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As it happenedended

Ukraine-Russia war latest: Trump lashes out at ‘boasting’ Zelensky after claiming US peace deal is close

‘He can have peace or he can fight for another three years before losing the whole country,’ US president claims

Sam Kiley
World Editor
,Athena Stavrou
Wednesday 23 April 2025 23:00 BST
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Donald Trump announces he's putting up two giant flagpoles at the White House

Donald Trump has hit out at Volodymyr Zelensky for saying Ukraine would not recognise Russia's occupation of Crimea.

"This statement is very harmful to the peace negotiations with Russia," the US president said in a social media post, adding that a US brokered peace deal is on the horizon.

“He has nothing to boast about! The situation for Ukraine is dire — He can have Peace or, he can fight for another three years before losing the whole Country,” Mr Trump wrote.

It comes as high-level peace summit in London to discuss the terms of a Ukraine peace deal on Wednesday was abruptly downgraded after Mr Trump’s most senior diplomat snubbed the meeting.

Foreign ministers from France and Germany abandoned plans to travel to the UK for the talks after US secretary of state Marco Rubio announced he would not attend, citing “scheduling issues”.

Downing Street: Britain will never walk away from Ukraine

Our political correspondent Archie Mitchell reports:

Britain will “never walk away from Ukraine”, Downing Street has said, amid US threats to abandon the country as peace talks stall.

Sir Keir Starmer’s official spokesperson said Britain has supported US-led efforts to secure a sustainable peace in Ukraine to end its war with Russia.

Asked about US vice president JD Vance’s threats to walk away from peace talks, the spokesperson said: “We will never walk away from Ukraine… as long as it takes.”

Downing St said the UK will remain a supporter of Ukraine
Downing St said the UK will remain a supporter of Ukraine (House of Commons)

Asked if Sir Keir Starmer was disappointed at the decision by US secretary of state Marco Rubio to pull out of peace talks on Wednesday, the PM’s official spokesperson said: “Today there will be substantive technical meetings with European, US and Ukrainian officials on how to stop the fighting and end Putin's illegal invasion."

The spokesman said that foreign secretary David Lammy had "a productive call with Rubio yesterday, who confirmed that the US was looking forward to substantive and positive technical meetings in London today".

"As you know, we remain absolutely committed to securing a just and lasting peace in Ukraine and these talks today are an important part of that," he said.

Andy Gregory23 April 2025 15:26

How Putin’s capture of Ukrainian nuclear power station puts whole world at risk

Nuclear power stations across the world are increasingly vulnerable to attack after Russia’s capture of Europe’s biggest facility during its invasion of Ukraine and the “normalisation” of such assaults, a leading thinktank will warn.

Vladimir Putin’s troops seized control of Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant in spring 2022 and have used the site to create fear in the nearby Ukrainian-held city of the same name by setting off nuclear drills, in an attempt to disrupt energy supplies.

A new report from the Royal United Services Institute due to be published later this week will warn that such targeting of nuclear sites is only expected to rise.

Our world affairs editor Sam Kiley reports:

Warning over the dangerous nuclear precedent being set by Putin

The Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant was seized by Vladimir Putin’s troops in spring 2022 and has been held as a threat over the nearby Ukrainian residents ever since
Andy Gregory23 April 2025 16:24

UK and Ukraine ministers meet, despite US absence

Foreign Secretary David Lammy and Defence Secretary John Healy met with their Ukrainian counterparts, despite the talks being downgraded after US secretary of state Marco Rubio pulled out.

The US state department had blamed a scheduling issue for Mr Rubio’s absence, but it also suggested the chances of a breakthrough in London were limited.

The meeting was meant to be a high-level discussion on how to end the war with Russia.

Mr Lammy and Mr Healey met with Ukraine’s foreign minister Andrii Sybiha and defence minister Rustem Umerov.

Mr Sybiha said: "We are grateful to the UK for its leadership and support. We will discuss ways to strengthen Ukraine and guarantee long-term peace and security."

Mr Umerov said they would "discuss ways to achieve a complete and unconditional ceasefire".

Rachel Clun23 April 2025 16:46

JD Vance says time for a deal or US will "walk away"

After plans for a high-level meeting between top US, British, French and Ukrainian diplomats was scrapped at the last minute today, the US vice president said negotiations have reached a critical point.

"We've issued a very explicit proposal to both the Russians and the Ukrainians, and it's time for them to either say 'yes' or for the United States to walk away from this process," JD Vance said during a visit to Agra, India on Wednesday.

Vice President JD Vance speaks to media as he departs Agra, India
Vice President JD Vance speaks to media as he departs Agra, India (Getty Images)

Mr Vance said there was a “very fair proposal” on the table, which would "freeze the territorial lines at some level close to where they are today," with both Russia and Ukraine having to cede some territory.

His comments came a day after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky ruled out ceding any territory to Russia.

Rachel Clun23 April 2025 17:24

Crimea was lost years ago, says Trump as he slates Zelensky

Donald Trump has slated Volodymyr Zelensky for saying Ukraine would not recognise Russia's occupation of Crimea, branding the Ukrainian leader’s words “an inflammatory statement that will make a peace deal with Russia harder to achieve”.

"This statement is very harmful to the Peace Negotiations with Russia," Mr Trump said in a social media post.

He said Crimea was lost years ago "and is not even a point of discussion".

Mr Zelensky on Tuesday reiterated that Ukraine would not recognise Russia's occupation of the Crimea. "There’s nothing to talk about here. This is against our constitution," he said.

But Mr Trump wrote on Truth Social: "Nobody is asking Zelenskiy to recognize Crimea as Russian Territory but, if he wants Crimea, why didn’t they fight for it eleven years ago when it was handed over to Russia without a shot being fired?"

Mr Trump said he was trying to stop the killing in his country and that they were "very close to a deal" on bringing an end to the war.

Jane Dalton23 April 2025 17:42

Analysis: The US is being uncharacteristically coy in refusing to blame either side for the stumbling talks

World Editor Sam Kiley has looked at the latest reaction from the US on Russia-Ukraine peace talks:

The latest version of America's "put up or shut up or we'll walk away” coming from JD Vance, following Donald Trump and Marco Rubio, is significant in that the US administration is, so far, blaming both Ukraine AND Russia for the failure of the "peace initiative".

Trump’s two stooges, JD Vance and Marco Rubio, both centre
Trump’s two stooges, JD Vance and Marco Rubio, both centre

Trump's two stooges will be looking to the boss to know whether to pin the non-peace process on Ukraine, or Russia.

Wise council would be for the US to quietly shuffle off though, without naming either.

Sam Kiley23 April 2025 17:48

Analysis: Ukraine has learned to let Putin show the US who he is

World editor Sam Kiley reports that Ukraine has worked out how to manage the US:

The US position has been a cigarette paper's breadth from the Kremlin's views throughout the last two months of shuttling between Kyiv, Moscow, Washington and London.

Ukraine has learned not to antagonise Trump.

Ukraine has agreed to let Russian warships return to the Black Sea
Ukraine has agreed to let Russian warships return to the Black Sea (REUTERS)

Volodymyr Zelensky has trapped the US into seeing an equivalence between Russia and Ukraine over ceasefire talks by accepting unacceptable conditions like ending attacks on Russia's energy networks and letting the Kremlin return its warships to the Black Sea - sure in the knowledge that Putin can't bring himself to cease ire even with the fulsome US backing he's enjoyed this year.

Sam Kiley23 April 2025 18:01

Russia adds 21 British parliamentarians to 'banned' list

The Kremlin has added 21 British parliamentarians to its list of UK nationals banned from entering Russia.

In a statement on Wednesday, Russia’s foreign ministry said the lawmakers had made "hostile statements and unfounded accusations" against Moscow.

The list of newly banned parliamentarians includes six members of the House of Lords and 15 MPs, including members from the Labour Party, the Liberal Democrats, the SNP and the Northern Irish Democratic Unionist Party.

Moscow maintains a long list of foreign nationals including business people, journalists and public figures who are barred from entering Russia, mostly from countries the Kremlin has officially declared as “unfriendly”.

Russia has added 21 British lawmakers to a list of people banned from entering the country
Russia has added 21 British lawmakers to a list of people banned from entering the country (PA Wire)
Rachel Clun, Reuters23 April 2025 19:02

Witkoff expected to meet Putin on Friday - reports

Donald Trump's envoy, Steve Witkoff, is expected to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday, Axios reporter Barak Ravid said on social media on Wednesday, citing an American official.

Witkoff has previously held three long meetings with Putin on prospects for an end to the war in Ukraine and will visit Moscow this week for a new round of talks, the White House said earlier.

(AP)
Athena Stavrou23 April 2025 19:30

Reeves: Britain must work 'more closely than ever' with EU to shore up security

Our Political Correspondent Millie Cooke reports:

Working people across Britain and Europe are depending on us to shore up their security, Rachel Reeves told her fellow European finance ministers at a meeting in Washington today, urging allies to "work together more closely than ever".

The chancellor said closer cooperation is needed to "mobilise our collective resources to protect our shared security and prosperity".

“The world has changed and the UK and its European allies must step up and meet the moment", Ms Reeves said.

“Merely increasing spending is not enough. In an uncertain and changing world we must be strategic in where and how we invest – to secure our industrial future, meet our NATO commitments, and deliver the security for working people that supports our Plan for Change.”

Athena Stavrou23 April 2025 19:41

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