Ukraine-Russia war latest: Putin U-turns on Zelensky peace talks with Trump pushing for deal ‘this week’
Russia has resumed its brutal aerial attack on Ukraine after claiming it ‘strictly observed’ Easter ceasefire
Russian president Vladimir Putin has for the first time proposed direct peace talks with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky.
Mr Putin has previously claimed he would only negotiate peace with Ukraine if the country held elections to form a new government, having repeatedly made false claims that Mr Zelensky is an illegitimate leader despite his election in 2019.
The Russian autocrat has suggested face-to-face talks for the first time since Russia’s invasion in February 2022, with Donald Trump’s efforts to broker a quick ceasefire deal have failed to bear fruit.
Mr Trump said Russia and Ukraine can do “big business” with Washington if they reach a deal. "Hopefully Russia and Ukraine will make a deal this week," the US president wrote on Truth Social over the weekend.
It comes as representatives from Ukraine, the UK, France and the US were set to meet in London on Wednesday to continue talks on a potential ceasefire.
While Mr Zelensky did not directly respond to Mr Putin’s proposal, he emphasised in his nightly video address that Ukraine "was ready for any conversation" that would stop strikes on civilians.
“Actions always speak louder than words,” he posted on X.
Zelensky accuses Russia of breaking Putin’s ‘truce’ as Ukrainians gather together to mark Easter
Starmer backs Ukraine ceasefire call as Russia’s ‘Easter truce’ ends
Russian attacks during Easter ceasefire declared by Putin killed 3 in Ukraine's Kherson region
How Ukraine’s 2.5-bn-year-old rock deposit became central to helping stop Russia
Kremlin considers reviving plans for new Trump Tower in Moscow
Russian officials are considering reviving plans for a Trump Tower in Moscow to help boost relations with Donald Trump, the Moscow Times reported on April 21.
Kremlin officials considered proposing a “big deal” reportedly including a 150-storey skyscraper, which would involve Mr Trump attending the ceremony in Moscow, the Kyiv Independent reported.
Since Mr Trump’s election, Russian officials and companies have been tasked with developing proposals to resume cooperation with Washington. Rosneft, Rosatom and Polyus Gold, all Russian companies currently under US sanctions, have been involved in the plans to persuade Mr Trump to cooperate with Russia.
UK and New Zealand to pursue stronger defence ties and boost support for Ukraine
Sir Keir Starmer will aim to strengthen the UK’s defence ties with New Zealand as he hosts the country’s prime minister on Tuesday.
The Prime Minister and his counterpart, Christopher Luxon, are expected to visit a military base to see British and New Zealand personnel train Ukrainian troops as part of the UK’s Operation Interflex.
More than 54,000 Ukrainians have already received training under Operation Interflex, and Mr Luxon is expected to confirm on Tuesday that New Zealand will extend its support for the programme to the end of the year.
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UK and New Zealand to pursue stronger defence ties and boost support for Ukraine
Russian hybrid attacks on Europe increasing, says Dutch intelligence
Russia is increasing its hybrid attacks on European countries, Dutch military intelligence has said.
Hackers in Russia have already targeted the Dutch public service, the MIVD agency added.
"The conflict in the grey zone between war and peace has become a reality. More and more, state actors try to undermine our society with hybrid attacks. Russia especially... is increasingly prepared to take risks," MIVD director Peter Reesink said in the agency's annual report.
MIVD detected for the first time an attack by Russian hackers against the digital operating system of an unspecified Dutch public service last year. It also found a Russian cyber operation against critical infrastructure in the Netherlands, possibly as preparation for sabotage.
Hybrid threats span from physical sabotage of critical infrastructure to disinformation campaigns.
Donald Trump pushes for Russia-Ukraine peace deal 'next week' - ICYMI
Russia and Ukraine will “hopefully” reach a peace deal this week, Donald Trump said over the weekend, promising “big business” with the US if they succeed.
Taking to Truth Social, the US president made the comments shortly after threatening to pull US support from the peace process altogether if Kyiv or Moscow stalled negotiations.
"Hopefully Russia and Ukraine will make a deal this week," Mr Trump wrote on Sunday.
"Both will then start to do big business with the United States of America, which is thriving, and make a fortune."
Talks will only go ahead if obstacles removed, says Kremlin
There are no concrete plans for talks between Russia and Ukraine, but such contacts are possible if Kyiv removes certain obstacles to peace, the Kremlin has said.
Moscow has repeatedly said it will only engage in talks when some of its demands are met - but Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov did not specify which obstacles Russia was referring to.
Russian forces take village in eastern Donetsk region, says Defence Ministry
Russia's Defence Ministry said on Tuesday that its forces had taken the village of Sukha Balka in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk region.
Authoritative Ukrainian online battlefield map DeepState shows that Russian forces were advancing on - and entering in parts - the village as of Monday.
In pictures: Residents clean up in Odesa after Russian strikes
Ukrainian gas company loses nearly 50% production due to Russian attacks
Ukrgasvydobuvannya, Ukraine's largest gas producer and part of the state Naftogaz Group, lost nearly 50 per cent of its gas production last winter due to Russina attacks, the company reported on Monday.
Moscow’s forces attacked 34 facilities belonging to the country as part of a wideapread policy of destroying Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.
Since Kyiv and Moscow agree with US president Donald Trump to halt such attacks, both sides have accused the other of breaching the moratorium.
The company raised more than five billion Ukrainian hryvnia (£91.2 million) in donor aid to avoid collapse, the Kyiv Independent reported.
Pensioner killed and 22 injured in Russian attack on Zaporizhzhia
Russia killed at least one person and injured at least 22, including three children, in an attack on the southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia on Tuesday, the region’s governor said.
The city was attacked at around 11:40am (09:40am BST) with two KAB bombs, one of which hit a multi-storey residential building, governor Ivan Fedorov said.
A 69-year-old woman was killed in the attack, which set cars ablaze and caused significant damage to the residential building.
Zaporizhzhia, which lies near the frontline with Russia, is regularly targeted by Russian forces, which use the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant - the biggest in Europe - as a screen from which to shell the nearby city.
'Humbling' to see training of Ukrainian troops by British forces - Starmer
Sir Keir Starmer has said it is “incredibly humbling” to see the training being provided by British personnel and other allies to Ukrainian troops.
Addressing personnel taking part in Operation Interflex alongside New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon on Tuesday, Sir Keir said: “This is the second time I’ve come to see this training for the frontline in Ukraine, and just as with the first time, I find it incredibly humbling to see the training that is being done here.”
Interflex is the British-led operation to train and support Ukraine’s armed forces.
“The number of countries that are coming together – including obviously, United Kingdom, New Zealand, Australia – many other countries here coming together to do vital training with our Ukrainian friends and colleagues and allies,” Sir Keir added.
“It’s really humbling, it’s incredibly professional. It could not be more important three years into this conflict, and it’s so important in terms of the training that’s being done.”
He said that he had seen training work on clearing mines, and reflected on a recent visit to Ukraine adding: “Only a few weeks ago, I was in Kyiv – I was in the burns unit of a major hospital in Kyiv – and I saw some of those returning from the front line who got blast injuries.”
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