Ukraine-Russia war latest: US ‘on brink’ of rare earth minerals deal with Kyiv on third anniversary of war

Only one month after Donald Trump’s return to the White Home, the US president has thrown no matter hopes Kyiv had for future American support into chaos.

Within the final week alone he has launched repeated assaults on Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, falsely branding him a “dictator” and wrongly accusing Ukraine of “beginning” the struggle.

And so Ukraine now finds itself fighting a war on two fronts: the grind in opposition to the Russian invaders to the east, and the battle to maintain Mr Trump on aspect to the west.

Right here, The Impartial seems on the very actual prices of three years of struggle in Europe – financially, militarily and on the lives of the women and men who proceed to struggle for his or her freedom.

Alicja Hagopian and Tom Watling report:

Political correspondent Archie Mitchell stories:

Sir Keir Starmer has repeated his requires Donald Trump to offer a “backstop” to maintain the peace in Ukraine when Vladimir Putin’s invasion involves an finish.

Talking to world leaders on a name to mark the third anniversary of the full-scale struggle, the prime minister received applause from different delegates for promising to “at all times stand with Ukraine and our allies in opposition to this aggression”.

“If Ukraine fails, Europe shall be subsequent, and that’s what is at stake right here,” Sir Keir warned, repeating the phrases stated to him by an injured soldier in Kyiv.

However, piling stress on Mr Trump to play a long-lasting function in any peace deal, Sir Keir stated: “The UK is prepared and prepared to help this with troops on the bottom, with different Europeans, and with the correct circumstances in place, and finally, a US backstop shall be very important to discourage Russia from launching one other invasion in just some years time.”

Mr Trump has beforehand dominated out enjoying an ongoing function within the defence of Ukraine, urging European allies to do extra to guard the continent themselves.

There was a stark distinction between the messages to Donald Trump introduced by Canada’s Justin Trudeau and UK PM Sir Keir Starmer to the Assist Ukraine 2025 Summit.

Addressing gathered delegates in individual and on-line, who included Ukrainian PM Volodymyr Zelensky, Mr Trudeau opened his remarks with a stark rebuke to the US president, who has accused the Ukrainian of being a dictator and having began the struggle.

The Canadian PM stated: “Thanks Volodymyr, on your brave management because the duly elected democratic chief of this nice nation.

“Allow us to be frank, you and the Ukrainian individuals ought to by no means have needed to endure even a single day of this unjustified brutal struggle… this isn’t a battle Ukraine needed, provoked or requested for.”

Sir Keir in contrast took a way more diplomatic method together with his speech, refusing to criticise Mr Trump for his current outbursts in opposition to Mr Zelensky, and utilizing it to name for the People to offer a “backstop” to ensure any peace settlement between Ukraine and Russia.

Political correspondent Archie Mitchell stories:

“And that could be a matter that little question shall be thought-about on the level at which the battle in Ukraine has been concluded. And we have to get to that time as rapidly as we presumably can,” Mr Jarvis advised Instances Radio.

Sir Keir Starmer has promised a contemporary spherical of sweeping sanctions on Russia on the third anniversary of its invasion of Ukraine.

The UK and its allies should “maintain dialling up the financial stress to get Putin to some extent the place he’s prepared not simply to speak, however to make concessions” Sir Keir stated in a distant tackle to a gathering of Ukraine’s allies in Kyiv.

Sir Keir stated he would encourage G7 counterparts to tackle bigger threat in relation to the oil value cap, sanctioning Russian oil giants and going after banks that allow sanctions evasion.

Keir Starmer is in diplomacy mode once more, as he offers a digital tackle on the assembly of Ukraine’s allies in Kyiv.

He didn’t comply with Trudeau in stressing that Zelensky is democratically elected.

“President Trump has modified the worldwide dialog over the previous couple of weeks, and it has created a chance,” Sir Keir stated.

“Now we should get the basics proper on this planet if we would like peace to endure, Ukraine will need to have a seat on the desk, and any settlement have to be based mostly on a sovereign Ukraine backed up with robust safety ensures.”

However Sir Keir did say a US backstop “shall be very important” to maintain the peace, one thing Trump has stated no to.

And he repeated a warning from a soldier he visited in a burns unit in Kyiv: “If Ukraine fails, Europe shall be subsequent, that’s what is at stake right here.”

UN secretary common Antonio Guterres has referred to as on nations to “spare no effort” in bringing an finish to the struggle in Ukraine.

We should “obtain a simply and lasting peace according to the UN Constitution, worldwide legislation and Normal Meeting resolutions,” he advised the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva.

His remarks come forward of a UN showdown on Ukraine afterward Monday in New York, with the US urging the Normal Meeting to help its decision which it says is concentrated on ending the struggle and pits it in opposition to a rival textual content by Ukraine and European allies.

The movement contains the UN demand that Russia withdraw its troops and halt hostilities.

Washington left its seat on the human rights council empty on Monday, according to U.S. President Donald Trump’s determination to disengage from the physique which is the one intergovernmental organisation designed to guard human rights.

13-year-old Liza watched on as her dwelling was destroyed by a Russian warplane through the liberation of her hometown in September 2022.

“I used to be pleased, I had my pleased childhood, and it by no means got here again.”

Learn 15-year-old Liza and 12-year-old Oleksandr’s tales:

Russian president Vladimir Putin spoke with Chinese language president Xi Jinping by cellphone on the third anniversary of the invasion of Ukraine.

Putin briefed Mr Xi on current contacts between Russia and the US in Saudi Arabia final week, the Kremlin stated, the place Moscow says they agreed with the White Home to begin work on restoring bilateral ties and making ready for Ukraine peace talks.

Mr Xi expressed his help for the dialogue between Moscow and Washington and stated China was prepared to assist discover a peace settlement in Ukraine, the Kremlin added.

It’s the second name the leaders have held this 12 months. Because the struggle started in February 2022, Beijing has refused to sentence Moscow for its invasion.