Emmanuel Macron warned that Donald Trump could “betray Ukraine” by offering territory to Russia without security guarantees, according to a leaked transcript of a call between fellow European leaders.
The French president told Kyiv’s allies that Washington could attempt to force Ukraine to give up territory “without clarity on security guarantees”, German newspaper Der Spiegel reported.
Details of the call - which involved Macron along with German chancellor Friedrich Merz and Nato secretary-general Mark Rutte - were published by the German newspaper on Thursday.
Macron’s remarks lay bare the rift that remains between Europe and Washington on how to end the near four-year-old conflict. A previous US-drafted peace plan caused consternation in Europe as it appeared to accept Russia’s demands for territory and a significant reduction in the size of the Ukrainian army.
Trump has insisted that Putin is serious about seeking peace in Ukraine, but Kyiv has accused Russia of feigning interest. Ukrainian officials will meet with Witkoff in Miami on Thursday.
Nato hits back at Putin’s threat of war in Europe as UK condemns ‘Kremlin claptrap’
Drone video shows devastated Ukrainian town nearly encircled by Russian forces
Why a war with Europe has never looked so tempting to Putin
Putin-Modi talks: What’s on agenda, from India’s oil imports to other issues
Putin doesn’t want peace – and Trump’s baffling error has made it easy for him
Key Points
- Trump may betray Ukraine, warns Macron in leaked call with European leaders
- What happens now is unclear, Trump admits after Moscow talks fail to produce results
- Putin accused of 'wasting the world's time' after Trump's peace plan stalls
- Putin feigning interest in peace, say Europe and Kyiv
- King Charles warns of ‘threat of Russian aggression’ in state banquet speech
- Analysis: After Putin’s chilling threat, is Europe ready for war with Russia?
Drones were spotted near Zelensky flight path to Dublin
03:10 , Arpan RaiAn Irish navy ship spotted up to five drones operating near the flight path of Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky's aircraft as he arrived for a state visit to Ireland on Monday, local media reported.
The sighting triggered a major security alert amid fears it was an attempt to interfere with the flight path, the Irish Times reported. It quoted unnamed sources as saying the aircraft, which arrived slightly early, was not in any danger.
The Ukrainian delegation arrived late on Monday and departed late the next day as part of a trip to help drum up support in Europe for Kyiv as Russia presses on with its war in Ukraine.
Drone flights, the origin of which are mostly unknown, have recently disrupted airspace operations in Europe. European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen has called the incursions "hybrid warfare".
The Journal website, which first reported the spotting of the drones at Dublin airport, said they reached the location where Zelensky's plane was expected to be at the exact moment it had been due to pass.
It said enquiries were being carried out to determine whether the drones took off from land or from an undetected ship. They were first spotted northeast of Dublin, around 20 km (12 miles) from the airport, both news outlets reported.
Watch: Putin’s alleged secret daughter confronted by Ukrainian whose brother was killed by Russia
03:00 , Alex CroftPutin in Delhi, to hold summit talks with India's Modi
02:47 , Arpan RaiRussian president Vladimir Putin will hold summit talks with prime minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi today, aiming to boost trade with the top buyer of Russia's arms and seaborne oil as Western sanctions squeeze their decades-old ties.
Putin is on his first visit to India in four years at a time when New Delhi is engaged in talks with the US for a trade deal to cut punitive tariffs imposed by president Donald Trump on its goods over India's Russian oil purchases.
Modi and Putin are also expected to discuss other topics including labour and civil nuclear energy, with the sides expected to announce new agreements to showcase resilience of their relations.
Moscow has been India's top arms supplier for decades and has said that it wants to import more Indian goods in an effort to grow trade to $100bn by 2030 that so far has been skewed in its favour due to New Delhi's energy imports.
Since European countries cut back their reliance on Russian energy after Russia invaded Ukraine nearly four years ago, India has ramped up its purchases of discounted Russian crude.
"India faces a conundrum; by taking steps to strengthen ties with Moscow or Washington, New Delhi risks setting back ties with the other," Michael Kugelman, senior fellow at Washington's Atlantic Council think tank, wrote in Foreign Policy magazine this week.
Macron proposes moratorium of strikes on critical infrastructure
02:00 , Alex CroftFrench president Emmanuel Macron has called on China to back a moratorium on strikes against Ukraine’s critical infrastructure through winter.
Mr Macron, who was speaking at a press conference with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, said it is vital to do everything possible to find compromises and adhere to international law, according to Ukrainska Pravda.
"I hope that China will join our call and our efforts to reach at least a ceasefire in the form of a moratorium on strikes on critical infrastructure as soon as possible," he said.
It is crucial for the coming winter, with energy facilities still under Russian attack.
Keep energy infrastructure out of war, Turkey tells Russia and Ukraine
01:01 , Alex CroftTurkey is telling Russia, Ukraine, and all other parties to keep energy infrastructure out of their conflict and wants energy flows to continue uninterrupted, energy minister Alparslan Bayraktar said after a series of attacks off Turkey's Black Sea coast.
Ukraine, which is targeting Russia's oil exports as Moscow bombards its power grid, has taken responsibility for an attack by sea borne drones on two empty tankers heading towards a Russian port last week.
But it denied any link to another incident on Tuesday in which a Russian-flagged tanker loaded with sunflower oil said it had come under drone attack.
"Hopefully, this horrible war will end. But as of today also, we say to all the parties - Russia and Ukraine - to keep the energy infrastructure out of this war," Bayraktar told journalists in embargoed comments.
"We need to keep the energy flows uninterrupted," he said, adding that routes like the Caspian Pipeline Consortium pipeline should be kept safe.
Watch: We are no closer to peace in Ukraine, says Kremlin after US talks
00:01 , Alex CroftUkraine still holds northern Pokrovsk, says military chief
Thursday 4 December 2025 23:01 , Alex CroftUkrainian units continue to hold the northern part of the city of Pokrovsk, the commander-in-chief of Ukraine’s Armed Forces has said.
An "extremely difficult stage" in the defence of the Pokrovsk-Myrnohrad urban area is ongoing, Oleksandr Syryskyi said, adding that Kyiv’s troops are still holding designated areas inside the two cities
"In the area of Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad we are using active operations to block the enemy's attempts to build up assault infantry groups and to advance around these settlements,” Mr Syrskyi said according to Ukrainska Pravda.
“Within the cities, our soldiers are continuing to hold the areas assigned to them.
“While the occupiers show no regard for their manpower losses, Ukrainian commanders have a clear understanding of how important it is to preserve the lives and health of their personnel."
Kyiv denies Russian troops control southern village
Thursday 4 December 2025 22:02 , Alex CroftUkraine's military denied on Thursday that Russian troops were in control of the southern village of Dobropillia, which is located near a part of the frontline where Moscow's forces have recently advanced.
"An enemy sabotage and reconnaissance group infiltrated the outskirts of the village, taking advantage of the weather conditions," Ukraine's General Staff said on Telegram, adding that the village currently is under the control of Kyiv's troops.
Putin doubles down on threat to take Donbas by force
Thursday 4 December 2025 21:00 , Alex CroftPresident Vladimir Putin said in an interview published on Thursday that Russia would take full control of Ukraine's Donbas region by force unless Ukrainian forces withdraw.
"Either we liberate these territories by force of arms, or Ukrainian troops leave these territories," Putin told India Today ahead of a visit to New Delhi, according to a clip shown on Russian state television.
Ukraine says it does not want to gift Russia its own territory that Moscow has failed to win on the battlefield, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said Moscow should not be rewarded for a war it started.
Putin says Russia will take Donbas by force or Ukraine troops will 'eventually withdraw'
Thursday 4 December 2025 20:25 , Maryam Zakir-HussainVladimir Putin has said Russia will fulfill the goals it set and take all of the eastern Donetsk region.
Speaking to the India Today TV channel before he landed Thursday in New Delhi for a state visit, Putin said his five-hour talks Tuesday with Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, and son-in-law Jared Kushner were “necessary” and “useful,” but also “difficult work,” and some proposals were unacceptable.
“All this boils down to one thing: Either we take back these territories by force, or eventually Ukrainian troops withdraw,” he said.
Russia issues strong warning against EU's plan to freeze assets
Thursday 4 December 2025 19:59 , Alex CroftRussia has said that any "illegal action" by the European Union in relation to its frozen assets would elicit "the harshest reaction".
Under the proposal, around £123 billion of Russian state assets held in Belgium would be transformed into a “reparations loan”.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told reporters: "Any illegal actions involving our assets will not go unanswered... Preparations for a package of countermeasures in the event of actual theft and seizure of Russian Federation assets are already under way."
Watch: King Charles warns of ‘threat of Russian aggression’ in state banquet speech
Thursday 4 December 2025 19:25 , Alex CroftRecap: Putin says meeting with Witkoff was 'useful' but 'difficult'
Thursday 4 December 2025 18:52 , Alex CroftVladimir Putin has said that talks on Ukraine with Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner were “very useful” but failed to yield a breakthrough.
Speaking to India Today, Putin said: "I think it is too early to say, but this meeting was necessary."
He went on: "We had to go over every point, which is why it took so on... So it was a necessary conversation, a very concrete one... Somewhere we said, yes, we can discuss this, but we can't agree on that. That's precisely the tone of the conversation."
Russia moves to limit FaceTime
Thursday 4 December 2025 18:19 , Alex CroftRussia has introduced restrictions against FaceTime after the government restricted WhatsApp and Telegram call services, Russian news agencies reported on Thursday.
Russia’s state communications watchdog, Roskomnadzor, earlier threatened to completely block WhatsApp if the messaging service doesn’t comply with national laws, news agencies reported.
In Focus | Ukraine is changing the pattern of war in one of the most important ways
Thursday 4 December 2025 17:48 , Alex CroftDespite being in the middle of a bloody war, with part of its land occupied by enemy forces, Ukraine is building a unique system that could transform global conflicts – and the response to them – in the years to come.
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, there have been widespread reports of sexual assaults carried out by Russian troops against civilians, including women, men and children. Survivors describe attacks ranging from rape to abduction and humiliation. These acts are not random: sexual violence has long been used as a weapon of war, intended to terrorise communities, destabilise societies, and punish those resisting occupation. As part of a systematic campaign of intimidation and control, wartime sexual violence has been seen throughout history, from Bangladesh to Bosnia, from Syria to Stalin’s Soviet Union.
From the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia to documentation of Isis crimes against the Yazidis, a familiar pattern emerges: atrocities occur, and justice – if it comes at all – arrives years, if not decades, later.
Jack Straw writes:
Ukraine is changing the pattern of war in one of the most important ways
Melania Trump says 7 more children have been reunited with family in Ukraine
Thursday 4 December 2025 17:15 , Alex CroftFirst lady Melania Trump has said seven children have been reunited with their families in Ukriane.
The children are six boys and one girl, she said.
That brings to at least 15 children who've been reunited with their families after they were separated by the Russia-Ukraine war.
Melania Trump announced in October that eight children were back with family following ongoing talks with Russian president Vladimir Putin.
She had written Putin a letter and had her husband, president Donald Trump, hand delivered it when the leaders met in Alaska in August.
Vladimir Putin ordered Skripal novichok poisonings in show of ‘Russian power’, Dawn Sturgess inquiry finds
Thursday 4 December 2025 16:56 , Alex CroftVladimir Putin ordered the “astonishingly reckless” attempted assassination of Sergei Skripal as a "public demonstration of Russian power", a major inquiry into the Salisbury novichok poisonings has concluded.
The inquiry laid the blame for the attack on the Russian president, saying he was "morally responsible" for the death of Dawn Sturgess, an innocent bystander who died after being exposed to the chemical weapon after it was left in a discarded perfume bottle in Amesbury, Wiltshire, in July 2018.
Her death came four months after the attempted murder of Mr Skripal, a former spy, his daughter Yulia and then-police officer Nick Bailey, who were all harmed when members of a Russian GRU military intelligence squad smeared the nerve agent on Mr Skripal’s door handle.
The Independent’s political correspondent Millie Cooke reports:
Putin ordered novichok poisonings in show of ‘Russian power’, inquiry finds
Analysis | A war with Europe has never looked so tempting to Putin
Thursday 4 December 2025 16:44 , Alex CroftMark Almond writes:
With no peace deal, and Trump’s US distancing itself from clearly backing allies, the risk that Russia will see an opening to intimidate or even attack countries like Romania or Denmark is growing. Denmark, of course, straddles the exit from the Baltic Sea to the world’s oceans for Russia’s navy and its oil exports, but the country is also building a factory to manufacture rocket fuel for Ukraine’s own missiles, creating a potential target for sabotage.
The recent frenzy of drone sightings across northern Europe might be a classic war psychosis, but sadly, they could be a prelude to actual Russian sabotage attacks. The Kremlin has been gauging Western European reactions.
It knows European deterrence has always rested on the expectation that Washington would stand by its allies on this side of the Atlantic if Russian forces rolled westwards.
Without a credible US guarantee to every European Nato ally, the temptation for Russia to probe the defences of numerically-weak Baltic States – Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, all members of Nato – could be realised.
Putin 'is dragging his feet', says Starmer
Thursday 4 December 2025 16:15 , Alex CroftSir Keir Starmer said Vladimir Putin "is dragging his feet, not wanting to come to the table, not wanting to reach an agreement".
Conservative MP for Harwich and North Essex Sir Bernard Jenkin asked the prime minister at Prime Minister's Questions: "Could the Prime Minister give his assessment of the latest news that President Putin has again turned down terms for peace in Ukraine, and in the light of his extraordinary outburst designed to destabilise our understanding of the truth, he did say Russia is ready for war with Nato. How ready are we?"
Sir Keir said: "Can I thank him for raising this and I updated the House last week on the attempts to get a lasting peace. We all know that Putin is the aggressor here.
"We all know that Putin is dragging his feet, not wanting to come to the table, not wanting to reach an agreement.
"We have to continue to put pressure on in every conceivable way. That is in supporting Ukraine with capability and resource, but also ensuring that our sanctions, acting with allies, do as much damage to the economy in Russia as we can, and pressure that we can put on, will continue to do so, but he's absolutely right to raise it. I thank him for doing so."
Keep energy infrastructure out of war, Turkey tells Russia and Ukraine
Thursday 4 December 2025 15:39 , Alex CroftTurkey is telling Russia, Ukraine, and all other parties to keep energy infrastructure out of their conflict and wants energy flows to continue uninterrupted, energy minister Alparslan Bayraktar said after a series of attacks off Turkey's Black Sea coast.
Ukraine, which is targeting Russia's oil exports as Moscow bombards its power grid, has taken responsibility for an attack by sea borne drones on two empty tankers heading towards a Russian port last week.
But it denied any link to another incident on Tuesday in which a Russian-flagged tanker loaded with sunflower oil said it had come under drone attack.
"Hopefully, this horrible war will end. But as of today also, we say to all the parties - Russia and Ukraine - to keep the energy infrastructure out of this war," Bayraktar told journalists in embargoed comments.
"We need to keep the energy flows uninterrupted," he said, adding that routes like the Caspian Pipeline Consortium pipeline should be kept safe.
Putin accused of 'wasting the world's time' after Trump's peace plan stalls
Thursday 4 December 2025 15:17 , Alex CroftSenior Ukrainian and European officials have accused Russia of not pursuing "any kind of peace" and wasting the world’s time.
Foreign secretary Yvette Cooper said the Russian president Vladimir Putin "should end the bluster and the bloodshed and be ready to come to the table and to support a just and lasting peace".
Ukrainian foreign minister Andrii Sybiha called on the Russian leader to "stop wasting the world's time".
“Russia must end the bloodshed it has started. If this doesn’t happen and Putin just spits into the world’s face once again, there must be consequences. Russia must stop wasting the world’s time, which must be the time for peace,” he said.
Estonian foreign minister Margus Tsahkna said Putin "has not changed course", adding: "It's pretty obvious that he doesn't want to have any kind of peace."
Trump may betray Ukraine, warns Macron in leaked call with European leaders
Thursday 4 December 2025 15:06 , Alex CroftFrench president Emmanuel Macron warned European leaders that the US may “betray” Ukraine during peace negotiations, according to a bombshell report revealing an alleged transcript of the multi-party call.
“There is a possibility that the US will betray Ukraine on the issue of territory without clarity on security guarantees,” Macron said according to Der Spiegel, adding that there was “great danger”.
German chancellor Friedrich Merz said Volodymyr Zelensky had to be “extremely careful” in the coming days. In comments likely referring to Trump envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, he said: "They are playing games, both with you and with us.”
Finnish president Alexander Stubb, who enjoys warm relations with Trump, said: We mustn't leave Ukraine and Volodymyr alone with these guys.” Nato secretary general Mark Rutte concurred, reportedly saying: “I agree with Alexander, we must protect Volodymyr.”
Mr Merz also discussed the issue of frozen Russian assets, warning that the US must be clear that the issue was Europe’s to deal with alone.
Europe could not "leave the decision to other, non-European states regarding what happens to the financial resources of an aggressor that have been legally frozen within the jurisdiction of our rule of law and in our own currency”, he said.
Watch: Putin’s alleged secret daughter confronted by Ukrainian whose brother was killed by Russia
Thursday 4 December 2025 14:33 , Alex CroftPutin declares Russia will take all of Ukraine’s Donbas region by force
Thursday 4 December 2025 14:12 , Alex CroftRussian President Vladimir Putin has declared that Moscow intends to seize full control of Ukraine's Donbas region through military force, unless Ukrainian troops withdraw – a demand Kyiv has unequivocally rejected.
The declaration, made in an interview published on Thursday in India Today, follows Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, which escalated an eight-year conflict between Russian-backed separatists and Ukrainian forces across the Donbas, comprising the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
Speaking ahead of a planned visit to New Delhi, Mr Putin stated: "Either we liberate these territories by force of arms, or Ukrainian troops leave these territories," according to footage broadcast on Russian state television.
Ukraine has consistently maintained it will not cede territory that Moscow has failed to secure militarily. President Volodymyr Zelensky has previously asserted that Russia should not be rewarded for initiating the conflict.
Putin declares Russia will take all of Ukraine’s Donbas region by force
Macron proposes moratorium of strikes on critical infrastructure
Thursday 4 December 2025 13:49 , Alex CroftFrench president Emmanuel Macron has called on China to back a moratorium on strikes against Ukraine’s critical infrastructure through winter.
Mr Macron, who was speaking at a press conference with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, said it is vital to do everything possible to find compromises and adhere to international law, according to Ukrainska Pravda.
"I hope that China will join our call and our efforts to reach at least a ceasefire in the form of a moratorium on strikes on critical infrastructure as soon as possible," he said.
It is crucial for the coming winter, with energy facilities still under Russian attack.
Ukraine still holds northern Pokrovsk, says military chief
Thursday 4 December 2025 13:27 , Alex CroftUkrainian units continue to hold the northern part of the city of Pokrovsk, the commander-in-chief of Ukraine’s Armed Forces has said.
An "extremely difficult stage" in the defence of the Pokrovsk-Myrnohrad urban area is ongoing, Oleksandr Syryskyi said, adding that Kyiv’s troops are still holding designated areas inside the two cities
"In the area of Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad we are using active operations to block the enemy's attempts to build up assault infantry groups and to advance around these settlements,” Mr Syrskyi said according to Ukrainska Pravda.
“Within the cities, our soldiers are continuing to hold the areas assigned to them.
“While the occupiers show no regard for their manpower losses, Ukrainian commanders have a clear understanding of how important it is to preserve the lives and health of their personnel."
Kyiv denies Russian troops control southern village
Thursday 4 December 2025 13:05 , Alex CroftUkraine's military denied on Thursday that Russian troops were in control of the southern village of Dobropillia, which is located near a part of the frontline where Moscow's forces have recently advanced.
"An enemy sabotage and reconnaissance group infiltrated the outskirts of the village, taking advantage of the weather conditions," Ukraine's General Staff said on Telegram, adding that the village currently is under the control of Kyiv's troops.
Watch: We are no closer to peace in Ukraine, says Kremlin after US talks
Thursday 4 December 2025 12:44 , Daniel KeaneRussia issues strong warning against EU's plan to freeze assets
Thursday 4 December 2025 12:24 , Daniel KeaneRussia has said that any "illegal action" by the European Union in relation to its frozen assets would elicit "the harshest reaction".
Under the proposal, around £123 billion of Russian state assets held in Belgium would be transformed into a “reparations loan”.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told reporters: "Any illegal actions involving our assets will not go unanswered... Preparations for a package of countermeasures in the event of actual theft and seizure of Russian Federation assets are already under way."
Ukraine is changing the pattern of war in one of the most important ways
Thursday 4 December 2025 12:04 , James ReynoldsIntended to terrorise, destabilise, and punish those resisting occupation, sexual violence has long been used as a weapon of war.
However, Ukraine’s powerful survivor-led response could redefine global justice, writes Jack Straw:
Ukraine is changing the pattern of war in one of the most important ways
Moscow says EU plan to freeze Russian assets is an ‘act of war’
Thursday 4 December 2025 11:35 , Daniel KeaneThe European Union’s plan to fund Ukraine with €90bn (£79bn) of frozen Russian assets would be considered by Moscow as an “act of war”, former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev has said.
Medvedev, who now serves as deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council, was reacting to the plan which EU chief Ursula von der Leyen said on Wednesday would allow Kyiv to “defend [itself] and take forward peace negotiations from a position of strength”.
"If the crazy European Union does, after all, try to steal Russian assets frozen in Belgium under the guise of a so-called ‘reparations loan’, Russia may well view this move as tantamount to a casus belli (an act that justifies war) with all the relevant implications for Brussels and individual EU countries," he wrote on X.
Read our full story below.
Moscow says EU plan to freeze Russian assets would be considered an ‘act of war’
Russia could be behind cyber attacks on British businesses like M&S, Nato general warns
Thursday 4 December 2025 11:02 , James ReynoldsRussia could be behind devastating cyber attacks on British soil amid an escalating campaign of hybrid attacks against Europe, Nato’s head of cyber operations has warned.
Brigadier General Ümit Ersoy told The Times that the Kremlin could be aiding ransomware groups in costly attacks on businesses like Marks & Spencer and Jaguar, which were hit hard by elusive groups of young hackers earlier this year.
Read the full story:
Russia may be behind attacks on British businesses like M&S, Nato cyber chief warns
Russia moves to limit FaceTime
Thursday 4 December 2025 10:27 , James ReynoldsRussia has introduced restrictions against FaceTime after the government restricted WhatsApp and Telegram call services, Russian news agencies reported on Thursday.
Russia’s state communications watchdog, Roskomnadzor, earlier threatened to completely block WhatsApp if the messaging service doesn’t comply with national laws, news agencies reported.
Putin doubles down on threat to take Donbas by force
Thursday 4 December 2025 10:06 , James ReynoldsPresident Vladimir Putin said in an interview published on Thursday that Russia would take full control of Ukraine's Donbas region by force unless Ukrainian forces withdraw.
"Either we liberate these territories by force of arms, or Ukrainian troops leave these territories," Putin told India Today ahead of a visit to New Delhi, according to a clip shown on Russian state television.
Ukraine says it does not want to gift Russia its own territory that Moscow has failed to win on the battlefield, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said Moscow should not be rewarded for a war it started.
What happens now is unclear, Trump admits after Moscow talks fail to produce results
Thursday 4 December 2025 09:27 , James ReynoldsThe path ahead for Ukraine peace talks is unclear, Donald Trump said on Wednesday, after what he called "reasonably good" talks between Putin and US envoys.
Trump, speaking to reporters in the Oval Office on Wednesday, shared that his delegation to Russia reported back that Putin appeared to want to make a deal, while sticking points remain.
What happens now is unclear, Trump said.
"What comes out of that meeting I can't tell you because it does take two to tango," Trump said, without elaborating. He added: "We have something pretty well worked out (with Ukraine)".
A White House official said Witkoff and Kushner would meet with Ukrainian officials in Miami on Thursday.
The Kremlin said on Wednesday that Putin accepted some US proposals aimed at ending the war in Ukraine and was prepared to keep working to find a compromise. It denied having rejected the US proposals to end the war.
Putin says Russia will take all of Ukraine's Donbas region 'militarily or otherwise'
Thursday 4 December 2025 09:05 , Daniel KeanePresident Vladimir Putin said in an interview published on Thursday that Russia would take full control of Ukraine's Donbas region by force unless Ukrainian forces withdraw.
"Either we liberate these territories by force of arms, or Ukrainian troops leave these territories," Putin told India Today ahead of a visit to New Delhi, according to a clip shown on Russian state television.
Ukraine says it does not want to gift Russia its own territory that Moscow has failed to win on the battlefield.
Putin says meeting with Witkoff was 'useful' but 'difficult'
Thursday 4 December 2025 08:46 , Daniel KeaneVladimir Putin has said that talks on Ukraine with Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner were “very useful” but failed to yield a breakthrough.
Speaking to India Today, Putin said: "I think it is too early to say, but this meeting was necessary."
He went on: "We had to go over every point, which is why it took so on... So it was a necessary conversation, a very concrete one... Somewhere we said, yes, we can discuss this, but we can't agree on that. That's precisely the tone of the conversation."
Watch: King Charles warns of ‘threat of Russian aggression’ in state banquet speech
Thursday 4 December 2025 08:37 , Daniel KeanePictured: Residents evacuated from apartment hit by drone strike in Odesa
Thursday 4 December 2025 08:20 , Daniel Keane
Medvedev says EU plan to seize Russian assets is 'act of war'
Thursday 4 December 2025 08:20 , Daniel KeaneA senior Russian official has said that the European Union’s plan to seize frozen Russian assets may be considered as justification for war.
Dmitry Medvedev, the deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council, said: "If the crazy European Union does, after all, try to steal Russian assets frozen in Belgium under the guise of a so-called ˜reparations loan, Russia may well view this move as tantamount to a casus belli with all the relevant implications for Brussels and individual EU countries.”
In pictures: Devastation in the aftermath of a Russian strike in Sloviansk
Thursday 4 December 2025 08:00 , James Reynolds
50,000 people left without power following Russian strikes
Thursday 4 December 2025 07:28 , James ReynoldsRussia attacked a Ukrainian energy facility in the southern Odesa region overnight, leaving 51,800 households without power.
Energy workers are working to restore the electricity as soon as possible, energy company DTEK said in a statement on Telegram.
Drone video shows devastated Ukrainian town nearly encircled by Russian forces
Thursday 4 December 2025 07:15 , Arpan RaiNew drone footage shows a devastated Ukrainian town nearly encircled by Russian forces near the city that Moscow this week claimed to now control.
Barely a street appears to be untouched in Myrnohrad in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region, 12km (7 miles) from the key logistics hub of Pokrovsk.
Some destruction is so fresh that smoke was still rising in the footage shot in the past few days.
“They are trying to simply erase the (town) from the face of the earth,” said Oleksii Hodzenko, press officer of the drone battalion of the 38th Marine Brigade, whose soldiers were still fighting inside Myrnohrad Wednesday.
Drone footage shows devastated Ukrainian town nearly encircled by Russian forces
Putin accused of 'wasting the world's time' after Trump's peace plan stalls
Thursday 4 December 2025 07:00 , Arpan RaiSenior Ukrainian and European officials have accused Russia of not pursuing "any kind of peace" and wasting the world’s time.
Foreign secretary Yvette Cooper said the Russian president Vladimir Putin "should end the bluster and the bloodshed and be ready to come to the table and to support a just and lasting peace".
Ukrainian foreign minister Andrii Sybiha called on the Russian leader to "stop wasting the world's time".
“Russia must end the bloodshed it has started. If this doesn’t happen and Putin just spits into the world’s face once again, there must be consequences. Russia must stop wasting the world’s time, which must be the time for peace,” he said.
Estonian foreign minister Margus Tsahkna said Putin "has not changed course", adding: "It's pretty obvious that he doesn't want to have any kind of peace."
Macron urges Xi to step up efforts on Ukraine
Thursday 4 December 2025 06:33 , Arpan RaiFrench president Emmanuel Macron urged Chinese leader Xi Jinping to cooperate more closely on geopolitics, trade and the environment, as the European Union seeks China's help to end the war in Ukraine.
"Now, more than ever, dialogue between China and France is vital," Macron told his host during their meeting at Beijing's Great Hall of the People.
"I propose a positive three-fold agenda for our relations, one of geopolitical stability, of economic rebalancing, and of environmental sustainability,” he said.
"We have to continue to rally in favour of peace and stability in the world," he added, referring to the conflict in Ukraine. "Our ability to work together is decisive."
Additionally, Xi told Macron that China remained committed to promoting peace in Ukraine and Gaza.
Keep energy infrastructure out of war, Turkey tells Russia and Ukraine
Thursday 4 December 2025 06:16 , Arpan RaiTurkey is telling Russia, Ukraine, and all other parties to keep energy infrastructure out of their conflict and wants energy flows to continue uninterrupted, energy minister Alparslan Bayraktar said after a series of attacks off Turkey's Black Sea coast.
Ukraine, which is targeting Russia's oil exports as Moscow bombards its power grid, has taken responsibility for an attack by sea borne drones on two empty tankers heading towards a Russian port last week.
But it denied any link to another incident on Tuesday in which a Russian-flagged tanker loaded with sunflower oil said it had come under drone attack.
"Hopefully, this horrible war will end. But as of today also, we say to all the parties - Russia and Ukraine - to keep the energy infrastructure out of this war," Bayraktar told journalists in embargoed comments.
"We need to keep the energy flows uninterrupted," he said, adding that routes like the Caspian Pipeline Consortium pipeline should be kept safe.
Putin 'is dragging his feet', says Starmer
Thursday 4 December 2025 06:09 , Arpan RaiSir Keir Starmer said Vladimir Putin "is dragging his feet, not wanting to come to the table, not wanting to reach an agreement".
Conservative MP for Harwich and North Essex Sir Bernard Jenkin asked the prime minister at Prime Minister's Questions: "Could the Prime Minister give his assessment of the latest news that President Putin has again turned down terms for peace in Ukraine, and in the light of his extraordinary outburst designed to destabilise our understanding of the truth, he did say Russia is ready for war with Nato. How ready are we?"
Sir Keir said: "Can I thank him for raising this and I updated the House last week on the attempts to get a lasting peace. We all know that Putin is the aggressor here.
"We all know that Putin is dragging his feet, not wanting to come to the table, not wanting to reach an agreement.
"We have to continue to put pressure on in every conceivable way. That is in supporting Ukraine with capability and resource, but also ensuring that our sanctions, acting with allies, do as much damage to the economy in Russia as we can, and pressure that we can put on, will continue to do so, but he's absolutely right to raise it. I thank him for doing so."
Putin kickstarts two-day visit to India today
Thursday 4 December 2025 06:00 , Arpan RaiVladimir Putin begins his first trip to India in four years today.
Putin is scheduled to arrive on the state visit and hold talks with Indian prime minister Narendra Modi tomorrow. They are expected to review progress on bilateral ties, discuss issues of mutual interest and sign interdepartmental and business agreements, both governments said.
India has continued to buy discounted Russian oil, despite warnings from Washington that this is partly keeping Moscow’s revenues afloat to fund the Ukraine war. US president Donald Trump has imposed additional 25 per cent tariffs on Indian imports, raising the total duties to 50 per cent, in retaliation.
His visit comes at a critical time as Washington presses the South Asian nation to curb energy purchases from Russia. The Russian leader will be accompanied by executives from major firms, including Sberbank.
Russia and India aim to lift bilateral trade to $100bn. Russia's central bank said on Wednesday it had opened an office in Mumbai "to advance the interests of the Russian financial sector."
Once again, Vladimir Putin indicates he wants the war in Europe to go on
Thursday 4 December 2025 05:48 , Arpan RaiThe Kremlin has denied that Vladimir Putin rejected a peace deal brokered by the United States, but even Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Donald Trump’s emissaries, could draw no other conclusion after five hours of talks with the Russian president.
Mr Witkoff, the US president’s special envoy, and Mr Kushner, his son-in-law and an informal architect of the Gaza peace plan, reflect their president’s desperation to do a deal. Yet even after these stooges talked to Putin from 7pm until midnight, all that a Kremlin spokesperson would say was that the meeting was “useful, constructive and meaningful”, but that “we are no closer to resolving the crisis in Ukraine, and there is much work to do”.
In other words, the Russian president is stalling for time. Again. He hopes that Mr Trump’s visible hankering for the Nobel Peace Prize will cause him to put pressure on the Ukrainians to agree to a deal that is tantamount to surrender.
Once again, Vladimir Putin indicates he wants the war in Europe to go on
King Charles says Britain and Germany are united in bolstering Europe against threat of Putin
Thursday 4 December 2025 05:20 , Arpan RaiBritain and Germany are united in support of Ukraine, said King Charles, with the two nations ready to “bolster Europe against the threat of further Russian agression”.
Addressing the German president Frank-Walter Steinmeier during a state banquet, the King said the two countries have a “deep friendship” rooted in trade, defence, and the “acknowledgement of past suffering”.
Charles spoke of the “darkest times” of the Second World War, and Mr Steinmeier said the ties between the nations had been “weaked by Brexit” - but both spoke of a strengthening relationship, with a new partnership deal signed in July.
King Charles says UK and Germany united against Russian threat
Romania destroys maritime drone in Black Sea
Thursday 4 December 2025 05:07 , Arpan RaiThe Romanian military blew up a maritime drone that was endangering navigation in the Black Sea, the Ministry of National Defence said yesterday, amid rising concerns about risks to shipping in the area linked to the war in Ukraine.
The ministry said that the drone, which was found in an area 36 nautical miles (66 km) east of Constanta, was a Sea Baby. The Sea Baby is a maritime drone developed by Ukraine.
A Romanian defence ministry spokesperson declined to specify the country that the drone came from, but confirmed it was a Sea Baby.
The SBU Security Service of Ukraine said all of its Sea Baby drones engaged in operational tasks in the Black Sea region were accounted for, with none lost. None had entered Romanian waters, the SBU's press service said in a statement.
"None of the SBU's Sea Baby drone systems have entered Romanian territorial waters," the statement said. "Ukraine unfailingly adheres to international law, does not violate international borders and treats its partners with respect."
Nato hits back at Putin’s threat of war in Europe as UK condemns ‘Kremlin claptrap’
Thursday 4 December 2025 04:47 , Arpan RaiNato and the UK have hit back at Vladimir Putin’s threat that Russia is “ready for war” with Europe.
British prime minister Sir Keir Starmer’s spokesperson said Putin’s comments were “Kremlin claptrap”, while Nato secretary general Mark Rutte insisted the alliance was “willing to do what it takes to protect our 1 billion people and secure our territory”.
The ramping up of rhetoric comes as hopes for a US-brokered peace deal in Ukraine fade. On Wednesday, a planned meeting between Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky and a US delegation was cancelled, hours after President Donald Trump’s team appeared to leave Moscow empty-handed.
Nato hits back at Putin’s threat of war in Europe as UK condemns ‘Kremlin claptrap’
Zelensky says more meetings on peace talks expected
Thursday 4 December 2025 04:37 , Arpan RaiVolodymyr Zelensky has said regular consultations are on with Ukraine’s partner in the US and talks are proceeding “quite effectively”.
“We’re preparing meetings in the United States – after the American team returns from Moscow and following the relevant consultations in Washington – Rustem Umerov, Andrii Hnatov, along with the rest of the negotiating team, will continue discussions with envoys of President Trump,” he said.
“We expect news in the coming days regarding such meetings, contacts, and talks – whether in person or by phone. All partners are in regular contact with each other and with Ukraine,” Zelensky added.
The Ukrainian war-time president stated that “everything is now proceeding quite effectively – at meetings in Geneva and Florida, Ukraine was heard, and Ukraine was listened to. And that matters. We expect it will continue exactly this way.”
“A dignified peace is only possible if Ukraine’s interests are taken into account,” he said, adding that the world feels there is a real opportunity to end the war.
We’re preparing meetings in the United States – after the American team returns from Moscow and following the relevant consultations in Washington – Rustem Umerov, Andrii Hnatov, along with the rest of the negotiating team, will continue discussions with envoys of President… pic.twitter.com/IZZ14YmdMe
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) December 3, 2025
US backs UN demand for Russia to return abducted Ukrainian children
Thursday 4 December 2025 04:20 , Arpan RaiThe United States joined 90 other countries at the United Nations to demand Russia "ensure the immediate, safe and unconditional return of all Ukrainian children who have been forcibly transferred or deported" and urge Moscow to stop the practice.
The adoption of the resolution by the 193-member General Assembly came a day after US president Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner met with Russian president Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin for talks on how to end the deadliest European conflict since the Second World War.
Russia urged countries to oppose the UN resolution, which was drafted by Ukraine, Canada and the European Union.
"Each vote for the resolution is support for lies, war and confrontation. Every vote against is a vote for peace," Russia's deputy UN ambassador Maria Zabolotskaya told the General Assembly ahead of the vote.
Russia and 11 other countries voted against the resolution, while 57 countries abstained. General Assembly resolutions are not binding but carry weight as a reflection of the global view.
Why a war with Europe has never looked so tempting to Putin
Thursday 4 December 2025 04:08 , Arpan RaiWhen Vladimir Putin says he is “ready” for war with Europe, he means it.
So much discussion about the talks between Donald Trump’s team and Putin gives the impression that either the Americans will strong-arm Ukraine into swallowing a deal acceptable to the Kremlin or, failing that, the war in Ukraine will just grind on. But no one should ignore the third option: the risk of war spreading.
Western sanctions have tried to strangle Russia’s oil exports to contain funding for Putin’s war effort. But Ukraine’s intelligence agency, the SBU, has been waging a sabotage campaign against Russian shipping far beyond Ukraine’s Black Sea coast. Attacking Russia’s “shadow fleet” of oil tankers in the Baltic as well as the Black Sea could draw Russian retaliation to coastal states like Denmark or Romania, who both also provide much aid to Ukraine.
Mark Almond writes:
Kremlin says 'compromises not found' in peace talks
Thursday 4 December 2025 03:55 , Arpan RaiKremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, asked if it would be correct to say that Vladimir Putin had rejected the US proposals, disagreed.
"A direct exchange of views took place yesterday for the first time," Peskov said. "Some things were accepted, some things were marked as unacceptable. This is a normal working process of finding a compromise."
A Kremlin aide said after the meeting that "compromises have not yet been found”.
Watch: King Charles warns of ‘threat of Russian aggression’ in state banquet speech
Thursday 4 December 2025 03:37 , Arpan RaiPutin accused of 'wasting the world's time' after Trump's peace plan stalls
Thursday 4 December 2025 03:29 , Arpan RaiSenior Ukrainian and European officials have accused Russia of not pursuing "any kind of peace" and wasting the world’s time.
Foreign secretary Yvette Cooper said the Russian president Vladimir Putin "should end the bluster and the bloodshed and be ready to come to the table and to support a just and lasting peace".
Ukrainian foreign minister Andrii Sybiha called on the Russian leader to "stop wasting the world's time".
“Russia must end the bloodshed it has started. If this doesn’t happen and Putin just spits into the world’s face once again, there must be consequences. Russia must stop wasting the world’s time, which must be the time for peace,” he said.
Estonian foreign minister Margus Tsahkna said Putin "has not changed course", adding: "It's pretty obvious that he doesn't want to have any kind of peace."
Over two-thirds of Nato countries pledge weapons for Kyiv
Thursday 4 December 2025 03:00 , Arpan RaiOver two-thirds of the member states of Nato have committed to weapons for Ukraine through the so-called Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List (PURL), which has received commitments worth $4bn (£3bn) so far, the alliance's secretary general Mark Rutte says.
"We heard from Australia and New Zealand who will also contribute to PURL, the first Nato partners to do so.
“And this means that allies and partners have already committed now really over $4 billion," Mr Rutte said.
Putin feigning interest in peace, say Europe and Kyiv
Thursday 4 December 2025 02:02 , Jane DaltonUkraine and its European allies have accused Russian president Vladimir Putin of feigning interest in peace efforts after five hours of talks with US envoys at the Kremlin produced no breakthrough.
The Russian leader "should end the bluster and the bloodshed and be ready to come to the table and to support a just and lasting peace", said UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha urged Putin to "stop wasting the world's time".
Putin's foreign affairs adviser, Yuri Ushakov, said Tuesday's talks at the Kremlin between Putin and US envoy Steve Witkoff and Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner were positive, but he wouldn't release any details.
The Romanian military blew up a maritime drone that was endangering navigation in the Black Sea, the country’s Defence Ministry says, amid rising concerns about risks to shipping in the area linked to the war.
The ministry said the drone, found 36 nautical miles east of Constanta, was a Sea Baby - a maritime drone developed by Ukraine.
A Romanian Defence Ministry spokesperson declined to specify the country that the drone came from, but confirmed it was a Sea Baby.
The SBU Security Service of Ukraine said all of its Sea Baby drones engaged in operational tasks in the Black Sea region were accounted for, with none lost. None had entered Romanian waters, it said.
"Ukraine unfailingly adheres to international law, does not violate international borders and treats its partners with respect," it said.
The resilience of long-suffering Ukrainians is about to face its most serious test of the war so far
Thursday 4 December 2025 00:00 , Maryam Zakir-HussainSurviving the cold season is simply not possible without light and heat, and as Putin launches a massive drone attack after rejecting the terms of another peace deal, Owen Matthews reports on Putin’s plan to deliver his fatal blow on Ukraine:
The resilience of ordinary Ukrainians is about to face its most serious test so far
Father of man accused of spying for Russia says arrest ‘hard to take in’
Wednesday 3 December 2025 23:30 , Maryam Zakir-HussainThe father of a British man arrested in Kyiv and accused of spying for Russia has said the news is “hard to take in”.
Ross David Cutmore is alleged to have been recruited by Russia’s FSB security service and to have passed sensitive information to Russian authorities in exchange for money.
According to Ukrainian officials, he transmitted “the co-ordinates of Ukrainian units, photographs of the training area, and information regarding military personnel that could be used to identify them”.
Father of man accused of spying for Russia says arrest ‘hard to take in’
Trump aides 'strongly' believe Putin wants a deal, president says
Wednesday 3 December 2025 23:03 , Nicole Wootton-CaneUS president Donald Trump has said his aides believe Vladimir Putin is keen to end the war in Ukraine.
“He would like to end the war — that was their impression," Trump said Wednesday of special envoy Steve Witkoff and adviser Jared Kushner. "Their impression was very strongly that he'd like to make a deal."
It comes after Mr Witkoff and Mr Kushner failed to reach a peace agreement with the Russian leader in Moscow.
Turkey says attacks on vessels in Black Sea 'very scary', impact safety and commerce
Wednesday 3 December 2025 23:00 , Maryam Zakir-HussainTurkey's foreign minister said on Wednesday that recent attacks on Russia-linked tankers within Turkey's exclusive econmic zone in the Black Sea were "very scary" and impacted navigational safety and commerce in the region.
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, who discussed the issue during a NATO meeting in Brussels earlier, told Turkish media after his meetings that Black Sea littoral states such as Turkey, Romania and Bulgaria were weighing measures to avoid similar incidents.
Putin-Modi talks: What’s on agenda, from India’s oil imports to other issues
Wednesday 3 December 2025 22:30 , Maryam Zakir-HussainRussian President Vladimir Putin will be in India this week for a summit aimed at deepening economic, defense and energy ties, a visit that will also test New Delhi’s efforts to balance relations with Moscow and Washington as the war in Ukraine grinds on.
EU strikes deal to ban Russian gas imports
Wednesday 3 December 2025 22:00 , Maryam Zakir-HussainThe European Union has agreed to phase out all Russian gas imports by late 2027, a significant step to end the bloc's decade-long energy dependency following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Representatives from EU governments and the European Parliament reached an agreement in the early hours of Wednesday, acting on proposals set out by the European Commission in June to end shipments from the EU's former top gas supplier.
Under the accord, the EU will permanently halt Russian gas imports and move towards phasing out Russian oil.
Starmer: Putin 'is dragging his feet'
Wednesday 3 December 2025 21:30 , Maryam Zakir-HussainSir Keir Starmer said Vladimir Putin "is dragging his feet, not wanting to come to the table, not wanting to reach an agreement".
Conservative MP for Harwich and North Essex Sir Bernard Jenkin asked the Prime Minister at Prime Minister's Questions: "Could the Prime Minister give his assessment of the latest news that President Putin has again turned down terms for peace in Ukraine, and in the light of his extraordinary outburst designed to destabilise our understanding of the truth, he did say Russia is ready for war with Nato. How ready are we?"
Sir Keir said: "Can I thank him for raising this and I updated the House last week on the attempts to get a lasting peace. We all know that Putin is the aggressor here.
"We all know that Putin is dragging his feet, not wanting to come to the table, not wanting to reach an agreement.
"We have to continue to put pressure on in every conceivable way. That is in supporting Ukraine with capability and resource, but also ensuring that our sanctions, acting with allies, do as much damage to the economy in Russia as we can, and pressure that we can put on, will continue to do so, but he's absolutely right to raise it. I thank him for doing so."
Mark Rutte: Nato 'will do what it takes' to protect territory
Wednesday 3 December 2025 21:00 , Maryam Zakir-HussainResponding to Vladimir Putin’s comments that Russia would be “ready” for war with Europe, Nato’s secretary general Mark Rutte said Nato is “ready to do what it takes” to protect its territory.
Speaking to the media today, Mr Rutte said:“Finally, Nato is a defensive alliance. We will remain a defensive alliance, but make no mistake, we are ready and willing to do what it takes to protect our 1 billion people and secure our territory.”
Video: We are no closer to peace in Ukraine, says Kremlin after US talks
Wednesday 3 December 2025 20:30 , Maryam Zakir-HussainEuropean Commission plans to send Kyiv £79bn from frozen Russian assets
Wednesday 3 December 2025 20:27 , Jane DaltonThe European Commission has proposed an unprecedented use of frozen Russian assets or international borrowing to raise 90 billion euros (£79bn) for Ukraine to aid its struggling military and basic services.
The European Union's executive body has declared it favours a "reparations loan" using Russian state assets immobilised in the EU due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
But Belgium, which holds most of the assets and has voiced a range of legal concerns, is not convinced by the proposal.
"We are proposing to cover two-thirds of Ukraine’s financing needs for the next two years. That’s 90 billion euros. The remainder would be for international partners to cover," said commission president Ursula von der Leyen.
"Since pressure is the only language the Kremlin responds to, we can also dial it up," she said.
Kremlin aide says Russia's battlefield gains influenced Ukraine talks with US
Wednesday 3 December 2025 20:00 , Maryam Zakir-HussainKremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said on Wednesday that Russia's recent battlefield progress in Ukraine had what he described as a positive impact on peace negotiations held with U.S. envoys in Moscow a day earlier.
In video footage released on the talks' eve, President Vladimir Putin hailed what his commanders said was Russia's capture of the city of Pokrovsk in eastern Ukraine. Kyiv dismissed his claim, saying fighting was still ongoing there.
But Ushakov, speaking after the talks between Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, and son-in-law Jared Kushner, said that "the course and nature of the negotiations were, of course, influenced by the successes of recent weeks...on the battlefield.
"In other words, our Russian soldiers, through their military exploits, have contributed to a more positive assessment of the paths to a peaceful settlement by our foreign partners," Ushakov told reporters.
He said he hoped that Ukraine and its European allies would also adopt what he called "a more balanced attitude and perception of what is going on."
Turkey discusses Black Sea safety with NATO after attacks on Russian ships
Wednesday 3 December 2025 19:30 , Maryam Zakir-HussainTurkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte discussed Black Sea safety on Wednesday, a Turkish Foreign Ministry source said, after Ankara expressed alarm at attacks on Russia-linked tankers, some claimed by Ukraine.
Ankara, a NATO member that has kept warm relations with both sides in the Russian war in Ukraine, has condemned attacks on vessels with links to Moscow that took place inside Turkey's exclusive economic zone off its coast in the Black Sea.
The attacks have sent Black Sea shipping insurance rates higher and prompted one Turkish company, Besiktas Shipping, to halt Russia-related operations over security concerns.
Ukraine, which is targeting Russia's oil exports as Moscow bombards its power grid, has taken responsibility for an attack by seaborne drones on two empty tankers heading towards a Russian port last week.
After Putin’s chilling threat, is Europe ready for war with Russia?
Wednesday 3 December 2025 19:00 , Maryam Zakir-HussainAs Moscow becomes more bullish in its hybrid warfare tactics to provoke Nato, James C. Reynolds looks at how both armies and economies compare:
After Putin’s chilling threat, is Europe ready for war with Russia?
Why a war with Europe has never looked so tempting to Putin
Wednesday 3 December 2025 18:30 , Maryam Zakir-HussainThe United States has said it wants to sell weapons to the EU, not back it up – that alone will have Moscow licking its lips, says Mark Almond.
Read more here:
Romania says it destroys maritime drone in Black Sea
Wednesday 3 December 2025 18:00 , Maryam Zakir-HussainThe Romanian military blew up a maritime drone that was endangering navigation in the Black Sea, the Ministry of National Defence said on Wednesday, amid rising concerns about risks to shipping in the area linked to the war in Ukraine.
The ministry said that the drone, which was found in an area 36 nautical miles (66 km) east of Constanta, was a Sea Baby. The Sea Baby is a maritime drone developed by Ukraine.
A Romanian Defence Ministry spokesperson declined to specify the country that the drone came from, but confirmed it was a Sea Baby. The Security Service of Ukraine declined to comment at the time of publication.
Worries over the safety of shipping in the Black Sea following attacks on Russia-linked tankers, some claimed by Ukraine, have caused insurance rates to rise in a body of water that is crucial for the shipment of grain, oil and oil products.
"The intervention team received approval to neutralise the identified object, in accordance with the operational procedures in force, and at around 1:00 p.m., the maritime drone was destroyed by controlled detonation," the Defence Ministry said in a statement.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte discussed Black Sea safety on Wednesday, a Turkish Foreign Ministry source said, after Ankara expressed alarm at the attacks.
Zelensky seeks urgent renewal of supervisory boards in defence sector
Wednesday 3 December 2025 17:30 , Maryam Zakir-HussainUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Wednesday he had urged Defence Minister Denys Shmyhal to carry out an urgent renewal of supervisory boards in the defence sector, aiming to restore investors' confidence after a corruption scandal.
Ukraine has been rocked by a corruption scandal over an alleged $100-million kickback scheme in which senior energy officials and a former business associate of Zelensky are suspected of involvement.
It is Ukraine's biggest such scandal since Zelensky became president in 2019 on a mandate to eliminate graft. Eradicating graft and shoring up the rule of law are key requirements for Kyiv to join the European Union, which Ukrainians see as critical to their future as they fend off a Russian invasion.
"It's through supervisory boards that management and oversight of internal processes in companies are carried out, and this must be ensured one hundred percent," Zelensky said on the Telegram messenger.
He also said that supervisory boards in state-run energy companies must be formed by the end of this month after the powers of most supervisory boards are terminated today.
Italy will approve delayed decree on Ukraine aid, Meloni says
Wednesday 3 December 2025 17:00 , Maryam Zakir-HussainItaly will pass a decree allowing the government to continue supporting Ukraine in its war of defence against Russia, despite a temporary delay, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said on Wednesday.
The decree for Ukraine aid was on the agenda of a meeting on Wednesday set to prepare the next day's cabinet, but was taken off because the agenda was already too full, according to government sources.
"We will help Ukraine defend itself against the aggressor," Meloni told reporters during a trip to Bahrein, saying there was still time to approve the new decree as the current one is due to expire on December 31.
Downing Street says Putin's war threats are 'Kremlin claptrap'
Wednesday 3 December 2025 16:30 , Maryam Zakir-HussainDowning Street dismissed Vladimir Putin’s comments about being ready for a war in Europe as “Kremlin claptrap”.
The prime minister’s official spokesperson said: “This is just more Kremlin claptrap from a president who isn’t serious about peace."
It comes after Sir Keir Starmer ducked a question from Tory MP Sir Bernard Jenkin, who asked whether the UK is ready for war with Russia.
Pressed on whether Britain is ready for war, a Downing Street spokesperson said: "Our investment in defence is clear for all to see."
He added: “Our armed forces always stand ready to defend this country and national security is clearly the number one priority of this government.”
Putin says Russia is ready for war if Europe wants it
Wednesday 3 December 2025 16:30 , Maryam Zakir-HussainPresident Vladimir Putin has said Russia is ready to fight a war with Europe if it is provoked, as he accused leaders of sabotaging US-led efforts to end the war in Ukraine.
“We are not planning to go to war with Europe, but if Europe wants to and starts, we are ready right now,” he said on Tuesday. “They are on the side of war.”
He said Europe had made demands on a possible peace settlement for Ukraine, which he said Russia found “absolutely unacceptable”.
Nato's Rutte: Peace deal 'is not a straight line'
Wednesday 3 December 2025 15:51 , Maryam Zakir-HussainWhen questioned about the progress of the US proposal for a peace deal, Nato secretary general Mark Rutte said began by praising Donald Trump for being “the only one person in the whole world who was able to break the deadlock when it comes to war in Ukraine”.
He then said: “But getting this peace done, as also the American president has said, is not something [that can be done] in a straight line, in one go. You need a proposal on the table. You need to have discussions, and we have seen the meetings in Geneva, in Miami, now yesterday in Moscow. It will be a step by step approach.”
Mark Rutte: Nato 'will do what it takes' to protect territory
Wednesday 3 December 2025 15:35 , Maryam Zakir-HussainResponding to Vladimir Putin’s comments that Russia would be “ready” for war with Europe, Nato’s secretary general Mark Rutte said Nato is “ready to do what it takes” to protect its territory.
Speaking to the media today, Mr Rutte said:“Finally, Nato is a defensive alliance. We will remain a defensive alliance, but make no mistake, we are ready and willing to do what it takes to protect our 1 billion people and secure our territory.”
UN chief Guterres: end to war in Ukraine should abide by international law
Wednesday 3 December 2025 15:29 , Maryam Zakir-HussainAn end to Russia's war in Ukraine should abide by international law, United Nations secretary-general Antonio Guterres said on Wednesday.
"I believe we are still far from a solution," Mr Guterres said at the Reuters NEXT conference in New York.
The secretary-general also said the United States has been instrumental in removing obstacles to the delivery of aid in the Gaza Strip. He said there were strong reasons to believe war crimes had been committed in the war between Israel and Palestinian militants Hamas.
On US strikes on vessels near Venezuela, Mr Guterres said they were not compatible with international law. View the live broadcast of the World Stage here and read full coverage here.
The resilience of long-suffering Ukrainians is about to face its most serious test of the war so far
Wednesday 3 December 2025 15:07 , Maryam Zakir-HussainSurviving the cold season is simply not possible without light and heat, and as Putin launches a massive drone attack after rejecting the terms of another peace deal, Owen Matthews reports on Putin’s plan to deliver his fatal blow on Ukraine.
Read it here:
The resilience of ordinary Ukrainians is about to face its most serious test so far
Trump envoy Witkoff had contacts with Ukrainian delegation after Moscow talks, Kyiv says
Wednesday 3 December 2025 14:54 , Maryam Zakir-HussainUS president Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff had contacts with Ukrainian delegation after his talks on Tuesday in Moscow with Russian president Vladimir Putin, Ukraine's foreign minister Andrii Sybiha said on Wednesday.
"There was contact between the head of the Ukrainian delegation and Mr. Witkoff," Sybiha told reporters in Brussels.
"Representatives of the American delegation reported that, in their opinion, the talks in Moscow had a positive outcome... And they invited the Ukrainian delegation to continue our talks in America in the near future," he added.
What you need know about EU banning Russian gas imports
Wednesday 3 December 2025 14:45 , Maryam Zakir-HussainThe European Union has agreed to permanently halt all Russian gas imports by late 2027, aiming to end its energy dependency following Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
This agreement, reached by EU governments and the European Parliament, stipulates that liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports will cease by the end of 2026, with pipeline gas following by the end of September 2027.
Ukraine’s corruption scandal is disastrous for Zelensky – Putin will love it
Wednesday 3 December 2025 14:30 , Maryam Zakir-HussainIn case you missed this from the weekend:
Zelensky’s lost his chief of staff amid a €100m corruption scandal that the Kremlin will exploit – this is a disaster to Kyiv but also a sign that its system works, writes world affairs editor Sam Kiley:
Ukraine’s corruption scandal is disastrous for Zelensky – Putin will love it
