The Latest Breaking News from Alexander Stubb

US secretary of state Marco Rubio and Russia’s Sergei Lavrov discuss removing ‘unilateral barriers’; Trump’s Ukraine envoy suggests Europe will be excluded from negotiations. What we know on day 1,089

Vladimir Putin victory would lead to bloc’s members spending ‘trillions’ more on defence, says Mark Rutte

Leaders of Finland, Latvia and Estonia tell The Independent that Ukraine’s victory over Russia is vital to the defence of a poorly armed Europe

Russia claims control of Selydove, near Pokrovsk; spotlight on Moscow’s expanded use of torture since invasion. What we know on day 980

Finland’s president says that North Korea’s dispatch of troops to Russia represents an escalation of the Russia-Ukraine war that goes against China’s own stated position on the conflict

Andriy Kostin forced out over rash of officials getting disabled status; North Korean soldiers ‘about to arrive in Kursk’. What we know on day 973

Finnish President Stubb supports Russia's exclusion from Paris Olympics due to Ukraine war, hoping for reflection among Russian population.

This week's guest on Talking Europe has a unique vantage point on both the world of politics and sports. Alexander Stubb, the president of Finland, has been an established and influential figure in European and global affairs for the past decade. He's also a keen sportsman, competing – and winning…

Viktor Orban travelled from the NATO summit in Washington Thursday night to meet with Donald Trump at his Florida compound Mar-a-Lago, just weeks after the Hungarian prime minister met with Russia's Vladimir Putin. His visit is the latest in a number of meetings between the two men.