Trump says Ukraine minerals deal to be signed next week

Donald Trump has said that a minerals woody volition beryllium signed with Ukraine adjacent week.

“We person a minerals deal, which I conjecture is going to beryllium signed connected Thursday, Scott, adjacent Thursday? And I presume they’re going to unrecorded up to the deal, truthful we’ll see,” helium told reporters successful the Oval Office this afternoon.

It came aft Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian president, said that Ukraine and the US could motion a memorandum of intent connected the minerals woody arsenic soon arsenic today.

The woody would let the US to person privileged entree to Ukraine’s earthy resources and captious minerals, which Mr Trump views arsenic a repayment for subject assistance provided to Kyiv nether Joe Biden.

It comes aft leaders from Britain, France, the US, and Ukraine met successful Paris contiguous for talks connected ending the war.

An adjutant to Emmanuel Macron, the French president, described the talks arsenic “excellent” and that much would instrumentality spot successful London adjacent week.

07:58 PM BST

That’s each for today

Thanks for pursuing our unrecorded sum of the warfare successful Ukraine.

We’ll beryllium backmost soon with much updates and analysis. Here’s a recap of what happened today:

• A Russian wide drone onslaught connected the cardinal Ukrainian metropolis of Dnipro overnight killed 3 people, including a child, and injured dozens

• Ukraine’s overseas curate and defence curate person arrived successful Paris to conscionable with Donald Trump’s bid envoys and European allies

• An adjutant to Emmanuel Macron, the French president, described the talks arsenic “excellent” and that much would instrumentality spot successful London adjacent week

• The Kremlin said that a gathering betwixt the US, Ukraine and European countries successful Paris was a accidental for Trump envoy Steve Witkoff to pass them of the “current status” of bid talks

• Volodymyr Zelensky accused Mr Witkoff of “spreading Russian narratives” astir the war

07:21 PM BST

Trump: I don’t clasp Zelensky for starting the war

Donald Trump has said helium does not clasp Volodymyr Zelensky liable for starting the warfare successful Ukraine.

It represents a displacement successful code from the US president, who earlier this week criticised Ukraine for “starting a warfare against idiosyncratic 20 times their size”.

Speaking adjacent to Giorgia Meloni, the Italian premier minister, Mr Trump said: “I don’t clasp Zelenskyy responsible, but I’m not precisely thrilled with the information that that warfare started.

“And, truthful I’m not blessed with him, and I’m not blessed with anybody involved.

“I’m not blaming him, but what I americium saying is that I wouldn’t accidental he’s done the top job. Okay? I’m not a large fan.”

07:17 PM BST

Zelensky accused Trump adjutant of spreading ‘Russian narratives’

Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Steve Witkoff of “spreading Russian narratives” astir the warfare arsenic elder officials from Ukraine, the US and Europe conscionable successful Paris.

Mr Witkoff, a peculiar envoy to Donald Trump, is among the US officials gathering with Ukrainian and European officials successful Paris today.

In a motion that ongoing talks successful Paris whitethorn not beryllium going well, Mr Zelensky said: “I judge that Mr Witkoff has taken connected the strategy of the Russian side. I deliberation it is precise dangerous, due to the fact that helium is consciously oregon unconsciously, I don’t know, spreading Russian narratives.”

Mr Zelensky has accused Mr Witkoff of echoing Russian propaganda successful the past. On Tuesday helium rejected Mr Witkoff’s assertion that bid depended connected the 5 Ukrainian territories presently occupied by Russia.

Today helium said Ukraine would not beryllium acceptable to sermon territorial concessions until a full-scale ceasefire is enactment successful place.

07:00 PM BST

Trump suggests minerals woody volition beryllium signed adjacent week

Donald Trump has said that a minerals woody volition beryllium signed with Ukraine adjacent week.

“We person a minerals deal, which I conjecture is going to beryllium signed connected Thursday, Scott, adjacent Thursday? And I presume they’re going to unrecorded up to the deal, truthful we’ll see,” helium told reporters successful the Oval Office.

06:48 PM BST

UK to big further talks adjacent week

The UK is acceptable to big further talks betwixt the US, Europe and Ukraine successful London adjacent week, a spokesperson for Emmanuel Macron has said.

An adjutant to the French president described today’s talks successful Paris arsenic “excellent, affirmative and constructive”.

06:18 PM BST

Macron praises talks successful Paris

Today’s gathering successful Paris was hailed by Emmanuel Macron, the French president, arsenic a “very important juncture for convergence”.

“This is simply a precise important juncture for convergence,” Mr Macron said aft hosting Steve Witkoff and Marco Rubio, the caput of state, for luncheon earlier successful the day.

“I deliberation everybody wants to get bid for sure, and a robust and sustainable peace,” helium said.

05:58 PM BST

Listen to today’s Ukraine: The Latest

05:23 PM BST

Let america bargain Patriot systems, Zelensky tells US

Ukraine wants to bargain astatine slightest 10 Patriot aerial defence systems from the United States to shield against Russian attacks, Ukrainian Volodymyr Zelensky told journalists this afternoon.

“Ukraine is acceptable to acquisition astatine slightest 10 systems. I told President Trump astir this minimum during our telephone conversation. He told maine that America would enactment connected it. So far, I person nary different information,” the Ukrainian president said.

05:01 PM BST

China producing weapons ‘on Russian territory’, says Zelensky

Ukraine has quality which shows China is supplying artillery and gunpowder to Russia, Volodymyr Zelensky said this afternoon.

“We judge that Chinese representatives are engaged successful the accumulation of immoderate weapons connected the territory of Russia,” helium said astatine a property league successful Kyiv.

He did not specify whether helium meant artillery systems oregon shells.

04:52 PM BST

Hegseth urges France to boost defence spending

Pete Hegseth urged France to summation its defence spending and, alongside different Nato allies, instrumentality superior work for Europe’s accepted defence during talks successful Washington.

Sean Parnell, the main Pentagon spokesperson, said Mr Hegseth and his French counterpart Sebastien Lecornu besides discussed efforts toward a “durable peace” successful Ukraine.

04:07 PM BST

Who’s astatine talks betwixt US, Europe and Ukraine?

Senior officials from the US, Europe and Ukraine are presently successful talks successful Paris implicit ending the war.

Leading the US delegation is Marco Rubio, the caput of state, and Steve Witkoff, a peculiar envoy for Donald Trump.

Earlier, Andriy Yermak, Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s apical adviser, said talks had included however to scope a “just and lasting peace” successful Ukraine.

Jonathan Powell, nationalist information advisor to Sir Keir Starmer, is besides contiguous successful Paris.

03:31 PM BST

Russian contacts with Witkoff ‘very productive’, Putin envoy says

Vladimir Putin’s gathering with Donald Trump’s peculiar envoy Steve Witkoff was highly productive but assorted countries are trying to disrupt dialog betwixt Moscow and Washington, the Russian leader’s concern envoy has said.

Putin received Witkoff successful the erstwhile imperial superior of St. Petersburg Friday and they spoke for adjacent to 5 hours. Putin’s overseas argumentation aide, Yuri Ushakov, and concern envoy Kirill Dmitriev were besides successful the room.

“The gathering was highly productive,” Mr Dmitriev told reporters successful the Kremlin during a sojourn by Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani to Moscow.

“A batch of people, structures, and countries are trying to disrupt our dialog with the United States,” helium added, adding that assorted unidentified media were spreading misinformation.

“There is simply a precise utile dialog going on. It is surely going connected successful precise hard conditions - changeless attacks and changeless misinformation.”

02:55 PM BST

Trump sees Meloni arsenic ‘vital’ to Ukraine negotiations

President Donald Trump views Giorgia Meloni, the Italian Prime Minister, arsenic a cardinal intermediary connected large issues, including efforts to extremity the warfare successful Ukraine.

A elder US authoritative noted that the 2 leaders stock “a precise peculiar relationship” and mean to collaborate, peculiarly connected trade, Nato contributions, and different matters, a elder US authoritative said contiguous up of their meeting.

The US president is owed to greet Ms Meloni astatine 12pm ET.

The brace are scheduled to enactment successful a bilateral luncheon followed by a gathering successful the Oval Office, wherever they whitethorn talk to the White House Press Pool.

02:31 PM BST

Firefighters conflict blazes successful Dnipro

Photographs person emerged of the aftermath of attacks successful  Dnipro, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, overnight.

Three people, including a child, were killed successful the attack. Houses, pupil dormitories, buildings of an acquisition instauration and a nutrient enterprise, arsenic good arsenic cars, were damaged.

02:13 PM BST

Pictured: Macron greets Witkoff and Rubio successful Paris

02:01 PM BST

Taurus rocket strikes would mean ‘direct’ German participation, says Russia

Maria Zakharova, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, said contiguous that the usage of Taurus missiles to onslaught captious Russian infrastructure would beryllium considered nonstop information by Germany successful the Ukrainian conflict.

Friedrich Merz, the incoming German chancellor, has said helium supports supplying Ukraine with the German-made cruise missiles.

A Taurus “strike against immoderate Russian installation of captious transport infrastructure....all of this would beryllium regarded arsenic nonstop information of Germany successful hostilities,” Ms Zakharova told journalists.

Britain has antecedently said it volition enactment Germany if it decides to nonstop the missiles.

01:28 PM BST

Macron speaks to Zelensky earlier cardinal meeting

Emmanuel Macron spoke to Volodymyr Zelensky connected the telephone earlier talks with Marco Rubio, the US Secretary of State, and Steve Witkoff, Donald Trump’s peculiar envoy, astatine the Élysée successful Paris.

01:15 PM BST

Russia says definite countries trying to ‘derail’ talks with US

Russia’s main economical negotiator claimed contiguous that immoderate countries are attempting to “derail” ongoing talks with the United States, arsenic some sides prosecute efforts to normalise relations.

“There are a batch of people, structures, countries trying to disrupt our dialog with the United States. There is simply a precise progressive propaganda against Russia going connected successful the United States successful assorted wide media,” Kirill Dmitriev, who is besides the caput of Russia’s sovereign wealthiness fund, told reporters.

12:56 PM BST

Macron’s diplomatic advisor holds cardinal meetings

Emmanuel Macron’s diplomatic advisor, Emmanuel Bonne, met with the Ukrainian president’s main of staff, Andriy Yermark earlier today.

Alongside them were Jonathan Powell, the UK’s nationalist information advisor, and Jens Plotner, the German nationalist information advisor.

Mr Bonne has reportedly been successful talks with Steve Witkoff, President Trump’s peculiar envoy, joined by Mr Powell and Mr Plotner.

The French president is besides acceptable to conscionable with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Steve Witkoff and Jean Noël Barrot, the French overseas minister, for a moving luncheon astatine 1.30pm.

All officials are owed to enactment successful a last meeting,scheduled astatine the Élysée Palace astatine 3pm.

12:32 PM BST

Former apical Russian subject authoritative gets 7 years successful penal colony

The erstwhile lawman caput of the Russian army’s wide unit was sentenced contiguous to 7 years successful a penal colony for taking hundreds of thousands of dollars successful bribes.

Vadim Shamarin, a lieutenant-general, is 1 of a drawstring of apical officials charged successful a bid of corruption scandals that person engulfed the highest echelons of the Russian subject constitution implicit the past year.

The prosecutions awesome a thrust by President Vladimir Putin to clamp down connected graft, inefficiency and discarded successful Russia’s immense subject fund arsenic it wages warfare successful Ukraine for a 4th year.

Russia’s Investigative Committee said Shamarin, 53, took bribes worthy 36 cardinal roubles ($440,000) betwixt 2019 and 2023 from a mill successful the Ural mountains that produces communications equipment. In return, helium accrued the size of authorities contracts awarded to the firm.

Interfax quality bureau said the authoritative had pleaded guilty.

12:02 PM BST

Watch: Rubio and Witkoff successful Paris for bid talks

Credit: Reuters

11:55 AM BST

German delegation’s quality to marque large decisions astatine talks is limited

Jens Plötner, Germany’s overseas and information argumentation advisor, and Günter Sautter, the governmental manager astatine the overseas office, are taking portion successful the Paris talks, German paper FAZ reports.

There is scepticism connected the French broadside astir a breakthrough arsenic it is wide to the Macron authorities that Vladimir Putin wants to proceed the war.

Germany is presently successful betwixt governments, with the outgoing Scholz authorities owed to beryllium replaced by Friedrich Merz’s conjugation successful aboriginal May.

This could mean that German readiness to marque immoderate large decisions is limited, for the clip being.

There are nary plans to clasp a property league aft the talks, meaning they volition unfold successful comparative secrecy.

11:37 AM BST

Pictured: Witkoff embraces Macron’s aide

11:26 AM BST

Ukraine and Russia commercialized accusations of strikes connected vigor targets

Ukraine’s largest backstage vigor shaper DTEK said connected Thursday that a Russian onslaught had damaged its vigor infrastructure successful the Dnipropetrovsk region.

“This morning, (Russia) attacked a DTEK accumulation tract successful Dnipropetrovsk portion with drones. Buildings and instrumentality suffered superior damage,” a institution connection connected societal media said. It added that cipher was hurt.

At the aforesaid time, Russia claimed that Ukraine carried retired 10 attacks connected its vigor infrastructure successful the past 24 hours, without providing evidence.

Moscow and Kyiv some agreed to a US-proposed halt connected attacks connected vigor targets past month, but person repeatedly accused each different of breaching the moratorium.

11:05 AM BST

Pictured: Ukrainian, French, British and German delegations conscionable successful Paris

10:55 AM BST

Kremlin: Paris talks are ‘chance for Witkoff to update Europeans connected bid deal’

The Kremlin said that a gathering betwixt the US, Ukraine and European countries successful Paris was a accidental for Trump envoy Steve Witkoff to pass them of the “current status” of bid talks.

Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin spokesman, said Vladimir Putin and Mr Witkoff had a agelong speech past week successful Moscow.

“The United States is continuing to enactment successful this absorption with the Europeans and with the Ukrainians,” Mr Peskov said, earlier again accusing European powers of trying to proceed war.

10:38 AM BST

Top Kyiv authoritative charged with ‘smuggling draft-age men abroad’

Volodymyr Prokopiv, lawman caput of the Kyiv metropolis administration, has been charged with smuggling draft-age men abroad, according to Ukrainian media reports.

Under martial law, which has been successful spot since Russia’s full-scale penetration successful February 2022, Ukrainian men aged 18-60 are not permitted to permission the country, but successful peculiar circumstances.

Mr Prokopiv was suspended earlier helium resigned backmost successful October aft an probe revealed suspicious existent property acquisitions by the official’s household members.

10:26 AM BST

Two killed by Russian shelling successful confederate Ukraine

Russian artillery shelling killed 2 radical and injured 5 much successful the confederate Ukrainian metropolis of Nikopol connected Thursday, determination politician Serhiy Lysak said.

Moscow’s forces regularly ammunition the metropolis from their positions crossed the Dnipro river.

10:04 AM BST

Pictured: Putin meets erstwhile Hamas hostage

09:46 AM BST

Ukraine ‘attacks basal of Russian rocket brigade for 2nd day’

Ukrainian drones attacked the municipality of Shuya successful Russia’s Ivanovo portion for the 2nd time successful a row, according to section authorities.

Shuya, which is astir 715 miles from the Ukrainian border, hosts the basal of a Russian rocket brigade that Ukraine has been blamed for the devastating onslaught connected the Ukrainian metropolis of Sumy connected Sunday that killed astatine slightest 34 people.

The 112th Guards Missile Brigade, a portion agelong accused of “terror bombing” civilians, appears to person been the people of the strikes connected Wednesday and Thursday.

The determination authorities claimed connected Thursday that nary casualties oregon harm had been inflicted.

Read much connected the brigade, accused of slaughtering Ukrainian civilians, here.

09:23 AM BST

Russian and Belarusian ambassadors banned from German VE time event

Pro-Russian sentiment is connected the emergence successful East Germany, wherever Berlin is located, owed to concerns that the state is being dragged into a nonstop struggle with Moscow nether incoming Chancellor Friedrich Merz.

09:12 AM BST

Pictured: Rubio lands successful Paris

Marco Rubio, the US caput of state, has arrived successful Paris, wherever helium volition conscionable with Emmanuel Macron arsenic good arsenic Ukrainian and European delegations for talks connected ending the war.

09:04 AM BST

Russia launches 5 missiles, 75 drones

The Ukrainian aerial unit said that Russia launched 5 missiles and 75 drones during an overnight onslaught connected Ukraine.

The aerial unit called it changeable down 25 drones with different 30 not reaching their targets, apt owed to physics warfare countermeasures. It did not specify what happened to the missiles and the remainder of the drones.

08:54 AM BST

Britain ‘will enactment Germany sending Taurus missiles to Ukraine’

Britain would enactment a determination by Germany to nonstop Taurus missiles to Ukraine, sources person indicated, successful a boost to Friedrich Merz, the incoming chancellor.

Mr Merz signalled this week that helium was acceptable to nonstop the long-range rocket strategy to Kyiv, but lone successful statement with allies France and Britain.

On Wednesday, a British authoritative progressive successful overseas argumentation told The Telegraph that the UK had agelong been successful favour of Germany giving Taurus missiles to Ukraine, and would backmost the determination if it were taken present by the caller chancellor.

The UK root said: “We proceed to enactment with our partners, including Germany, to equip Ukraine arsenic champion we tin to support its sovereign territory.”

Taurus is simply a almighty cruise rocket strategy that tin onslaught targets heavy wrong Russian territory, making it a imaginable game-changer successful the hands of Ukrainian forces.

08:19 AM BST

Moscow plans to usage seized US-owned institution to provender army

Russia plans to usage a US-owned institution seized by the Kremlin to proviso nutrient to the Russian army, authoritative documents reveal.

A letter, seen by Reuters, said the canned nutrient shaper Glavprodukt was taken nether authorities power successful October to guarantee stableness of aboriginal supplies ot the nationalist defender and defence ministry.

Glavprodukt was seized from Los Angeles-based Leonid Smirnov, who Russian prosecutors person accused of moving $17m (£13m) retired of Russia from 2022 to 2024.

A proceeding is scheduled for Friday. Mr Smirnov denies wrongdoing and says the suit is simply a “Russian-style firm raid” to bargain his company.

About a twelve European companies person had their Russian subsidiaries expropriated by statesmanlike decree, including Danish brewer Carlsberg and Finnish inferior Fortum. Glavprodukt was the archetypal US-owned steadfast to beryllium taken nether authorities control.

The Kremlin has warned of much plus seizures.

08:02 AM BST

Watch: Aftermath of deadly Russian drone onslaught connected Dnipro

Credit: X/@maria_drutska. Original footage from Telegram

07:51 AM BST

Ukrainian ministers get successful Paris for talks with US

Ukraine’s overseas curate and defence curate person arrived successful Paris to conscionable with Trump’s bid envoys and European allies.

“We are moving connected important issues for the information of Ukraine and the full of Europe,” Andriy Yermak, caput of Ukrainian president’s office, said connected Thursday morning.

07:45 AM BST

Russia ‘downs 71 Ukrainian drones’

Russian aerial defence systems destroyed oregon intercepted 71 Ukrainian drones implicit six regions overnight, its defence ministry said connected Thursday.

Most of the drones (49) were downed successful the Kursk region, wherever Ukraine inactive hangs connected to a tiny spot of land.

07:37 AM BST

Putin launches devastating drone onslaught connected Dnipro

A Russian wide drone onslaught connected the cardinal Ukrainian metropolis of Dnipro overnight killed 3 people, including a child, and injured dozens.

“A monolithic UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) onslaught led to tragic consequences,” said Sergiy Lysak, politician of Dnipropetrovsk. He added that 30 were injured, 5 of them children.

The onslaught precocious connected Wednesday sparked fires passim the metropolis and deed homes, a pupil residence and school. Footage showed firefighters battling the blazes passim the night.

Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Russia of expanding its aerial bombardment of Ukraine contempt the Trump administration’s attempts to broker a ceasefire.

Marco Rubio, the US caput of state, and peculiar envoy Steve Witkoff are expected to caput to Paris contiguous for talks connected ending the war, contempt Washington side-lining Europe successful discussions truthful far.

07:30 AM BST

Rubio and Witkoff caput to Paris

Two of Donald Trump’s apical aides program to clasp talks successful Paris with Emmanuel Macron connected Thursday, seeking to find communal crushed connected ending the Ukrainian warfare and avert an Iran conflict.

Marco Rubio, US caput of state, and peculiar envoy Steve Witkoff, are expected to perceive European concerns astir Russia amid Mr Trump’s increasing vexation with Vladimir Putin for dragging his feet implicit negotiations.

“I’m conscionable trying to get it stopped truthful that we tin prevention a batch of lives,” Mr Trump told reporters connected Sunday.

European leaders person grown much acrophobic arsenic Mr Trump made diplomatic gestures to his Russian counterpart, portion applying unit connected Kyiv, sparking fears a imaginable woody volition not beryllium successful Ukraine’s favour.

The US president has besides been threatening subject enactment against Iranian atomic facilities unless they hold to a caller woody to rein successful their atomic programme. A caller circular of talks is expected connected Saturday.

07:14 AM BST

Nearly 102,000 Russian soldiers ‘killed successful Ukraine’

At slightest 101,833 Russian soldiers person been confirmed dormant successful Ukraine, according to a media investigation.

The probe conducted by Russian autarkic outlet Mediazona successful collaboration with the BBC Russian work recovered that 4,897 Russian officers person been killed successful the invasion.

Mediazona has been tracking the identifies of Russians killed since the commencement of the warfare utilizing verified, publically disposable sources, including societal media, section quality reports, and authoritative announcements from determination authorities.

The Kremlin does not publically disclose casualty accusation and Mediazona estimates the full fig is apt acold higher.

British subject quality revealed earlier this week that Russia has apt sustained much than 920,000 full casualties successful the war, including 138,000 successful 2025 truthful far.

07:07 AM BST

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