Donald Trump says he and Vladimir Putin will discuss “dividing up certain assets” in Ukraine as part of peace talks that will include “land [and] power plants”.
The US president and his Russian counterpart are due to talk on Tuesday. The Kremlin has confirmed that talks between Mr Putin and Mr Trump will go ahead as planned tomorrow.
“A lot of work’s been done over the weekend. We want to see if we can bring that war to an end,” the US president said while flying from Florida to Washington on Air Force One on Sunday night. “We’re already talking about that, dividing up certain assets,” he added.
The US president’s comments came as a Russian official said Moscow will seek “ironclad” guarantees in any peace deal that Nato nations will exclude Kyiv from membership, and that Ukraine will remain “neutral”.
Russia’s deputy foreign minister Alexander Grushko also repeated the Kremlin’s position that Moscow is categorically against the deployment of Nato observers to Ukraine.
Kremlin confirms Putin will talk to Trump on Tuesday by phone
The Kremlin has confirmed that Russian president Vladimir Putin will talk to US president Donald Trump by phone tomorrow.
Trump had said earlier that he planned to speak to Putin on Tuesday and discuss ending the war in Ukraine after what he said had been positive talks between Steve Witkoff, his special envoy, and the Russian leader in Moscow.
Asked about the planned call, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: “Yes, that’s how it is. Such a conversation is planned for Tuesday.”
Ukraine PM: Europe and Ukraine ‘strong and united’ against Russia
Europe’s latest tranche of loans approved for Ukraine is “further proof” of its united stand with Kyiv against Russia, Ukrainian prime minister Denys Shmyhal has claimed.
The European Union announced this morning it had approved the third instalment from the Ukraine Facility, which was valued at €3.5 billion (£2.9 billion). The programme, which entered into force on 1 March last year, will provide Ukraine with up to €50bn in grants and loans to Ukraine until 2027. Thus far, Ukraine has received around €20bn.
Mr Shmyhal described this as “further proof of Europe’s strategic support for our state”.
He wrote on X: “EU countries are strengthening our resilience and accelerating European integration.
“Ukraine is not only fighting for its freedom today, but we are also shaping the future of a strong and united Europe. We are counting on the swift disbursement of funds. Together, we will ensure the future of peace and security in Europe.”
In pictures: Ukrainian firefighters battle aftermath of Russian drone strike
Ukrainian firefighters and emergency workers have been pictured battling flames in the northeast Kharkiv region following a Russian drone attack overnight.
The strikes hit a storehouse in the Chuhuyiv district, roughly 20 miles southeast of the region’s namesake capital. A subsequent fire engulfed an area of around one kilometre squared.
Lithuania says Russian military intelligence was behind Ikea arson last year
Russia’s military intelligence service was behind an arson attack on an Ikea store in Vilnius in 2024, a prosecutor in the Baltic country has revealed.
The attack was one of several fires last year across Europe and in the UK at warehouses and shopping malls.
European security services, including in the UK, suggested at the time that this was a concerted Russian effort.
South Korea, Ukrainian foreign ministers discuss handling of North Korean prisoners of war
Foreign minister Cho Tae-yul held a phone call on Monday with his Ukrainian counterpart Andrii Sybiha and discussed the handling of North Korean prisoners of war, Seoul’s foreign ministry said.
Cho reaffirmed Seoul’s efforts to support the Ukrainian people and said Seoul would accept North Korean soldiers captured by Ukraine if they wish to go to South Korea, the ministry said.
Ukraine FM: We must make Russia accept peace
Ukraine’s foreign minister Andrii Sybiha has claimed Kyiv and its European allies must make Russia accept peace.
“I was pleased to take part in the European Union Foreign Affairs Council and underscore Ukraine’s commitment to peace, demonstrated in Jeddah,” he wrote on X.
“Now is the time to use all of our diplomatic tools to make Russia accept these peace steps. Unconditionally, like Ukraine did.”
Keith Kellogg’s return to Ukraine envoy shows Trump’s unpredictability
Source: independent.co.uk