Latest news with #war in Ukraine
BBC News
a day ago
- Politics
- BBC News
Zelensky could still attend Trump-Putin meeting, but rest of Europe is shut out
It's the bilateral summit every European leader wants to be for good reason. On Friday, Donald Trump is scheduled to meet Vladimir Putin in Alaska to discuss ending the war in concessions will likely be discussed, and Europe (not least Ukraine) doesn't want its borders to be redrawn through as things stand, there are no invites for the country being invaded, nor the continent it sits in."Brace ourselves for some pretty outrageous Russian demands," warns Lord Simon McDonald, a former head of the UK Foreign Office."It will be theatrical," he adds. "Putin is going to ask for things that nobody else would concede - with the possible exception of Donald Trump." Trump says he will try to get back territory for Ukraine in talks with Putin President Zelensky has said he won't agree to the giving up of any land, or even freezing the conflict along the current front argument is that it won't slow a Russian war machine that has waged a full-scale war for more than three and a half years. Concessions, he claims, would only speed it up."It's clear Putin wants a photo with the most influential people on Earth, which is President Trump, and he wants sanctions to be postponed, which he'll probably get," the EU's foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, tells me."The question is, what is success for the US in the meeting?" she asks. "If President Zelensky is there, it would be a clear success."But if Ukraine's leader isn't at the Alaskan table, how might the Kremlin's proposals be challenged?"He could go," said the US president on that possibility. But Kyiv and Europe want it to go from a "maybe" to a "yes".Adding to their anxiety is the one-on-one format being a Kremlin idea the White House agreed to. A European scramble Brussels' European Quarter isn't its usual flurry of political activity during August, but these US-Russia talks have changed Monday, Kallas hosted a virtual meeting of foreign ministers where they called for an unconditional ceasefire before any deal. New sanctions for Moscow were announced as well.I asked Kallas what she thought Donald Trump meant by suggesting some land could be swapped."We have to ask President Trump," she says. "But it is clear an aggressor can't be awarded for aggression. Otherwise, we will just see more aggression around the world because it pays off."Europe is trying to do two things: rally around Ukraine, as well as muscle in on this American-led peace or not Zelensky does make the trip, the door for Europe has firmly remained shut since Trump retook office at the start of the the time his envoy to Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, said the bloc wouldn't be involved in any peace talks. It's a position the Europeans have been unable to change through relationship with the US has still improved, not least with significant increases in their defence spending. But Radoslaw Sikorski, Poland's foreign minister, believes they need a more central role."This is a matter of existential European security interest," he explains."We appreciate Trump's efforts but we'll be taking our own decision in Europe too."A simple ceasefire would not resolve the problem."German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has secured a remote sit down between European leaders, as well as Volodymyr Zelensky and Donald Trump, this hope to be consulted on America's plan to end Russia's invasion, but ex-UK Foreign Office head Lord McDonald would be surprised to see a last-minute European invite for Friday."The end will be as protracted as the war has been long," he warned."The meeting is a milestone, but it doesn't actually mean it will lead anywhere."
CNN
3 days ago
- Politics
- CNN
Analysis: Why Alaska signals a slow defeat for Ukraine
Analysis: Why Alaska signals a slow defeat for Ukraine President Donald Trump said he'll be meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska to discuss a potential peace deal to end the war in Ukraine that could include 'some swapping of territories.' But as CNN's Nick Paton Walsh explains, the conditions around Friday's summit so wildly favor Moscow, it's hard to see how a deal emerges that does not eviscerate Ukraine. 01:18 - Source: CNN Zelensky rejects territorial concession with Russia Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a video address after President Trump's announcement to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin that Ukraine is "ready to work together with President Trump," but quashed the idea of any territory concessions. 01:22 - Source: CNN Israel 'brutally determined' to capture Gaza in new escalation plan Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's military escalation in Gaza, which he claims will capture the city and eliminate Hamas, brings doubtful Israeli citizens to the streets in protest. Palestinians in Gaza scramble for safety and brace for impact as the war intensifies. 02:33 - Source: CNN Balcony collapses in Gaza under weight of crowd scrambling for aid As Palestinians rushed toward an aid package airdropped in Gaza City, a balcony collapsed under the weight of the crowd. It is not clear how many people were injured in this incident. 00:41 - Source: CNN Palestinians and Israelis react to plan to take over Gaza City Israel's security cabinet has approved a plan to take over Gaza City. The deadline for the first phase of the offensive is October 7, according to an Israeli source. Hear how Israelis and Palestinians have reacted to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's plans for occupation. 01:52 - Source: CNN What could full control of Gaza City look like? In a major escalation of the conflict, Israel's security cabinet approved a plan to take over Gaza City. CNN's Oren Liebermann explains what the operation could look like. 01:24 - Source: CNN Imagine Your City Split in Two: This Is Kherson, Ukraine Russia has launched a new push for control in southern Ukraine, using drones to target key access roads and strike a vital bridge in Kherson. The goal: to split the city in two. Civilians are caught in the middle, facing constant drone attacks as they try to escape or survive in a divided city. 01:44 - Source: CNN CNN gets aerial view of Gaza destruction CNN's Matthew Chance joins the Jordanian air force in a flight over Gaza and gets an aerial view of the destruction on the ground after almost two years of war. 00:47 - Source: CNN CNN joins aid drop over Gaza Jordanian planes have dropped 6.6 tonnes of aid over Gaza such as tinned food and baby formula. Israel began allowing airdrops of aid into the enclave in late July, but aid groups have criticized the delivery method as impractical and potentially dangerous. CNN's Matthew Chance joined one of the planes as it flew over Gaza. 00:40 - Source: CNN Nicaraguan migrant escapes ICE, barricades himself at home Fontana resident Robert Reyes, his three children, his wife and mother-in-law have remained inside their apartment after security cameras captured the moment Reyes sprinted through his apartment door just moments before a California Border Patrol agent could apprehend him. CNN is trying to verify the status of the case with authorities in California. 02:17 - Source: CNN New US tariffs are now in place A new wave of tariffs on exports to the US have come into effect. CNN's Marc Stewart explains the latest and what they mean for US consumers. 01:39 - Source: CNN James Cameron's planned film on Hiroshima and Nagasaki 'a sacred duty' to survivors Film director James Cameron tells CNN's Christiane Amanpour he is adapting the book, "Ghosts of Hiroshima" by Charles Pellegrino into a film that he "has to make" partly because of a pledge he made to Tsutomu Yamaguchi, a survivor of both the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings. 02:55 - Source: CNN US special envoy Witkoff meets Putin in Russia US special envoy Steve Witkoff met with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday, as President Donald Trump threatened to impose punishing new sanctions on Russia. The meeting, which lasted around 3 hours, was described as 'constructive and useful' by Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov, according to Russian state media TASS. CNN's Frederik Pleitgen reports. 01:49 - Source: CNN Mudslide engulfs Indian village after deadly flash floods Flash flooding struck northern India on Tuesday prompting at least 70 people to be evacuated while dozens remain missing, according to officials in Uttarakhand. At least four people have died in the flooding, which triggered a mudslide that was caught on video as it engulfed a Himalayan village. 00:46 - Source: CNN Women in Gaza face their periods without adequate supplies Women in Gaza say they feel "embarrassed" and degraded by the dire hygiene situation in the enclave. Israel's aid blockade has deprived women of essential supplies like sanitary pads, tampons and soap while access to clean water remains scarce. Mother of six, Ghadeer Nassar told CNN how she has been forced to cut up pieces of old cloth to fashion makeshift sanitary pads for her teenage daughter. 01:44 - Source: CNN A 12-year-old girl's quest to find food in Gaza CNN first met 12-year-old Jana in May months after her older brother was killed by Israeli fire, according to her family. Now, we follow her quest to find food as even the soup kitchens have become dangerous. As starvation and desperation has deepened in the enclave, the family's health has also deteriorated. The IDF did not respond to a request for comment on the death of Jana's brother. CNN's Abeer Salman reports. 01:22 - Source: CNN Japanese firework festival ends with barges on fire A firework festival in Japan's Yokohama went awry on Monday when fireworks landed on the barges they were being launched from, setting two of the barges on fire. The event organizer told police a fireworks launch system went out of control, Reuters reported citing local media. 00:27 - Source: CNN Great Barrier Reef sees record coral bleaching According to the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS), parts of the Great Barrier Reef suffered their biggest-ever declines last year after a marine heatwave bleached vast swaths of hard coral. 00:55 - Source: CNN How to spot a North Korean operative on LinkedIn North Korean operatives are using fake identities to secure remote tech jobs at US companies and make millions for Kim Jong Un's regime. CNN's Teele Rebane breaks down how the scheme works and what to look for online. 03:07 - Source: CNN The apartment she bought is perfect. The owner just has to die first There is a morbid loophole that could get you a Paris apartment for half the price. The French viager system is a real estate deal where buyers essentially bet on how long the seller has left to live. 01:50 - Source: CNN Tornado hits Inner Mongolia Footage shows a tornado hitting Inner Mongolia on Monday. No casualties were reported from the incident, according to a state media report. 00:29 - Source: CNN
The Independent
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Zelensky delivers warning ahead of Trump and Putin meeting
& Elise Morton Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has dismissed a planned summit between Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, warning that any peace deal excluding Kyiv would lead to "dead solutions." Zelensky asserted that Ukraine's territorial integrity is non-negotiable and that lasting peace must ensure Ukraine's voice is included at the negotiating table. The meeting between Trump and Putin is scheduled for Friday in Alaska, with the aim of discussing an end to the war in Ukraine. Concerns have been raised that the summit could sideline Ukraine and European interests, particularly as Trump intends to meet Putin before any discussions involving Zelensky. The conflict continues with ongoing attacks and advances by Russia, while both Moscow and Kyiv remain significantly apart on their conditions for peace.
The Independent
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Zelensky warns he won't give up land ahead of Trump-Putin meeting
Volodymyr Zelensky has warned that Ukraine will not give up land, following Donald Trump 's claim that a peace deal with Russia may involve 'some swapping of territories'. Mr Trump is set to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin next Friday in Alaska to discuss the war in Ukraine. Speaking to reporters on Friday (8 August), he said there would be 'some swapping of territories to the betterment of both'. Mr Zelensky responded on Saturday morning, stating, 'Ukrainians will not gift their land to the occupier.' 'The answer to the Ukrainian territorial issue is in the Constitution of Ukraine. No one will deviate from this,' he added.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump says he'll meet Putin in Alaska next week
President Donald Trump said he'll be meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin next Friday in Alaska after earlier in the day previewing terms of a potential peace deal to end the war in Ukraine that could include 'some swapping of territories.' 'The highly anticipated meeting between myself, as President of the United States of America, and President Vladimir Putin, of Russia, will take place next Friday, August 15, 2025, in the Great State of Alaska. Further details to follow,' Trump posted on Truth Social Friday evening. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky quashed the idea of any territory formally changing hands. In a video address after Trump's announcement, he said Ukraine is 'also ready to work together with President Trump,' but vowed his people 'will not give their land to the occupier.' Trump's announcement — which comes on the day he had set as the deadline for Putin to make peace or face severe economic punishment — marks a major moment in the US president's relationship with his Russian counterpart, who hasn't been to the US since 2015 and hasn't met with Trump since 2019. US officials, including Trump, have briefed European leaders and Ukrainian officials on a plan offered by Putin to halt the war in Ukraine in exchange for significant territorial concessions by Kyiv, according to Western officials briefed on the matter. The plan, which Putin presented to Trump's foreign envoy Steve Witkoff in a meeting in Moscow on Wednesday, would require Ukraine to cede the eastern Donbas region — the majority of which is currently occupied by Russia — as well as Crimea, which Russia illegally annexed in 2014. The plan would freeze current battle lines, but other details of the proposal were still unclear. It alarmed some European officials, who voiced concern it was Putin's attempt to avoid Trump's threatened sanctions, which were supposed to come due Friday, while offering little in return. But the plan appeared to be the impetus for which Trump put in motion plans for a summit meeting with Putin. The Russian leader hasn't been to the US in nearly a decade, when he met with then-President Barack Obama at a UN General Assembly meeting in September 2015. In his statement after Trump's announcement, Zelensky said: 'Any decisions that are against us, any decisions that are without Ukraine, are also decisions against peace. 'These are dead solutions. They will never work. And we all need a real, living peace that people will respect.' The Kremlin's Presidential Aide Yuri Ushakov confirmed the meeting in Alaska, adding that it 'seems quite logical' for such an important summit to take place in Alaska with the Russian delegation simply flying over the Bering Strait and the two countries' maritime border. Ushakov revealed Russia has already invited Trump for a follow-up meeting in Russia. Additional calls with the Europeans have occurred over the past two days, including with Witkoff and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Witkoff spoke with several European officials on Friday to lay out additional details of the plan. It wasn't clear what the plan would mean for two other regions in Ukraine — Zaporizhzhia and Kherson — where Russia controls some territory, beyond Russia stopping its offensive there. Nor was it clear how Putin's proposal would address the Russian leader's other demands for ending the war, including a pledge that Ukraine never join NATO or that it limit the size of its military. In his conversations, Witkoff has told European officials that the proposal put forward by Putin was a step in the right direction, and that a larger peace plan could be negotiated once the fighting is stopped. The United States has been trying to get allies to agree to this plan, one source said, though it's still unclear that will happen. The possibility of Russia taking control of Donetsk and Luhansk in a ceasefire deal has raised some concern over whether such an agreement would just encourage Russia to attack Ukraine again down the road. 'Official recognition of territory conquered by force without a cost is an incentive to do more in the future,' one European official briefed on the topic said. 'It could incentivize Russia to do more attacks on Ukraine again in a few years.' Trump, who'd acknowledged frustration with Russia's president in recent months for drawing out the conflict, seemed more optimistic for the prospect of a peace deal Friday. And he signaled he's focused primarily on negotiating an end to the hostilities as soon as possible. 'The European leaders want to see peace,' Trump told reporters at the White House before announcing the Alaska meeting. 'President Putin, I believe, wants to see peace, and Zelensky wants to see peace.' He later added: 'My instinct really tells me that we have a shot at' peace. But the prospect of Ukraine ceding any of its territory to Russia could prove a major stumbling block in negotiating an end to the war. Such concessions are against the Ukrainian constitution, meaning Zelensky would need to first get permission from parliament or a national referendum before agreeing to any shift in territory. Trump on Friday downplayed those concerns, saying he'd urged Zelensky to smooth the path toward an agreement. 'He's going out and getting what he needs,' Trump said. 'He's not authorized to do certain things. I said, 'Well, you're going to have to get it fast, because, you know, we're getting very close to a deal.'' Earlier this week, Trump pledged he'd apply new sanctions on Russia if Putin didn't end the war in Ukraine by Friday, but he struck a less hardline tone on Thursday, telling reporters in the Oval Office, 'It's going to be up to (Putin)' if the Friday deadline would hold. Pressed by CNN's Kaitlan Collins Thursday if Putin would have to meet with Zelensky as a prerequisite for a face-to-face meeting between Trump and Putin, Trump said, 'No, he doesn't.' Trump and Putin met face-to-face six times during the US president's first term in office – largely at G20 summits and APEC meetings. They last met in July 2018 in Helsinki, Finland. Their high-profile summit, when Trump sided with Putin over US intelligence agencies, was one of the most controversial moments of Trump's first term and sparked days of White House clean up. The last time Putin met with a United States president was June 2021, in Geneva, Switzerland, where he met with then-President Joe Biden. CNN's Kit Maher, Samantha Waldenberg and Jeff Zeleny contributed to this report. This story has been updated with additional developments.
