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Watch in full as Vladimir Putin speaks after Sir Keir Starmer accused Russia of “playing games” with peace and delaying a ceasefire in Ukraine.The Russian president addressed the International Arctic Forum in Murmansk, a city in northwest Russia.It came after the British prime minister argued that Putin must be given a deadline to make progress on a Ukraine ceasefire, as he met with European allies.Sir Keir accused Putin of “playing games” and attempting to drag the Donald Trump-initiated process out to allow his forces time to continue their assaults on Ukraine.The PM also vowed that now was not the time to lift sanctions on Russia.Following talks in Paris, Sir Keir said leaders from the UK, France and Germany would travel to Ukraine for talks with Kyiv’s military chiefs to discuss plans for a force to deter Putin from attacking again if there is a deal to bring the war to an end. More

Your support helps us to tell the storyFrom reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.Your support makes all the difference.Read moreRussia has hit out at Sir Keir Starmer’s plan for British troops to form part of a peacekeeping force in Ukraine, saying it would amount to direct involvement in the war.The prime minister, along with Emmanuel Macron, has been seeking to build a “coalition of the willing” to enforce any potential deal.But Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said troops on its border would amount to the “direct, official and unveiled involvement of Nato members in the war against Russia”, adding: “It can’t be allowed.”Britain has signed a deal with an Anglo-American security firm to provide Ukraine with more advanced attack drones – in contrast to Donald Trump’s White House which has paused supplies of US military aid and intelligence-sharing.“The fighting is going on and it’s a big mistake to think that, well all we’ve got to do is wait for a deal now,” the prime minister said. “We’ve got to make sure that if they are fighting on they’re in the strongest position and even if they go into negotiation that they’re in the strongest position.”It came as defence secretary John Healey held talks last night with US counterpart Pete Hegseth. Mr Healey said he was “fixed” on seizing the opportunity for securing peace with Volodymyr Zelensky confirming Ukraine and the US will hold talks to end the war in Saudi Arabia next week.Mr Healey said: “It’s the detail of those discussions which are rightly behind the scenes that the defence secretary and I will now pursue.”Mr Hegseth, meanwhile, dismissed as “garbage” accusations that Washington had taken a pro-Russia stance. “The press is interested in narratives. Our president is interested in peace,” he said. He also reiterated that the arms supply freeze to Ukraine was temporary.Britain’s agreement with Anduril will see cutting-edge Altius 600m and Altius 700m systems – designed to monitor an area before striking targets that enter it – being supplied to Kyiv to help tackle Russian aggression in the Black Sea. The new contracts total nearly £30m and are backed by the International Fund for Ukraine, the Ministry of Defence said.It comes amid concerns that the US move to halt intelligence-sharing with Ukraine will affect the country’s ability to use Western weaponry and deprive it of advanced information about incoming threats.In Brussels, European Union leaders met Mr Zelensky for talks about support for Ukraine and increased defence spending.The Ukrainian president thanked European leaders for their support, saying: “We are very thankful that we are not alone. These are not just words, we feel it.”Leaders also agreed a £670bn defence package for the European Union as it grapples with the prospect of Mr Trump reducing security assistance for Europe.European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said it was a “watershed moment”, adding: “Europe faces a clear and present danger and therefore Europe has to be able to protect itself, to defend itself as we have to put Ukraine in a position to protect itself and to push for a lasting and just peace.”Moscow said President Macron’s offer of peacekeeping troops was “extremely confrontational”.“Unlike their predecessors, who also wanted to fight against Russia, Napoleon, Hitler … Mr Macron does not act very gracefully, because at least they said it bluntly: ‘We must conquer Russia, we must defeat Russia.’”Former president Dmitry Medvedev mocked him on social media, calling him “Micron” and saying he “poses no big threat”.“He’ll disappear forever no later than May 14, 2027. And he won’t be missed,” Mr Medvedev wrote.And Mr Trump’s special envoy to Ukraine and Russia, retired Lt Gen Keith Kellogg, said the suspension of military help to Mr Zelensky is already having an impact, adding that the Ukrainians “brought it on themselves”.“The best way I can describe it is sort of like hitting a mule with a two-by-four across the nose,” Mr Kellogg said at an event at the Council on Foreign Relations. “You got their attention.” More

Your support helps us to tell the storyFrom reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.Your support makes all the difference.Read moreOfficials in Donald Trump’s administration have made public demands that Ukraine should change its president. In private, lobbyists have worked to make the case for soft regime change in Kyiv in meetings with journalists and diplomats across Europe.They may believe they’re working to ‘Make America Great Again’ but they are nonetheless following a Kremlin playbook to delegitimize Volodymyr Zelensky.The effort may come to a head if President Zelensky returns to Washington to “make it right” with the US president following the breakdown of relations last week.The collapse of the bilateral relationship immediately led to the American suspension of military aid to Ukraine and a “pause” in vital intelligence sharing – a massive boost to the Russian war effort at a time when the Kremlin’s forces have been stalling.Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky clashed in the Oval Office More

Your support helps us to tell the storyFrom reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.Your support makes all the difference.Read moreVolodymyr Zelensky has bowed to intense pressure from Donald Trump after the US suspended military aid to Kyiv, meaning Ukraine will run out of vital long-range defence missiles within days.He called the pair’s explosive White House meeting “regrettable” and pledged to enter peace talks as he desperately tried to salvage the perilous situation facing his armed forces.Mr Zelensky also proposed a possible peace plan to end the war, including the release of prisoners and a ban on missiles and drones, and said he would sign a deal giving the US access to Ukraine’s mineral wealth.The move came just hours after the US announced it was “pausing and reviewing” military aid to the country, with sources telling The Independent that Ukraine’s supplies of US Patriot missiles could leave it unable to defend itself in a matter of days.Mr Trump’s decision to pause aid came after he strongly criticised Mr Zelensky for suggesting peace was still “very, very, far away”.“Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible to bring lasting peace closer,” said Mr Zelensky in his message on X on Tuesday. “My team and I stand ready to work under President Trump’s strong leadership to get a peace that lasts.”He offered options for a truce while committing to signing the minerals deals wanted by the US in exchange for aid. Zelensky has described last week’s meeting with Trump as ‘regrettable’ More

Your support helps us to tell the storyFrom reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.Your support makes all the difference.Read moreEmmanuel Macron has said that France and Britain are proposing a limited month-long ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia “in the air, at sea and on energy infrastructure”.But Kyiv has raised reservations about any end to the fighting without security guarantees for the country against any further aggression from Vladimir Putin.Speaking more cautiously, Britain said there were several possible proposals on the table for a possible Ukraine ceasefire. European countries, led by Britain and France, are looking at options for a peace proposal including Ukraine after last week’s Oval Office rupture between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.”There are clearly a number of options on the table,” Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s spokesman said. “I’m just not getting into a running commentary on the options.”In an interview given on his way to the summit, Mr Macron raised the possibility of a one-month ceasefire, although so far there has been no public endorsement from other allies.”Such a truce on air, sea and energy infrastructure would allow us to determine whether Russian President Vladimir Putin is acting in good faith when he commits to a truce,” French foreign minister Jean-Noel Barrot said on Monday. “And that’s when real peace negotiations could start.”European ground troops would only be deployed to Ukraine in a second phase, Mr Macron said in the interview published in Le Figaro.Mr Starmer hosted a summit of European leaders in London on Sunday and said European leaders had agreed to draw up a Ukraine peace plan to present to the United States.Mr Zelensky, asked if he was aware of the plan mentioned by Macron, told reporters in London: “I’m aware of everything.”Keir Starmer hosts European leaders for talks on peace in Ukraine, 2 March 2025 More