Why Critics Call Budapest's Buda Castle Rebuild a Land Grab
Architects point to rebuilt structures that look noticeably different from the original, while dilapidated historic buildings have remained neglected in other parts of the city. The controversial project is part of a broader global push to revive historic architecture, driven in part by a trend associating revivalist architecture with far-right values. Read more from architecture critic and contributor Robert Bevan today on CityLab:
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CNN
30 minutes ago
- CNN
Zelensky refuses to cede Donbas, says doing so would give Putin ‘springboard' for future offensives
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky vowed on Tuesday not to give eastern Ukrainian land to Russia, saying that abandoning the Donbas region would open the door for Russian President Vladimir Putin to 'start a third war' in Ukraine. Zelensky's warning comes ahead of Putin's meeting with US President Donald Trump in Alaska on Friday, where the Russian president is expected to demand Ukrainian land as part of a peace deal. While there is confusion over Putin's reported conditions for a ceasefire, most versions stress that the Russian president will demand that Ukrainian forces withdraw from all parts of Ukraine's Donbas, which includes parts of the Donetsk region it still holds. 'For the Russians, Donbas is a springboard for a future new offensive. If we leave Donbas of our own accord or under pressure, we will start a third war,' Zelensky said in a meeting with journalists. Russia illegally annexed the Crimean peninsula in 2014, and went on to launch its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. 'I am not going to surrender my country because I have no right to do so,' he added. 'If we leave Donbas today, our fortifications, our terrain, the heights we control, we will clearly open a bridgehead for the preparation of a Russian offensive.' Zelensky and Ukrainian military officials have warned that Russia is building up troops for a new offensive, ready to launch by September. 'I haven't heard anything — not a single proposal that would guarantee that a new war won't start tomorrow and that Putin won't try to occupy at least Dnipro, Zaporizhzhia and Kharkiv,' the Ukrainian president told reporters. 'The exchange of territories is a very complex issue that cannot be separated from security guarantees for Ukraine, for our sovereign state and our people,' Zelensky added, noting that the European Union's involvement in peace talks is also crucial because 'no one except Europe is giving us security guarantees.' A conversation between the US, Ukraine and 'all of Europe' will take place on Wednesday, according to the Ukrainian president. Trump has signaled Zelensky would not participate in Friday's summit, though the US president previewed his plans to phone Kyiv immediately after the meeting, along with other European leaders, to brief them. Trump said his goal is ultimately to get Putin and Zelensky in the same room to hash out their differences, and surmised only they would be able to find a way to end the war with some 'land swapping' between them. 'I'm not going to make a deal,' Trump said. 'It's not up to me to make a deal. I think a deal should be made for both.' Zelensky also gave further details on Tuesday about the diplomatic talks that have been taking place behind the scenes, as well as his take on the outcome of US special envoy Steve Witkoff's meeting with Putin. 'Witkoff said that there should be territorial concessions on both sides. That's how it sounded. And that Putin probably wants us to leave Donbas. So it didn't sound like America wants us to leave,' Zelensky said. 'I do not believe that Putin's proposal is Trump's proposal. I believe that Trump represents the United States of America. He acts as a mediator, he is in the middle – not on Russia's side.' CNN's Kevin Liptak contributed to this report.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Ben Wallace: Invite Britain to peace talks or Zelensky will be bullied
Britain must be invited to peace talks to stop Volodymyr Zelensky from being bullied by Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, Sir Ben Wallace has said. The former defence secretary said the Ukrainian president is a 'brave man' but would need support to push back against Mr Trump and the Russian president who are 'known to be bullies'. Mr Trump will reportedly hold talks with Putin as soon as next week, followed by trilateral talks with Mr Zelensky. European nations are not going to be included in the discussions. Sir Ben said a 'European power' should be 'in the room' to ensure Ukraine is not forced to accept an unsatisfactory deal. Asked if he believed there was a possibility that Ukraine could be 'strong-armed' by Mr Trump into agreeing to something it does not actually want to do, Sir Ben told Times Radio: 'Yes, there is a concern and I think that is why, there are two other nuclear powers in Nato, France and Britain, and I think it is important that in the room should be a European power. 'Because both Trump and Putin are known to be bullies, they bully people all the time, and I don't think two bullies versus Zelensky, who is a brave man, but I don't think would necessarily produce the right outcomes. 'If this is going to be a peace process, those people who have skin in the game, and that is Europeans as well as Ukraine and indeed the United States, should be part of that peace making process.' The announcement of talks has raised hopes that an end to the conflict could be in sight after more than three years of intense fighting. After speaking to the US president on the phone, Mr Zelensky said he believed Russia was 'now more inclined to a ceasefire'. Meanwhile, Yuri Ushakov, Putin's foreign affairs adviser, said a summit could possibly take place next week at a venue that has been decided 'in principle'. He brushed aside the possibility of Mr Zelensky joining the summit, however. It came after Steve Witkoff, Mr Trump's special envoy, met with the Russian president in Moscow for three hours. At the same time, Mr Trump intensified his pressure on Putin with fresh sanctions, declaring Russia to be an 'extraordinary threat' to the United States. Mr Trump hit India with a further 25 per cent trade tariff over its purchase of Russian oil, a vital source of income for the Kremlin. It was not clear how the announcement of the meeting would affect Mr Trump's Friday deadline for Russia to stop the killing or face its own economic sanctions. The meeting would be the first US-Russia summit since 2021, when Joe Biden, the former US president, met Putin in Geneva. It would be a significant milestone toward Mr Trump's effort to end the war, although there is no guarantee it would stop the fighting as Moscow and Kyiv remain far apart on their conditions for peace. The war has killed tens of thousands of troops on both sides as well as more than 12,000 Ukrainian civilians, according to the United Nations. Western officials have repeatedly accused Putin of stalling for time in peace negotiations to allow Russian forces time to capture more Ukrainian land. Putin previously offered no concessions, claiming he would only accept a settlement on his terms, which Ukraine has said would be tantamount to surrender. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
German economic sentiment tumbles as EU–US trade deal underwhelms
Germany's economic sentiment fell sharply in August, snapping a three-month recovery and casting renewed doubts over the country's growth outlook. The decline follows a controversial EU–US trade deal that has disappointed financial experts and left key industrial sectors exposed to steeper tariff burdens. The ZEW Indicator of Economic Sentiment dropped by 18 points to 34.7 in August, falling well short of expectations for a more modest retreat to 40. This reverses part of the strong recovery seen in July, when sentiment had climbed to its highest since February 2022. The gauge for current conditions also deteriorated, slipping to -68.6 from -59.5 a month earlier, missing forecasts of -60. The downturn reflects concerns over Germany's weak second-quarter performance and the perceived asymmetry of the newly signed transatlantic trade pact. 'Financial market experts are disappointed by the announced EU–US trade deal,' said ZEW president, professor Achim Wambach. 'In August 2025, the ZEW indicator experiences a substantial decline, also due to the poor performance of the German economy in the second quarter. The outlook has worsened in particular for the chemical and pharmaceutical industries. The mechanical engineering and metal sectors as well as the automotive industry are also severely affected.' Sentiment across the eurozone mirrored Germany's decline. The ZEW expectations index for the bloc dropped 11 points to 25.1, while the gauge of current conditions fell by 7 points to minus 31.2. Initial hopes of relative resilience in the eurozone have been tempered as economists revise down growth expectations for the second half of the year. Unequal trade deal weighs on sentiment On 27 July, just days before a 30% US tariff on EU goods was set to take effect, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and US President Donald Trump reached a last-minute agreement. The accord included a basic 15% tariff on EU exports, with steeper levies of 50% on steel, aluminium and copper. Aircraft and aircraft parts were exempted. As part of the deal, the EU also pledged to purchase $750 billion (€685 billion) in US energy exports over three years. The political optics were widely seen as favourable to Washington. Related Which European economy stands to suffer the most from US tariffs? Who got the best trade deal with the US - the EU or UK? 'A one-sided trade deal to reduce the US trade deficit with the EU,' remarked Oliver Rakau, chief Germany economist at Oxford Economics. "Politically, this agreement looks like a clear win for the US," he added. The deal 'is at the better end of the spectrum of what could realistically be achieved,' Isabelle Mateos y Lago, economist at BNP Paribas, noted. She highlighted that the effective tariff rate has been multiplied tenfold compared to the start of the year, though she sees the shock as manageable given exports to the US account for under 3% of EU GDP. Bill Diviney, economist at ABN Amro, described the agreement as a product of Europe's weak bargaining position, highlighting economic stagnation and rising inflation pressures. 'Berlin and France were unwilling to suffer economic pain to risk a better outcome,' he said. 'The EU remains dependent on the US for its security, both in terms of military support as for military imports and remains a net importer of energy,' he added. Markets cautious as US inflation data looms Market reaction to the ZEW release was muted. Germany's DAX index remained broadly steady at 24,050 points. The euro dipped slightly, down 0.1% to $1.1600. Investor focus now turns to the upcoming US inflation report for July, with the Consumer Price Index expected to have risen 2.9% year-on-year, up from 2.7% in June. Markets are watching closely for any signs that higher tariffs are beginning to filter through to consumer prices. Money markets continue to price in an 85% probability of a 25-basis-point rate cut by the Federal Reserve at its next meeting, as signs of cooling labour market strengthen the case for easing. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
