Page 2 - Zelenskyy

Zelenskyy faces growing pressure as corruption scandal, war crises deepen

The president of Ukraine is facing a confluence of crises testing his ability to lead an increasingly weary nation nearly four years into a devastating full-scale invasion by Russia. For more than a week, Volodymyr Zelenskyy has struggled to contain the fallout from a USD 100 million corruption scandal implicating top officials and other associates. The pressure on Zelenskyy has ratcheted up as the United States pushes a proposal it drew up with Russia that would require major concessions from Ukraine and seemingly few from Russia to bring an end to the war. All this is playing out as Russia makes slow but steady advances across parts of the 1,000-kilometre (620-mile) front line and relentlessly bombs Ukraine's power plants, causing severe electricity shortages as colder weather sets in. Here are 5 things to know about the growing pressures confronting Zelenskyy: Facing a rebellion Zelenskyy has been facing a rebellion from lawmakers in his own party since the country's corrupti

Corruption scandal pressures Zelenskyy to show greater accountability

Pressure is mounting on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to take stronger action to show accountability in the face of a corruption scandal presenting the greatest threat to his government since Russia's full-scale invasion. Last week, Zelenskyy dismissed two top officials and imposed sanctions on close associates after government investigators revealed that USD 100 million had been embezzled from the country's energy sector through kickbacks paid by contractors. But that hasn't quieted the political storm. After more than three years of war in which Ukrainians face regular power outages as a result of Russia's fierce bombardment, corruption in the energy sector isn't sitting well with the public. Calls are growing for Zelenskyy to remove his longtime chief of staff, Andrii Yermak, who many consider to be Ukraine's de facto vice president. Neither Zelenskyy nor Yermak have been accused of any wrongdoing by those leading the corruption investigation. Yet Zelenskyy's political

Trump working on '28-point' Russia-Ukraine peace roadmap: What's in it?

Russian officials say they are 'hopeful' about the 28-point plan being developed with Moscow, while Ukraine and its allies await clarity as Washington pushes renewed diplomacy

Ukraine seeking exchange of 1,200 prisoners with Russia: Zelenskyy

Security chief Rustem Umerov, said that he had held consultations in Turkey and the United Arab Emirates, with the support of Kyiv's partners, on resuming the process of exchanges

Russia's strikes killed civilians, targeted energy sector: Zelenskyy

The Ukrainian President revealed that Russia had used nearly 1,500 attack drones, 1,170 guided aerial bombs, and more than 70 missiles of different types

Russia strikes Ukraine's power grid again, killing two and causing outages

The latest in a sustained Russian campaign of massive drone and missile attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure brought power outages and restrictions in all the country's regions on Thursday, officials said, with the Ukrainian prime minister describing Moscow's tactic as systematic energy terror. The strikes, which were the latest in Russia's almost daily attacks on the Ukrainian power grid as bitter winter temperatures approach, killed at least two people and injured 17, including children between 2 and 16 years of age, according to authorities. Russia launched more than 650 drones and more than 50 missiles of various types in the attack, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. Ukrainian cities use centralised public infrastructure to run water, sewage and heating systems, and blackouts stop them from working. Months of attacks have aimed to erode Ukrainian morale as well as disrupt weapons manufacturing and other war-related activity almost four years after Russia's ...

Putin claims Russian forces have surrounded 2 Ukrainian cities, Kyiv denies

Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed on Wednesday that Russian troops have surrounded Ukrainian forces in two key eastern cities of Ukraine and offered to negotiate a deal for their surrender. Ukrainian military officials vigorously denied the claim. Putin, speaking at a meeting with wounded soldiers at a Moscow military hospital, suggested that the Russian military was ready to open safe corridors for Ukrainian and Western journalists to let them see with their own eyes what's going on. He claimed Ukrainian troops are encircled in Pokrovsk, a key Ukrainian stronghold in the eastern Donetsk region, and in Kupiansk, an important rail junction in the northeastern Kharkiv region. Russia has recently been pushing its significant advantage in troops and weapons at key points along the around 1,000-km front line, almost four years after it invaded its neighbour. But the Ukrainian armed forces said claims of Kupiansk being surrounded are fabrications and fantasies while the spokesman

4 killed in missile attack on Ukraine as Zelenskyy pleads for air defense

Russian missile and drone attacks on Ukraine overnight into Saturday killed at least four people and wounded 20, officials said, and prompted fresh pleas from Ukraine's president for Western air defense systems. In the capital, Kyiv, two people were killed and 13 were wounded in a ballistic missile attack in the early hours of Saturday, Kyiv's police said. A fire broke out in a non-residential building in one location, while debris from intercepted missiles fell in an open area at another site, damaging windows in nearby buildings, Ukraine's State Emergency Service wrote on the message app Telegram. Explosions in the capital. The city is under ballistic attack, Mayor Vitali Klitschko wrote on Telegram during the onslaught. Two killed in Dnipropetrovsk region In the Dnipropetrovsk region, two people were killed and seven wounded, acting regional Gov. Vladyslav Haivanenko said, adding that apartment buildings and private homes were damaged in the strikes. Ukraine's air force said R

Zelenskyy urges US to widen sanctions on Russia, seeks long-range missiles

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday urged the United States to expand sanctions on Russian oil from two companies to the whole sector, and appealed for long-range missiles to hit back at Russia. Zelenskyy was in London for talks with two dozen European leaders who have pledged military help to shield his country from future Russian aggression if a ceasefire stops the more than three-year war. The meeting hosted by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer aimed to step up pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin, adding momentum to recent measures that have included a new round of sanctions from the United States and European countries on Russia's vital oil and gas export earnings. The talks also addressed ways of helping protect Ukraine's power grid from Russia's almost daily drone and missiles attacks as winter approaches, enhancing Ukrainian air defenses, and supplying Kyiv with longer-range missiles that can strike deep inside Russia. Zelenskyy has urged the U.S. to

EU backs Ukraine's funding needs, delays plan to use frozen Russian assets

EU leaders agree to support Ukraine's financial needs but delay €140 billion loan using frozen Russian assets, as Belgium seeks legal guarantees before backing the plan

'A good compromise': Zelenskyy backs Trump's proposal to freeze war lines

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy supports Trump's idea to freeze current war lines, but doubts Russian President Vladimir Putin will agree

Ukraine 'could still win' against Russia, says Trump but doubts outcome

Trump's remarks came during his meeting with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at the Oval Office, where both leaders signed a multi-billion dollar agreement on critical minerals

Zelensky says his Trump meet 'positive' though he didn't get Tomahawks

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says his reportedly tense meeting with US President Donald Trump last week was positive even though he did not secure the Tomahawk missiles for Ukraine and emphasized what he said is continued American interest in economic deals with Kyiv. Zelenskyy said Trump reneged on the possibility of sending the long-range missiles to Ukraine, which would have been a major boost for Kyiv, following his phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin hours before the Ukrainian leader and American president were to meet on Friday. In my opinion, he does not want an escalation with the Russians until he meets with them, Zelenskyy told reporters on Sunday. His comments were embargoed until Monday morning. Ukraine is hoping to purchase 25 Patriot air defense systems from American firms using frozen Russian assets and assistance from partners, but Zelenskyy said procuring all of these would require time because of long production queues. He said he spoke to

'Putin said he'll destroy you': Trump asks Zelenskyy to accept war terms

In a tense White House meeting, Donald Trump reportedly asked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to accept Russia's terms to end the war, warning of severe consequences if he refused

Trump confident of brokering long-lasting peace between Russia and Ukraine

During a bilateral lunch with the Ukrainian President in the White House, Trump reiterated his confidence in facilitating an end to the ongoing war

Reluctant to sell Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine: Trump to Zelenskyy

US President Donald Trump signalled to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday that he is leaning against selling him long-range Tomahawk missiles, while offering optimism that the war is moving toward an end that would mitigate a need for the powerful weapon. Zelenskyy at the start of the White House talks said he had a "proposition" in which Ukraine could provide the United States with its advanced drones, while Washington would sell Kyiv the Tomahawk cruise missiles that Ukrainian officials say they desperately need to motivate Russian President Vladmir Putin to get serious about peace talks. But Trump said he was hesitant to tap into the US supply, a turnabout after days of suggesting he was seriously weighing sending the missiles to help Ukraine beat back Russia's invasion. "I have an obligation also to make sure that we are completely stocked up as a country, because you never know what is going to happen in war and peace," Trump said. He added, "We would much rather

Trump calls on Ukraine, Russia to 'stop where they are' and end war

US President Donald Trump on Friday called on Kyiv and Moscow to "stop where they are" and end their brutal war following a lengthy White House meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Trump's frustration with the conflict has surfaced repeatedly in the nine months since he returned to office, but with his latest comments, he appeared to be edging back in the direction of pressing Ukraine to give up on retaking land it has lost to Russia. "Enough blood has been shed, with property lines being defined by War and Guts," Trump said in a Truth Social post not long after hosting Zelenskyy and his team for more than two hours of talks. "They should stop where they are. Let both claim Victory, let History decide!" Later, soon after arriving in Florida, where he is spending the weekend, Trump urged both sides to "stop the war immediately" and implied that Moscow keep territory it has taken from Kyiv. "You go by the battle line wherever it is -- otherwise it is too complicated,

Zelenskyy to request Tomahawk missiles from Trump amid Putin summit

Trump announced the summit after a more than two-hour phone conversation with Putin about Russia's war in Ukraine on Thursday, which he said was productive

Orban hails Hungary as 'only' place where Trump-Putin talks can be held

Hungary's nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban on Friday celebrated his country's status as the host of upcoming talks between US President Donald Trump and Russia's Vladimir Putin, a meeting where the two leaders are expected to discuss an end to the war in Ukraine. Trump on Thursday announced his second meeting this year with Putin, a day before he was to sit down with Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House. A date for the meeting has not been set, but Trump said it would take place in Hungary's capital, Budapest, and suggested it could happen in about two weeks. Speaking to state radio on Friday, Orban, a close Trump ally and considered Putin's closest partner in the European Union, suggested that his long-standing opposition to the West supplying Ukraine with military and financial aid to assist in its defence against Russia's invasion had played a role in making Budapest the site of the talks. Budapest is essentially the only place in Europe today where such a ...

Ahead of Zelenskyy meeting, Trump uncertain of sending Tomahawk missiles

President Donald Trump is set to host Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for talks at the White House on Friday, with the US leader signalling he's not ready to agree to sell Kyiv a long-range missile system that the Ukrainians say they desperately need. Zelenskyy gets his one-on-one with Trump a day after the US president and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a lengthy phone call to discuss the conflict. In recent days, Trump had shown openness to selling Ukraine long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles, even as Putin warned that such a move would further strain the US-Russian relationship. But following Thursday's call with Putin, Trump appeared to downplay the prospects of Ukraine getting the missiles, which have a range of about 1,600 km. We need Tomahawks for the United States of America too, Trump said. We have a lot of them, but we need them. I mean we can't deplete our country. Zelenskyy had been seeking the weapons that would allow Ukrainian forces to strike deep into