Category Archives: Russia

Zelenskyy Shares Hopeful Message Ahead Of Trump Meeting To End War With Russia

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy shared an optimistic message on social media ahead of his Sunday meeting with President Donald Trump, in which the pair will work to make progress on a peace plan before the new year after weeks of intense discussions.

In a lengthy X post, Zelenskyy said that the chance for peace between Ukraine and Russia hinges on his country’s allies and “those who put pressure on Russia.”

“These are some of the most active diplomatic days of the year right now, and a lot can be decided before the New Year,” he wrote. “We are doing everything toward this, but whether decisions will be made depends on our partners – those who help Ukraine, and those who put pressure on Russia so that Russians feel the consequences of their own aggression.”

Zelenskyy went on to note that this week alone, Russia “launched over 2,100 attack drones, around 800 guided aerial bombs, and 94 missiles of various types” that were “directed against our people, against life itself” and “above all, against our energy infrastructure.”

On Saturday, Russia ramped up its attacks on Ukraine days ahead of Zelenskyy and Trump’s meeting at Mar-a-Lago, unleashing multiple strikes on Ukraine, which left at least one person dead and several others injured.

Zelenskyy said that “repair crews, energy workers, and first responders” are “working literally 24/7 to protect lives and restore power supply,” but noted that “it is just as important that sanctions against Russia work, that all forms of political pressure for its aggression are applied, that Ukraine receives air defense missiles, and that we all finalise the formats of steps that will end this war and guarantee security.”

Wrapping up his message, the Ukrainian president added, “These are exactly the steps we will be discussing with our partners today. Thank you to everyone who is helping.”

In November, Trump approved a 28-point peace plan to end the Russia-Ukraine war. The plan, which calls on Ukraine to cede territory and has been viewed as significantly more favorable to Russia, initially sparked pushback from Kyiv and Europe leaders.

On Sunday, Trump said in a Truth Social post that he “just had a good and very productive telephone call with President Putin of Russia prior to” his meeting with Zelenskyy.

Meanwhile, just days before, Trump threw cold water on Zelenskyy’s optimism about the meeting, telling Politico in a story published on Friday, that the Ukrainian president “doesn’t have anything until I approve it.”

The right-wing leader added, “So we’ll see what he’s got.”

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Putin’s Top Diplomat Revives One Of Russia’s Most Toxic Claims – And Turns It Against The UK

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Vladimir Putin’s top diplomat has attacked Europe once again as Ukraine’s allies make grinding progress with US-brokered peace talks.

Russia’s foreign minister Sergei Lavrov accused the UK, France, Belgium and the Baltic States of “resurrecting” Nazism in a fresh takedown of the continent.

Putin justified his invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 by falsely claiming the country needed to be “denazified” and “demilitarised”.

Almost four years later, that excuse has returned – but is now being levelled at Ukraine’s allies, all while they are trying to negotiate a peace deal.

Europe has tried to water down Donald Trump’s pro-Kremlin peace plan so it does not end up sacrificing too much of Ukraine’s sovereignty, or rewarding Putin for his aggression.

These efforts have, unsurprisingly, not been welcomed in the Kremlin.

Russia has long criticised Ukraine’s allies for supporting the beleaguered country throughout the war.

Putin has also been dragging his feet in early peace talks, refusing to compromise on any of his maximalist goals.

Speaking to Iranian broadcasters on Monday – hours after European leaders held crunch talks over the Ukraine war – senior Putin aide Lavrov attacked the continent yet again.

Without any evidence, he said: “The saddest and the most hazardous thing is that the theory and practices of Nazism are being resurrected in Europe, primarily in Brussels but also in Berlin, London, Paris, not to mention the Baltic States.”

He also claimed: “Europe is waging a war with us once again with Ukrainians under a Nazi flag, using European money, instructors and all Western intelligence and reconnaissance data while Europe is pumping Ukraine with increasingly more modern weapons.”

Russia started the war by invading Ukraine in a land grab and now controls a fifth of its land.

Western leaders have repeatedly expressed fears that if Russia were permitted to seize Ukrainian land, Putin would come back for territory and eat into Europe.

Lavrov then appeared to wipe out Ukraine’s history altogether.

He said: “Another threat consists of cancelling everything Russian in territories which used to be inhabited by Russians for many centuries and which had a Russian culture and history but happened to become part of Ukraine.”

He also alleged: “Europe is like a failed doctor who struggles to diagnose his patients and opts for randomly prescribing pills or mixtures to ease the symptoms, if only for a brief moment.

“These Europeans doctors have been unwilling to come up with a diagnosis.”

Russia is yet to respond officially to the new proposals from Europe around ending the war – but Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov suggested Moscow remained unwilling to compromise.

He said: “We want to stop this war, achieve our goals, secure our interests, and guarantee peace in Europe for the future. That’s what we want.”

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Moscow Threatens British Soldiers In Ukraine While Nato Chief Warns: ‘We Are Russia’s Next Target’

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Russia has warned that any foreign troops in Ukraine are “legitimate targets” following the death of a British soldier.

The UK’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced on Wednesday that Lance Corporal George Hooley had died in a “tragic accident” this week.

He was observing Ukrainian forces testing a new defensive capability away from the frontline.

His death marks the first time a British soldier has been killed within Ukraine since the war began in February 2022.

The government praised him for being an “exceptional soldier who will be very deeply missed”.

The UK has revealed little information about what its military personnel are doing in Ukraine, partly to avoid giving Russia material for its propaganda.

But after Hooley’s tragic death was confirmed, Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Moscow would regard any foreign military contingents in Ukraine as “legitimate targets”.

She also demanded the UK reveal what its troops are doing in Ukraine, saying: “Let the UK government not lie to its subjects.

“Don’t lie about those who are being sent there from the United Kingdom. Those who are sent there, they conduct direct instructions of the UK government in Ukraine.”

Offering no evidence to back up her claims, she said: “They commit acts of sabotage, terrorist acts, extremist tasks as well.”

It’s no secret that Britain, along with other European allies, has been helping Ukraine since Russia invaded, although officials have not declared how many UK troops are in the country.

Zakharova’s new threats come as Nato chief Mark Rutte issued a warning about the real dangers Russia poses to Europe.

Speaking at a security conference event in Berlin, he said Europe should make efforts to prevent a war which could be “on the scale of war our grandparents and our great-grandparents endured”.

He said: “We are Russia’s next target. I feel that too many are quietly complacent. Too many don’t feel the urgency, and too many believe that time is on our side. It is not.

“The time for action is now.”

Rutte claimed Russia could be ready to use military force against Nato in the next five years.

His remarks come after a flurry of diplomatic efforts in recent weeks to secure a new peace deal to end the Ukraine war, led by Donald Trump’s US administration.

Rutte also insisted in his speech that the US and Europe can get on the same page as Ukraine amid growing fears that Washington is going to lean towards a peace plan which rewards Russia for its aggression just to end the war sooner.

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NATO chief Mark Rutte has warned its member states are \"Russia’s next target\".

Speaking at a security conference event in Berlin, Rutte says the bloc must make all efforts to prevent a war that could be \"on the scale of war our grandparents and great-grandparents endured\". pic.twitter.com/7eEsWcpu65

— Sky News (@SkyNews) December 11, 2025

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NATO chief Mark Rutte has warned its member states are “Russia’s next target”.

Speaking at a security conference event in Berlin, Rutte says the bloc must make all efforts to prevent a war that could be “on the scale of war our grandparents and great-grandparents endured”. pic.twitter.com/7eEsWcpu65

— Sky News (@SkyNews) December 11, 2025

Vladimir Putin’s top diplomat Sergei Lavrov also hinted at how well Russia was getting on with the US now in comments today.

According to Reuters, he said: “In our negotiations with the Americans on the Ukraine issue, I personally believe that the misunderstandings and miscommunications have been resolved,

“We have conveyed to our American colleagues additional proposals concerning collective security guarantees.

“We understand that when discussing security guarantees, we cannot limit ourselves to Ukraine alone.”

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