Live updates: Zelenskiy speaks on Russia after call with European leaders and Trump
What's happening?
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has online meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump and EU leaders
Post-meeting press conference at 4 p.m. (1400 GMT, 10 a.m. ET)
Trump set to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin Friday in Alaska
Trump: peace deal would involve ' swapping' of territories
Russia and Ukraine have not been open to ceding land
EU has warned against concessions to Moscow
In pictures: Zelenskiy's arrival in Berlin
4 minutes ago
09:26 EDT
JOHN MACDOUGALL/Pool via REUTERS
Russia says its Ukraine position remains unchanged
09:13 EDT
Dmitry Antonov
Russia said on Wednesday that its stance on ending the war in Ukraine has not changed since Putin set out his conditions last year: the full withdrawal of Kyiv's forces from key Ukrainian regions and the abandonment of its NATO ambitions.
After reports by some media that Washington understood Putin was ready to compromise on his territorial demands, the Russian Foreign Ministry's deputy spokesperson, Alexei Fadeev, was asked by reporters if Russia's position had changed or not.
"Russia's position remains unchanged, and it was voiced in this very hall just over a year ago, on June 14, 2024," Fadeev said, referring to a speech Putin delivered then at the foreign ministry.
At that time, Putin set out demands including the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from the parts of Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson that they still control.
Putin also said that Kyiv would have to officially notify Moscow that it was abandoning its plans to join the U.S.-led NATO military alliance, and that it intended to remain neutral and non-aligned.
At the time of his 2024 speech, Ukraine rejected his demands as tantamount to an absurd ultimatum.
More here.
Zelenskiy meets EU leaders and Trump on Russia
22 minutes ago
09:08 EDT
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy visited Berlin on Wednesday for a German-hosted virtual meeting with Donald Trump and European leaders, two days before the U.S. president meets Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska.
The virtual meeting is already underway.
Europe's leaders are trying to drive home the perils of selling out Kyiv's interests at the first U.S.-Russia summit since 2021.
Zelenskiy will hold a press conference with Germany's chancellor at 10:00 a.m. ET (1400 GMT), and European leaders will debrief reporters after the call.
We'll carry the press conference live here and other updates.
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Daily Mirror
24 minutes ago
- Daily Mirror
Do you have faith Donald Trump can end the war in Ukraine? Vote in our poll
Ahead of Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin's crucial 'one-on-one' talks in Alaska tomorrow, we're asking Mirror readers if they think the US President can end the war in Ukraine - vote in our poll Donald Trump has warned Russian leader Vladimir Putin that he faces severe consequences if he walks away from the summit in Alaska on Friday without a stop to the war in Ukraine - and we want to hear your thoughts. It comes after Keir Starmer said yesterday there is a "viable" chance of reaching a ceasefire in the Ukraine war as a result of the US President's work. Following virtual calls with Trump, Volodymyr Zelensky and other European leaders, the PM said Britain stands ready to "increase pressure" on Russia if necessary. Briefing the Coalition of the Willing after the calls, Starmer said: "As I've said personally to President Trump, for three and a bit years this conflict has been going on and we haven't got anywhere near the prospect of actually a viable solution, a viable way, of bringing it to a ceasefire. And now we do have that chance because of the work that the President has put in." It comes after Putin warned of nuclear war after unleashing another night of hell on Ukraine. However, Kyiv believes Putin is bluffing about his willingness to end the bloodshed. In a joint briefing in Berlin with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Zelensky said: "I told the US president and all our European colleagues that Putin is bluffing. He is trying to apply pressure before the meeting in Alaska along all parts of the Ukrainian front. Russia is trying to show that it can occupy all of Ukraine." After the talks, Zelensky said Trump supports providing security guarantees for Ukraine if there is a peace agreement. He said: "There should be security guarantees. President Trump said that he supports this and about America's readiness to take part." The Ukrainian President said he hoped the primary focus of the Alaska talks would be an immediate ceasefire, with any discussions on territorial issues to be addressed at a meeting involving all three leaders. Trump warned there will be "very severe consequences" if Putin refuses to stop the killing. When pushed on what these consequences would be, he said: "I don't have to say." He added: "If I do not get the necessary answers during the meeting with Putin, there will be no next meeting." Get Donald Trump updates straight to your WhatsApp! As the world attempts to keep up with Trump's antics, the Mirror has launched its very own US Politics WhatsApp community where you'll get all the latest news from across the pond. We'll send you the latest breaking updates and exclusives all directly to your phone. Users must download or already have WhatsApp on their phones to join in. All you have to do to join is click on this link, select 'Join Chat' and you're in! We may also send you stories from other titles across the Reach group. We will also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose Exit group. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Nato's Secretary-General, Mark Rutte, said after a separate call with Trump, Zelensky and European leaders: "We are united in pushing to end this terrible war. The ball is now in Putin's court." Despite the impending Trump-Putin showdown, Russia's military continued strikes on Ukraine last night. With just hours until the US and Russian leaders meet for crucial talks, we want to know if you think Trump can end the war in Ukraine? Vote in our poll HERE to have your say.


The Independent
25 minutes ago
- The Independent
Trump-Putin summit live: Starmer warns Ukraine's borders ‘must not be changed by force' ahead of Zelensky meeting
Sir Keir Starmer has warned that Ukraine 's borders 'must not be changed by force' as he prepared to meet Volodymyr Zelensky in Downing Street. The Prime Minister will host the Ukrainian leader on Thursday in a show of support, a day before President Donald Trump holds talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska aimed at ending the three-year-old conflict. On Wednesday, Trump joined a virtual meeting with European leaders, including Zelensky, who sought to set red lines ahead of the summit. The US President threatened 'severe consequences' for if Putin does not agree to peace in Ukraine, without specifying what these could be. In a statement on Wednesday, Sir Keir said that the UK's support for Ukraine was 'unwavering', adding: 'International borders must not be changed by force and Ukraine must have robust and credible security guarantees to defend its territorial integrity as part of any deal.' Zelensky due at Number 10 imminently Volodymyr Zelensky is due to arrive at Number 10 Downing Street imminently. A red carpet has been rolled out for the Ukrainian president outside Number 10, our Whitehall correspondent Kate Devlin reports. It is a last push for the leaders to display unity in Europe, one day after a 'very positive' call with Donald Trump - and one day before his crucial meeting with Vladimir Putin. Alex Croft14 August 2025 09:27 13 injured in Ukrainian drone attack, Russian authorities say Thirteen people were injured in a Ukrainian drone attack on a residential building in Russia's southern city of Rostov-on-Don on Thursday, acting regional governor Yuri Slyusar said. No further details are currently available on the strike - we'll bring you the latest as it comes/ Alex Croft14 August 2025 09:24 'No deal without Ukraine': Zelensky on Putin and Trump's meet in Alaska Alex Croft14 August 2025 09:03 Ukraine believes Putin has just 'one card left to play' in ceasefire talks – and it gives Kyiv the upper hand Vladimir Putin has 'only one card' left to play – to prolong the killing in Ukraine, according to a senior source in Volodymyr Zelensky's presidential office as Europe held top-level talks ahead of the Alaska summit this week. Zelensky has not been invited to Friday's meeting between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump. And there are deep concerns that the US president will emerge from the encounter taking an even harder line on Ukraine. Europe's leaders, including Keir Starmer, have been corralling US officials and White House insiders, and met virtually with the Oval Office to try to persuade Trump to use the leverage he has over Putin to get him to agree to a ceasefire. Our world affairs editor Sam Kiley writes: Ukraine believes Putin has just 'one card left to play' in ceasefire talks Exclusive: Ukraine and its allies believe European support and the threat of further sanctions give Kyiv the edge over Moscow – they just hope they have done enough to convince Donald Trump, writes world affairs editor Sam Kiley Alex Croft14 August 2025 08:47 Zelensky and Starmer's meeting at No 10 is a signal to one man - Donald Trump The Independent's Whitehall editor Kate Devlin reports: The PM's meeting with the Ukrainian leader this morning will be highly symbolic. After days of diplomatic wrangling, the two men are putting on a show – for the US president. The message is clear – the UK, like mush of Europe, is standing strong with Zelensky. On the eve of Trump's potentially historic summit with Putin in Alaska, there is some cautious optimism that the US is coming more onside to Europe's arguments, including that nothing is imposed on Ukraine and that the country has to be involved in its own destiny. This follows a call with European leaders, including the PM, on Thursday. The fear, as always, however, is how unpredictable the US President can be. Alex Croft14 August 2025 08:30 WhatsApp says Russia is trying to block its services WhatsApp said Russia was trying to block its services because the social media messaging app owned by Meta Platforms offered people's right to secure communication, and vowed to continue trying to make encrypted services available in Russia. Russia has started restricting some Telegram and WhatsApp calls, accusing the foreign-owned platforms of failing to share information with law enforcement in fraud and terrorism cases. "WhatsApp is private, end-to-end encrypted, and defies government attempts to violate people's right to secure communication, which is why Russia is trying to block it from over 100 million Russian people," WhatsApp said in a statement. "We will keep doing all we can to make end-to-end encrypted communication available to people everywhere, including in Russia." Alex Croft14 August 2025 08:15 Trump's meeting with Putin in Alaska allows him to show American military strength, says expert The meeting between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin at an American military base allows them to avoid any protests and provides an important level of security, said Benjamin Jensen, senior fellow for defense and security at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington-based think tank. "For President Trump, it's a great way for him to show American military strength while also isolating the ability of the public or others to intervene with what he probably hopes is a productive dialogue," Jensen said. He said the location means Trump can cultivate ties with Putin while "signaling military power to try to gain that bargaining advantage to make a second meeting possible'. What has Trump said about the Ukraine invasion since the start After Putin invaded Ukraine in 2022, Donald Trump described the Russian leader in positive terms."I mean, he's taking over a country for $2 worth of sanctions. I'd say that's pretty smart," Trump said at his Mar-a-Lago resort. In a radio interview that week, he suggested that Vladimir Putin was going into Ukraine to "be a peacekeeper." Trump repeatedly said the invasion of Ukraine would never have happened if he had been in the White House — a claim Putin endorsed while lending his support to Trump's false claims of election fraud. "I couldn't disagree with him that if he had been president, if they hadn't stolen victory from him in 2020, the crisis that emerged in Ukraine in 2022 could have been avoided," he said. Arpan Rai Putin appears ready to test new missile as he prepares for Trump talks Russia appears to be preparing to test its new nuclear-armed, nuclear-powered cruise missile, according to two US researchers and a Western security source, even as Russian president Vladimir Putin readies for talks on Ukraine with US president DonaldTrump tomorrow. Jeffrey Lewis of the California-based Middlebury Institute of International Studies, and Decker Eveleth of the CNA research and analysis organisation, based in Virginia, reached their assessments separately by studying imagery taken in recent weeks until Tuesday by Planet Labs, a commercial satellite firm. They agreed the photos showed extensive activity at the Pankovo test site on the Barents Sea archipelago of Novaya Zemlya, including increases in personnel and equipment and ships and aircraft associated with earlier tests of the 9M730 Burevestnik (Storm Petrel). 'We can see all of the activity at the test site, which is both huge amounts of supplies coming in to support operations and movement at the place where they actually launch the missile,' Lewis said. Arpan Rai14 August 2025 06:55 Zelensky to meet Starmer in Downing Street ahead of Trump-Putin summit Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky will meet with prime minister Keir Starmer in Downing Street later today, part of a final push for a European perspective to be heard ahead of a summit between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin. We'll bring you more details on exactly when the meeting will take place, but its likely to be little more than 24 hours before the Trump-Putin summit in Alaska. Sir Keir and Trump both joined a teleconference with European leaders including Zelensky yesterday. "The prime minister was clear that our support for Ukraine is unwavering – international borders must not be changed by force and Ukraine must have robust and credible security guarantees to defend its territorial integrity as part of any deal," Starmer's Downing Street office said in a statement yesterday.


The Independent
25 minutes ago
- The Independent
Zelenskyy to meet with UK's Starmer as Europe braces for Trump-Putin summit
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is expected to welcome Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in London Thursday morning, the latest meeting between the Ukrainian leader and the head of a European country as the continent braces for a critical U.S.- Russia summit in Alaska on Friday. Zelenskyy's trip to the British capital comes a day after he took part in virtual meetings from Berlin with U.S. President Donald Trump and the leaders of several European countries. Those leaders said Trump had assured them he would make a priority of trying to achieve a ceasefire in Ukraine when he meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday in Anchorage. Both Zelenskyy and the Europeans have worried the bilateral U.S.-Russia summit would leave them and their interests sidelined, and that any conclusions reached could favor Moscow and leave Ukraine and Europe's future security in jeopardy with Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine now in its fourth year. Yet some of those leaders, like German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron, praised Wednesday's video conference with Trump as constructive. Speaking after the meetings to reporters, Trump warned of 'very severe consequences' for Russia if Putin does not agree to stop the war against Ukraine after their Friday meeting. Territorial integrity Starmer on Wednesday said the Alaska summit would be 'hugely important,' and could be a 'viable' path to a ceasefire in Ukraine. But he also alluded to European concerns that Trump may strike a deal that forces Ukraine to cede territory to Russia, and warned that Western allies must be prepared to step up pressure on Russia if necessary. During a call Wednesday among leaders of countries involved in the 'coalition of the willing' — those who are prepared to help police any future peace agreement between Moscow and Kyiv — Starmer stressed that any deal reached on bringing the fighting to an end must protect the 'territorial integrity' of Ukraine. 'International borders cannot be, and must not be changed by force, and again that's a long-standing principle of this group,'' he said. 'And alongside that, any talk about borders, diplomacy, ceasefire has to sit alongside a robust and credible security guarantee to ensure that any peace, if there is peace, is lasting peace and Ukraine can defend its territorial integrity as part of any deal.' Some Ukrainians skeptical With another high-level meeting on their country's future on the horizon, some Ukrainians expressed skepticism that any breakthroughs would be achieved during Friday's U.S.-Russia summit. Oleksandra Kozlova, 39, a department head at a digital agency in Kyiv, told The Associated Press on Wednesday that she believes Ukrainians 'have already lost hope' that meaningful progress can be made on ending the 3 1/2-year-old war. 'I don't think this round will be decisive,' she said. "There have already been enough meetings and negotiations promising us, ordinary people, that something will be resolved, that things will get better, that the war will end. Unfortunately, this has not happened, so personally I don't see any changes coming.' Anton Vyshniak, a car salesman in Kyiv, said Ukraine's priority now should be saving the lives of its military servicepeople, even at the expense of making territorial concessions. 'At the moment, the most important thing is to preserve the lives of male and female military personnel. After all, there are not many human resources left," he said. "Borders are borders, but human lives are priceless. Therefore, some principles can be disregarded here.' Russia and Ukraine trade strikes Russian strikes in Ukraine's Sumy region overnight Wednesday resulted in numerous injuries, Ukrainian regional officials said. A missile strike on a village in the Seredyna-Budska community injured a 7-year-old girl and a 27-year-old man, according to regional governor Oleh Hryhorov. The girl was hospitalized in stable condition. In the southern Kherson region, Russian artillery fire struck the village of Molodizhne on Thursday morning, injuring a 16-year-old boy, regional governor Oleksandr Prokudin said. The teenager suffered an explosive injury, shrapnel wounds to his arms and legs and an acute stress reaction. He was hospitalized in moderate condition, Prokudin said. In Russia, an oil refinery in the Volgograd region caught fire after a Ukrainian drone attack overnight, according to local governor Andrei Bocharov. The refinery, one of the biggest producers of petroleum products in southern Russia, has been a frequent target of drone attacks, according to Russian independent news site Meduza. Overall, Russia's Defense Ministry reported destroying 44 Ukrainian drones over Russian regions and the annexed Crimea overnight. In Belgorod, the biggest city in the namesake region on the border with Ukraine, three civilians were injured in a Ukrainian drone attack, Gov. Vyacheslav Gladkov said, adding that a government building was hit by the attack. ___