied: 'Yes... there will be very severe consequences.' The Telegraph revealed that Mr Trump is also preparing to offer Putin access to rare earth minerals to incentivise him to end the conflict. These include opening up Alaska's natural resources and giving Russia access to critical minerals in Ukrainian territories currently occupied by Russia. Having listened to Europe and Ukraine's demands that nothing should be decided without Kyiv, Mr Trump said the high-stakes Alaska talks would only set 'the table for the second meeting'. Mr Trump's insistence on involving Ukraine is likely to bring relief to Kyiv and its allies, who feared that the US and Russian leaders could reach a deal that carves up Ukraine and sells out European security interests. Mr Zelensky earlier on Wednesday said that Mr Trump had supported the idea of security guarantees for Ukraine to ensure peace would be lasting. It is not yet clear what those guarantees will be or who will provide them. The US could provide air cover to Ukraine after the war and continue to allow European allies to buy weapons to give to Kyiv, including the much sought-after Patriot air defence systems. Earlier on Wednesday, Mr Zelensky and his European allies took part in a virtual meeting with European leaders in which they laid out their red lines to Mr Trump ahead of his talks with Putin. Mr Trump said he rated the meeting 'a 10'. Emmanuel Macron, the French president, said Mr Trump had agreed that Ukraine must be involved in any discussions about ceding land. Friedrich Merz, the German chancellor, said Mr Trump – and Europe – were willing to ramp up the pressure on Russia if Friday's talks proved fruitless. Europe and Kyiv's demands included that Ukraine must be part of negotiations, that a ceasefire comes first, security guarantees must be provided, Russia should not have the right to veto Ukraine's Nato prospects and there should be joint pressure on Russia. A later statement by the so-called 'coalition of the willing' demanded 'robust and credible security guarantees' for Kyiv and said 'no limitations' should be put on Ukraine's forces. Sir Keir Starmer said that the partnership was 'ready' to implement its military plans for a post-war Ukraine as soon as a peace deal was in place. The Prime Minister added that 'real progress' on security guarantees for Ukraine had been made. However, Putin – who has so far refused to back down on his maximalist demands – is likely to strongly resist Europe's demands. The Russian foreign ministry earlier on Wednesday said Moscow's stance on the war had not changed since it was set out by Putin in June 2024. As preconditions for a ceasefire and the start of talks, the Kremlin leader had demanded that Ukraine withdraw its forces from four regions that Russia has claimed as its own but does not fully control, and formally renounce its plans to join Nato. Kyiv has rejected the conditions as tantamount to surrender. Mr Zelensky said he reminded Mr Trump on their call that Putin is 'bluffing' when he claims he is ready to negotiate and instead intends to 'push forward along the whole front'. The Alaska meeting comes at a troubling moment on the battlefield as Russia races to seize as much land as possible ahead of peace talks. According to battlefield data and analysts, Russian forces have made their biggest 24-hour advance into Ukraine in more than a year in an important section of the frontline in Ukraine's east. Russian special forces punched through exposed Ukrainian defences near Dobropillya in Donetsk this week in what may prove to be a major breakthrough for Moscow. The breach could allow Russia to cut off the fortress city of Kramatorsk, one of the most vital strongholds in the Donbas still under Kyiv's control. Our live coverage has ended for today. Here's a round-up of today's events: Russia is making an 11th-hour dash for territory in Donetsk Ukraine orders evacuations close to recent Russian leap European leaders and Zelensky held 'constructive' call with Trump Kyiv is willing to discuss territorial issues, but not legal recognition of occupied land Zelensky said Trump supports security guarantees for Ukraine The US could guarantee air cover for Ukraine Starmer said the 'coalition of the willing' is ready to implement ceasefire plan Telegraph revealed that Trump will present minerals deal to Putin in Alaska Trump said Ukraine will be at second meeting with Putin US president warned of 'severe consequences' if Putin did not agree to a ceasefire Zelensky warned Russia was preparing for a fresh military offensive, Moscow said its stance on the war in Ukraine unchanged since June 2024 Putin praised North Korean troops fighting in Ukraine US investigators accused Russia of being behind a hack into US federal court files Pictured: Ukrainian recruits train near frontline Finland's president said Trump 'took our messages well' Alexander Stubb, Finland's president, said that Donald Trump showed willingness to accept Europe's demands for peace in Ukraine. The US president 'took our messages well, agreed on most of them, and will present them in Alaska'. He added that Mr Trump said he would not be discussing the ceding of Ukrainian territory with Vladimir Putin when they meet in Alaska on Friday – instead the focus will be on achieving a ceasefire. 'Coalition of Willing' leaders set out stance on Ukraine ceasefire pathway Britain, France and Germany, co-chairs of the so-called 'Coalition of the Willing', have set out their position on the pathway to a ceasefire in Ukraine. 'Ukraine must have robust and credible security guarantees to effectively defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity,' said the joint statement, published by Britain two days before a planned summit between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin in Alaska. 'The Coalition of the Willing is ready to play an active role, including through plans by those willing to deploy a reassurance force once hostilities have ceased. 'No limitations should be placed on Ukraine's armed forces or on its cooperation with third countries. Russia could not have a veto against Ukraine's pathway to EU and Nato'. Trump supports security guarantees for Ukraine, says Zelensky Donald Trump supports providing security guarantees for Ukraine following a peace settlement, Volodymyr Zelensky has said. 'There should be security guarantees,' Mr Zelensky said at a press conference alongside Friedrich Merz, the German chancellor. 'President Trump said that he supports this and about America's readiness to take part.' In past months, Washington has kept security guarantees for Ukraine off the table, despite it being a key demand from Kyiv. It was not immediately clear if Mr Zelensky meant US guarantees, or the European 'coalition of the willing'. Mr Trump is due to meet with Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday, however Ukraine has been sidelined from the summit. Highlighting five principles agreed by European leaders and presented to the US president on a call, Mr Zelensky said that Ukraine must be included in all negotiations, that a ceasefire must be the starting point, and that security guarantees for his country must be provided. He also stressed that Russia should not have the right to veto Ukraine's Nato prospects and that there should be joint pressure on Russia. Trump to present minerals deal to Putin in Alaska Donald Trump is preparing to offer Vladimir Putin access to rare earth minerals to incentivise him to end the war in Ukraine. The US president will arrive at the much-anticipated meeting with his Russian counterpart on Friday armed with a number of money-making opportunities for Putin. They will include opening up Alaska's natural resources to Moscow and lifting some of the American sanctions on Russia's aviation industry, The Telegraph can reveal. Scott Bessent, the US treasury secretary, is understood to be among administration figures briefing Mr Trump ahead of his sit-down with Putin in Anchorage. Mr Bessent is exploring the economic trade-offs the US can make with Russia in order to expedite a ceasefire agreement. Proposals include giving Putin access to the rare earth minerals in the Ukrainian territories currently occupied by Russia. US could guarantee air cover for Ukraine UK government sources say the same security guarantees previously offered by the United States for Sir Keir Starmer's 'coalition of the willing' are favoured by Donald Trump ahead of his meeting with Vladimir US could provide air cover to Ukraine after the war and continue to allow Europe allies to buy weapons to give to Kyiv, including the much sought-after Patriot air defence systems. Crucially, any guarantee is only expected to be agreed if Europe agrees to take the 'lionshare' of responsibility, a source added. Mapped: Putin's territorial demands Trump will 'fight for' trilateral meeting with Putin and Zelensky Donald Trump said Ukraine must be involved in talks about territory in any ceasefire deal with Russia, Emmanuel Macron said following a call with European leaders and the US president. Mr Trump said he would 'fight for' a three-way summit with Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky, the French president added. Mr Trump's insistence on involving Ukraine, if confirmed, could bring a measure of relief to Ukraine and its allies, who have fear the Russian and US leaders could reach a deal that sells out Europe's and Ukraine's security interests. Mr Macron also said that his US counterpart made it 'very clear' he wants to achieve a ceasefire at the upcoming US-Russia summit in Alaska. Starmer: Coalition of the willing ready to implement ceasefire plans Sir Keir Starmer said that the 'coalition of the willing' group of countries was ready to implement the military plans it has been working on to support Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire. In a call with the coalition along with Volodymyr Zelensky and US vice-president JD Vance, Sir Keir said that the military plans 'are now ready, in a form that can be used if we get to that ceasefire'. The Prime Minister added that, in an earlier call with Trump, they had made 'real progress' on security guarantees for Ukraine to ensure any peace would be lasting. Details of security guarantees were not discussed, said Merz Friedrich Merz, the German chancellor, said that Ukraine 'needs robust security guarantees'. The details of these security guarantees – which Volodymyr Zelensky said that Donald Trump supports – were not discussed during the call with the US president, leaving it unclear as to what America or the 'coalition of the willing' might provide. Mr Zelensky added that the success of any talks depends on the results and the mood and 'our mood now is that we are united and it was very positive.' He added that all the partners expressed 'the same vision and this is an important step forward'. Zelensky: 'I told Trump that Putin is bluffing' Volodymyr Zelensky said he told Donald Trump and European leaders that Vladimir Putin is 'bluffing'. 'Putin is bluffing - he is trying to push forward along the whole front,' he said at the press conference in Berlin. Turning his attention to sanctions, he said: 'Putin is also bluffing saying he doesn't care about the sanctions and that they're not working.' He urged the international community to impose new sanctions on Moscow if Putin does not agree to an 'immediate ceasefire' at a summit with Mr Trump this week. Analysis: Europe shows Trump and Putin it is united behind Ukraine Wednesday's virtual summit in Berlin was an attempt to show President Trump - and Vladimir Putin - that Europe is united behind Ukraine. European leaders are concerned about the hotly anticipated summit between the US and Russian leaders which will be held in Alaska on Friday. They fear that Mr Putin will flatter the US leader, and perhaps try to foist upon him some unacceptable conditions that Kyiv would never be willing to accept. And so a key message of this summit was: Ukraine must have a seat at the table; it cannot just be a passive voice in the background of the negotiations. This is unlikely to be respected by Putin, who invaded Ukraine in the first place as he essentially believes it is a restive province of Russia - not a nation with its own destiny and goal to pursue. At a press conference afterwards, Mr Merz spoke of security guarantees and the need to ensure that Russia understands it cannot change borders through violence. But we've been here before - the same positions taken, only to be dismissed out of hand by Russia, which then has the gall to blame Ukraine for obstructing peace. Merz: Ukraine must be 'at the table' following Trump-Putin summit Ukraine must be part of any further talks following the planned meeting in Alaska between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, Friedrich Merz said. 'Ukraine must be at the table when follow-up meetings take place,' The German chancellor said after an online meeting with Trump and European leaders, adding that 'a ceasefire must come first' before any peace negotiations. Zelensky and Europe agree five principles for peace Volodymyr Zelensky said European leaders agreed on five principles that were presented to Donald Trump. Ukraine must be included in the discussions in a three-sided format There should be a ceasefire There should be security guarantees - Trump said that he supports this and highlighted America's readiness to take part Russia should not have the right to veto Ukraine's Nato prospects There should be joint pressure on Russia and sanctions European leaders and Zelensky had 'constructive' call with Trump Friedrich Merz, the German chancellor, said European leaders and Volodymyr Zelensky had a ''good, constructive' meeting with Trump about Ukraine. Merz outlines Ukraine and Europe's position on negotiations Friedrich Merz, speaking at a press conference alongside Volodymyr Zelensky, outlined Europe's position towards peace negotiations: Ukraine has to be at the table if there are any follow up meetings Negotiations have to be in the right order – a ceasefire has to be at the beginning of it Ukraine is 'ready to negotiate' on territorial issues, but legal recognition of territory seized by Russia is not on the table The need for viable long-term security guarantees for Ukraine Russian units hunted deep within Ukraine Ukraine said its forces are fending off Russian infantry units that pierced their defensive positions in the eastern Donetsk region. On Tuesday, Kyiv's military acknowledged that a small group of Russian troops bypassed Ukrainian positions near Dobropillia but rejected reports of a breakthrough. Volodymyr Zelensky said small groups of Russian soldiers, each of 20-30 Russian troops, had advanced about six miles behind the frontlines. One of those groups had been killed or captured, and the others would be hunted down, he said. Ukraine's president also said in his overnight address that Kyiv would reject any Russian proposal to give up the Donbas region in exchange for a ceasefire, warning it could be used by Russia as a springboard for future attacks. The move would require Mr Zelensky to order troops to withdraw from 9,000 square kilometers of Ukrainian territory, handing Moscow a victory that its army couldn't achieve militarily for more than a decade. The Ukrainian president, who arrived in Berlin today to join European leaders for a video call with Donald Trump this afternoon, has also pushed for Kyiv to be included in peace talks between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday. He said Moscow wants to create a narrative that 'Russia's advancing and Ukraine's losing' at the summit, adding that he hoped Mr Trump would act as an honest mediator. Italy scrambles jets to intercept Russian aircraft near Nato airspace Two Italian F-35 jets were scrambled from Estonia for the first time to intercept Russian aircraft, Nato air command said. 'The Italian Air Task Force, a detachment of the 32nd Wing at Amari Air Base, is on rapid alert 24/7, demonstrating the alliance's commitment to safeguarding Nato airspace,' the alliance added. It marked the first deployment of Italian fifth-generation fighters in such a role over the Baltic. The mission involved the interception of a Sukhoi Su-24 and a Sukhoi Su-27, both jets were flying without flight plans or active transponders – which Nato says is linked to probing and reconnaissance activities. Pictured: Macron attends virtual call on Ukraine Analysis: What Europe wants from Trump talks This afternoon's conference call between European leaders and Donald Trump has two objectives. First, they hope to stiffen the US president's resolve ahead of his Alaska summit with Vladimir Putin, a meeting some European officials fear he is dangerously under-prepared for. Second, they want Mr Trump's backing for a European counterproposal to push back against an offer Putin made to Steve Witkoff, the US envoy, in Moscow last week, which appalled Europe — not to mention Ukraine. Initial reports suggested Putin would cede occupied territory in Zaporizhzhia and Kherson in exchange for parts of Donetsk still under Ukrainian control. In fact, he appears to have offered a ceasefire if Ukraine agreed to freeze the present front lines in Zaporizhzhia and Kherson while unilaterally surrendering all remaining territory in Donetsk. That was just for starters: Putin gave no sign he would drop his demands for all of Zaporizhzhia or Kherson under a final peace plan — or for the demilitarisation and 'denazification' of a Zelensky-free Ukraine outside Nato. In other words, Putin hopes to use Alaska to secure territory he has failed to win on the battlefield. The Russian leader cannot be faulted when it comes to chutzpah. European leaders will urge Mr Trump to reject this and instead back their plan, which calls for an unconditional ceasefire first, and for any territorial exchanges to be reciprocal — with simultaneous withdrawals safeguarded by watertight security guarantees. Ukraine orders evacuations close to recent Russian leap The head of Ukraine's Donetsk region, where Russian forces have made rapid but limited advances in recent days, has ordered civilians with children to evacuate from towns and villages under threat. 'We are beginning the mandatory evacuation of families with children from the town of Bilozerske,' governor Vadym Filashkin said today, adding that around a dozen of other settlements fell under the orders well. He said some 1,150 children remained in the area impacted by the order. According to a battlefield data and analysts, Russian forces have made their biggest 24-hour advance into Ukraine in more than a year in an important section of the frontline in Ukraine's east. The Telegraph reported on Tuesday that Russian special forces had punched through exposed Ukrainian defences near Dobropillya in Donetsk and quickly advanced by six miles. The breach could allow Russia to cut off the fortress city of Kramatorsk, one of the most vital strongholds in the Donbas still under Kyiv's control. Bilozerske is just north of Dobropillya. Berlin uses 'secret floor' for virtual talks with Trump to keep out Russian spies Friedrich Merz's virtual summit in Berlin to discuss the war in Ukraine ahead of the Trump-Putin meeting in Alaska will be chaired from a secretive room of the Chancellery. Bild newspaper reports that a 'secret floor' in the building has been chosen for the room where Mr Merz, joined in person by Ukrainian president Volodymr Zelensky, will lead a conference call with European leaders. German officials fear that otherwise the conversation could be intercepted by Russian spies, and so they have chosen a section of the building that has no windows and is known to be bug-proof. No phones will be allowed in and only Mr Merz and Mr Zelensky's closest advisers will be permitted to sit in on the discussions. Mr Merz hopes that the call, which will also be joined by President Trump himself, will be an opportunity to influence the talks with Putin on Friday. Trump calls European leaders 'great people' ahead of crucial Ukraine talks Donald Trump has praised European leaders for wanting 'to see a deal done', ahead of a planned virtual meeting on Wednesday. In a post on his Truth Social, he said: 'Will be speaking to European Leaders in a short while. They are great people who want to see a deal done.' Europe's leaders are expected to implore the US president not to cede Ukrainian land in pursuit of a ceasefire, a message they've tried to drive home since the first US-Russia summit in 2021. It comes two days before Mr Trump is set to meet Vladimir Putin for talks in Alaska on Friday. Russia claims more gains in Donetsk region Russian forces have made more advances in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region, the Kremlin has said. The areas of Zatyshok and Zapovidne have been taken, Russia's defence ministry claimed. The Telegraph could not immediately verify the battlefield report. Zelensky: Russia is preparing fresh offensives beyond Alaska talks Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia is gearing up for a fresh military offensive, despite upcoming ceasefire talks between Vladimir Putin and President Trump in Alaska on Friday. The Ukrainian president said Russia is repositioning around 30,000 troops to Ukraine's southern region of Zaporizhzhia and the Donetsk region from Ukraine's northern Sumy region. 'We think they will be ready with those brigades before September,' Mr Zelensky said, adding that additional Russian troops may be ready in November. Zelensky arrives in Berlin Volodymyr Zelensky has arrived in Berlin for talks about achieving peace in Ukraine. We reported earlier that Ukraine's President is in the German capital on a day of talks where European leaders are expected to implore the US president not to cede Ukrainian land in pursuit of a ceasefire (see post at 7:55am). It comes ahead of US President Donald Trump's planned summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday. Russia's stance on Ukraine unchanged from 2024 demands, Moscow says Russia's stance on ending the war in Ukraine has not changed, a foreign ministry spokesperson said on Wednesday. Alexei Fadeev was referring to June 2024, when Vladimir Putin demanded a full Ukrainian withdrawal from four territories Russia claims to have annexed before a ceasefire could begin. Ukraine's President Zelensky called Putin's proposal a Hitler-like 'ultimatum'. Russia currently occupies around 19 per cent of Ukraine, including Crimea and the parts of the Donbas region it seized prior to the full-scale invasion in February 2022. Moscow vows to respond to Estonia's expulsion of Russian diplomat Alexei Fadeev, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson, said on Wednesday that Estonia's expulsion of a Russian diplomat was a hostile act that would prompt a response from Moscow. Estonia has expelled a Russian diplomat over sanction violations and other crimes against the state, the Baltic country's foreign ministry said in a statement. Ukraine says it hit oil pumping station in Russia's Bryansk Ukraine's military said on Wednesday its drones hit Russia's 'Unecha' oil pumping station in Russia's Bryansk region overnight. 'Damage and a large-scale fire were recorded in the area of the booster pumping station building,' the Ukrainian General Staff said on Telegram. Credit: Telegram/supernova_plus Merz and Zelensky set to give talks in Berlin on Wednesday German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and his Ukrainian counterpart are scheduled to deliver a press talk at around 2pm GMT in Berlin on Wednesday. Volodymyr Zelensky is in the German capital on a day of talks between Western leaders ahead of US President Donald Trump's planned summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday (see post at 7:55am). Putin praises North Korean troops fighting in Ukraine President Vladimir Putin has praised the 'bravery, heroism and self-sacrificing spirit' of North Korean troops fighting against Ukraine, during a phone call with Kim Jong Un. According to state media from both countries, the two authoritarian leaders spoke about their deepening ties and war efforts against Ukraine in a call on Wednesday morning. Putin reportedly also told Kim about his plans for upcoming talks with Donald Trump, which are scheduled to take place in Alaska on Friday. Since Russia first invaded its neighbour, the two countries have grown ever closer, with Pyongyang sending weapons and people to help the war effort. According to South Korean assessments, at least 15,000 North Korean troops have now been sent to Russia, while the British Ministry of Defence estimates that roughly 6,000 soldiers from the pariah state have been killed or wounded while fighting in Kursk. On Wednesday, North Korean state media said that Kim had told Putin during the call that he would fully support 'all measures to be taken by the Russian leadership in the future, too'. They also discussed advancing ties in 'all fields', as part of a strategic partnership agreement signed last year. A BBC investigation yesterday reported that 10,000 North Korean labourers have already been sent to Russia, which is facing a labour shortage linked to the war, and intends to eventually dispatch 50,000 workers. But once there, the labourers are facing 'slave-like' conditions. Russia suspected in hack of US federal court filing system US investigators have uncovered evidence that Russia was at least partly behind a hack of a computer system that manages US federal court files, according to reports. The court documents contained highly sensitive records, including information that could reveal sources and people charged with national security crimes, the New York Times reported, citing several people familiar with the breach. It isn't clear whether Russian intelligence was operating alone, or if other countries were involved. Some of the people familiar with the matter described it as a long-lasting plot to infiltrate the system. The revelation comes ahead of highly anticipated talks between Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart in Alaska on Friday, where the US President is expected to discuss his push to end the war in Ukraine. What's happening in Alaska on Friday? Donald Trump will meet with Vladimir Putin 'one-on-one' in Alaska, the White House has confirmed. The two leaders will not be flanked by their advisers when they come face-to-face for a highly-anticipated meeting at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson on Friday – a military base in Anchorage – to discuss ending the war in Ukraine. Tempering expectations of the leaders making a breakthrough, Karoline Leavitt, Mr Trump's secretary, insisted the summit was a 'listening exercise' for the US president. '...the goal of this meeting for the president is to walk away with a better understanding of how we can end this war,' Ms Leavitt told reporters on Tuesday. 'It is a listening exercise for the president. Look, only one party that's involved in this war is going to be present, and so this is for the president to go and to get, again, a more firm and better understanding of how we can hopefully bring this war to an end,' she added. Volodymyr Zelensky's exclusion from the talks has fuelled fears that Mr Trump and Putin will agree to terms to ending the war which are unfavourable for Ukraine. Reporting by Connor Stringer Read the full article here Mapped: Putin makes battlefield breakthrough in urgent push for land Russia is racing to seize as much Ukrainian territory as possible ahead of peace talks with Donald Trump on Friday. In what may prove to be a major breakthrough for Vladimir Putin, Russian sabotage and reconnaissance units punched through exposed defences in eastern Ukraine, slipping as far as six miles behind the front line in just 48 hours, according to battlefield reports. The location, near Dobropillya in Donetsk, is strategically significant. If Moscow's forces are able to establish a foothold, the breach could allow Russia to cut off the city of Kramatorsk, one of the most vital strongholds in the Donbas still under Kyiv's control. If the city falls, it would give Putin almost full control over the Donbas and strengthen his negotiating power when bargaining over Ukraine's fate with the Trump administration. Reporting by Kieran Kelly and Fermin Torrano Read the full article here Zelensky will be in Berlin on Wednesday, spokesman says Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky will be in Berlin on Wednesday to join European leaders for a video call with Donald Trump, his spokesman has said. 'The president is working in Berlin today,' the spokesman said, adding that a meeting with German chancellor Friedrich Merz is also planned. We reported earlier that chancellor Mr Merz will convene a call where European leaders are expected to implore the US president not to cede Ukrainian land in pursuit of a ceasefire (see post at 7:47 am). It comes ahead of Trump's planned summit with Russian president Vladimir Putin on Friday in Alaska. The German Chancellor's talks will also involve the leaders of Finland, France, Britain, Italy, Poland and the European Union, as well as Nato. Pictured: Scenes of devastation as Russia advances in Donetsk Zelensky and European leaders to speak to Trump ahead of Putin summit Europe and Ukraine's leaders will speak to US President Donald Trump at a virtual meeting on Wednesday ahead of his summit with Russia's Vladimir Putin in Alaska. Chancellor Friedrich Merz of Germany will convene a Ukraine-themed video call on Wednesday, where European leaders are expected to implore Mr Trump not to cede Ukrainian land in pursuit of a ceasefire. The call is set to include Mr Trump, Vice President JD Vance,Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine and several of Mr Trump's favourite European leaders, like Prime Minister Giorgi Meloni of Italy. The US president says both Kyiv and Moscow will have to cede land to end the war. Russian troops have already occupied almost a fifth of Ukraine. What's happening in the Donetsk? Russia appears to be making an 11th-hour dash to snatch as much territory as possible ahead of the planned meeting between President Vladimir Putin and his US counterpart Donald Trump on Friday. Russian forces are making a push towards Dobropillia, the Ukrainian battlefield monitoring group DeepState reported Tuesday. The town is around 20 kilometres north of the key strategic city of Pokrovsk, which has been in the Kremlin's crosshairs for more than a year. 'Groups of Russians have advanced about 10 kilometres in several places. All of them have no equipment, only weapons in their hands. Some have already been found, partially destroyed, partially captured,' Volodymyr Zelensky said in a briefing Tuesday. Hello and welcome to our live coverage We're bringing you the latest updates from the Ukraine war
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Trump tells Europe he won't negotiate territory with Putin, say leaders
European leaders said President Trump on Wednesday said he would not negotiate territorial issues with Russian President Vladimir Putin at their summit in Alaska this week, saying it is an issue that must be discussed between Ukraine and Russia. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emanuel Macron both said Trump made the comments during a virtual meeting with European leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday. Merz made the remarks alongside Zelensky, who came to Berlin for the call. The German leader said Trump told them that he wouldn't negotiate territorial issues and pledged to ask for an immediate ceasefire in the meeting, the Wall Street Journal reported citing two sources on the call. Macron similarly told reporters that Trump agreed with European leaders during the call that any talks on territorial concessions must involve Ukraine. Trump described the call with European leaders as 'very good, I would rate it a 10' when speaking to reporters at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday. He said there will be consequences for Putin if he does not agree to stop the war after their meeting in Alaska on Friday. Trump also sought to set expectations for the meeting, saying he didn't believe he has the power to get Putin stop attacking Ukrainian civilians. 'I've had that conversation with him, I've had a lot of good conversations with him and then I go home and I see that a rocket hit a nursing home, or a rocket hit an apartment building and people are laying dead in the street… but I guess the answer to that is probably no.' While Trump set an Aug 8 deadline for Putin to stop the war or face sanctions, the president allowed that deadline to pass in exchange for the face-to-face summit. Trump said the first meeting with Putin is an attempt to feel out the Russian leader's commitment to negotiations to end the war, but that the goal is to move toward a second summit with Zelensky, and possibly Trump too. 'There's a good chance we'll have a second meeting that will be more productive than the first – because the first I'll find out where we are and what we're doing,' he said.
