Ukraine has hit 12 Russian tankers in the Sea of Azov, the general staff of the armed forces has said.
"The affected vessels were used, among other, to supply fuel and oil materials to the grouping of troops of the Russian Federation, as well as to transport oil and petroleum products in the absence of international sanctions," read a statement on Telegram.
"They provide the export of energy carriers, which is one of the key sources of financing the war against Ukraine."
One tugboat and one dry loader were also among the vessels struck.
Meanwhile, president Donald Trump has said the US will allow Ukraine to manufacture Patriot missile interceptors by giving the war-hit nation a license to built a defence against incoming Russian missiles.
"We're going to give a license to you to make Patriots. That's pretty cool. This way, you can't complain that we're not giving 'em enough," Trump said at a meeting with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky at the Nato summit in Ankara.
However, Trump’s announcement triggered condemnation from Moscow, with a foreign ministry spokesperson saying Nato's decisions at the Turkey summit could have catastrophic consequences.
Key Points
- Donald Trump says US will let Ukraine manufacture Patriot missiles
- Russia fumes at Nato summit decisions on aid for Ukraine and defence
- Ukraine has two months to end war or face escalation from Putin, says Czech president
- Desperate Russian drivers are converting their cars to LPG as fuel shortages intensify
- Russian attack kills four in Ukraine port of Odesa, official says
Russia launches court appeal against World Athletics ban due to Ukraine war
17:30 , Maira Butt
Russia's track and field federation has launched an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in an attempt to overturn a World Athletics ruling that continues to suspend its athletes from international events due to the war in Ukraine.
World Athletics initially excluded all Russian and Belarusian athletes from its international events in March 2022, shortly after Russian forces invaded Ukraine. The suspension was reaffirmed at a council meeting last week.
This contrasts with the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which recently eased its own restrictions on Russia ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics – a move the Kremlin hailed as an "important step" – and recommended other sports bodies do the same.
Russia launches court appeal against World Athletics ban due to Ukraine war
Germany reaches deal with US to buy long-range Tomahawk missiles, Merz says
17:00 , Maira Butt
Germany has struck a deal with the United States to buy American-made Tomahawk cruise missiles and station them in Germany, Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced Thursday.
The German leader said the agreement on the long-range missiles, which are used to strike targets deep inside enemy territory, was reached this week on the sidelines of the Nato summit in Turkey's capital, Ankara.
“This will close an important strategic gap in our defense, and at the same time, we will work to develop our own European systems and station them in Europe,” Merz told parliament after returning from the two-day summit.
Germany reaches deal with US to buy long-range Tomahawk missiles, Merz says
I have visited Russia every year since the Ukraine war began. The mood has changed
16:30 , Maira Butt
The mood regarding the war in Ukraine has changed in recent months. Ukrainian drones have struck Russian oil infrastructure, causing fuel shortages across Russia. And the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, is exuberant about finishing the war from a “position of strength”.
The hope is that an economic crisis in Russia leads to social unrest and political instability, possibly resulting in the collapse of the ruling regime. This would not be an unprecedented event in Russian history. The Soviet Union rapidly unravelled amid economic and political crisis in 1991. But how likely is this scenario for Russia today?
I have visited Russia every year since the Ukraine war began. The mood has changed
In pictures: Zelensky meets world leaders at Nato summit this week
16:00 , Maira Butt
Nato chief Mark Rutte claims that Trump trashing European allies is ‘like a family argument’
15:30 , Maira Butt
Nato secretary general Mark Rutte has once again come to the defence of Donald Trump, insisting that the President’s divisive comments about European allies are akin to a “family argument”.
This week, Mr Trump renewed his threats to acquire Greenland and declared a ceasefire agreement with Iran “over”. He attacked Spain for a lack of contributions to Nato and called for a suspension of all bilateral trade.
Rutte, who refused to criticise the US leader throughout, was asked by a Danish reporter if supporting Trump while he lashed out at allies and started trade wars "has any effect on your self-respect".
Nato chief claims that Trump trashing European allies is ‘like a family argument’
Ukraine's top prosecutor says no signs of Kyiv being behind Nord Stream blasts
15:00 , Maira Butt
Ukraine's Prosecutor General denied on Thursday Kyiv's involvement in blowing up the Nord Stream gas pipelines in 2022, and proposed forming a joint investigation team with Germany, which suspects that Ukrainian state entities were behind the explosions.
The explosions, months after Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, damaged the Nord Stream 1 pipeline, a vital route for Russian gas exports to Europe, as well as the Nord Stream 2 branch, which had yet to enter service.
The Prosecutor General's office said in a statement that, based on the investigation so far, no evidence indicated that Ukraine, its official entities or any of its officials were involved in the September 2022 explosions in the Baltic Sea, or had issued any related orders on behalf of Ukraine.
Watch: Zelensky shares footage he says shows Ukrainian army striking Russian oil depots
14:30 , Maira Butt
Trump confuses Iran for 'Islamic Republic of Japan' in Zelensky Q&A
13:30 , Maira Butt
President Donald Trump on Wednesday confused a current American adversary for a long-ago foe when he told reporters that U.S. aircraft carriers had come under fire from Japanese forces during a bilateral meeting with Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky.
The 80-year-old American president was in the midst of a freewheeling impromptu press conference alongside the Ukrainian leader when he began extolling the virtues of American defensive weaponry after what he said was an attack on the U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln.
Trump says US shot missiles at ‘Islamic Republic of Japan’ in latest baffling fumble
Kremlin says US has 'misconception' that escalation of Ukrainian strikes can help end war
13:04 , Maira Butt
Russia said on Thursday that the United States was mistaken in its belief that deep Ukrainian strikes into Russian territory could help bring about an end to the war.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov also said that any creation of a no-fly zone over Ukraine would mean that Nato was operating there, which was exactly what Russia was trying to prevent.
Trump's announcement on Patriots for Ukraine welcomed in Washington
13:00 , Maira Butt
Senior officials in the US have welcomed Donald Trump’s announcement on allowing Ukraine to make their own Patriot missile interceptors.
Olha Stefanishyna, Ukraine's ambassador to Washington, said the meeting in Ankara sent "several important strategic signals" about collaboration between the US and Ukraine and said she looked forward to turning the signals into concrete decisions.
"We highly value the United States’ continued engagement in advancing a path toward a just and lasting peace," Stefanishyna said in a statement.
US lawmakers also praised the announcement.
"This is a great decision," Republican Representative Don Bacon of Nebraska said on X.
"The manufacturer is currently not keeping up with the needs, and this will surely help."
Democratic senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut also praised the announcement.
"Enabling Ukraine to manufacture Patriot interceptors will save civilian lives, strengthen its long-term security, & bolster the arsenal of the democratic world," he said on X.
Russia bans diesel exports to protect domestic supply after Ukrainian drone attacks on oil facilities
12:25 , Maira Butt
Russia introduced a ban on diesel exports on Wednesday among a raft of measures to support the domestic fuel market after systematic Ukrainian drone attacks on oil refineries triggered gasoline shortages and price spikes.
Drivers in many regions are facing hours-long lines to refuel as intensifying Ukrainian strikes on energy infrastructure squeeze supplies of diesel and gasoline.
Deputy prime minister Alexander Novak told a televised government meeting, chaired by president Vladimir Putin, that the fuel situation remained complex and that "it is clear that the current situation at filling stations is causing concern among the public".
"Today, a ban on diesel fuel exports was introduced, and this will make it possible to increase supplies to the domestic market," he said, adding that Russia would start importing fuel in July.
The ban will stay in place till 31 July.
Industry sources said last week that Russia had started seaborne imports of gasoline from India.
Russia fumes at Nato summit decisions on aid for Ukraine and defence
11:50 , Maira Butt
Russia denounced Nato's decisions at a summit in Turkey, saying they could have catastrophic consequences, after the alliance announced military aid to Ukraine and reaffirmed members' commitment to collective defence.
Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said Nato's priorities remained unchanged.
"The militarisation of the European continent, the focus on building up defence capabilities, preparation for an armed conflict with Russia, and, of course, aid to Ukraine,” she said.
"It is a pity, because if Nato strategists had stopped and thought for a moment, they might not have made such irresponsible decisions that could lead to a catastrophe not just for the alliance, but for the whole world," Zakharova said in a statement on her ministry's website.
Nato members at the summit pledged €70bn (£59.7bn) in military assistance to Ukraine for 2026.
They reaffirmed their "ironclad commitment" to collective defence under the alliance's Article 5 pact in a summit declaration and unveiled arms deals worth at least $50bn.
In her comments, Zakharova said "cracks" between the United States and its Nato partners "have not gone anywhere".
“Against this backdrop, the Americans do not hide their disappointment with the North Atlantic bloc," she wrote.
"The issue with Greenland is not being resolved according to the American scenario. There is also resentment that alliance members, as Washington sees it, did not act in a supportive way when the United States needed their backing,” she said.
Fuel prices surge in Crimea
11:20 , Maira Butt
Fuel prices have surged in Russian-occupied Crimea according to a new report published on Wednesday.
According to the data published by Rosstat, average fuel price rose by 78.4 per cent in the region, almost doubling previous levels.
It follows a ban on diesel fuel exports introduced by the Russian government. The shortage in fuel has been sparked by Ukrainian strikes on Russian energy infrastructure including refineries.
Russia-appointed Crimea governor says fuel shortages are set to last
10:50 , Maira Butt
Russian-appointed governor of occupied Crimea, Sergey Aksyonov has warned that fuel shortages are likely to last as Ukrainian attacks on Russian energy continue.
“The fuel supply situation remains tense and will continue for some time,” Aksyonov wrote on Telegram, according to Reuters.
“On certain days there will be no fuel available to be freely sold.”
Aksyonov has said that he has discussed the crisis with the energy minister Sergey Tsivilyov and said possible solutions had been identified but did not share further details.
Ukraine's Kostyuk extends Wimbledon run as attacks hit Kyiv and slams IOC decision on Russia
10:20 , Maira Butt
As Marta Kostyuk played on Centre Court at Wimbledon on Wednesday, her compatriots in Ukraine were dealing with another deadly attack by Russia on Kyiv.
It's been the same for much of Kostyuk’s run to the semifinals.
On Monday, after Russian missiles struck residential buildings close to where Kostyuk's parents live, she had to block that out to play her fourth-round match at the Grand Slam tournament. Last week, Russia hammered the Ukrainian capital with an 11-hour drone and missile attack that killed at least 21 civilians.
For Kostyuk, every day is about finding a way to focus on tennis while not shutting her eyes to what is going on at home.
Ukraine's Kostyuk extends Wimbledon run as attacks hit Kyiv. She slams IOC decision on Russia
In pictures: Aftermath of Russian drone and missile strikes on Kharkiv, Ukraine
09:50 , Maira Butt
Watch:
09:20 , Maira Butt
I have visited Russia every year since the Ukraine war began. The mood has changed
08:50 , Maira Butt
The mood regarding the war in Ukraine has changed in recent months. Ukrainian drones have struck Russian oil infrastructure, causing fuel shortages across Russia. And the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, is exuberant about finishing the war from a “position of strength”.
The hope is that an economic crisis in Russia leads to social unrest and political instability, possibly resulting in the collapse of the ruling regime. This would not be an unprecedented event in Russian history. The Soviet Union rapidly unravelled amid economic and political crisis in 1991. But how likely is this scenario for Russia today?
I have visited Russia every year since the Ukraine war began. The mood has changed
Two tankers attacked by drones in Sea of Azov in Russia's Rostov
08:20 , Arpan Rai
Two tankers have been attacked by Ukrainian drones in the Sea of Azov, Russia's Rostov region governor said on Thursday.
“The tanker crews have been evacuated. A fire broke out as a result of the drone strike. On one of the vessels, the fire is still burning, on the other, the fire has been completely extinguished," governor Yury Slyusar said on Telegram.
Air defence units downed 73 Ukrainian drones overnight, the Russian defence ministry said.
In Russia's Tver region, an oil depot caught fire as a result of a drone attack, acting governor Vitaly Korolyov said, adding that the fire has been contained and no one was injured.
Russia bans diesel exports to protect domestic supply after Ukrainian drone attacks on oil facilities
08:00 , Arpan Rai
Russia introduced a ban on diesel exports on Wednesday among a raft of measures to support the domestic fuel market after systematic Ukrainian drone attacks on oil refineries triggered gasoline shortages and price spikes.
Drivers in many regions are facing hours-long lines to refuel as intensifying Ukrainian strikes on energy infrastructure squeeze supplies of diesel and gasoline.
Deputy prime minister Alexander Novak told a televised government meeting, chaired by president Vladimir Putin, that the fuel situation remained complex and that "it is clear that the current situation at filling stations is causing concern among the public".
"Today, a ban on diesel fuel exports was introduced, and this will make it possible to increase supplies to the domestic market," he said, adding that Russia would start importing fuel in July.
The ban will stay in place till 31 July.
Industry sources said last week that Russia had started seaborne imports of gasoline from India.
Trump's big announcement on Patriot interceptors for Ukraine
07:45 , Arpan Rai
President Donald Trump has said the US would grant Ukraine a license to manufacture Patriot missile interceptors, a huge boost for Kyiv, which has long sought permission to produce the defensive weapons.
Here’s what he has said:
"We're going to give a license to you to make Patriots. That's pretty cool. This way, you can't complain that we're not giving 'em enough," Trump said at a meeting with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky at the Nato summit in Ankara.
"It's a defensive weapon, which I like better than an offensive weapon.
"We have Patriots, but we don't have that many. We need them for ourselves too.
"I think they can produce it pretty quickly. Once we explain it, we'll bring the company here. You work with the company. They have a great ability to produce weapons, pretty complex weapons.
"We have great power over the companies, those companies that make the Patriot.
"We haven't informed the company of that yet, but that'll work out all right. I'm sure they will be thrilled," Trump said.
Lockheed Martin is the prime contractor for the interceptor missiles that go in the Patriot system.
Russia's FSB says it has foiled Western-backed Ukrainian attacks plot
07:18 , Arpan Rai
Russia's FSB security service said that it had foiled a series of terrorist attacks in Moscow planned by the Ukrainian security services, “with the direct involvement of Western intelligence”.
The targets of the attacks, which were to involve the use of drones, were to be high-ranking officers in the Russian army, as well as one of the leading defence industry enterprises.
Ukraine has two months to end war or face escalation from Putin, says Czech president
07:15 , Arpan Rai
Ukraine has an optimal window of two months to restart peace talks or face an escalation from Russia, the Czech president said.
Petr Pavel told The Telegraph that Vladimir Putin could declare a general mobilisation after elections are held on 20 September.
“I believe that the window is there for us to keep pushing and giving Russia a clear message that we are willing to start negotiations,” said Pavel, the retired general and former head of Nato’s military committee.
“Russia will have parliamentary elections in September. President Putin will hardly declare mobilisation before, but once the elections are over, then the window will shrink,” he said.
He also called on Ukraine’s allies to use current pressure on Russia to force peace talks in the coming weeks.
“Russia has a lot of internal problems and challenges at this point,” Pavel said in Ankara.
“The Russian public is turning increasingly against the war. President Putin will have difficulties keeping calm at home, and if this pressure continues, if Ukraine continues to be capable and successful in hitting targets deep in Russian territory, it will create conditions where Russia will be more inclined to negotiate,” he told The Telegraph.
Zelensky meets Polish counterpart at Nato summit amid tensions
06:53 , Arpan Rai
Volodymyr Zelensky said he met with Polish president Karol Nawrocki yesterday in Ankara, weeks after the two neighbours engaged in a diplomatic spat.
“I met with President of Poland Karol Nawrocki @NawrockiKn. It was an important and necessary conversation. We spoke for more than an hour. We face one common threat – Russia. And it is critical to maintain mutual understanding, support, and unity of action. Our countries need only strong relations. We agreed to continue our dialogue,” he said.
I met with President of Poland Karol Nawrocki @NawrockiKn. It was an important and necessary conversation. We spoke for more than an hour.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) July 8, 2026
We face one common threat – Russia. And it is critical to maintain mutual understanding, support, and unity of action. Our countries need… pic.twitter.com/G4YERz1pt9
Two tankers attacked by drones in Sea of Azov in Russia's Rostov
06:25 , Arpan Rai
Two tankers have been attacked by Ukrainian drones in the Sea of Azov, Russia's Rostov region governor said on Thursday.
“The tanker crews have been evacuated. A fire broke out as a result of the drone strike. On one of the vessels, the fire is still burning, on the other, the fire has been completely extinguished," governor Yury Slyusar said on Telegram.
Air defence units downed 73 Ukrainian drones overnight, the Russian defence ministry said.
In Russia's Tver region, an oil depot caught fire as a result of a drone attack, acting governor Vitaly Korolyov said, adding that the fire has been contained and no one was injured.
Nato chief asks Putin to learn from alliance about discussions and disagreements
06:09 , Arpan Rai
Nato chief Mark Rutte has said Vladimir Putin should learn from the alliance and have some discussions in the open.
On being asked what message the infighting sent to Russia's leader and whether it undermined Nato's message of deterrence, Rutte said: “I would say to Putin: You should have some more discussions yourself, out in the open.”
Nato identifies Russia as the biggest threat to the security of its members, who have boosted defence spending by hundreds of billions of dollars since Moscow’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
“What he (Putin) has seen now is sometimes allies disagreeing a bit, having a bit of a quarrel, and then coming together and reuniting,” Rutte said.
Trump confuses Zelensky for Putin in a Q&A with reporters at Nato summit
05:42 , Arpan Rai
Donald Trump mixed up Volodymyr Zelensky — who was sitting beside him — and Russia’s strongman leader Vladimir Putin when he asked reporters if they had “a question for President Putin,” prompting the room to erupt in laughter, at which point Trump attempted to recover by repeating the prompt and suggesting he’d take the reporter’s question to the Russian leader.
The Putin-Zelensky mixup by Trump came almost two years to the day that Trump’s predecessor, president Joe Biden, infamously introduced Zelensky as “president Putin” during an appearance at the 2024 Nato summit in Washington, DC.
Trump also confused Iran for a long-ago foe Japan when he told reporters that US aircraft carriers had come under fire from Japanese forces during a bilateral meeting with Zelensky.
“We had 111 missiles shot by the Islamic Republic of Japan. They were shot at the aircraft carrier over a period of about one hour. 111 missiles going to a very expensive ship, and every one of those missiles was knocked down, pretty much most by patriots, but by other means also,” he said, in a mixed-up remark.
Trump says US shot missiles at ‘Islamic Republic of Japan’ in latest baffling fumble
Watch: Trump says US will let Ukraine manufacture Patriot missiles
05:23 , Arpan Rai
Russia bans diesel exports to protect domestic supply after Ukrainian drone attacks on oil facilities
04:52 , Arpan Rai
Russia introduced a ban on diesel exports on Wednesday among a raft of measures to support the domestic fuel market after systematic Ukrainian drone attacks on oil refineries triggered gasoline shortages and price spikes.
Drivers in many regions are facing hours-long lines to refuel as intensifying Ukrainian strikes on energy infrastructure squeeze supplies of diesel and gasoline.
Deputy prime minister Alexander Novak told a televised government meeting, chaired by president Vladimir Putin, that the fuel situation remained complex and that "it is clear that the current situation at filling stations is causing concern among the public".
"Today, a ban on diesel fuel exports was introduced, and this will make it possible to increase supplies to the domestic market," he said, adding that Russia would start importing fuel in July.
The ban will stay in place till 31 July.
Industry sources said last week that Russia had started seaborne imports of gasoline from India.
Trump's announcement on Patriots for Ukraine welcomed in Washington
04:25 , Arpan Rai
Senior officials in the US have welcomed Donald Trump’s announcement on allowing Ukraine to make their own Patriot missile interceptors.
Olha Stefanishyna, Ukraine's ambassador to Washington, said the meeting in Ankara sent "several important strategic signals" about collaboration between the US and Ukraine and said she looked forward to turning the signals into concrete decisions.
"We highly value the United States’ continued engagement in advancing a path toward a just and lasting peace," Stefanishyna said in a statement.
US lawmakers also praised the announcement.
"This is a great decision," Republican Representative Don Bacon of Nebraska said on X.
"The manufacturer is currently not keeping up with the needs, and this will surely help."
Democratic senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut also praised the announcement.
"Enabling Ukraine to manufacture Patriot interceptors will save civilian lives, strengthen its long-term security, & bolster the arsenal of the democratic world," he said on X.
Trump's big announcement on Patriot interceptors for Ukraine
04:07 , Arpan Rai
President Donald Trump has said the US would grant Ukraine a license to manufacture Patriot missile interceptors, a huge boost for Kyiv, which has long sought permission to produce the defensive weapons.
Here’s what he has said:
"We're going to give a license to you to make Patriots. That's pretty cool. This way, you can't complain that we're not giving 'em enough," Trump said at a meeting with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky at the Nato summit in Ankara.
"It's a defensive weapon, which I like better than an offensive weapon.
"We have Patriots, but we don't have that many. We need them for ourselves too.
"I think they can produce it pretty quickly. Once we explain it, we'll bring the company here. You work with the company. They have a great ability to produce weapons, pretty complex weapons.
"We have great power over the companies, those companies that make the Patriot.
"We haven't informed the company of that yet, but that'll work out all right. I'm sure they will be thrilled," Trump said.
Lockheed Martin is the prime contractor for the interceptor missiles that go in the Patriot system.
Russia fumes at Nato summit decisions on aid for Ukraine and defence
03:57 , Arpan Rai
Russia denounced Nato's decisions at a summit in Turkey, saying they could have catastrophic consequences, after the alliance announced military aid to Ukraine and reaffirmed members' commitment to collective defence.
Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said Nato's priorities remained unchanged.
"The militarisation of the European continent, the focus on building up defence capabilities, preparation for an armed conflict with Russia, and, of course, aid to Ukraine,” she said.
"It is a pity, because if Nato strategists had stopped and thought for a moment, they might not have made such irresponsible decisions that could lead to a catastrophe not just for the alliance, but for the whole world," Zakharova said in a statement on her ministry's website.
Nato members at the summit pledged €70bn (£59.7bn) in military assistance to Ukraine for 2026.
They reaffirmed their "ironclad commitment" to collective defence under the alliance's Article 5 pact in a summit declaration and unveiled arms deals worth at least $50bn.
In her comments, Zakharova said "cracks" between the United States and its Nato partners "have not gone anywhere".
“Against this backdrop, the Americans do not hide their disappointment with the North Atlantic bloc," she wrote.
"The issue with Greenland is not being resolved according to the American scenario. There is also resentment that alliance members, as Washington sees it, did not act in a supportive way when the United States needed their backing,” she said.
Watch: Zelensky says Kyiv urgently needs Patriot interceptor missiles after massive Russian attack
03:00 , Harriette Boucher
Desperate Russian drivers are converting their cars to LPG as fuel shortages intensify
02:00 , Harriette Boucher
Desperate Russian drivers are converting their cars to LPG as fuel shortages intensify
Russians are flocking to convert their cars to run on liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) amid nationwide fuel shortages, escalating petrol prices, and long queues at filling stations.
These issues stem from recent Ukrainian attacks on refineries. Egor Popov, whose Moscow-based Garant-Gas company fits equipment for LPG conversions, stated that "demand had multiplied".
Butane and propane, components of LPG produced during natural gas processing and crude oil refining, are also less emissions-intensive than petrol.
Russian fuel shortage pushing drivers to desperate measures as gasoline runs out
ICYMI: Nato backs Ukraine’s long-range drone strikes to force Putin to negotiate, says Finnish PM
01:00 , Joe Middleton
Nato leaders back Ukraine’s campaign of long-range strikes deep inside Russia as it looks to pressure Moscow back into negotiations, Finnish president Alexander Stubb has said.
Kyiv is in the “best” position it has been in since the war began and Ukraine’s long distance strikes on Russian oil and military infrastructure have changed US strategic thinking on the war, significantly strengthening Ukraine’s negotiating position, Mr Stubb told the Financial Times.
“I think that [all Nato leaders] understand why Ukraine is doing this,” he said, speaking on the eve of the Nato leaders’ summit in Ankara. “Everyone believes that we need to continue to increase the pressure.”
Russian attack kills four in Ukraine port of Odesa, official says
Wednesday 8 July 2026 23:43 , Harriette Boucher
A Russian attack killed four people in Ukraine's Black Sea port of Odesa on Wednesday, a senior official said.
Serhiy Lysak, head of the city's military administration, said another six people were injured in the attack, which damaged infrastructure in the port, one of Ukraine's key export centres.
ICYMI: Trump says both sides in Ukraine war want a settlement
Wednesday 8 July 2026 23:00 , Joe Middleton
President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that both sides in the war in Ukraine want to see a settlement but Russia's Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky have been "difficult."
“We've settled a lot of wars, and this one is the one that I thought maybe would be the easiest, but Putin is a difficult character, and this guy's a difficult character,” Trump said, referring to Zelensky, who was sitting next to him ahead of a meeting between the pair at the Nato summit in Ankara.
Zelensky said he wanted to discuss “some very important details” with Trump.
“I'm sure you will do everything to stop this war,” he told Trump.
Watch: Russia launches fresh strikes on Odesa, injuring six
Wednesday 8 July 2026 22:00 , Daniel Keane
ICYMI: Trump says US will provide Ukraine with license for Patriot missiles
Wednesday 8 July 2026 22:00 , Joe Middleton
President Donald Trump has appeared to support Ukraine’s bid for Patriot interceptors and anti-ballistic missiles during a press conference at the Nato summit in Ankara on Wednesday.
He suggested that the US would be happy to provide Ukraine with a license for Patriot interceptors and said further talks on anti-ballistic missiles would ensue.
“We're going to give a license to you to make Patriots. That's pretty cool. This way, you can't complain that we're not giving 'em enough," Trump said at a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
“It's a defensive weapon, which I like better than an offensive weapon,” Trump said.
Zelensky has repeatedly pleaded for the US-made interceptors — the only weapon in Ukraine's arsenal that can shoot down ballistic projectiles, whose high velocity and steep flight path make them difficult to stop.
Pictured: Trump meets with Zelensky on the sidelines of the Nato summit
Wednesday 8 July 2026 21:00 , Daniel Keane
Czech Republic will not participate in €70 billion package for Ukraine, PM Babis says
Wednesday 8 July 2026 20:00 , Daniel Keane
The Czech Republic will not participate in a €70 billion ($80 billion) package of military assistance for Ukraine that NATO states agreed to on Wednesday, Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis said.
NATO members meeting in Ankara pledged that amount for Ukraine for 2026 and "at least equivalent levels" of support in 2027, according to the summit's declaration.
"We appreciate that every country will decide on this itself," Babis said. "We will not participate in the amount."
