Ukraine War

• A new book titled "Regime Change: Inside the Imperial Presidency of Donald Trump" reveals that a former cabinet member referred to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as a "special needs child for the Europeans." • The comments reportedly surfaced during a meeting focused on discussing a proposed minerals deal between the United States and Ukraine. • This disclosure highlights the contentious nature of the Trump administration's internal views toward Ukrainian leadership and its allies in Europe.

• UN Assistant Secretary-General Mohamed Khaled Khiari warned the Security Council on Monday that recent deadly drone and missile attacks in Ukraine signal a "dangerous cycle of escalation" in the ongoing war. • Edem Wosornu, crisis response director at OCHA, emphasized that the decisions made by the Council are critical and will directly determine whether lives are saved or lost. • The briefings highlight the intensifying violence of Russia's full-scale invasion, which has now entered its fourth year.

Kyiv is not taking any risks amid Moscow’s efforts to integrate Minsk ever more closely into its warRussian spy drones flying into Ukraine from Belarusian airspace have sharply increased since the beginning of the year, as senior officials in Kyiv express mounting concern over Belarus’s involvement in the war.Ukraine has stepped up by reinforcing fortifications on its northern border, including anti-tank ditches, concrete “dragons’ teeth” obstacles to block armoured vehicles and new areas of barbed wire. Troops operating along the border say they have noted a jump of about 20% in Russian intelligence drones since January. Continue reading...

• President Zelenskyy has expressed concerns that peace negotiations between the United States and Russia could exclude Ukraine, potentially leading to a resolution that ignores Kyiv's interests. • The Ukrainian government is specifically seeking firm security guarantees to prevent future aggression and ensure long-term stability. • Kyiv remains anxious over the possibility of freezes in critical military and humanitarian aid from the U.S., which are vital for ongoing defense operations.

World leaders will be joined by Volodymyr Zelenskyy as they try to keep Donald Trump on sideSo what we now have is the leaders of Canada, EU, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK waiting for Trump, Macron and Zelenskyy.It sounded as if someone, possibly Meloni, was telling some sort of story that involved the White House, but it’s impossible to make out what it was. Continue reading...

Trump also says in ‘friendly and frank’ phone call that US is nearing peace deal with Iran, according to Putin adviserDonald Trump told Vladimir Putin that ending Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine was critical and that he was prepared to help, reported Russia’s TASS news agency.During a phone call on Sunday, Trump also informed the Russian president that the US is nearing a peace deal with Iran as the US-Israel war against the country continues, according to Yuri Ushakov, a Putin adviser. The call between Trump and Putin, which lasted about an hour, was described as “friendly and frank” by Ushakov. Continue reading...

• President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that the outcome of the conflict with Russia will determine the future of Europe as he prepares for the upcoming G7 Summit. • Zelensky emphasized that Ukraine is fighting for its statehood, independence, and the fundamental right to choose its own sovereign path. • The statement underscores the geopolitical stakes of the war, framing Ukraine's struggle as a critical defense of European stability and democratic values.

• Ukrainian forces launched a massive wave of hundreds of drones targeting Russian oil and gas facilities overnight and into Friday morning. • The strikes specifically targeted energy sites, aiming to disrupt the infrastructure that fuels the Kremlin's economy and military operations. • These attacks represent a strategic effort to deplete President Vladimir Putin's "war chest" by cutting off critical energy exports and revenue streams.

• Ambassadors from the "E3" group—France, Germany, and the UK—met with a Russian minister to urge the commencement of direct peace negotiations to end the conflict. • The diplomatic push comes as Ukraine marks day 1,570 of the war, highlighting a continued international effort to find a diplomatic resolution. • In Crimea, fuel supplies are reportedly drying up, signaling increasing logistical strain and potential instability in the Russian-occupied territory.

• Ukraine has claimed a devastating strike on a bridge in Crimea, resulting in the destruction of approximately 50 Russian military vehicles. • The operation coincides with warnings from Kyiv's drone chief, who asserts that Vladimir Putin will lose access to the Crimean peninsula in the "near future." • This escalation highlights Ukraine's strategic focus on disrupting Russian logistics and supply lines essential for maintaining control over occupied territories.

• The war in Ukraine has officially surpassed the duration of World War I, leading analysts to draw unsettling parallels between the two conflicts. • The comparison highlights a pattern where initial technological innovations in warfare fail to provide a lasting strategic advantage. • Historical evidence shows that opposing forces, such as the British and French in WWI, eventually adapt and develop countermeasures to neutralize new tactics.

Russian president describes letter from his Ukrainian as rude and says he can no point in face-to-face talksVladimir Putin has rejected an offer from Volodymyr Zelenskyy to hold a face-to-face meeting, insisting instead that Russia will achieve its war goals in Ukraine, including seizing all of the eastern Donbas region.Speaking at the Saint Petersburg economic forum, the Russian president described the open letter from his Ukrainian counterpart containing the offer as rude. He refused to use Zelenskyy’s name, referring to him only as its author. Asked if they could meet to discuss an end to the conflict, Putin replied: “So far I see no point.” Continue reading...

• Experts are warning that Vladimir Putin may be considering expanding military operations into Europe as Russia's offensive in Ukraine begins to falter. • A recent drone strike in Romania is being highlighted as a critical warning sign of potential Russian aggression beyond Ukrainian borders. • This shift in strategy would signify a dangerous escalation, potentially drawing NATO allies directly into a larger continental conflict.

Kyiv, Dnipro and Kharkiv hit, with apartment buildings among the targets according to officials, after president said intelligence predicted ‘massive strike’ Russian air raids on major Ukrainian centres including Kyiv, Dnipro and Kharkiv killed at least five people and wounded dozens by early morning on Tuesday, authorities said.Four people were killed and 16 injured in a Russian attack on Dnipro, in Ukraine’s east, said the regional governor, Oleksandr Hanzha. All those injured were taken to hospital, he said, posting pictures of heavily damaged residential buildings, burnt-out vehicles and a destroyed children’s playground. Continue reading...

• Ukrainian drones launched a "massive attack" on Saturday, targeting a tanker at the port of Taganrog and an oil depot in Armavir. • The strikes occurred overnight in Russia's southern Rostov and Krasnodar regions, according to local authorities. • These operations target critical energy infrastructure to disrupt Russian logistics and economic capabilities during the ongoing war.

• GCHQ Director Anne Keast-Butler warned that the West is currently in a "space between peace and war," facing significant risks from Russian "hybrid warfare" and AI-driven cyber threats. • To counter this aggression, British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer signed a strategic defence pact with Poland to combine military expertise and industrial capabilities. • The agreement focuses on the joint development and manufacturing of "next-generation complex weapons" to deter further Russian incursions.

Anne Keast-Butler says Russian forces are ‘going backwards on the battlefield’ for first time since late 2022Nearly half a million Russian soldiers have been killed in Ukraine since the start of Vladimir Putin’s invasion more than four years ago, according to a new estimate from the head of the British spy agency GCHQ.Anne Keast-Butler, the chief of the electronic intelligence agency, said in her first speech in the job that Russian forces were “going backwards on the battlefield” inside Ukraine for the first time since late 2022. Continue reading...

• Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has urged the United States to evacuate its diplomatic staff from the embassy in Kyiv. • This demand comes as President Vladimir Putin threatens "revenge strikes" against Ukraine, escalating tensions between the two nations. • The move signals a severe breakdown in diplomatic relations and suggests that Russia may be preparing for further military aggression.

US secretary of state appears to downplay warnings from Russian counterpart to move diplomats out of KyivUS secretary of state Marco Rubio said that the war in Ukraine “needs to come to an end,” after his conversation with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov.Responding to the strikes on Kyiv over the weekend and repeated warnings about more attacks planned in the coming days, Rubio said:“Look, every time you see these big strikes from one side or the other, it’s a reminder of why this is a terrible war that’s now gone on longer than the second world war, and it needs to come to an end.”“They sent a notice to all the embassies, and I think he was just calling me personally to tell me – they told all the embassies to – Kyiv’s going to be a very dangerous place – Kyiv’s been a very dangerous place now for a number of years.”“Look, the danger in all of these wars as they continue and then they go on is that they always have the threat of escalation, of spreading into something new.” Continue reading...

• President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has declared that the "time is right" for Ukraine to officially begin the process of joining the European Union. • This diplomatic push follows the recent removal of former Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban from power via parliamentary elections last month. • The announcement coincides with escalating tensions, as Russia accuses Ukraine of killing 12 people in a recent attack on a college.

Russian president damns western support that has allowed Ukraine to hold out and asks for talks with Gerhard Schröder in remarks after diminished Victory Day paradeVladimir Putin has said he thinks the Ukraine war is winding down – remarks that came a few hours after he had vowed to defeat Ukraine at Moscow’s most scaled-back Victory Day parade in years.“I think that the matter is coming to an end,” Putin told reporters of the Russia-Ukraine war, Europe’s deadliest conflict since the second world war. He said he would be willing to negotiate new security arrangements for Europe, and that his preferred negotiating partner would be Germany’s former chancellor Gerhard Schröder. Continue reading...

Russian president welcomed decision to extend Iran ceasefire in what US president said was a ‘very good conversation’Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump discussed the war in Iran and floated a temporary ceasefire in Ukraine in a phone call on Wednesday.In the call, which lasted more than 90 minutes, the Russian president said Moscow viewed the prospect of a US ground operation in Iran as dangerous, while welcoming Trump’s decision to extend a ceasefire in the region, according to Yuri Ushakov, Putin’s foreign policy adviser. Continue reading...

Annual event at Red Square will feature no armoured vehicles or missile systems for first time in two decades Europe live – latest updatesRussia will hold a scaled-back Victory Day parade in Moscow on 9 May, without military hardware for the first time in almost two decades due to fears of a long-range attack by Ukrainian drones.The defence ministry said no armoured vehicles or missile systems would roll across Red Square during the parade, which marks the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany, citing “the current operational situation”. Continue reading...

Ukraine commemorated the 40th anniversary of the Chornobyl disaster on Sunday, amid fears that Russia's four-year war could spark a repeat of the world's worst nuclear accident that led to thousands of deaths and devastating environmental consequences.

• North Korea has deployed an additional 10,000 troops to support Russian forces in Ukraine, escalating foreign involvement in the conflict as fighting intensifies along multiple fronts. • South Korean intelligence reports indicate the troops are equipped with advanced weaponry and are positioned in the Kursk region; this represents a significant expansion of Pyongyang's military commitment to Moscow. • The deployment raises concerns among US and allied officials about the global implications of expanding proxy conflicts and potential technology transfers between Russia and North Korea.

With the EU approving a €90bn loan for Ukraine, a surprise visit from Prince Harry, and data suggesting Russian troops made almost no territorial gains in March – are there reasons for optimism in Kyiv? Lucy Hough speaks to senior international correspondent Luke Harding – watch on YouTube Continue reading...

EU economy commissioner says Iran war is feeding Russia’s war machine; Trump condemns massive strikes on Ukraine. What we know on day 1,513The EU expects to start releasing a new €90bn loan to Ukraine in the second quarter, the bloc’s economy chief told AFP on Thursday. The EU’s economy commissioner, Valdis Dombrovskis, was speaking on the sidelines of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank’s spring meetings, which brought finance ministers, central bankers and other leaders to Washington. “Our support for Ukraine, also continued pressure and sanctions against aggressor Russia was very much part of the agenda,” Dombrovskis said. He warned that Moscow was “emerging as a winner from this war in Iran, because it provides windfall profits to feed Russia’s war machine”.Russia hammered civilian areas across Ukraine with drones and missiles on Thursday, killing at least 17 people and wounding more than 100 others in the worst aerial attack in weeks, Ukrainian authorities said. Nearly 700 drones and dozens of ballistic and cruise missiles were used, as Ukrainian officials said vital stocks of advanced interceptors were running low.Donald Trump on Thursday condemned a massive Russian drone and missile attack across Ukraine that ripped through apartment buildings in the capital, Kyiv. Asked by reporters at the White House for his reaction to the barrage, Trump said: “I think it’s terrible.”It is not in the interest of the US that Russia is the winner of the Iran war, the German vice chancellor, Lars Klingbeil, said on Thursday in Washington. “It’s not in our interest and it cannot be in the interest of the United States,” he said in a joint statement with the finance ministers of Ukraine and Norway on the sidelines of the IMF spring meetings. Klingbeil said the Russian economy was growing thanks to the Middle East conflict and the country was profitting from the energy situation. As the conflict in the Middle East dominated the gathering of finance officials at the IMF in Washington, the ministers of Norway, Germany and Ukraine spoke about not forgetting to support Ukraine in its defence against Russia. “All the meetings here are about the question of what’s happening with the war in Iran, and I think it’s really important we show solidarity with our friends in Ukraine,” Klingbeil said.The heads of the EU and Nato on Thursday discussed efforts to bolster Europe’s arms production, as Donald Trump threw doubt on Washington’s commitment to the transatlantic alliance. “We need to invest more, to produce more and to do both faster,” the European Commission’s president, Ursula von der Leyen, posted online after meeting Nato’s chief, Mark Rutte. European nations are scrambling to bolster their militaries in the face of Russia’s war on Ukraine and pressure from Trump. Continue reading...

Péter Magyar would ‘talk to Russian president, but won’t initiate contact’; Ukraine welcomes defeat of Orbán. What we know on day 1,511Péter Magyar, Hungary’s new leader, said he would ask Vladimir Putin to end the killing in Ukraine if they speak, and plans to review Hungary’s Russian energy contracts and renegotiate them if needed. Magyar said he would talk to the Russian president, but won’t initiate contact. “If Vladimir Putin calls, I’ll pick up the phone,” he said in his first news conference after his landslide win against Viktor Orbán, a Putin ally. “If we did talk, I could tell him that it would be nice to end the killing after four years and end the war. It would probably be a short phone conversation and I don’t think he would end the war on my advice,” he said.Ukraine welcomed with relief on Monday the defeat of Orbán, its harshest critic in the EU, an outcome that paves the way for a €90bn ($105bn) loan that Kyiv urgently needs to fund the war with Russia.Higher oil prices caused by the war in the Middle East could raise inflation rates in Ukraine by 1.5 to 2.8 percentage points, Ukraine’s top central banker said on Monday. The National Bank of Ukraine governor, Andriy Pyshnyi, said the central bank would stick to its target of lowering inflation to 5% in three years, using all available tools to ensure that goal was met. “We’re trying to walk on a razorblade,” Pyshnyi said through an interpreter, noting prices have already started to rise.The Ukrainian military struck a Russian chemicals plant in Cherepovets in the Vologda region, Kyiv’s drone forces commander said on Monday. The plant produces chemicals that serve as raw materials for TNT, hexogen and components for munitions, Robert Brovdi said on Telegram.Russian and Belarusian athletes will be permitted to compete in World Aquatics events with their respective uniforms, flags and anthems, the sport’s governing body said on Monday. Competitors from both countries were banned from international sports events after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, which was launched in part from Belarusian territory. Continue reading...