Ukraine-Russia war latest: Kyiv ‘pushes Russian forces back’ hours after Putin asks Trump for Donetsk surrender

Russian Overseas Minister Sergei Lavrov held calls on Saturday together with his Turkish and Hungarian counterparts, the Russian overseas ministry mentioned, hours after a summit between the US and Russian presidents yielded no deal on ending the struggle in Ukraine.

The telephone name between Lavrov and Turkish Overseas Minister Hakan Fidan passed off at Turkey’s initiative, the Russian overseas ministry mentioned in an announcement on its web site.

“The overseas ministers exchanged views on the outcomes of the high-level Russia–U.S. assembly held in Alaska on August 15,” the ministry mentioned.

Turkey has tried to maintain diplomatic channels open to either side in the course of the struggle, appearing as a Nato member, a accomplice for each Russia and Ukraine, and a possible mediator.

Lavrov additionally held a name with Hungarian Overseas Minister Peter Szijjarto, the Russian overseas ministry mentioned, through which “the events mentioned points associated to the Ukrainian disaster within the context of the outcomes of the Russia–US summit.”

Hungary has maintained shut ties with Russia all through the struggle, usually opposing EU sanctions and persevering with power cooperation with Moscow, and drawing criticism from Western allies of Kyiv.

European officers will determine this weekend whether or not Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky might be accompanied on a go to to Washington to fulfill Donald Trump on Monday, German Overseas Minister Johann Wadephul has mentioned.

Requested whether or not German Chancellor Friedrich Merz may accompany Zelensky to Washington, Wadephul mentioned loads of Europeans could be keen to journey with the Ukrainian president if that call have been taken.

“That’ll be agreed this weekend, and Friedrich Merz’s willingness to imagine accountability is obvious; he has demonstrated this very clearly in the previous couple of days. This might be mentioned collectively,” Wadephul instructed German broadcaster ARD.

Sir Keir Starmer will communicate to Western allies on Sunday forward of Volodymyr Zelensky’s White Home assembly with Donald Trump.

The Prime Minister, France’s Emmanuel Macron and Germany’s Friedrich Merz will host the assembly of the coalition of the keen on Sunday afternoon.

The coalition of the keen, made up of 30-plus nations, is ready to discourage Russian aggression by placing troops on the bottom in Ukraine as soon as the struggle is over.

The assembly, which is anticipated to happen at roughly 2pm UK time, comes on the heels of Mr Trump’s summit in Alaska together with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.

President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Russia of ignoring repeated worldwide appeals for a ceasefire, warning that Moscow “has not but decided when it’ll cease the killing”.

He mentioned the shortage of willingness to halt strikes makes the state of affairs harder and raises questions over Russia’s dedication to “peaceable coexistence with its neighbours for many years”.

“Stopping the killing is a key ingredient of stopping the struggle,” Mr Zelensky wrote on X.

The Ukrainian chief mentioned he had spent the day coordinating with worldwide companions and would maintain additional calls on Sunday.

He confirmed preparations have been underway for Monday’s assembly with US President Donald Trump, thanking Washington for the invitation and stressing the necessity for dialogue “on the degree of leaders”.

Mr Zelensky additionally welcomed a joint assertion from Nordic-Baltic nations and praised their “very important help”, including that “the unity of all strengthens each”.

Vladimir Putin has been “rewarded” for his invasion of Ukraine with Donald Trump’s summit in Alaska, main consultants have warned.

Orysia Lutsevych, deputy director of the Russia and Eurasia programme and head of the Ukraine discussion board on the Chatham Home assume tank, mentioned: “After six bilateral Trump-Putin telephone calls, 5 journeys of Trump’s envoy (Steve) Witkoff to Moscow, the Alaska summit, watched globally with a lot anticipation and anxiousness, failed to supply any tangible end result to cease Russian aggression towards Ukraine.

“Russia has acquired a reward for its invasion.

“Trump known as Russia a ‘nice nation’ and mentioned there’s sturdy mutual understanding between the 2 events.

“This represents an extra fissure within the already shaky Transatlantic alliance, the rupture of which is a major Russian purpose.

“The Alaska summit represents one other step in the direction of this objective.”

Keir Giles, an affiliate fellow of the Russia and Eurasia programme at Chatham Home, in the meantime, steered there have been “two risks” which may emerge from the summit.

The primary is that Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky could now be perceived by Mr Trump as a “softer goal the place he’s extra keen to exert leverage”, and that the US president may “as soon as once more attempt to strongarm Zelensky into compromising the way forward for his nation”.

The second hazard is that European leaders “may as soon as once more assume the quick hazard has handed” and grow to be complacent, after their scramble to talk to Mr Trump forward of the summit.

Olga Tokariuk, Fellow in Democratic Resilience on the Middle for European Coverage Evaluation, mentioned the Alaska assembly between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin provided “excellent news and dangerous information” for Ukraine – however finally handed Moscow a propaganda victory.

“The excellent news is that apparently no deal that might drive Ukraine to capitulate or make main concessions was agreed,” she mentioned.

“One other piece of fine information is {that a} letter from Melania Trump was handed over to Putin, elevating the problem of Ukrainian youngsters illegally deported by Russia — against the law Putin was indicted for by the ICC.”

However she warned the optics have been damaging. “The dangerous information is that Putin was given a five-star therapy by the US president Donald Trump… All these particulars and pictures are a transparent propaganda win for Russia and are shared with delight within the Russian media. For Ukrainians, it was disheartening to observe Putin… being given such preferential therapy by the US.”

She added: “Putin had no intention to surrender on his maximalist calls for… Undoubtedly, Putin is getting back from Alaska much more satisfied that he can get away with every little thing.”

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has welcomed what he mentioned was US openness to offering safety ensures to Ukraine below a peace deal to finish Russia’s struggle towards Kyiv.

“Strong and credible safety ensures are important to any simply and lasting peace. I welcome the openness of the USA to offering safety ensures as a part of Coalition of the Prepared’s efforts,” Carney mentioned in an announcement.

“The management of President Trump and the USA is creating the chance to finish Russia’s unlawful struggle in Ukraine.”

Our World Affairs Editor Sam Kiley studies: