Russia-Ukraine war news live: Starmer warns Putin ‘not to play games’ as he hosts world leaders for ‘coalition of the willing’

Round 25 international locations are set to hitch a gathering hosted by Sir Keir Starmer to debate a peacekeeping drive for Ukraine.

World leaders from international locations together with Britain, France, Australia and Canada will nearly meet on Saturday – however it’s nonetheless unclear if one chief, Italy’s Giorgia Meloni, will be a part of.

The Italian prime minister has been crucial of proposals to ship troops to Ukraine to implement any peace deal made with Russia.

Studies earlier this week steered she would shun Saturday’s assembly of the ‘coalition of the keen’, with sources telling The Telegraph that she is “not satisfied” by the plans.

Forward of the assembly on Saturday Giangiacomo Calovini, an MP from the ruling get together in Italy, was unable to say whether or not she would participate in Saturday’s name.

We’ll replace you as quickly as we all know whether or not Ms Meloni might be collaborating within the morning.

Russian troops have recaptured the villages of Rubanshchina and Zaoleshenka in its western Kursk area, the Defence Ministry stated on Saturday.

Russia has accelerated a push to drive Ukrainian forces out of Kursk, the place they took management of about 100 settlements in a shock incursion into Russian territory final August.

After humiliating Zelensky into submission, Trump briefly put the ball into Putin’s court docket to just accept a ceasefire, writes Jon Sopel. However the US president is just not the grasp strategist he likes to suppose he’s – and now has a crunch choice to make about what comes subsequent.

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Sir Keir Starmer is making ready to host a digital summit of round 25 international locations on Saturday to debate a peacekeeping drive for Ukraine.

The international locations within the “coalition of the keen”, which embody Britain, France, Australia and Canada, will talk about assist Kyiv deter future Russian aggression within the occasion of any peace deal.

The assembly will have a look at how international locations plan to contribute to the coalition of the keen, forward of a navy planning session subsequent week.

Throughout his assembly, Sir Keir will name on Western leaders to make “concrete commitments”, together with to ramp up financial stress in addition to navy assist to Ukraine to defend itself in opposition to growing Russian assaults.

Some Ukrainians have been left with out energy after Russia focused vitality services in in a single day airstrikes.

Ukraine’s largest personal vitality supplier stated on Saturday its vitality services within the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas had been broken by the strikes.

In an announcement, DTEK stated “damages are vital” and that some shoppers in each areas had been left with out energy.

Giangiacomo Calovini, an MP from the ruling get together in Italy, was unable to say whether or not Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni would participate in Saturday’s name with the “coalition of the keen”.

He stated: “I believe there’s a dialogue about it and I believe a couple of hours in the past there’s some contact between your Prime Minister and Giorgia Meloni as a result of they’re speaking and attempting to know, which is the issue of the assembly of as we speak.”

He added: “Our place now could be that if the assembly is just to speak concerning the troops in Ukraine, it isn’t vital now.

“It doesn’t imply we don’t ship our troops (to) Ukraine, however we expect it’s too early to speak about this subject.”

Sir Keir Starmer has warned Putin to not “play video games” as he accused the Kremlin of getting “full disregard” for 30-day ceasefire proposals put by the US.

Sir Keir warned: “We are able to’t permit President Putin to play video games with President Trump’s deal.

“The Kremlin’s full disregard for President Trump’s ceasefire proposal solely serves to display that Putin is just not severe about peace.”

Sir Keir added: “Putin is attempting to delay, saying there have to be a painstaking examine earlier than a ceasefire can happen, however the world must see motion, not a examine or empty phrases and pointless situations.

“My message to the Kremlin couldn’t be clearer: cease the barbaric assaults on Ukraine, as soon as and for all, and conform to a ceasefire now. Till then we are going to preserve working across the clock to ship peace.”

Italy would need a “clear UN mandate” earlier than committing troops to a peacekeeping mission in Ukraine, a member of Italy’s ruling get together has stated.

Giangiacomo Calovini, an MP from the ruling Brothers of Italy get together and a member of the Italian parliament’s international affairs committee, informed BBC Radio 4’s At present programme his nation was not against peacekeeping operations.

He stated: “Completely we aren’t in opposition to sending Italian troops to assist a inhabitants, however I believe at this second in all probability there aren’t any troops which are in a position to clear up the issue in Ukraine.

“We are able to solely ship troops if there’s a clear UN mandate and for now, that is not possible.”

He added: “I believe it’s too early and we’ve to attend for it. After a choice from UN headquarters, there isn’t any downside for Italy, however now it’s actually, actually too early for us.”

Mikhail Kasyanov, Vladimir Putin’s first prime minister and now an opponent of the Russian president, stated Moscow was solely considering a conditional ceasefire.

He informed BBC Radio 4’s At present programme: “He rejected this proposal for an unconditional ceasefire, he needs conditional, he needs a ceasefire on his phrases.”

Requested whether or not Mr Putin would settle for peacekeepers, Mr Kasyanov stated: “I don’t imagine this, however he might settle for – if his phrases and situations are accepted, for example the cease of navy provides (from the West) – he might agree to simply Indians and Brazilians and different pleasant international locations, troops from these international locations however not from Nato nations or from Europe in any respect.”

He added that Western sanctions had been having an impact on Russia’s financial system, and would worsen by the tip of the yr, saying: “By the tip of the yr, he might be a distinct Putin and could be extra keen to barter.”