Donald Trump once again pushed Volodymyr Zelensky to strike a deal with Russia and claimed that Vladimir Putin was ready to reach a peace agreement.
“Zelensky, he has to get on the ball, and he has to get a deal done,” Trump said in an interview with Politico.“Now he’s got even less cards,” Trump said.
The US president was referring to his rhetoric from the tense White House showdown between him, Zelensky, and vice-president JD Vance who publicly shot back at Zelensky to claim he was in a weak position.
Trump has been reiterating the Kremlin's stance that Moscow was ready for peace, so long as Ukraine gives up its territory and security guarantees, along with Nato membership plans.
At the same time, Trump has sought Ukraine’s help with its expertise in shooting down Iranian Shahed drones, Zelensky said.
Trump, in an interview yesterday, said, "Certainly I'll take, you know, any assistance from any country."
Zelensky said the help will be provided only if it does not weaken Ukraine's own defences, and if it adds leverage to Kyiv's diplomatic efforts to stop the Russian invasion.
Zelensky: Trump using up all his missiles on Iran risks leaving Ukraine short against Putin
It’s too dangerous to see my own children, Ukraine’s president Zelensky admits
Russia blames Ukraine sea drones for attacking tanker that sank in the Mediterranean
Volodymyr Zelensky is the heir to Churchill this continent needs
Key Points
- Trump pushes Zelensky to reach a deal with Putin: 'Even less cards'
- US and mideast countries seek Kyiv's drone expertise
- It’s too dangerous to see my own children, Zelensky admits
- Ukraine fast-track accession plan rejected by EU envoys
- Zelensky and Orban exchange threats as Ukraine says its bank employees detained in Hungary
Berlin warns against losing sight of Ukraine's needs amid Iran war
16:00 , Bryony GoochGerman defence minister Boris Pistorius on Friday warned against neglecting Ukraine's need for air defence supplies against the backdrop of the war in the Middle East, where demand has skyrocketed since Iran started mounting counter-attacks.
"Everyone knows that air defences and air defence missiles are a rare commodity globally. The ongoing war in the Middle East must not cause us to lose focus on the war in Europe, the war against Ukraine," Pistorius told reporters in Berlin.
"We must continue doing everything to support Ukraine while not leaving the Gulf countries alone, maybe (helping them out) here and there with equipment or logistics."
Watch: Ukraine brings back 200 prisoners of war in swap with Russia
15:30 , Bryony GoochRussia warns Finland it will be more vulnerable if its hosts nuclear weapons
15:00 , Bryony GoochRussia said on Friday it would respond if Finland placed nuclear weapons on its territory, saying such a move would make the Nordic country more vulnerable.
The Kremlin reacted sharply after NATO member Finland said on Thursday it was planning to lift a longstanding ban on hosting such weapons, in a move that could open the door to placing them there during times of war.
"This is a statement that leads to an escalation of tensions on the European continent," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
"This statement adds to Finland's vulnerability, a vulnerability provoked by the actions of the Finnish authorities. The fact is that by deploying nuclear weapons on its territory, Finland is beginning to threaten us. And if Finland threatens us, we take appropriate measures."
The Finnish shift is part of a wider rethink of European deterrence that has prompted France to offer to extend the protection of its nuclear arsenal to other allies on the continent.
The changes are being driven by Russia's war in Ukraine and the unpredictable behaviour of US president Donald Trump - notably his threat to take over Greenland - which has unsettled his NATO allies.
Zelenskyy says he's reluctant to repair pipeline that brings Russian oil to Central Europe
14:30 , Bryony GoochZelenskyy says he's reluctant to repair pipeline that brings Russian oil to Central Europe
Lithuania says Russia is expanding military units on NATO borders
14:00 , Bryony GoochRussia is expanding military units at the border with NATO, giving them battle experience in Ukraine, and could use them as hubs in a conflict with NATO after the war, Lithuanian intelligence said on Friday in its annual assessment of security threats.
If sanctions are removed, Russia would be ready for a "wide-scale military conflict" with NATO in six years' time, the intelligence assessment said.
"Russia would likely create not only a 30-50 percent larger army than it had before the war but also a relatively modern one. Strategic reserves of weapons and ammunition would be fully restored. Russia would be ready for a conventional military conflict with NATO," the Lithuanian intelligence report said.
Tipping the balance of power in Europe in its favour, as well as a total subjugation of Ukraine, remain top Russian goals, said the report.
The Russian Defence Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Ukraine and Russia exchanging 1,000 prisoners this week, US says
13:17 , Bryony GoochUkraine and Russia exchanged 1,000 individuals in a prisoner exchange this week, Trump special envoy Steve Witkoff said in an X post on Friday, adding that discussions remain ongoing with more progress expected in coming weeks.
This week, Ukraine and Russia carried out another prisoner exchange, with 1000 individuals returned following agreements reached during the recent trilateral negotiations in Geneva with the United States.
— Special Envoy Steve Witkoff (@SEPeaceMissions) March 6, 2026
This exchange was achieved thanks to sustained and detailed peace…
Orban says will stop Ukraine's critical transit shipments across Hungary
12:30 , Arpan RaiHungary will stop transit shipments going across Hungary that are important for Ukraine as long as Ukraine halts Russian crude shipments via the Druzhba pipeline, Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban told state radio this morning.
Orban again accused Kyiv of blackmail and said Hungary would use all means at its disposal until oil flows resume.
"We have stopped... diesel exports to Ukraine, we still maintain power exports, and we will stop transit shipments going through Hungary that are important for Ukraine... until we get Ukraine's approval for the oil shipments," Orban said.
Hungary's Orban blocks Ukraine's EU bid, says will not let it happen
12:00 , Arpan RaiHungarian prime minister Viktor Orban has said he will not let Ukraine into the European Union after his public spat with Volodymyr Zelensky over several issues.
Orban has also threatened to stop transit shipments that are going across Hungary and deemed important for Ukraine, a state radio reported.
Tension has long been high between the two leaders during Russia's four-year war on Ukraine, with Orban maintaining a staunchly anti-interventionist stance.
The pro-Kremlin leader who has backed Putin’s military ambitions is currently sparring with Zelensky after detaining seven employees of Ukraine’s state savings bank.
Orban has also threatened Kyiv and said Budapest would force Ukraine with "political and financial tools" to reopen the Druzhba pipeline carrying Russian oil to Hungarian refineries.
The anti-Ukraine rhetoric, especially targeting Ukraine’s Nato ambitions, has also picked up ahead of Orban’s political test when Hungary goes to polls next month.
How war in the Middle East has delayed Russia-Ukraine talks
11:30 , Arpan RaiThe Iran war, now in its sixth day, has drawn international attention away from Europe's biggest conflict since the Second World War, and forced the postponement of a new round of US-brokered talks between Russia and Ukraine planned for this week, Volodymyr Zelensky said.
Western governments and analysts say the Russia-Ukraine war has killed hundreds of thousands of people, while there is no sign that yearlong US-led peace efforts will stop the fighting any time soon.
“Right now, because of the situation around Iran, there are not yet the necessary signals for a trilateral meeting," Zelensky said.
"But as soon as the security situation and the overall political context allow us to resume that trilateral diplomatic work, it will be done,” he said.
Zelensky thanked the USfor the return from Russia yesteday of 200 Ukrainian prisoners of war. Russia's defence ministry also said it received the same number of prisoners from Ukraine and thanked the US and United Arab Emirates for mediating.
Prisoner swaps have been one of the few tangible results of the talks.
Vladimir Medinsky, a Russian negotiator, said on social media that a total of 500 prisoners from each side would be exchanged between Thursday and Friday.
US and mideast countries seek Kyiv's drone expertise
11:00 , Arpan RaiThe US and its allies in the Middle East are seeking Ukraine's expertise in countering Iran's Shahed drones, according to Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky.
Various countries, including the US, have approached Ukraine for help in defending against the Iranian drones, Zelensky said late on Wednesday.
He said he has spoken in recent days with the leaders of the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Jordan and Kuwait about possible cooperation.
Russia has fired tens of thousands of Shaheds at Ukraine since it invaded its neighbor just over four years ago, launching a swarm of more than 800 drones and decoys in its biggest nighttime barrage. Iran has responded to joint US-Israeli strikes by launching the same type of drones at countries in the Middle East.
Ukrainian assistance in countering Iranian drones will be provided only if it does not weaken Ukraine's own defenses, and if it adds leverage to Kyiv's diplomatic efforts to stop the Russian invasion, according to the Ukrainian leader.
“We help to defend from war those who help us, Ukraine, bring a just end to the war" with Russia, Zelensky said.
Later Thursday, Zelensky said he had received a US request for support to defend against the drones in the Middle East and had given the order for equipment to be provided along with Ukrainian experts without providing further details.
“Ukraine helps partners who help our security and the protection of our people's lives," he added in a social media post.
Trump, in an interview on Thursday with Reuters, said, "Certainly I'll take, you know, any assistance from any country."
Repair crews restore line to Russian-held Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant in Ukraine
10:30 , Arpan RaiRepair crews have restored an external line to the Russian-held Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southeastern Ukraine nearly a month after it was taken out of operation, the head of Russia's nuclear energy corporation said yesterday.
Alexei Likhachev, director general of Rosatom, said in a statement made public by the company that repairs to the Ferosplavna-1 line connecting the plant to the power grid were completed late on Thursday afternoon.
The repair operation, he said, was completed one day ahead of schedule at the plant, Europe's largest nuclear plant with six reactors.
It was seized by Russia soon after Moscow's troops invaded Ukraine in February 2022.
The statement said Likhachev "wanted personally to thank our specialists, who completed the task ahead of schedule and did so while working round the clock in conditions of constant stress”.
A second external line had remained in operation throughout the work. Rafael Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the UN's nuclear watchdog, confirmed the line had been restored, saying its completion "strengthens nuclear safety and security".
The line went down on 10 February and Grossi said at the time that the incident was caused reportedly by "military activity".
Repairs were carried out under a ceasefire brokered by the IAEA.
The Zaporizhzhia plant is not producing electricity and relies on external power to keep its nuclear material cool and avoid a catastrophic accident.
Falling Ukrainian drone injures nine in Crimea, governor says
10:00 , Arpan RaiA downed Ukrainian drone fell next to a five-storey apartment building in the port of Sevastopol in Russian-held Crimea, injuring nine people and causing considerable damage, the Russia-appointed governor said in the early hours today.
Mikhail Razvozhayev said the drone was filled with metal pieces and explosives fell next to the building, badly damaging it.
Nine people were injured, including six requiring hospital treatment, three of them children.
Trump pushes Zelensky to reach a deal with Putin: 'Even less cards'
09:30 , Arpan RaiDonald Trump has once again pushed Volodymyr Zelensky to strike a deal with Russia and claimed that Vladimir Putin was ready to reach an agreement.
“Zelensky, he has to get on the ball, and he has to get a deal done,” Trump said in an interview with Politico.
The US president went back to his rhetoric from the tense White House showdown between him, Zelensky and vice-president JD Vance who publicly shot back at Zelensky to claim he was in a weak position.
“Now he’s got even less cards,” Trump said.
Trump has consistnely maintained his view that US support for Ukraine is wasteful to the US, berating his predecessor Joe Biden for assisting Ukraine with military aid against the Russian invasion.
At the same time, Trump has been reiterating the Kremlin’s stance that it is ready for peace, so long as Ukraine gives up its territory and security guarantees, along with Nato membership plans.
Zelensky and Orban exchange threats as Ukraine says its bank employees detained in Hungary
09:00 , Arpan RaiUkrainian foreign minister Andrii Sybiha accused Hungary of detaining seven employees of Ukraine's state savings bank while they were transporting cash from Austria.
“In fact, we are talking about Hungary taking hostages and stealing money," Sybiha wrote on Friday on X after Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban said Budapest would force Ukraine with "political and financial tools" to reopen the Druzhba pipeline carrying Russian oil to Hungarian refineries.
Sybiha said the employees were travelling in two cars through Hungary when they were detained. He said their whereabouts were unknown at the moment.
"If this is the 'force' announced earlier today by Mr Orban, then this is a force of a criminal gang. This is state terrorism and racketeering,” he said.
Tension has long been high between the two leaders during Russia's four-year war on Ukraine, with Orban maintaining a staunchly anti-interventionist stance.
EU member Hungary has maintained cordial ties with Moscow.
“We hope a certain person in the EU will not keep blocking the 90 billion... and Ukrainian soldiers will have weapons," Zelensky told reporters in Kyiv.
“Otherwise, we will give the address of this person to our armed forces, our guys. Let them call him, speak with him in their own language,” Zelensky said.
Hungary's Orban blocks Ukraine's EU bid, says will not let it happen
08:30 , Arpan RaiHungarian prime minister Viktor Orban has said he will not let Ukraine into the European Union after his public spat with Volodymyr Zelensky over several issues.
Orban has also threatened to stop transit shipments that are going across Hungary and deemed important for Ukraine, a state radio reported.
Tension has long been high between the two leaders during Russia's four-year war on Ukraine, with Orban maintaining a staunchly anti-interventionist stance.
The pro-Kremlin leader who has backed Putin’s military ambitions is currently sparring with Zelensky after detaining seven employees of Ukraine’s state savings bank.
Orban has also threatened Kyiv and said Budapest would force Ukraine with "political and financial tools" to reopen the Druzhba pipeline carrying Russian oil to Hungarian refineries.
The anti-Ukraine rhetoric, especially targeting Ukraine’s Nato ambitions, has also picked up ahead of Orban’s political test when Hungary goes to polls next month.
It’s too dangerous to see my own children, Zelensky admits
08:00 , Arpan RaiHow often does the man who is the prime target of his neighbour’s assassins, has survived numerous plots to kill him, and lives under bombardment, see his family.
The answer for Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky is “not much”.
But that is also the lot of hundreds of thousands of soldiers in his country and the millions of children who, like his own, go to school, or take courses at home because Vladimir Putin wants them dead too.
“Our children at school, they study and they have to run very quickly to shelters,” Zelensky told The Independent’s World of Trouble podcast in an exclusive interview.
“They have to do it. It doesn’t matter where they study, in the capital or, closer to the front line, because the missile is not choosing where to go. They just bring destruction… So that’s why all our children are in danger.”
It’s too dangerous to see my own children, Ukraine’s Zelensky admits
Orban says will stop Ukraine's critical transit shipments across Hungary
07:50 , Arpan RaiHungary will stop transit shipments going across Hungary that are important for Ukraine as long as Ukraine halts Russian crude shipments via the Druzhba pipeline, Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban told state radio this morning.
Orban again accused Kyiv of blackmail and said Hungary would use all means at its disposal until oil flows resume.
"We have stopped... diesel exports to Ukraine, we still maintain power exports, and we will stop transit shipments going through Hungary that are important for Ukraine... until we get Ukraine's approval for the oil shipments," Orban said.
Zelensky: Trump using up all his missiles on Iran risks leaving Ukraine short against Putin
07:30 , Arpan RaiUkraine could now face a shortage of air defence missiles to protect its cities from attacks, Volodymyr Zelensky said, as the US and its allies use hundreds to defend against Iran’s waves of drones and rockets.
“The focus will shift to the Middle East, to the Iranian war, now, and to the United States and also to Israel,” Zelensky told the World of Trouble podcast. “This is very understandable. And to the countries in the Middle East, who are now under attacks, massive attacks of drones and missiles from the Iranian side.
“Our estimation, of course, is that air defence [for Ukraine] could decrease.”
Zelensky, who has been a vocal supporter of the latest US-Israeli air campaigns in Iran, and called for more support for the popular uprising earlier this year, said he has prepared his commanders to cope with the predicted shortfall in their own defences.
Zelensky: Trump using up all his missiles on Iran risks leaving Ukraine short
Zelensky warns of Russia's misuse of oil crisis due to war on Iran
07:29 , Arpan RaiVolodymyr Zelensky has warned of the impact of the Iran war on oil prices, as Tehran has strangled shipping routes through the Arabian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz.
“How Russia uses [the price boom] or not will depend on how our partners will work with the biggest importers,” Zelensky told The Independent, without naming any countries.
The European Union remains Russia’s biggest gas client, and many maritime nations have been reluctant to stop and seize shadow oil tankers passing their territory.
Crude oil prices have surged by almost a fifth since Iran was attacked by Israel and the US.
China buys 48 per cent of Russia’s oil, and India buys 38 per cent of it, according to data published this month by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air. Much of this is delivered to them by a shadow fleet of tankers, in an effort to avoid international sanctions.
“So that’s why we have to work on it,” Zelensky continued.
“And we have to continue to work on sanctions, on shadow fleets, to stop tankers [carrying] Russian oil.”
He said that he did not expect Russian attacks using drones and other missiles to be affected by the US-Israeli offensive against Iran, which has been a major supplier of Shahed drones for the last four years, because Russia had moved much of its production of the Iranian weapons to its own territory.
Trump pushes Zelensky to reach a deal with Putin: 'Even less cards'
07:00 , Arpan RaiDonald Trump has once again pushed Volodymyr Zelensky to strike a deal with Russia and claimed that Vladimir Putin was ready to reach an agreement.
“Zelensky, he has to get on the ball, and he has to get a deal done,” Trump said in an interview with Politico.
The US president went back to his rhetoric from the tense White House showdown between him, Zelensky and vice-president JD Vance who publicly shot back at Zelensky to claim he was in a weak position.
“Now he’s got even less cards,” Trump said.
Trump has consistnely maintained his view that US support for Ukraine is wasteful to the US, berating his predecessor Joe Biden for assisting Ukraine with military aid against the Russian invasion.
At the same time, Trump has been reiterating the Kremlin’s stance that it is ready for peace, so long as Ukraine gives up its territory and security guarantees, along with Nato membership plans.
Hungary's Orban blocks Ukraine's EU bid, says will not let it happen
06:57 , Arpan RaiHungarian prime minister Viktor Orban has said he will not let Ukraine into the European Union after his public spat with Volodymyr Zelensky over several issues.
Orban has also threatened to stop transit shipments that are going across Hungary and deemed important for Ukraine, a state radio reported.
Tension has long been high between the two leaders during Russia's four-year war on Ukraine, with Orban maintaining a staunchly anti-interventionist stance.
The pro-Kremlin leader who has backed Putin’s military ambitions is currently sparring with Zelensky after detaining seven employees of Ukraine’s state savings bank.
Orban has also threatened Kyiv and said Budapest would force Ukraine with "political and financial tools" to reopen the Druzhba pipeline carrying Russian oil to Hungarian refineries.
The anti-Ukraine rhetoric, especially targeting Ukraine’s Nato ambitions, has also picked up ahead of Orban’s political test when Hungary goes to polls next month.
US and mideast countries seek Kyiv's drone expertise
06:44 , Arpan RaiThe US and its allies in the Middle East are seeking Ukraine's expertise in countering Iran's Shahed drones, according to Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky.
Various countries, including the US, have approached Ukraine for help in defending against the Iranian drones, Zelensky said late on Wednesday.
He said he has spoken in recent days with the leaders of the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Jordan and Kuwait about possible cooperation.
Russia has fired tens of thousands of Shaheds at Ukraine since it invaded its neighbor just over four years ago, launching a swarm of more than 800 drones and decoys in its biggest nighttime barrage. Iran has responded to joint US-Israeli strikes by launching the same type of drones at countries in the Middle East.
Ukrainian assistance in countering Iranian drones will be provided only if it does not weaken Ukraine's own defenses, and if it adds leverage to Kyiv's diplomatic efforts to stop the Russian invasion, according to the Ukrainian leader.
“We help to defend from war those who help us, Ukraine, bring a just end to the war" with Russia, Zelensky said.
Later Thursday, Zelensky said he had received a US request for support to defend against the drones in the Middle East and had given the order for equipment to be provided along with Ukrainian experts without providing further details.
“Ukraine helps partners who help our security and the protection of our people's lives," he added in a social media post.
Trump, in an interview on Thursday with Reuters, said, "Certainly I'll take, you know, any assistance from any country."
Watch: Ukraine brings back 200 prisoners of war in swap with Russia
06:22 , Arpan RaiHow war in the Middle East has delayed Russia-Ukraine talks
06:02 , Arpan RaiThe Iran war, now in its sixth day, has drawn international attention away from Europe's biggest conflict since the Second World War, and forced the postponement of a new round of US-brokered talks between Russia and Ukraine planned for this week, Volodymyr Zelensky said.
Western governments and analysts say the Russia-Ukraine war has killed hundreds of thousands of people, while there is no sign that yearlong US-led peace efforts will stop the fighting any time soon.
“Right now, because of the situation around Iran, there are not yet the necessary signals for a trilateral meeting," Zelensky said.
"But as soon as the security situation and the overall political context allow us to resume that trilateral diplomatic work, it will be done,” he said.
Zelensky thanked the USfor the return from Russia yesteday of 200 Ukrainian prisoners of war. Russia's defence ministry also said it received the same number of prisoners from Ukraine and thanked the US and United Arab Emirates for mediating.
Prisoner swaps have been one of the few tangible results of the talks.
Vladimir Medinsky, a Russian negotiator, said on social media that a total of 500 prisoners from each side would be exchanged between Thursday and Friday.
Repair crews restore line to Russian-held Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant in Ukraine
05:42 , Arpan RaiRepair crews have restored an external line to the Russian-held Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southeastern Ukraine nearly a month after it was taken out of operation, the head of Russia's nuclear energy corporation said yesterday.
Alexei Likhachev, director general of Rosatom, said in a statement made public by the company that repairs to the Ferosplavna-1 line connecting the plant to the power grid were completed late on Thursday afternoon.
The repair operation, he said, was completed one day ahead of schedule at the plant, Europe's largest nuclear plant with six reactors.
It was seized by Russia soon after Moscow's troops invaded Ukraine in February 2022.
The statement said Likhachev "wanted personally to thank our specialists, who completed the task ahead of schedule and did so while working round the clock in conditions of constant stress”.
A second external line had remained in operation throughout the work. Rafael Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the UN's nuclear watchdog, confirmed the line had been restored, saying its completion "strengthens nuclear safety and security".
The line went down on 10 February and Grossi said at the time that the incident was caused reportedly by "military activity".
Repairs were carried out under a ceasefire brokered by the IAEA.
The Zaporizhzhia plant is not producing electricity and relies on external power to keep its nuclear material cool and avoid a catastrophic accident.
UK joins boycott of Winter Paralympics ceremonies in protest of Russia return
05:19 , Arpan RaiThe UK Government has announced that it will join the boycott of the Winter Paralympics opening and closing ceremonies following the controversial inclusion of Russia and Belarus at the Games.
Friday’s opening ceremony at Milan-Cortina will mark the return of Russian and Belarusian flags on the sporting stage for the first time since the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The International Olympic Committee approved the decision of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) to allow athletes from Russia and Belarus to compete under their own flags rather than as neutrals.
Ukraine were the first country to announce that they would be boycotting the opening ceremony because of political reasons, and they have been joined by several European countries, including Poland, Germany and Finland.
Government joins boycott of Winter Paralympics ceremonies in protest of Russia return
Falling Ukrainian drone injures nine in Crimea, governor says
04:58 , Arpan RaiA downed Ukrainian drone fell next to a five-storey apartment building in the port of Sevastopol in Russian-held Crimea, injuring nine people and causing considerable damage, the Russia-appointed governor said in the early hours today.
Mikhail Razvozhayev said the drone was filled with metal pieces and explosives fell next to the building, badly damaging it.
Nine people were injured, including six requiring hospital treatment, three of them children.
It’s too dangerous to see my own children, Zelensky admits
04:30 , Arpan RaiHow often does the man who is the prime target of his neighbour’s assassins, has survived numerous plots to kill him, and lives under bombardment, see his family.
The answer for Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky is “not much”.
But that is also the lot of hundreds of thousands of soldiers in his country and the millions of children who, like his own, go to school, or take courses at home because Vladimir Putin wants them dead too.
“Our children at school, they study and they have to run very quickly to shelters,” Zelensky told The Independent’s World of Trouble podcast in an exclusive interview.
“They have to do it. It doesn’t matter where they study, in the capital or, closer to the front line, because the missile is not choosing where to go. They just bring destruction… So that’s why all our children are in danger.”
It’s too dangerous to see my own children, Ukraine’s Zelensky admits
Volodymyr Zelensky is the heir to Churchill this continent needs
04:14 , Arpan RaiPresident Donald Trump said of Sir Keir Starmer this week that “this is not Winston Churchill that we’re dealing with”.
It is a pity that the president has always tragically failed to recognise that he has already met and dealt with someone who has inherited the mantle of that old lion: Volodymyr Zelensky.
Like the hero of Britain’s finest hour, President Zelensky inspires in his own people the same indomitable spirit of defiance that Churchill did during the disasters and setbacks of the earlier phases of the Second World War.
One day, perhaps some future US president will place a fine bust of Mr Zelensky in the Oval Office as partial repentance for Mr Trump’s shameful treatment of him – and as a standing rebuke to all those who would appease a tyrant such as Vladimir Putin.
For obvious reasons, President Zelensky’s interview with The Independent should remind Europeans in particular that a far more imminent threat to Western security than Iran is still crawling its way through the Donbas.
Volodymyr Zelensky is the heir to Churchill this continent needs
Ukraine fast-track accession plan rejected by EU envoys
03:57 , Arpan RaiUkraine’s speedy entry into the European Union has been resisted by EU ambassadors who have rejected the idea of “reverse enlargement of the block”, according to diplomats of the bloc.
The diplomats, speaking with Politico, said EU member states have firmly opposed the idea during a meeting of ambassadors. “It’s done. Reverse enlargement isn’t going anywhere,” a diplomat said, adding that the EU commission will now have to reconsider the proposal.
Under the proposal, Ukraine would have formally joined the EU first and then received full membership privileges afterward.
Another senior diplomat said the idea was setting unrealistic expectations. “The have created false hopes. Now we have to correct that and tell them: actually, this reverse enlargement was dead on arrival," the diplomat said.
Other diplomats of the bloc have called for following the procedures. "We want to anchor Ukraine in the EU, but we cannot tear up our procedures and scrap the merit-based system," another diplomat told Politico.
"The point is to find a realistic way forward," the diplomat said.
Zelensky and Orban exchange threats as Ukraine says its bank employees detained in Hungary
03:45 , Arpan RaiUkrainian foreign minister Andrii Sybiha accused Hungary of detaining seven employees of Ukraine's state savings bank while they were transporting cash from Austria.
“In fact, we are talking about Hungary taking hostages and stealing money," Sybiha wrote on Friday on X after Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban said Budapest would force Ukraine with "political and financial tools" to reopen the Druzhba pipeline carrying Russian oil to Hungarian refineries.
Sybiha said the employees were travelling in two cars through Hungary when they were detained. He said their whereabouts were unknown at the moment.
"If this is the 'force' announced earlier today by Mr Orban, then this is a force of a criminal gang. This is state terrorism and racketeering,” he said.
Tension has long been high between the two leaders during Russia's four-year war on Ukraine, with Orban maintaining a staunchly anti-interventionist stance.
EU member Hungary has maintained cordial ties with Moscow.
“We hope a certain person in the EU will not keep blocking the 90 billion... and Ukrainian soldiers will have weapons," Zelensky told reporters in Kyiv.
“Otherwise, we will give the address of this person to our armed forces, our guys. Let them call him, speak with him in their own language,” Zelensky said.
Trump pushes Zelensky to reach a deal with Putin: 'Even less cards'
03:26 , Arpan RaiDonald Trump has once again pushed Volodymyr Zelensky to strike a deal with Russia and claimed that Vladimir Putin was ready to reach an agreement.
“Zelensky, he has to get on the ball, and he has to get a deal done,” Trump said in an interview with Politico.
The US president went back to his rhetoric from the tense White House showdown between him, Zelensky and vice-president JD Vance who publicly shot back at Zelensky to claim he was in a weak position.
“Now he’s got even less cards,” Trump said.
Trump has consistnely maintained his view that US support for Ukraine is wasteful to the US, berating his predecessor Joe Biden for assisting Ukraine with military aid against the Russian invasion.
At the same time, Trump has been reiterating the Kremlin’s stance that it is ready for peace, so long as Ukraine gives up its territory and security guarantees, along with Nato membership plans.
US and mideast countries seek Kyiv's drone expertise
03:04 , Arpan RaiThe USand its allies in the Middle East are seeking Ukraine's expertise in countering Iran's Shahed drones, according to Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky.
Various countries, including the US, have approached Ukraine for help in defending against the Iranian drones, Zelensky said late on Wednesday.
He said he has spoken in recent days with the leaders of the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Jordan and Kuwait about possible cooperation.
Russia has fired tens of thousands of Shaheds at Ukraine since it invaded its neighbor just over four years ago, launching a swarm of more than 800 drones and decoys in its biggest nighttime barrage. Iran has responded to joint US-Israeli strikes by launching the same type of drones at countries in the Middle East.
Ukrainian assistance in countering Iranian drones will be provided only if it does not weaken Ukraine's own defenses, and if it adds leverage to Kyiv's diplomatic efforts to stop the Russian invasion, according to the Ukrainian leader.
“We help to defend from war those who help us, Ukraine, bring a just end to the war" with Russia, Zelensky said.
Later Thursday, Zelensky said he had received a US request for support to defend against the drones in the Middle East and had given the order for equipment to be provided along with Ukrainian experts without providing further details.
“Ukraine helps partners who help our security and the protection of our people's lives," he added in a social media post.
Trump, in an interview on Thursday with Reuters, said, "Certainly I'll take, you know, any assistance from any country."
Watch: Zelensky says US 'asking for help' in Middle East war
03:00 , Bryony GoochZelensky: Trump using US missiles on Iran risks leaving Ukraine short
02:00 , Bryony GoochZelensky: Trump using up all his missiles on Iran risks leaving Ukraine short
In pictures: Firefighter extinguishes fire following Russian attack on the coast of Bilgorod-Dnistrovskyi district in Odesa
01:00 , Bryony Gooch
Watch: Ukraine peace talks on hold due to US-Iran conflict, says Zelensky
00:00 , Bryony GoochUkrainian families welcome home loved ones, says Zelensky
Thursday 5 March 2026 23:01 , Bryony GoochPresident Volodymyr Zelensky announced that 200 Ukrainian families would welcome back loved ones.
“This is always good news for all of us, for the entire country: the return of our people to their homeland.
“Among those returning are defenders of Mariupol, and of the Donetsk, Luhansk, Kharkiv, and Zaporizhzhia regions. Warriors of the Armed Forces, the State Special Transport Service, border guards, and National Guard personnel. Every time our people come home, it proves that Ukraine is working to bring everyone back.
“No one is forgotten. We involve mediators. I am grateful to everyone who helps Ukraine. I thank the United States for its support in making this exchange possible.
“I am grateful to all our warriors who are replenishing Ukraine's exchange fund on the front lines. The return of our people home is the result of the strength of Ukrainian defenders.”
Today, 200 Ukrainian families received the most-awaited message – their loved ones are coming home. And this is always good news for all of us, for the entire country: the return of our people to their homeland. Among those returning are defenders of Mariupol, and of the Donetsk,… pic.twitter.com/08zeuuEx3p
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) March 5, 2026
How Russia could profit from rising energy prices fuelled by Iran war
Thursday 5 March 2026 22:00 , Bryony Gooch
How Russia could profit from rising energy prices fuelled by Iran war
In pictures: Relatives whose loved ones joined the Russian army to fight in Ukraine protest, calling for their repatriation
Thursday 5 March 2026 21:01 , Bryony Gooch
US opposes IAEA board resolution condemning attacks on Ukraine's power grid
Thursday 5 March 2026 20:00 , Bryony GoochThe United States joined Russia, China, and Niger on Thursday in opposing a resolution adopted by the UN nuclear watchdog's board denouncing attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure as a threat to nuclear safety, diplomats said.
The resolution, passed by the International Atomic Energy Agency's 35-nation Board of Governors, is the seventh on Ukraine since Russia invaded its neighbour four years ago.
This is the first time the United States has opposed one.
"While we continue supporting the IAEA's work in-country, we do not support the Board's current consideration of an unnecessary resolution that does not help achieve peace between Ukraine and Russia," the United States said in its statement to the board before the vote.
US president Donald Trump has in the past year pressured Ukraine for a quick peace deal that could involve ceding land to Russia. Ukraine has ruled out giving up territory.
The IAEA board passed the resolution with 20 votes in favour, including France, Britain, Australia, Canada, South Africa and Argentina, 10 abstentions and the four votes against, diplomats at the closed-door meeting said. Brazil, Egypt, Morocco and Saudi Arabia were among the abstentions.
Putin threatens shutting off Russian gas supplies to Europe
Thursday 5 March 2026 19:00 , Bryony Gooch
Ed Milliband warns Commons to heed memories of Ukraine energy crisis amid Iran war
Thursday 5 March 2026 18:00 , Bryony GoochEd Miliband said conflict in the Middle East has shown why his opponents' calls to change course on renewable energy "would be such a dangerous and reckless strategy".
The Energy Secretary told the Commons when he announced the result of a renewables auction earlier this year, he "warned the House that people can have incredibly short memories, given that we're just four years on from Russia's invasion of Ukraine".
Mr Miliband told the Commons: "I warned at the time it was a foolish and dangerous gamble to bet on geopolitical stability at a time of greater geopolitical instability than at any time for generations.
"I warned the Opposition failed to learn the lessons from the Ukraine crisis, which caused the worst cost-of-living crisis in memory, and I warned that a dogma of opposing clean energy would damage this country and risk families and businesses being left to pick up the bill.
"The events of recent days have unfortunately shown why this would be such a dangerous and reckless strategy and we will continue to reject it."
Recap: Russia-Ukraine talks on ice as Gulf conflict continues
Thursday 5 March 2026 17:00 , Bryony GoochA new round of US-brokered talks between Russia and Ukraine planned for this week has been postponed because of war in the Middle East, according to Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky.
Meanwhile, the United States and its allies in the Middle East are seeking Kyiv's expertise in countering Iran's Shahed drones.
Russia has fired tens of thousands of Shaheds at Ukraine since it invaded its neighbour just over four years ago, Mr Zelensky said.
Iran has responded with the same type of drones to joint US-Israeli strikes on Iranian targets.
Ukraine has pioneered the development of cut-price drone killers that cost as little as 1,000 dollars (£748), rewriting the air defence rule book and making other countries take notice.
It’s too dangerous to see my own children, Zelensky admits
Thursday 5 March 2026 16:00 , Bryony GoochIt’s too dangerous to see my own children, Ukraine’s Zelensky admits
Watch: Zelensky warns Iran war could reduce US missiles for Ukraine
Thursday 5 March 2026 15:30 , Bryony GoochUkraine ready to lend expertise on defending Mideast oil infrastructure, Zelensky says
Thursday 5 March 2026 15:00 , Bryony GoochUkraine is ready to provide its expertise to help defend oil infrastructure in the Middle East as the Iran conflict spirals, president Volodymyr Zelensky said on Thursday.
He made the remark during a briefing in Kyiv, where Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said separately that Kyiv has received requests from partners for help with anti-drone defences and is discussing "concrete steps" on the matter.
Druzhba oil pipeline could start operating in a month and a half, Zelensky says
Thursday 5 March 2026 14:40 , Bryony GoochThe Druzhba oil pipeline damaged by a Russian strike in January may be technically ready for operation in a month and a half, president Volodymyr Zelensky said on Thursday.
Zelensky made the remark during a briefing in Kyiv, where Naftogaz CEO Serhiy Koretskyi said the pipeline's main pumping station had been damaged in the attack.
Exclusive: It’s too dangerous to see my own children, Ukraine’s president Zelensky admits
Thursday 5 March 2026 14:15 , Maira ButtHow often does the man who is the prime target of his neighbour’s assassins, has survived numerous plots to kill him, and lives under bombardment see his family.
The answer for Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, is “not much”.
But that is also the lot of hundreds of thousands of soldiers in his country and the millions of children who, like his own, go to school, or take courses at home because Vladimir Putin wants them dead too.
“Our children at school, they study and they have to run very quickly to shelters,” Zelensky told The Independent’s World of Trouble podcast in an exclusive interview.
Read the full story below.
It’s too dangerous to see my own children, Ukraine’s Zelensky admits
Watch: Trump using his missiles on Iran leaves Ukraine short, Zelensky tells The Independent
Thursday 5 March 2026 13:45 , Maira ButtZelenskyy says Russia-Ukraine talks on ice as countries in Mideast seek Kyiv's drone expertise
Thursday 5 March 2026 13:15 , Maira ButtA new round of U.S-brokered talks between Russia and Ukraine planned for this week has been postponed because of war in the Middle East, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Meanwhile, the United States and its allies in the Middle East are seeking Kyiv’s expertise in countering Iran’s Shahed drones. Russia has fired tens of thousands of Shaheds at Ukraine since it invaded its neighbor just over four years ago, Zelenskyy said. Iran has responded with the same type of drones to joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iranian targets.
Zelenskyy says Russia-Ukraine talks on ice as countries in Mideast seek Kyiv's drone expertise
Exclusive: Zelensky tells The Independent Trump is using up all his missiles on Iran risks leaving Ukraine short against Putin
Thursday 5 March 2026 13:00 , Maira ButtThe US war with Iran risks leaving Ukraine vulnerable to Vladimir Putin’s forces, Volodymyr Zelensky has warned, as Donald Trump turns his firepower on Iran.
In an exclusive and wide-ranging interview with The Independent, the Ukrainian president shared his concerns about the impact of the ever-growing conflict in the Middle East on his country’s efforts to defend against Russia.
Ukraine could now face a shortage of air defence missiles to protect its cities from attacks, he said, as the US and its allies use hundreds to defend against Iran’s waves of drones and rockets.
Read Sam Kiley’s exclusive interview with the Ukrainian president below
Zelensky: Trump using up all his missiles on Iran risks leaving Ukraine short
Inside Macron’s new deterrence strategy: 8 European allies, 1 French nuclear button
Thursday 5 March 2026 12:45 , Arpan RaiFrance is moving to align its nuclear deterrent strategy more closely with European allies while keeping full control over any strike decision — an unprecedented coordination that French President Emmanuel Macron described as crucial to bolstering the continent’s strategic autonomy.
Experts say the plan reflects growing doubts across Europe about U.S. reliability when it comes to the continent's defense. France has been the only nuclear power in the European Union since Britain’s exit from the bloc in 2020.
Macron’s move reflects that, in case of a nuclear crisis, France would be the one offering “some form of a nuclear security guarantee," said Florian Galleri, a nuclear deterrence expert at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s security studies program.
Speaking Monday from a top-secret submarine base in Western France, Macron announced “a new step of France’s deterrence."
Inside Macron’s new deterrence strategy: 8 European allies, 1 French nuclear button
Watch: Zelensky says US 'asking for help' in Middle East war
Thursday 5 March 2026 12:15 , Arpan RaiRussian drone strikes foreign cargo ship near Ukraine Black Sea port
Thursday 5 March 2026 11:45 , Arpan RaiA Russian drone damaged a civilian Panama-flagged vessel that was transporting corn near the Ukrainian port of Chornomorsk in the Black Sea Odesa region, the Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority said late on Wednesday.
The vessel was hit while en route out of the port, the ports authority said on the Telegram messaging app, without specifying the extent of the damage to the ship.
The Ukrainian navy said one crew member had been hurt in the attack on the "BULL" vessel, which had left the port and was heading towards the Bosphorus Strait.
The captain refused assistance and evacuation of the injured person and continued on its designated route, the statement, posted on social media, added.
Ukraine ships about 90 per cent of its exports via the Odesa port hub.
US starved Ukraine's F-16 jets missiles for weeks ahead of Putin's winter offensive – report
Thursday 5 March 2026 11:15 , Arpan RaiUkraine's F-16 fighter jets didn't have enough missiles to shoot down Russian drones and missiles for more than three weeks after supplies from Kyiv's partners dried up just as Moscow was preparing a massive winter air campaign, three sources told Reuters.
The acute shortage from late November to mid-December, which has not been previously reported, lays bare the vulnerability of Ukraine's air defences which rely heavily on Western allies for missiles and defence systems to repel frequent Russian strikes.
The three sources, all with direct knowledge of the situation, said Ukraine only had a handful of US-made AIM-9 "Sidewinder" air-to-air missiles for its entire squadron of F-16s when supplies stopped.
Despite Ukraine's vocal lobbying, concrete examples of how shortages affect its defence capabilities are normally kept secret. In this case, one of the sources told Reuters that Ukraine had nothing to put on its jets for almost a month.
All three sources asked not to be named to describe sensitive battlefield vulnerabilities caused by interruptions to weapons flows.
Hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians have survived the worst of a bitter winter without heating, electricity and running water as a result of an intensifying Russian onslaught on the energy system that Ukraine has been unable to completely repel.
Ukrainian drones damage civilian sites in Russia's southern Saratov region
Thursday 5 March 2026 10:45 , Arpan RaiUkrainian drones damaged civilian sites in southern Russia's Saratov region and injured three people, regional governor Roman Busgarin said early on Thursday.
Busgarin gave no further details, but said emergency crews were at the site of the attack.
Civil aviation authority Rosaviatsia said Saratov airport was one of several in central and southern Russia closed to flights late on Wednesday and in the early hours of Thursday.
Germany says Russia's war on Ukraine remains its 'number one security policy issue' amid US-Israeli attacks on Iran
Thursday 5 March 2026 10:15 , Maira ButtGerman Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul has said that Russia’s war on Ukraine remains its “number one security policy issue” amid US-Israeli strikes on Iran on Thursday.
“We will not allow ourselves to be divided; we stand firmly together,” said at Wadephul a press conference with his Moldovan counterpart, Mihai Popsoi on Thursday.
He said that Spain can rely on solidarity from the European Union and Germany when it comes to the threat of new US trade barriers.
President Donald Trump threatened to impose a full US trade embargo on Spain on Tuesday after the Nato ally said it would not let the US military use its bases for Iran-linked missions.
But, he clarified that for Germany, Ukraine remains its number one security priority.
“It remains the case - and I would like to reiterate this - that for Germany, Russia's illegal war of aggression against Ukraine and the associated threat to its entire neighbourhood remain the number one security policy issue,” he said.
Zelensky says he can't give up anti-drone weapons for Iran conflict
Thursday 5 March 2026 10:01 , Maira ButtPresident Volodymyr Zelensky has said he will not give up Ukraine’s anti-drone weapons for the ongoing conflict between the US, Israel and Iran.
“We received signals from partners in the Middle East. There have been strikes by Iranian ‘shaheds’ on civilians in those countries. They are seeking our expertise. We are open. If their representatives come, we will provide the expertise. Especially since there is also a request from Europeans and from the United States,” he wrote in a post on X on Thursday.
“Requests have come to us to share our experience with partners in the Middle East. Regarding weapons: we ourselves are at war. And I said, completely frankly, that we have a shortage of what they have. They have missiles for the Patriots, but hundreds or thousands of ‘shaheds’ cannot be intercepted with Patriot missiles – it is too costly.
“Nothing is too much for the people, of course, but they simply do not have that many missiles. That is why they need interceptor drones, which we have. Meanwhile, we have a shortage of PAC-2 and PAC-3 missiles. So, when it comes to technology or weapons exchange, I believe our country will be open to it.”
He added that the comments had come in an interview with Rai Italia.
Russia prepared to divert oil to India as Middle East conflict disrupts flows, source says
Thursday 5 March 2026 09:45 , Arpan RaiRussia is ready to divert oil to India to offset Middle East supply disruptions, with about 9.5 million barrels of Russian crude in vessels near Indian waters and able to arrive within weeks, an industry source with direct knowledge told Reuters.
The source declined to say where the non-Russian fleet cargoes were originally headed but said they could deliver to India within weeks, giving refiners rapid relief.
India is vulnerable to supply shocks, with crude stocks covering only about 25 days of demand, while refiners hold similarly limited inventories of gasoil, gasoline and liquefied petroleum gas.
An Indian government source said New Delhi was scouting for alternative supply to prepare for continuing conflict in the Middle East beyond 10-15 days.
Putin accuses Ukraine of 'energy blackmail' as he meets with Hungary's foreign minister
Thursday 5 March 2026 09:15 , Arpan RaiRussian president Vladimir Putin will hold talks with Hungarian foreign minister Peter Szijjarto later on Wednesday after accusing Ukraine of "blackmailing" of Slovakia and Hungary over oil supplies, the Kremlin said.
Kyiv has said that the Ukrainian branch of the Druzhba oil pipeline, which supplies Russian oil to Hungary and Slovakia, was severely damaged by fire after a Russian attack in late January and cannot be repaired quickly.
Hungary and Slovakia have both accused Ukraine - which has long been unhappy about them continuing to buy Russian oil - of deliberately dragging its feet over the repairs for political reasons.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Putin would discuss the matter with Szijjarto, a frequent visitor to Moscow, later on Wednesday.
"You know the buyers of our oil, such as Hungary and Slovakia, who are now facing blackmail from the Kyiv regime. This refers to blackmail related to the deliberate blocking of supplies via the Druzhba oil pipeline. Of course, this will be discussed today," said Peskov.
Ukraine peace talks on hold due to US-Iran conflict, says Zelensky
Thursday 5 March 2026 08:45 , Arpan RaiThe ongoing military conflict between the US and Iran has paused the trilateral peace talks to end the war in Ukraine, president Volodymyr Zelensky said.
"We continue to engage with the United States practically on a daily basis. For now, because of the situation with Iran, the necessary signals for a trilateral meeting haven't come yet," he said in an evening address.
"As soon as the security situation and the broader political context allow us to resume the trilateral diplomatic work, it will be done. Ukraine is ready for it," Zelensky said.
Zelensky says Kyiv's partners, including US, sought help against Iranian drones
Thursday 5 March 2026 08:15 , Arpan RaiPresident Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine's partners, including the United States, had sought Kyiv's help in defending against Iranian drones.
"Partners are turning to us, to Ukraine, asking for help in defending against (Iranian-designed) Shahed drones, with expertise and real operational experience," the Ukrainian leader said.
"There have also been requests from the American side."
Zelensky and other Ukrainian officials had previously suggested that Kyiv could share expertise with Middle East countries if they could help persuade Russia to observe a ceasefire in the four-year-old war pitting Kyiv against Moscow.
Russian drone strikes foreign cargo ship near Ukraine Black Sea port
Thursday 5 March 2026 08:00 , Arpan RaiA Russian drone damaged a civilian Panama-flagged vessel that was transporting corn near the Ukrainian port of Chornomorsk in the Black Sea Odesa region, the Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority said late on Wednesday.
The vessel was hit while en route out of the port, the ports authority said on the Telegram messaging app, without specifying the extent of the damage to the ship.
The Ukrainian navy said one crew member had been hurt in the attack on the "BULL" vessel, which had left the port and was heading towards the Bosphorus Strait.
The captain refused assistance and evacuation of the injured person and continued on its designated route, the statement, posted on social media, added.
Ukraine ships about 90 per cent of its exports via the Odesa port hub.
Ukraine could lose US weapons as conflict with Iran escalates
Thursday 5 March 2026 07:45 , Arpan RaiUkraine could face a critical shortage of US air defence missiles with the US focusing on its military assault on Iran, experts have said.
Iran has retaliated to the US killing of its supreme leader with a major offensive by firing hundreds of ballistic missiles and drones at Gulf nations.
The joint forces in the Gulf nations have intercepted these incoming projectiles with US’s Patriot missile interceptors. The anti-missile defence systems have proven critical for Ukraine as well to fight off Russian missiles targeting its energy and military infrastructure.
Serhii Kuzan, head of the Kyiv-based Ukrainian Security and Cooperation Center think tank, says that the roughly 600 PAC-3s produced yearly by Lockheed Martin are already insufficient to cover US needs and those of its allies in the Gulf, let alone Ukraine's.
"It's the very simple mathematics of war," Kuzan told the Japan Times.
The stockpiling of Patriots by Gulf states meant they were unlikely to run out completely, said Fabian Hoffmann, a doctoral research fellow at Oslo Universtiy.
This is particularly the case at a time the intensity of Iranian missile bombardments appeared to be decreasing, but they might need to become more selective in their use as time goes on, he said.
Putin blames Ukraine for attacking gas tanker that exploded off Libya
Thursday 5 March 2026 07:30 , Arpan RaiA Russian-flagged tanker carrying liquefied natural gas exploded and erupted in flames before sinking in the Mediterranean Sea off Libya, authorities in the North African country said Wednesday. Russia claimed that an attack by Ukrainian sea drones was to blame.
The Libyan Maritime Authority reported “sudden explosions, followed by a massive fire” on the Arctic Metagaz on Tuesday, when it was about 240km (150 miles) off the city of Sirte.
The tanker, carrying 61,000 tonnes of LNG, “completely sank” between Libya and Malta, a statement said. All 30 crew members were rescued and put on another vessel heading to the Libyan city of Benghazi, it said.
Russia’s transport ministry said the vessel was hit by Ukrainian sea drones launched from the Libyan coast. Russian president Vladimir Putin on Wednesday evening called what happened to the tanker “a terrorist attack” that “exacerbates the situation on global energy markets, including gas markets”.
Ukrainian officials made no immediate comment on the accusation.
Previous Ukrainian attacks on Russian ships have reportedly come from the Libyan coast, though Kyiv officials haven’t publicly confirmed those reports.
Putin threatens to halt gas supplies to Europe amid Iran energy spike
Thursday 5 March 2026 07:15 , Arpan RaiRussia could halt gas supplies to Europe right now amid a spike in energy prices triggered by the Iran crisis, Vladimir Putin warned on Wednesday.
The Russian president was linking the possible decision to the European Union wanting to ban purchases of Russian gas and liquefied natural gas.
Oil and gas prices have soared following the US-Israeli attack on Iran and Tehran's strikes on Gulf Arab neighbours. The conflict has paralysed shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and forced the shutdown of Qatar’s LNG production and Saudi Arabia’s largest oil refinery.
Putin said oil prices were rising due to the "aggression against Iran" and due to Western restrictions on Russian oil, while European gas prices were rising because customers were willing to buy gas volumes at higher prices due to events in the Middle East and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
Asked by a Russian state television correspondent about European plans to completely ban Russian pipeline gas imports by late 2027 as well as new short-term Russian LNG contracts from late April 2026, Putin said it might be more beneficial for Russia to stop selling the gas right now.
“Now other markets are opening up. And perhaps it would be more profitable for us to stop supplying the European market right now. To move into those markets that are opening up and establish ourselves there," Putin said, according to a transcript released by the Kremlin.
“This is not a decision, it is, in this case, what is called thinking out loud. I will definitely instruct the government to work on this issue together with our companies," Putin said, linking the possible decision directly to Europe's "misguided policies".
