Vladimir Putin’s top foreign policy official has rejected the latest amendments to a Donald Trump-backed peace plan – despite admitting that he hasn't actually read them.
Yuri Ushakov, who played a key role in drafting the original version of the plan that was widely dismissed as being too pro-Russia, also played down the prospect of a three-way summit between the US, Moscow and Kyiv
“I am sure that the proposals that the Europeans and Ukrainians have made or are trying to make definitely do not improve the document and do not improve the possibility of achieving long-term peace,” Yuri Ushakov said.
The senior Kremlin official said he had not seen the exact proposals and that his criticism was “not a forecast”.
His remarks came after Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff said he held "productive and constructive" talks in Florida over the weekend with Ukrainian and European negotiators.
"Our shared priority is to stop the killing, ensure guaranteed security, and create conditions for Ukraine's recovery, stability, and long-term prosperity.
Peace must be not only a cessation of hostilities, but also a dignified foundation for a stable future," Trump's envoy said.
Watch: Putin calls European leaders ‘little pigs’ ahead of crucial summit in Brussels
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British man captured by Russian forces while ‘fighting for Ukraine’ jailed for 13 years
Key Points
- Kremlin dismissed new peace plan proposals - without actually seeing them
- Ukrainian forces battle Russian breakthrough in Sumy
- Ukraine 'hits Russian warship in the Caspian'
- Zelensky seeks more consultation with Europe after US talks
- 'Alternatives to US support are uncertain,' Zelensky says
Ukrainian forces battle Russian breakthrough in Sumy
04:10 , Arpan RaiThe Ukrainian army said it was battling an attempted Russian breakthrough in the Sumy region after Moscow claimed to have forcibly removed 50 people from a border village.
“Fighting is currently ongoing in the village of Grabovske,” Ukraine’s joint taskforce said and said their troops were “making efforts to drive the occupiers back into Russian territory”.
Russian forces have crossed the border with Ukraine in the northeastern Sumy region and taken about 50 residents of a Ukrainian border village into Russia, Ukrainian media quoted the military as saying yesterday.
Most of the local residents captured from the village were elderly people, the media said.
Ukraine's public broadcaster Suspilne and the Ukrainska Pravda news outlet said Russian forces entered Ukrainian territory on Saturday night in the area of the village of Hrabovske.
Kremlin dismissed new peace plan proposals - without actually seeing them
03:19 , Arpan RaiVladimir Putin’s top foreign policy official has accused Europe and Ukraine of prolonging the conflict with their proposals.
“I am sure that the proposals that the Europeans and Ukrainians have made or are trying to make definitely do not improve the document and do not improve the possibility of achieving long-term peace,” Yuri Ushakov said.
The senior Kremlin official said he had not seen the exact proposals and that his criticism was “not a forecast”.
He also denied that trilateral talks involving Ukraine, Russia and the US were under discussion, after Zelensky said Washington had proposed the idea of three-way discussions.
“At present, no one has seriously discussed this initiative, and to my knowledge it is not being prepared," he said.
Ukrainian drone attack damages two vessels in Russia's Krasnodar
02:56 , Arpan RaiAt least two vessels and two piers were damaged as a result of a Ukrainian drone attack in Russia’s Krasnodar region, authorities in the southern Russia region said today.
All crew on the ships at the Volna terminal in the region have been safely evacuated, the Krasnodar region’s operational headquarters said on the Telegram messaging app. The damage led to a fire spreading across up to 1,500 square metres (1,794 square yards), the authorities added.
‘I was a British PoW tortured by Russia; this is how Ukraine and the West can win this war’
02:00 , James ReynoldsAiden Aslin, a British volunteer who joined Ukraine’s marines, was captured and tortured by Putin’s forces in 2022 and is now back fighting the Kremlin. He tells his story to the ‘World of Trouble’ podcast with world affairs editor Sam Kiley in eastern Ukraine:
‘I was a British PoW tortured by Russia; this is how Ukraine can win this war’
In pictures: Aftermath of Russian strikes on Odesa
Sunday 21 December 2025 23:55 , James Reynolds
Sanctioned Russian freighter boarded in Swedish waters overnight
Sunday 21 December 2025 23:10 , James ReynoldsSwedish authorities boarded a sanctioned Russian freighter that anchored in Swedish waters with engine problems overnight, the country’s customs service said on Sunday.
Sweden carried out an inspection of the cargo aboard the Adler, which is subject to both EU and US sanctions. Authorities declined to say what they found on board the ship.
The owners are also on the EU’s sanctions list, a spokesperson for the customs authority said.
Russia launches 2,500 aerial attacks against Ukraine in a week, Zelensky says
Sunday 21 December 2025 22:07 , James ReynoldsUkraine’s president Zelensky said that Russia had launched approximately 2,500 aerial attacks against Ukraine in the last week alone.
These included 1,300 attack drones, nearly 1,200 guided aerial bombs, and 9 missiles of various types, he said.
Macron open to talks with Putin, casting doubt over progress in US-led talks
Sunday 21 December 2025 21:06 , James ReynoldsFrance is contemplating how to restart dialogue with Russia after Putin said he was open to talking to president Emmanuel Macron.
“It is welcome that the Kremlin has given its public approval to this approach. We will decide in the coming days on the best way to proceed,” the Elysée Palace said on Sunday.
The shift in diplomacy comes just two days after Macron suggested Europe would have to step up and talk directly to Putin if US talks fail.
The latest round of talks to end the war have been ongoing since November, but clear sticking points remain around territory and security guarantees.
What are the main sticking points in negotiations?
Sunday 21 December 2025 20:04 , James ReynoldsThe talks between Ukraine and the US have centred on Kyiv’s insistence that it needs security guarantees to end the war.
Ukraine also says it will not and legally cannot give up territory seized by Russia.
Moscow has shown no signs of backing down from its demands, however.
Russia opposes Europe putting boots on the ground to uphold peace in Ukraine when the war ends. That makes it tricky for Europe to offer tangible security guarantees.
Russia has gone into talks this week publicly refusing to budge on claims to the Donbas, Crimea and land in the south.
The two sides are stuck in gridlock with Trump pressuring Kyiv to give up land for a peace deal, according to sources familiar with the matter.
Ukraine’s leverage comes from Europe, which continues to offer funding and work on ‘security guarantees’.
‘I was a British PoW tortured by Russia; this is how Ukraine and the West can win this war’
Sunday 21 December 2025 19:00 , James ReynoldsAiden Aslin, a British volunteer who joined Ukraine’s marines, was captured and tortured by Putin’s forces in 2022 and is now back fighting the Kremlin. He tells his story to the ‘World of Trouble’ podcast with world affairs editor Sam Kiley in eastern Ukraine:
‘I was a British PoW tortured by Russia; this is how Ukraine can win this war’
ICYMI: Putin still wants all of Ukraine, US intelligence finds
Sunday 21 December 2025 18:00 , James ReynoldsUS intelligence reports continue to warn that Putin has not abandoned his aims of taking all of Ukraine and parts of Europe, six sources familiar with U.S. intelligence said this week.
The reports present a starkly different picture from that painted by Donald Trump, who says Putin wants to end the conflict.
The intelligence also contradicts the Russian leader’s denials that he is a threat to Europe.
The U.S. findings have been consistent since Putin launched his full-scale invasion in 2022.
They largely align with the views of European leaders and spy agencies.
France to build Europe's largest ever warship, Macron confirms
Sunday 21 December 2025 17:48 , James ReynoldsFrance will build a new, larger and more modern aircraft carrier to replace the ageing Charles de Gaulle carrier, Macron confirmed today.
The programme, known as "Porte-Avions Nouvelle Génération" (PANG), is set to cost around 10.25 billion euros.
France says the new vessel will be operational by 2038, when the Charles de Gaulle is expected to retire. Work on nuclear propulsion components began last year.
France, the EU's only nuclear power, is among the few European nations owning an aircraft carrier alongside Britain, Italy and Spain.
Ukraine and US to continue talks on Sunday
Sunday 21 December 2025 17:23 , James ReynoldsUkrainian peace negotiators will hold another meeting with US officials on Sunday, top Ukrainian negotiator Rustem Umerov said.
"We are working constructively and substantively. We are counting on further progress and practical results," Umerov said Telegram.
Ukrainian, US and European teams held a round of talks on Friday.
What to know about Europe's new loan for Ukraine
Sunday 21 December 2025 17:00 , James ReynoldsEU leaders agreed on Friday to provide a massive loan to Ukraine to meet its military and economic needs for the next two years.
The 27-nation bloc's heads of state had planned to use some of the 210 billion euros worth of Russian assets frozen in Europe, mostly in Belgium.
But despite working through the night, they failed to convince Belgium that the country would be protected from Russian retaliation if it backed the “reparations loan” plan.
Here’s what to know about the loan Ukraine will be receiving:
What to know about the EU's new $106 billion loan to Ukraine
Trilateral talks not under discussion, says Kremlin
Sunday 21 December 2025 15:54 , James ReynoldsThe Kremlin denied that trilateral talks between the US, Russia and Ukraine were currently under discussion on Sunday.
“At present, no one has seriously discussed this initiative, and to my knowledge, it is not in preparation,” Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters.
Ukraine is showing fighting spirit, and its allies must respond
Sunday 21 December 2025 15:00 , James ReynoldsEditorial: Vladimir Putin must be brought to the point where he no longer has an interest in prolonging the war:
Ukraine is showing fighting spirit, and its allies must respond
Russian forces take elderly residents from border village into Russia, Ukraine claims
Sunday 21 December 2025 14:30 , James ReynoldsRussian forces crossed the border into Ukraine’s Sumy region and took about 50 residents from a village back into Russia, Ukrainian media quoted the military as saying on Sunday.
Russian forces are alleged to have entered Ukrainian territory on Saturday night in the area of the village of Hrabovske, according to public broadcaster Suspilne and the Ukrainska Pravda news outlet.
Most of the local residents captured from the village were elderly people, the media said.
The Independent could not independently verify the report. Russia has not yet commented on the matter.
Kremlin says peace prospects not improved by European amendments
Sunday 21 December 2025 14:00 , James ReynoldsRussian President Vladimir Putin's top foreign policy aide said on Sunday that changes made by the Europeans and Ukraine to US proposals for an end to the war in Ukraine did not improve prospects for peace.
"This is not a forecast," Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters, though he said he had not seen the exact proposals on paper yet.
"I am sure that the proposals that the Europeans and Ukrainians have made or are trying to make definitely do not improve the document and do not improve the possibility of achieving long-term peace."
Macron open to talks with Putin, casting doubt over progress in US-led talks
Sunday 21 December 2025 13:30 , James ReynoldsFrance is contemplating restarting dialogue with Russia after the Kremlin said it was open to talking to president Emmanuel Macron.
“In the coming days, we will determine the optimal format for starting this process,” the Elysée Palace said on Sunday.
The Kremlin said Putin was ready to hold talks with Macron if there is mutual political will in remarks published by Russia’s RIA on Sunday.
The shift in diplomacy comes just two days after Macron suggested Europe would have to step up and talk directly to Putin if US talks fail.
"Either a robust and lasting peace is reached, with the required (security) guarantees," Macron told reporters in Brussels, "or we will need in the weeks ahead to find ways for Europeans to re-engage in a fulsome dialogue with Russia, and in complete transparency."
The latest round of talks to end the war have been ongoing since November, but clear sticking points remain around territory and security guarantees.
Publicly, both Ukraine and Russia have praised the work of the US to help mediate a ceasefire agreement. But no tangible results have yet emerged.
Where does Zelensky stand on holding wartime elections?
Sunday 21 December 2025 13:00 , James ReynoldsZelensky had previously ruled out holding elections while the war is ongoing - a measure backed even by many opponents in Ukraine.
Earlier this month, and again under pressure from Trump, he said that he would be open to holding elections within 60-90 days if security guarantees are in place.
On Saturday, he told Putin to keep out of Ukraine’s affairs after the Russian president backed Trump’s call.
Zelensky also reiterated that elections can only be held when security is guaranteed.
Any election in Ukraine can not be held in Russia-occupied parts of the country, either, he said.
He added that Ukraine's foreign minister had started the initial work on the infrastructure needed to make voting possible for Ukrainians living abroad.
Ukraine is showing fighting spirit, and its allies must respond
Sunday 21 December 2025 12:00 , James ReynoldsEditorial: Vladimir Putin must be brought to the point where he no longer has an interest in prolonging the war:
Ukraine is showing fighting spirit, and its allies must respond
Russia has launched 2,500 strikes against Ukraine in a week, Zelensky says
Sunday 21 December 2025 11:15 , James ReynoldsRussia has launched approximately 2,500 strikes against Ukraine in the last week alone, president Volodymyr Zelensky shared today in a bleak reminder of the reality on the ground with peace talks ongoing.
Zelensky wrote on social media that Russia has launched an estimated 1,300 attack drones, 1,200 guided aerial bombs and nine missiles against Ukraine over the past week.
Odesa the southern part of the country were hit particularly hard, he said.
Kremlin spurns European involvement in peace talks
Sunday 21 December 2025 11:00 , James ReynoldsThe Kremlin said on Sunday that the chances of peace in Ukraine were not improved by changes to US proposals made by the Europeans and Ukraine, Interfax news agency reported.
Zelensky seeks more consultation with Europe after US talks
Sunday 21 December 2025 10:35 , James ReynoldsFollowing talks with the US in Florida last week, Ukraine’s Zelensky called for broader consultations with European partners on social media today.
Europe has played an important role in backing Ukraine’s plea for clear security guarantees through the negotiation process.
Those, and territory swaps, remains points of contention between Ukraine and Russia, via the US.
"We are moving at a fairly rapid pace, and our team in Florida has been working with the American side," Zelensky said on Telegram messenger.
He said he had just talked with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere on the phone.
Sanctioned Russian freighter boarded in Swedish waters overnight
Sunday 21 December 2025 10:30 , James ReynoldsSwedish authorities boarded a sanctioned Russian freighter that anchored in Swedish waters after developing engine problems overnight, the country’s customs service said on Sunday.
Sweden carried out an inspection of the cargo aboard the Adler, which is subject to both EU and US sanctions. Authorities declined to say what they found on board the ship.
The owners are also on the EU’s sanctions list, a spokesperson for the customs authority said.
The Adler is a 126-metre-long, roll-on, roll-off container carrier. It is anchored off Hoganas in southwest Sweden.
"Shortly after 0100 last night we boarded the ship with support from the Swedish Coast Guard and the police service in order to make a customs inspection," a spokesperson said. "The inspection is still ongoing."
'Alternatives to US support are uncertain,' Zelensky says
Sunday 21 December 2025 10:00 , Vishwam SankaranAmid ongoing US-led peace negotiations, Zelensky called on the American president to take an active role in ending the war in Ukraine, stating alternatives to US support "are uncertain".
"I believe such strength exists in the United States and in President Trump. And I believe we should not look for an alternative to the United States, because all alternatives are uncertain as to whether they can (end the war)," the Ukrainian president said.
"Who else (can effectively establish peace)? Perhaps representatives of the Middle East. But I still believe the United States has greater chances. Who else? Europe – the Coalition of the Willing – which is Europe plus our friends from Canada and Japan. But they will all be at the negotiating table in one way or another. And perhaps China could as well, but we clearly see no desire from China to end this war," he said.
Over 200 Indian nationals taken by Russia to fight war in Ukraine, New Delhi says
Sunday 21 December 2025 09:00 , Vishwam SankaranIndia’s foreign ministry says 202 Indian nationals have been recruited into the Russian army since 2022, with at least 26 killed and seven missing.
The figures were released in an official report submitted to India’s parliament last week.
"As per information available, 202 Indian nationals are believed to have been recruited into the Russian armed forces. Concerted efforts by the Government have resulted in the early discharge of 119 of them; 26 are reported to have lost their lives, and seven are reported missing by the Russian side," the report said.
Video: US, Russian officials meet in Miami for peace talks
Sunday 21 December 2025 08:30 , Vishwam SankaranRussia and Ukraine must both make compromises to end war, Rubio says
Sunday 21 December 2025 08:10 , Vishwam SankaranEnding the war will require that both sides “give something” and the US is figuring out “what both sides are prepared to give", US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said yesterday.
"I don't know if Putin wants to do a deal or Putin wants to take the whole country. These are things that he has said openly," the secretary of state said.
"We know what they wanted to achieve initially when the war began. They haven't achieved those objectives," he said.
In Pictures: Russian attack on Ukraine's Odesa
Sunday 21 December 2025 07:50 , Vishwam Sankaran
In Pictures: Zelensky meets with Portugal's PM
Sunday 21 December 2025 07:10 , Vishwam Sankaran
-and-Portugals-Prime-Minister-Luis-Montenegro-(L)-speak-dur.jpeg)
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US delegations met with Ukrainian and Russian officials in Miami, report says
Sunday 21 December 2025 07:09 , Vishwam SankaranUS special envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff and former senior adviser to the US president Jared Kushner reportedly met with Ukrainian defence council secretary Rustem Umerov and Ukrainian chief of the general staff, Major General Andriy Hnatov on Friday.
Lead Russian negotiator and Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) CEO Kirill Dmitriev also arrived in Miami to meet with the US delegations, according to Reuters.
"The discussions are proceeding constructively. They began earlier and will continue today, and will also continue tomorrow," Dmitriev said.
Video: Zelensky calls on Trump to take active role in negotiations
Sunday 21 December 2025 06:50 , Vishwam SankaranUkraine working on overseas voting mechanism: Zelensky
Sunday 21 December 2025 06:25 , Vishwam SankaranUkraine's foreign ministry is working on a mechanism to provide the country's citizens living abroad the ability to vote in the country's next election, president Volodymyr Zelensky said yesterday.
"In today’s situation, the process will be complicated due to the number of Ukrainians (living abroad), but this is precisely the task of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and they have already begun working on it," Zelensky said.
"They have contacts with our partners abroad, and for this it is necessary to coordinate the possible infrastructure overseas so that voting is comfortable," the president said.
Ukraine is showing fighting spirit, and its allies must respond
Sunday 21 December 2025 03:00 , Rebecca WhittakerEditorial: Vladimir Putin must be brought to the point where he no longer has an interest in prolonging the war.
Ukraine is showing fighting spirit, and its allies must respond
Watch: World of Trouble: ‘I was a British POW tortured by Russia; this is how Ukraine can win this war’
Sunday 21 December 2025 02:00 , Rebecca WhittakerRussian officials meet in Florida for more Ukraine talks
Sunday 21 December 2025 01:00 , Rebecca WhittakerUS negotiators met Russian officials in Florida for the latest talks aimed at ending Russia’s war in Ukraine.
The Miami meeting followed US talks on Friday with Ukrainian and European officials, the latest discussions of a peace plan that has sparked some hope of a resolution to the conflict that began.
Russian President Vladimir Putin's special envoy Kirill Dmitriev told Reuters reporters after meeting US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner that the talks were constructive and would continue on Sunday.
A White House official said the talks had concluded for the day.
"The discussions are proceeding constructively. They began earlier and will continue today, and will also continue tomorrow," Dmitriev said.
Marco Rubio, Trump’s top diplomat and national security advisor, had said he might also join the talks.
‘I was a British PoW tortured by Russia; this is how Ukraine and the West can win this war’
Saturday 20 December 2025 23:40 , Rebecca WhittakerAiden Aslin, a British volunteer who joined Ukraine’s marines, was captured and tortured by Putin’s forces in 2022 and is now back fighting the Kremlin.
He tells his story to the ‘World of Trouble’ podcast with world affairs editor Sam Kiley in eastern Ukraine.
‘I was a British PoW tortured by Russia; this is how Ukraine can win this war’
Ukraine claims hit on Russian patrol boat
Saturday 20 December 2025 21:00 , James ReynoldsUkraine claimed to have struck a Russian warship and drilling facilities in the Caspian Sea during Kyiv’s latest maritime blitz against Putin’s ailing war machine.
The nighttime drone attack hit the Okhotnik-class patrol ship and an offshore drilling platform in the Filanovsky oil and gas field, owned by sanctioned energy giant Lukoil, according to Ukraine’s SOFCOM.
Damage was still being assessed on Saturday, Ukraine’s general staff said. Drones separately struck a radar system in annexed Crimea.
EU to pay €3bn per year in interest on Ukraine loan
Saturday 20 December 2025 20:02 , James ReynoldsEU taxpayers will pay €3 billion per year in interest on the new loan for Ukraine after leaders failed to agree on how to use frozen Russian assets, senior Commission officials told Politico.
Leaders came together this week with the aim of securing a loan against some of Russia’s €210bn in frozen assets held within the EU.
They emerged without consensus and instead agreed to raise €90bn (£79bn) for the next two years in common debt, backed by the EU budget.
Read more:
Why the EU could not agree on using £80bn of frozen Russian assets to fund Ukraine
Two Indian students ‘forcibly recruited’ into Russian army die in Ukraine
Saturday 20 December 2025 20:00 , James ReynoldsTwo Indian men who had travelled to Russia on student visas were killed after being forcibly recruited to fight in the Ukraine war, their families alleged.
The bodies of Ajay Godara, 22, from Bikaner in Rajasthan state, and Rakesh Kumar Maurya, 30, from Uttarakhand, have since been returned and handed over to their relatives.
They had gone to Russia separately on student visas but later claimed in videos sent to their families that they had been recruited into the military and deployed to the frontline in Ukraine.
Read the full story:
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Two Indian students ‘forcibly recruited’ into Russian army die in Ukraine
Where does Zelensky stand on elections?
Saturday 20 December 2025 18:02 , James ReynoldsZelensky had previously ruled out holding elections while the war is ongoing - a measure backed even by many opponents in Ukraine.
Earlier this month, and again under pressure from Trump, he said that he would be open to holding elections within 60-90 days if security guarantees are in place.
On Saturday, he told Putin to keep out of Ukraine’s affairs after the Russian president backed Trump’s call.
Zelensky also reiterated that elections can only be held when security is guaranteed.
Any election in Ukraine can not be held in Russia-occupied parts of the country, either, he said.
He added that Ukraine's foreign minister had started the initial work on the infrastructure needed to make voting possible for Ukrainians living abroad.
US offers new format for talks as obstacles remain
Saturday 20 December 2025 17:00 , James ReynoldsThe United States has offered a potential new format for peace talks between Ukraine and Russia with American and possibly European envoys participating, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Saturday.
Kyiv will decide on the format once it is clear whether bilateral discussions with US negotiators that resumed on Friday are positive, Zelensky said today.
Speaking to reporters in Kyiv, he did not go into specifics as to what kind of format President Donald Trump's administration had proposed.
"The U.S. said they would have a separate meeting with representatives of Russia. And they proposed the following format, as far as I understand: Ukraine, America, Russia, and, since there are representatives of Europe there, probably Europe as well," Zelenskiy said.
It's not up to Putin to decide how Ukraine holds its elections, says Zelensky
Saturday 20 December 2025 16:01 , James ReynoldsZelensky lashed out at Putin on Saturday after the Russian president backed Donald Trump’s calls for Ukrainian elections.
The Ukrainian leader said it was not for Putin to decide how elections should be held in Ukraine.
He also said that elections can only be held when security is guaranteed.
Zelensky has faced pressure from Trump to face fresh elections during wartime - a move the public strongly opposes, including swathes who would see Zelensky leave office after the war ends, according to recent polling.
Putin envoy 'to travel to Miami for talks'
Saturday 20 December 2025 15:13 , James ReynoldsIt is now the turn of Vladimir Putin’s special envoy to head to Miami for talks, Reuters reported on Saturday.
Kirill Dmitriev wrote on social media that he was on the way to Miami earlier today.
“As warmongers keep working overtime to undermine the US peace plan for Ukraine, I remembered this video from my previous visit - light breaking through the storm clouds,” he said.
Ukraine’s delegation was in the US with European diplomats yesterday to discuss peace proposals with the Trump administration.
A Russian source told Reuters they were not expecting three-way talks.
Artist's battlefield collection captures the lived experience of Ukraine's resistance to invasion
Saturday 20 December 2025 14:30 , James ReynoldsIn a basement near Kyiv’s Maidan Square, Ukrainian street artist Maxim Kilderov has assembled a grim collection of battlefield relics which together form an unofficial record of Russia’s invasion.
For Kilderov, who endured 55 days under Russian occupation in Nova Kakhovka in southern Ukraine, the objects are evidence of a war he insists must not be defined by official narratives alone.
As he spoke to The Associated Press, he wore a red MAGA hat — a gesture he described as deliberate irony, reflecting the vulnerability of a country reliant on foreign aid that can be paused or withdrawn without warning.
Currently an invitation-only exhibition, he plans to turn the site into a museum conveying the gravity of war.
Putin's goals unchanged since Ukraine invasion, US intelligence says
Saturday 20 December 2025 14:01 , James ReynoldsUS intelligence reports have warned that Moscow’s goals have not changed since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, despite president Vladimir Putin denying that he poses a threat to Europe.
Even as negotiations are underway to end the war, Putin is seeking control of all of Ukraine and territories of former Soviet bloc states, including members of the Nato alliance, Reuters reported, citing sources familiar with US intelligence.
“The intelligence has always been that Putin wants more. The Europeans are convinced of it. The Poles are absolutely convinced of it. The Baltics think they’re first,” Mike Quigley, a Democratic member of the House Intelligence Committee, told Reuters.
Russia accused of deliberately targeting civilians.
Saturday 20 December 2025 13:29 , James ReynoldsMoscow's troops are deliberately targeting civilian logistics routes in the Odesa region, Ukraine's deputy prime minister said on Saturday.
Russia today struck reservoirs in Ukraine's southern Pivdennyi port, Oleksiy Kuleba said on the Telegram app.
It came a day after a missile strike killed eight people there.
Ukraine to make sea drones with Portugal
Saturday 20 December 2025 12:54 , James ReynoldsUkraine and Portugal have agreed on the joint production of Ukrainian sea drones.
Ukraine’s presidential aide Oleksandr Kamyshin wrote on social media today that after proving their worth, the drones “will help Portugal defend Europe from the sea”.
‘I was a British POW tortured by Russia; this is how Ukraine and the West can win this war’
Saturday 20 December 2025 12:29 , James ReynoldsAiden Aslin, a British volunteer who joined the Ukraine’s marines, was captured and tortured by Putin’s forces in 2022 and is now back fighting the Kremlin. He tells his story to the World of Trouble podcast with world affairs editor Sam Kiley in eastern Ukraine:
‘I was a British POW tortured by Russia; this is how Ukraine can win this war’
ICYMI: Questions flagged by Russians to Putin during Friday's major conference
Saturday 20 December 2025 12:01 , James ReynoldsDuring the more than four-and-a-half-hour televised conference yesterday, Russian president Vladimir Putin spoke to reporters as questions from Russians flashed on screens in the hall.
Many of the questions focused on Russians’ financial concerns amid a slowing economy and high inflation.
“When you will return the ‘normal internet?’ It’s impossible to even send a question to the president!” one question asked.
“Are you going to nominate yourself to run for president in 2030?” asked another.
“Stop price increases!” said another.
Ukraine cannot continue to survive on Europe’s starvation rations
Saturday 20 December 2025 11:37 , James ReynoldsEditorial: Despite agreeing to a €90bn interest-free loan that could keep Kyiv afloat for two years, European leaders seem unduly nervous about forcing Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table. If Europe is ever to defeat Russia, it must now go further – or risk humiliation:
Ukraine cannot continue to survive on Europe’s starvation rations
Russia claims two villages in Ukraine
Saturday 20 December 2025 11:04 , James ReynoldsRussia claims to have seized the villages of Svitle and Vysoke in Donetsk and Sumy regions respectively.
Russia’s Defence Ministry made the claims on social media on Saturday.
The Independent could not independently confirm the battlefield report.
EU to pay €3bn per year in interest on Ukraine loan
Saturday 20 December 2025 10:34 , James ReynoldsEU taxpayers will pay €3 billion per year in interest on the new loan for Ukraine after leaders failed to agree on how to use frozen Russian assets, senior Commission officials told Politico.
Leaders came together this week with the aim of securing a loan against some of Russia’s €210bn in frozen assets held within the EU.
They emerged without consensus and instead agreed to raise €90bn (£79bn) for the next two years in common debt, backed by the EU budget.
Why the EU could not agree on using £80bn of frozen Russian assets to fund Ukraine
ICYMI: Ukraine heads for next round of talks
Saturday 20 December 2025 10:00 , James ReynoldsUkrainian negotiators headed for the latest round of peace talks with the US on Friday after wrapping up productive discussions in Berlin at the start of the week.
Rustem Umerov, who is in the United States for the talks, said on Friday that Kyiv’s European partners will also be involved in the discussions.
"We are constructively minded. We have already held preliminary consultations with our European colleagues and are preparing for further discussions with the American side," Umerov said. "... Ukraine’s security must be guaranteed reliably and in the long term."
Here’s the latest:
Ukraine strikes Russian tanker in the Mediterranean after receiving £80bn loan
At least 8 dead and dozens wounded in Russian strike on Odesa port
Saturday 20 December 2025 09:30 , Vishwam SankaranEight people have been confirmed dead and 27 wounded in a missile strike by Russian troops on Odesa port, Ukraine's Emergency Service said today.
"Yesterday evening, Russia carried out a missile strike on a port infrastructure facility in Odesa Oblast. Some of the victims were on a bus that was at the epicentre of the strike," the emergency service said in a statement.
Several of the injured were on a bus when Russia struck the port with ballistic missiles, according to Oleh Kiper, the head of the Odesa region.
Several cars and trucks were also damaged in the attack, the emergency service said.
