Zelenksy hits back at Trump over US offer to buy Ukraine's nuke plants (2025)

34 minutes agoBy Georgie English

Starmer warns Putin of ‘severe consequences’ if Ukraine peace deal is broken

Sir Keir Starmer has thrown down the gauntlet to Vladimir Putin saying there would be “severe consequences” if the despot broke any peace deal.

The Prime Minister issued the punishment warning to theKremlintyrant as three days of intense planning takes placenextweek for sea and air operations.

High-level talks were held with thirty-one countries today to counter any Russian aggression if a pact is struck.

The PM, who insisted any agreement must be backed up by America, said:“The point of the security arrangements is to make it clear toRussiathere'll be severe consequences if they are to breach any deal.

“That's why we need a forward leaning European element, which is what I've been working on intensely, obviously, with the French, that bring these allied countries together, and beyond,

“I think the Australians and New Zealanders have dialled inthis morningin the middle of night in order to be part of the planning. So there is that level of integration.

“This is why it will require a US component, because it needs to be clear to Putin that there will be severe consequences if he breaches the lines."

The PM spoke to military planners from countries such as Canada, Denmark and Poland at the Northwood military base, Herts.

Today, 17:59By Georgie English

Watch: Russian troops bizarrely ride into battle on e-scooters

Today, 17:30By Georgie English

Starmer and Healey visit London military base

Today, 17:00By Sayan Bose

Starmer asks for 'defended deal' to end the Ukraine war

Sir Keir Starmer said there must be a “defended deal” to end the Ukraine war with “security arrangements in place” to ensure it is upheld.

The Prime Minister said during a visit to a military base in Greater London: “I’m very clear in my mind that if there is a deal – and I hope there is; everyone wants a lasting peace, not least Ukraine – but that will only be lasting, that will only leave Ukraine secure and sovereign if there is security arrangements in place to ensure that if there is a deal, then it is a defended deal.”

Today, 16:51By Sayan Bose

Putin must not be given veto over European peacekeepers, says Lammy

The UK's Foreign Secretary David Lammyhas said that Vladimir Putin must not be given a veto over the presence of European troops inUkraine after a peace deal.

Lammy said: "Putin should simply accept an unconditional ceasefire. That is the plan on the table, let's get on with it, what are we waiting for?

"What we certainly can't do is give Putin a veto over the security architecture that will govern that peace."

Putin has said he wont accept foreign troops in Ukraine as part of any peace deal.

Today, 16:22By Sayan Bose

We are making steps in the right direction, says Starmer

Sir Keir Starmer said he didn't know whether there would be a peace deal in the Russia-Ukraine war but said "We are making steps in the right direction" as a coalition of the willing led by Britain and France moves into an operational phase.

He added: "We further forward this week than we were last week, and we are further forward last week than we were the week before, he said before the meeting of military planning chiefs from more than two dozen countries.

"I hope, I want, those talks to succeed. What I do know is if they do succeed, then we need to be able to defend the deal."

Senior military officers from countries across Europe and beyond met in London today to flesh out plans for an international peacekeeping force for Ukraine as details of a partial ceasefire are worked out.

Today, 15:54By Sayan Bose

Starmer arrives at meeting with military bosses

Sir Keir Starmer has arrived at a meeting of military chiefs from the UK and its allies to discuss details of a future peacekeeping mission in Ukraine.

The Prime Minister travelled to the meeting at a military site in Greater London after visiting the UK's latest generation of nuclear submarines in Barrow-in-Furness in the northwest of England.

He arrived with Defence Secretary John Healey and was met by the UK's chief of joint operations, Lieutenant General Nick Perry, as well as his French counterpart Major General Philippe de Montenon.

Britain and France are leading the coalition, which would come into play after Ukraine and Russia agree on a ceasefire.

Today, 15:45By Sayan Bose

In pictures: Aftermath of overnight Russian drone in Ukraine

Today, 15:35By Sayan Bose

First step must be 'silence in the sky', says Zelensky

Volodymyr Zelensky has praised Norway's decision to increase support for Ukraine to $8billion.

Speaking in Oslo, he said: "We need to continue to pressure Russia so that Putin stops manipulations and makes the concrete steps that all the world wants.

"And, in particular, one of the first steps must be a silence.

"And now we are discussing it with the United States of America, another partner - silence in the sky, the cessation of strikes on the energy sector and on civilian infrastructure and people."

Today, 15:07By James Halpin

Nuclear power plants belong to Ukriane

Zelensky has rejected suggestions that America could take control of Ukraine's nuclear power plants.

He said: "All nuclear power plants belong to the people of Ukraine.

"These are state-owned nuclear power plants, it is not private property in Ukraine."

The White House had suggested the US could take over the operation of Ukraine's nuclear power plants as a form of security guarantee.

The Americans had said: "American ownership of those plants would be the best protection for that infrastructure and support for Ukrainian energy infrastructure."

Speaking today, Sir Keir Starmer said the operation of Ukraine's nuclear power plants would be a matter for the US and Ukraine.

Today, 15:00By James Halpin

William visiting Estonia

Prince William is in Estonia meeting with President Alar Karis.

The heir is making his first visit to Britain's Nato ally and the tiny neighbour of Russia.

On Friday, he is set to visit British troops serving as part of Nato in Estonia.

Estonia is likely one of the coalition of the willing and senior military leaders could be in London today to talk peacekeepers in Ukraine.

Today, 14:50By James Halpin

Starmer with miniature of new sub

Sir Keir Starmer is in Barrow-in-Furness to tour BAE's submarine building base.

He and Defence Minister John Healey met with BAE system apprentices and saw a miniature of the forthcoming HMS Dreadnought submarine.

Today, 14:28By James Halpin

Trump didn't raise Crimea recognition with him, Zelensky said

Volodymyr Zelensky said Donald Trump did not raise with him in any of their discussions that America would potentially recognise Crimea as Russian.

He reiterated Crimea was a Ukrainian peninsula and said that Trump had only mentioned it to say that he had heard Ukrainians loved it.

Zelensky said some three million Ukrainians visited the peninsula each year on holiday before Russia invaded.

Since 2014, the Ukrainian boasted that Russians had not been visiting the territory which Putin had seized.

Today, 14:20By James Halpin

List of off-limit bombing targets to be drawn up

Russia and Ukraine are set to draw up a list of energy and infrastructure sites that can't be bombed as part of the partial ceasefire.

It has been so far unclear what exactly the two sides would agree as being off-limits after Putin and Trump made the announcement on Tuesday.

The two sides have continued bombing each other over the past 48 hours.

Technical teams from the two countries will draw up the list in Jeddah on Monday as the sides also look to agree on a Black Sea ceasefire, Zelensky said.

Today, 14:15By James Halpin

Zelensky speaks in Norway

Zelensky is currently speaking with Norway's Prime Minister Jonas Gahr in a press conference in Oslo.

Today, 13:53By James Halpin

Zelensky wants no 'Berlin Walls'

Volodymyr Zelensky has said he wants no "Berlin Walls" in any ceasefire with Russia.

The Ukrainian said he discussed the issue with Donald Trump during their call on March 19.

He said: "There are regions, there are cities and towns that are cut off by a contact line, and if in some places you leave this line in place, you will simply leave these cities or towns without life; no one will return to half of the city.

"I told President Trump honestly: 'Do we want Berlin?'... I think we both understood that this was not an option.

"The Berlin Wall is not an option."

Today, 13:20By Annabel Bate

Date for next Russia-US talks revealed by Kremlin

The next Russia-US talks on Ukraine are set to take place on March 24 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the Kremlin revealed.

Mad Vladimir Putin's foreign policy aid Yuri Ushakov said: "We agreed with Mr Waltz [the US national security adviser] that consultations on this matter in a bilateral format will be conducted by experts appointed by the presidents.

"These consultations will take place on Monday, March 24, in Riyadh."

Ushakov added that the Russia delegation will be lead by senator and career diplomat Grigory Karasin and adviser to the director of Russia's FSB Sergei Beseda.

Talks will mainly surround the ways to ensure safe shipping in the Black Sea, Ushakov said.

Today, 13:00By Annabel Bate

Russia accuses Ukraine of 'disrupting peace'

Russia's foreign ministry has accused Kyiv of attempting to disrupt peace following an attack on an oil depot in the Krasnodar region.

Authorities said the Ukrainian drone attack caused a blaze at the site, which is a rail terminal for Russian oil supplies to a pipeline linking Kazakhstan to the Black Sea.

Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said: "It is absolutely clear that we are talking about another provocation specially prepared by the Kyiv regime and aimed at disrupting peace initiatives."

Earlier, the Kremlin accused European countries of planning to “militarise” themselves rather than seeking peace, as Western military chiefs gathered in Britain to discuss how to protect Ukraine.

Today, 12:18By James Halpin

Zelensky meets Norwegian PM

Norway's Prime Minister is not in Brussels with most other European leaders as the country, like Britain, is not a member of the EU.

Instead, Jonas Gahr is hosting Volodymyr Zelensky in Oslo following the Ukrainian's trip to Finland.

Today, 11:52By James Halpin

UK building new nuke-carrying subs

The UK's MoD has released a video showcasing the new Dreadnought Class submarines it is starting to build.

Today, 11:33By James Halpin

Kremlin accuses Europe of 'militarising'

The Kremlin on Thursday accused European countries of planning to "militarise" themselves rather than seeking peace, as Western military chiefs gathered in Britain to discuss how to protect Ukraine.

The ridiculous accusation comes after Russia has massively expanded its armies following its illegal invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Major European powers including France and the UK have sought to boost military spending since Donald Trump took office in January, amid fears the US is no longer committed to European defence.

As Trump builds closer ties with the Kremlin, Russia has shifted much of its anger over the three-year Ukraine conflict towards Europe, accusing the EU and UK of being the main obstacles to peace.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters: "For the most part, the signals from Brussels and European capitals concern plans to militarise Europe.

"Europe has embarked on a militarisation of itself and has turned into somewhat of a war party."

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, co-leader of efforts to form the so-called coalition of the willing alongside French President Emmanuel Macron, is expected to address a meeting of roughly 30 military officials later.

Both Starmer and Macron have said they are willing to deploy peacekeepers in Ukraine following a ceasefire between Moscow and Kyiv, an idea Russia has vehemently rejected.

Today, 10:55By James Halpin

US-Russia talks could happen next week

The Kremlin has said the next round of US-Russia talks could take place on Sunday or early next week.

Talks are likely to include a maritime ceasefire in the Black Sea, which emerged as the next stage to be discussed following Tuesday's call between Trump and Putin.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: "It may not be Sunday itself, the nuances are being agreed. It could be the start, the very start, of next week."

Zelensky said a day earlier that Kyiv and the United States were preparing to meet in the "coming days" in Saudi Arabia.

It was unclear if US officials would meet both the Ukrainian and Russian teams on the same day, or if there was a possibility of three-way talks that would involve Kyiv and Moscow talking face-to-face.

US National Security Advisor Mike Waltz said Wednesday that "technical teams" from Russia and the US would meet in Riyadh "to focus on implementing and expanding the partial ceasefire President Trump secured from Russia".

Putin turned down a US-proposed unconditional ceasefire in Ukraine, agreeing only to a 30-day halt in strikes on energy infrastructure.

Washington is also due to hold talks with Kyiv in Saudi Arabia in the coming days.

Today, 10:41By James Halpin

EU leaders meet in Brussels

The leaders of the EU's 26 nations are meeting in Brussels where they will discuss Ukraine.

Today, 10:08By James Halpin

Russia has suffered '900,000 casualties'

According to the latest Ministry of Defence update, Russia's army has suffered some 900,000 casualties.

Some 200,000 - 250,000 have been killed, marking Russia's largest loss in wartime since WW2.

Today, 09:47By James Halpin

Zelensky thanks workers after drone strikes

Volodymyr Zelenksy has thanked emergency workers after Ukraine was hit by Russian drones overnight.

He said Putin had launched a "massive attack" on the Kirovohrad region which had left 10 people wounded, including four children.