Page 5 - Latest Updates on Ukraine peace talks

European leaders likely to back Ukraine amid US pressure to accept deal

European leaders are expected to cement support for Ukraine Monday as it faces Washington's pressure to swiftly accept a US-brokered peace deal. After Sunday's talks in Berlin between US envoys and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukrainian and European officials are set to continue a series of meetings in an effort to secure the continent's peace and security in the face of an increasingly assertive Russia. Zelenskyy sat down Sunday with US President Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner in the German federal chancellery in the hopes of bringing the nearly four-year war to a close. Washington has tried for months to navigate the demands of each side as Trump presses for a swift end to Russia's war and grows increasingly exasperated by delays. The search for possible compromises has run into major obstacles, including control of Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region, which is mostly occupied by Russian forces. Zelenskyy on Sunday voiced

How wars, peace efforts and big diplomatic meets defined the world in 2025

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Zelenskyy drops Nato bid ahead of peace talks with US and Europe

Zelenskyy said on Sunday that the US, and European and other partners' security guarantees instead of NATO membership were a compromise on Ukraine's side

EU's decision to freeze assets undermines Ukraine peace efforts: Russia

Russia on Saturday said the EU's decision to indefinitely freeze Russian sovereign assets is a targeted attack on peace efforts to resolve the Ukraine conflict, adding that Moscow would shortly take retaliatory steps. On Friday, the European Union Council decided to "prohibit, on a temporary basis, any transfers of Central Bank of Russia assets immobilised in the EU back to Russia." In a statement, it said the decision was taken as a "matter of urgency to limit damage to the Union's economy." Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova in a press statement said that the timing of the EU decision shows that Brussels is seeking to undermine efforts to settle the Ukraine conflict, by delivering a direct blow to the peace initiatives of US President Donald Trump. Brussels is carefully concealing the fact that it will be citizens of EU countries who will ultimately pay for these political ambitions. Our retaliatory actions will follow shortly, Zakharova said. Responding to var

Drone strikes kill two in Russia's Saratov region, power cuts hit Ukraine

At least two people were killed in a drone attack in Russia's southwestern Saratov region and parts of Ukraine were without power, local authorities said Saturday, as US-led peace talks on ending the war press on. The drone attack damaged a residential building, and several windows were also blown out at a kindergarten and clinic, Saratov regional Gov. Roman Busargin said. Russia's defence ministry said on Saturday it had shot down 41 Ukrainian drones over Russian territory overnight. In Ukraine, parts of the Kherson region, including the regional capital, also called Kherson, were without power Saturday following Russian strikes on energy infrastructure, regional head Oleksandr Prokudin said. Kyiv and its Western allies say Russia is trying to cripple the Ukrainian power grid and deny civilians access to heat, light and running water for a fourth consecutive winter, in what Ukrainian officials call weaponising the cold. The latest round of attacks came after Kremlin adviser Yuri

Ukraine claims drone strikes in Caspian as Zelenskyy seeks European support

US President Donald Trump issued a stark warning that the prolonged Russia-Ukraine conflict risks escalating into a global conflict, cautioning 'things like this end up in third world wars'

Ukraine not losing, Russia advancing at just 1.5-4.5 km per month: General

Past performance is no guarantee of the future, but at its current pace Russia would have to fight on for years to take what Putin wants gifted to him

Trump warns Russia-Ukraine conflict can end up in third world war

The US has been pursuing a peace agreement aimed at achieving a resolution between Russia and Ukraine through continuous engagement with both sides

Trump shows willingness to support Ukraine's security in peace deal

Earlier Thursday, Zelenskyy floated the prospect of allowing Ukrainians to vote on whether to hand the Donbas region to Russia

Trump 'extremely frustrated' over delays in Russia-Ukraine peace deal: WH

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated the President was tired of meetings that achieve nothing and wanted results, not words, as the US acts as the primary mediator

Donald Trump risks being 'president who lost India', warns US lawmaker

Sydney Kamlager-Dove issued the warning during a congressional hearing on the US-India Strategic Partnership, citing rising tensions over tariffs, visa fee hikes, and Trump's political grievances

Trump plans include major US investment in Russia, restoring oil to Europe

US companies would invest in Russian strategic sectors such as rare-earth extraction and oil drilling in the Arctic, while Russian energy flows to Western Europe and the world would be restored

Trump delivers 'strong words' on Ukraine in call with European leaders

Recently, Trump has advanced a peace initiative that would see Ukraine relinquish the entire Donbas region to Russia in exchange for undefined US security commitments

Ukraine ready for elections within months if security is ensured: Zelenskyy

Ukrainian officials were expected to hand their latest peace proposals to United States negotiators Wednesday, according to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who also said Ukraine would be ready for elections within three months if partners can guarantee a safe vote during wartime and if its electoral law can be altered. Zelenskyy was responding to comments by US President Donald Trump in which he questioned Ukraine's democracy and suggested the Ukrainian leader was using the war as an excuse not to hold an election. Zelenskyy told reporters late Tuesday that he is ready for an election but would need help from the US and possibly Europe to ensure security for a vote to happen. He suggested that Ukraine could be ready to hold balloting in 60 to 90 days if that proviso is met. To hold elections, two issues must be addressed: primarily, security how to conduct them, how to do it under strikes, under missile attacks; and a question regarding our military how they would vote, Zelenskyy .

Trump slams Europe as 'decaying group of nations', calls its leaders 'weak'

Trump's criticism comes as Europe scrambles to influence talks to end Russia's war in Ukraine, with leaders increasingly concerned he could scale back US support for Kyiv

Zelenskyy not yet ready to accept US plan to end Ukraine war, says Trump

President Donald Trump on Sunday claimed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy isn't ready to sign off on a US-authored peace proposal aimed at ending the Russia-Ukraine war. Trump was critical of Zelenskyy after US and Ukrainian negotiators completed three days of talks on Saturday aimed at trying to narrow differences on the U.S. administration's proposal. But in an exchange with reporters on Sunday night, Trump suggested that the Ukrainian leader is holding up the talks from moving forward. I'm a little bit disappointed that President Zelenskyy hasn't yet read the proposal, that was as of a few hours ago. His people love it, but he hasn't, Trump claimed in an exchange with reporters before taking part in the Kennedy Centre Honours. The president added, "Russia is, I believe, fine with it, but I'm not sure that Zelenskyy's fine with it. His people love it it. But he isn't ready. To be certain, Russian President Vladimir Putin hasn't publicly expressed approval for the White Hous

As sea drones push Russia back, Ukraine plans more advanced attacks

The commander of sea-drone operations for Ukraine's military intelligence agency says more complex strikes against Russian forces are expected next year, after Kyiv's uncrewed fleet succeeded in curbing the movements of Russia's once-dominant Black Sea navy. In an interview with The Associated Press, the head of the specialised maritime drone unit, Group 13, said Ukraine's attacks have forced Russia to adapt, limiting opportunities for major Black Sea strikes seen earlier in the war. Today, we've likely reached a plateau, said the officer, who is identified only by the call sign 13th under Ukrainian military protocol. We are effectively limiting the enemy's movements, but those dramatic, high-profile strikes we saw earlier haven't happened for quite some time. That's because the enemy has adapted. Last month, Ukrainian officials said sea-attack drones were used in strikes against vessels in Russia's sanctions-evading shadow fleet of oil tankers. The commander declined to comment on

Russian strikes kill 4 in Ukraine as Kremlin praises US security strategy

Russia on Sunday welcomed the Trump administration's new national security strategy in comments by the Kremlin spokesman published by Russia's Tass news agency. Dmitry Peskov said the updated strategic document was largely in line with Moscow's vision. "There are statements there against confrontation and in favour of dialogue and building good relations," he said, adding that Russia hopes this would lead to "further constructive cooperation with Washington on the Ukrainian settlement". The document released Friday by the White House said the US wants to improve its relationship with Russia after years of Moscow being treated as a global pariah and that ending the war is a core US interest to "reestablish strategic stability with Russia". The spokesman's comments came as Russian missile, drone and shelling attacks overnight and Sunday killed at least four people in Ukraine, after US and Ukrainian officials wrapped up a third day of talks aimed at ending the war. A man was killed i

Ukraine peace deal near but Russia demands major changes, says US envoy

Zelenskiy said on Saturday that he had had a long and 'substantive' phone call with Witkoff and Kushner. The Kremlin has said it expects Kushner to be doing the main work on drafting a possible deal

Chernobyl shield loses confinement ability after drone strike: IAEA

The agency noted that the New Safe Confinement (NSC) was "severely damaged" during a February attack and has "lost its primary safety functions, including the confinement capability