Volodymyr Zelenskyy has hailed the decision by the European Union for Ukraine to begin accession talks to become a member of the bloc.
Charles Michel, president of the European Council, announced the move on X (formerly Twitter).
Responding on the same platform, the Ukrainian president said: “This is a victory for Ukraine. A victory for all of Europe. A victory that motivates, inspires, and strengthens.”
A defiant Volodymyr Zelenskyy has announced Ukraine is formally applying for fast-track membership of the Nato military alliance, cranking up fears of a full-blown conflict between Russia and the West.
The Ukrainian leader’s move appeared to have been prompted by Russian president Valdimir Putin holding a ceremony in Moscow to proclaim four partially-occupied Ukrainian regions as annexed Russian land, following a series of sham referendums. The land-grab breaks international law.
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A video showed president Zelenskyy announcing the membership bid and then signing a document flanked by his prime minister and the speaker of parliament.
“De facto, we have already proven compatibility with alliance standards,” Zelenskyy said. “We trust each other, we help each other, and we protect each other. This is the alliance.”
The announcement is likely to stoke Putin, who sees Nato as a hostile military alliance bent on encroaching in Moscow’s sphere of influence and destroying it.
In his video speech, Zelenskyy accused Russia of brazenly rewriting history and redrawing borders “using murder, blackmail, mistreatment and lies”, something he said Kyiv would not allow.
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The military alliance goes by the acronym of Nato.
The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation was formed in 1949 to prevent a resurgence of nationalism and militarism in Europe after two world wars, and to deter the Soviet Union’s expansion.
Its membership has swelled to 30 member nations, and over the 1990s and 2000s its enlargement stretched further east to include the former Soviet republics of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
They agree to mutual defence – military action – in response to an enemy attack. The principle goes: “An attack against one ally is considered as an attack against all allies.” This is Article 5 of the Nato constitution.
Sweden and Finland, which shares a 1,300-km (810-mile) border with Russia, sought membership to Nato earlier this year following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, but have faced a hurdle as its application needs the approval of all 30 current members, with Turkey raising objections.
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Efforts to join the US-led military alliance marked a radical break in the policy of both north east European countries given their staunch military neutrality.
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Because Ukraine is not a member of Nato, Western support for Zelenskyy has fallen short of putting their troops on the ground.
Nato’s enlargement was Putin’s biggest publicly-stated grievance with the West during the build-up up to war, claiming the eastward expansion and potentially sweeping up the largest other former Soviet republic breaks promises.
Nato has been adamant it will not accept limits on the nations that it admits and has always maintained an “open door policy”.
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Many will fear the countries are on a collision course that could lead to a bona fide world war.
Putin vowed to protect newly-annexed regions of Ukraine by “all available means”, a nuclear-backed threat where he also railled furiously at the West, accusing the United States and its allies of seeking Russia’s destruction.
Russia has repeatedly made clear that any prospect of Ukraine joining the world’s largest military alliance is one of his red lines and it was among the justifications he has cited for his invasion — the biggest land war in Europe since the Second World War.
The immediate ramifications of the “accelerated” Nato application weren’t clear, since it requires the unanimous support of all members. The supply of Western weapons to Ukraine has, however, put it closer to the alliance’s orbit.
But it seems unlikely Nato will accept Ukraine’s application while a war is raging. Article 5 compels fellow members to actively defend it against Russia, a commitment that goes well beyond the supply of weapons.
Ukraine’s admission to Nato has been a stated goal going back to its constitution in 2002, but at the start of the war Zelenskyy accepted his country couldn’t join at present.
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“For years we heard about the apparently open door, but have already also heard that we will not enter there, and these are truths and must be acknowledged,” he said at the time.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy was among the foreign leaders to pay tribute to the Queen following her death aged 96.
The Ukrainian president joined the likes of US president Joe Biden and French leader Emmanuel Macron in offering their condolences.
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Writing on Twitter, Zelenskyy said: “It is with deep sadness that we learned of the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
“On behalf of the Ukrainian people, we extend sincere condolences to the entire United Kingdom and the Commonwealth over this irreparable loss. Our thoughts and prayers are with you.”
Biden said the Queen had been “a stateswoman of unmatched dignity and constancy” who “helped make our relationship special”.
He added: “In the years ahead, we look forward to continuing a close friendship with The King and The Queen Consort.
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“Today, the thoughts and prayers of people all across the United States are with the people of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth in their grief.
“We send our deepest condolences to the Royal Family, who are not only mourning their Queen, but their dear mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother.
“Her legacy will loom large in the pages of British history, and in the story of our world.”
French president Macron said the Queen “embodied the British nation’s continuity and unity for over 70 years”.
He added: “I remember her as a friend of France, a kind-hearted queen who has left a lasting impression on her country and her century.”
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Justine Trudeau, Canada’s prime minister, tweeted: “It was with the heaviest of hearts that we learned of the passing of Canada’s longest-reigning Sovereign, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
“She was a constant presence in our lives – and her service to Canadians will forever remain an important part of our country’s history.
“As we look back at her life and her reign that spanned so many decades, Canadians will always remember and cherish Her Majesty’s wisdom, compassion, and warmth.
“Our thoughts are with the members of the Royal Family during this most difficult time.”
Maltese leader Robert Abela said his country “joins the rest of the world in mourning the death of HM The Queen Elizabeth II”.
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“As monarch and Head of the Commonwealth, she was loved by all. We will always remember her fondly, especially living here as a young princess. My condolences to the Royal Family.”
In a statement issued this afternoon, Buckingham Palace confirmed that the Queen died “peacefully” at Balmoral.
She has already been succeeded as monarch by her son, who will be known as King Charles III.
Speaking on the steps of Downing Street, new prime minister Liz Truss said: “We offer him our loyalty and devotion, just as his mother devoted so much, to so many, for so long.
“And with the passing of the second Elizabethan age, we usher in a new era in the magnificent history of our great country, exactly as Her Majesty would have wished, by saying the words ‘God save the King’.”
British households will have to “endure” soaring energy bills as part of efforts to defeat Vladimir Putin in his attack on Ukraine, Boris Johnson has said.
During a visit to Ukraine on the country’s independence day on Wednesday, the prime minister said the UK will “continue to stand with our Ukrainian friends” ahead of leaving office on September 6.
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“We know the coming winter will be tough and Putin will manipulate Russian energy supplies to try to torment households across Europe,” Johnson was quoted by the BBC saying.
“Our first test as friends of Ukraine will be to face down and endure that pressure.”
The conflict, and the economic sanctions imposed on Russia, have contributed to soaring global gas prices which have driven up household bills.
Analysts expect the UK’s energy price cap to rise to £3,554 a year in October – and £6,089 in April – from the already high £1,971.
Johnson is also reported as saying that “if we’re paying in our energy bills for the evils of Vladimir Putin, the people of Ukraine are paying in their blood”.
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While other European countries have made big interventions on the cost-of-living crisis, the Tory government is waiting until the next PM is installed to unveil a rescue package.
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Neither Liz Truss or Rishi Sunak have spelled out precisely how they will help, though Sunak appears more keen on direct support while Truss has focussed on tax cuts.
Making his last trip to Ukraine before departing, Johnson set out a further £54 million of military aid, including drones to target Russian forces.
His meeting with Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelenskyy came on the day marking 31 years since breaking from Moscow’s rule following the collapse of the Soviet Union.
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Johnson said Russian president Putin had been “insane” to launch the invasion and the resistance had been like “an indomitable Ukrainian boxer”.
He used his meeting with Zelenskyy to set out a further package of military aid, including 2,000 drones and loitering munitions.
He also received the Order of Liberty, the highest award that can be bestowed on foreign nationals, for the UK’s support for Ukraine.
Johnson said: “For the past six months, the United Kingdom has stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Ukraine, supporting this sovereign country to defend itself from this barbaric and illegal invader.
“Today’s package of support will give the brave and resilient Ukrainian armed forces another boost in capability, allowing them to continue to push back Russian forces and fight for their freedom.”
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Zelenskyy said Johnson was a “great friend of Ukraine”.
Ukraine’s First Lady Olena Zelenska has been accused of “glamourising the war” on Twitter after starring in Vogue magazine’s cover shoot – but many Ukrainians don’t see it that way.
Zelenska and the president, her husband Volodymyr Zelenskyy, have been pushing Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine to the top of the international news agenda for almost six months, in a bid to secure more help from the West.
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Zelenskyy has spoken in the UK’s House of Commons, at the UN and at the EU. He has been featured on TIME magazine’s front cover over his leadership skills, and was even dubbed the “modern Churchill” for his communication.
Then, fashion magazine Vogue put the couple on its cover.
While Zelenska led the shoot – and in one photo was photoshopped into a scene with Ukrainian soldiers – she also posed with her husband in his army clothes for a couple of other images.
And something about the shoot rattled some on Twitter:
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However, many Ukrainians on the same platform have been keen to defend Zelenska and remind these critics what war really looks like.
In a Twitter thread, Oleksandra Povoroznyk pointed out: “Most of the English-speaking people on the internet are lucky enough to have no clue what a war actually looks like.”
Through a follow-up exchange with HuffPost UK, she added that she was “genuinely surprised that so many non-Ukrainians saw the photoshoot as something controversial”, and not a “reflection of how strong Ukrainian women actually are”.
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“Most Ukrainians I’ve spoke to see the photos and the interview as an important part of what Zelenska’s doing to draw more attention to our country,” Povoroznyk explained.
“In fact, a lot of Ukrainian women are super happy that Zelenska wasn’t portrayed as some kind of dainty and shy tradwife [traditional wife] hiding behind her husband.”
She added that “a lot of Eastern European women are portrayed as very stereotypically feminine”, even though there are still female volunteers in the Ukrainian army right now.
Povoroznyk, who is based in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv according to her Twitter profile, said, “nothing about the photoshoot is ‘glamourising’ the war”.
Instead, she said it was a “pretty accurate representation of what the war feels and looks like to many Ukrainians who are lucky enough to be in cities controlled by Ukraine”.
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She claimed that while it was clear those in occupied cities would face a different reality, people in cities are trying to find “some kind [of] war-life balance”.
The Ukrainian explained that plenty of people still do their best to work, to go out with friends, get their nails done, put makeup on under the “constant threat of air strikes”.
She added: “And yet we keep going, because there’s literally nothing else we can do. And sure, a photoshoot for Vogue might not seem like work for the average lurker on Twitter, but it is part of Zelenska’s duties as First Lady.
“Her job is to keep the world’s attention on Ukraine, and that’s why she ’s giving interviews and speeches and yes, even having her photos taken by huge publications like Vogue.”
She also pointed out in a subsequent tweet that Britain’s Queen – back when she was Princess Elizabeth – also took part in photoshoots during World War 2, to raise awareness of the war effort.
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She was not the only person to defend the images either, both in and out of Ukraine.
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A new phase of the war between Russia and Ukraine has begun, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Monday night.
“Now we can already state that the Russian troops have begun the battle for the Donbas,” he said in a video address about the long-feared, full-scale offensive to take control of Ukraine’s east.
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With a “significant part of the entire Russian army” now deployed in the region, according to Zelenskyy, here’s what you need to know about what could be a turning point in the conflict.
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Russia’s invasion has damaged or destroyed up to 30% of Ukraine’s infrastructure at a cost of $100 billion, Ukrainian officials have said, as the United Nations revealed the civilian death toll has now surpassed 2,000. About four million Ukrainians have fled the country.
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But Russia’s swift march to victory did not materialise. Driven back by Ukrainian resistance in the north, Moscow has refocused its ground offensive in the two eastern provinces known as the Donbas, while launching long-distance strikes at other targets including the capital, Kyiv.
The Donbas is Ukraine’s mostly Russian-speaking industrial heartland in the east, where Moscow-backed separatists have been fighting Ukrainian forces for the past eight years and have declared two independent republics that have been recognised by Russia.
In recent weeks, the Kremlin declared the capture of the Donbas its main goal of the war after its attempt to storm Kyiv failed. After withdrawing from the capital, it began regrouping and reinforcing its ground troops in the east for what could be a climactic battle.
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On Monday, Ukraine military generals said Russian forces were increasing assaults in the Luhansk and Donetsk regions – both of which are part of the Donbas – as well as in the area of Zaporizhzhia.
They also said Russia was sending reinforcements to the Crimean peninsula – seized from Ukraine in 2014 – and to the Rostov-on-Don area, which borders Ukraine.
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Zelenskyy’s chief of staff Andriy Yermak called it “the second phase of the war” and assured Ukrainians that their forces could hold off the offensive. “Believe in our army, it is very strong,” he said.
The Associated Press reported a senior US defence official saying there are now 76 Russian combat units in eastern and southern Ukraine, up from 65 last week. That could translate to around 50,000 to 60,000 troops.
Russia’s stuttering campaign means control of eastern Ukraine has taken added significance, and may prompt the fiercest fighting yet. Russia needs some kind of “win” – recognising Russia’s claims in the Donbas and Crimea has also been the central plank of Vladamir Putin’s demands at failed peace talks – and following the sinking of its Black Sea lead ship, Putin will not be contemplating further embarrassment.
The new offensive in the east came as a Russian missile attack killed seven people in Lviv, the first civilian victims in the western city about 40 miles from Poland. It was one of a multitude of other targets across Ukraine in what appeared to be an intensified bid to grind down the country’s defences.
Lviv has seen only sporadic attacks during almost two months of war and has become a haven for civilians fleeing the fighting elsewhere.
In other developments, Ukrainian troops remained holed up at a mammoth steel mill in Mariupol, the last known pocket of resistance in the devastated southern port city.
The capture of Mariupol, where Ukraine estimates 21,000 people have been killed, is seen as key, and not just because it would deprive Ukraine of a vital port and complete a land bridge between Russia and the Crimean peninsula.
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General Richard Dannatt, a former head of the British Army, told Sky News that Russia is waging a “softening-up” campaign ahead of the Donbas offensive.
The US defence official said that if Russian forces succeed in taking full control of Mariupol, that could free up nearly a dozen combat units for use elsewhere in the Donbas.
Given the changing dynamics of the war, Ukraine is calling for an increasing supply of Western weapons.
Last week, US president Joe Biden announced an additional $800 million in military assistance to Ukraine, expanding the aid to include heavy artillery ahead of the wider Russian assault expected in eastern Ukraine.
The US military expects to start training Ukrainians on using howitzer artillery in coming days, with the training taking place outside Ukraine.
The Sun reported Boris Johnson is set to provide Ukraine with tank-mounted Stormer armoured missile launchers, another sign the West is prepared to offer as much military hardware as possible without triggering a wider Nato vs Russia conflict.
Britain will support Ukraine “for as long as it takes”, Boris Johnson has vowed during a surprise visit to the war-ravaged country.
The prime minister spoke to ordinary Ukrainians as he walked around the capital city Kyiv with president Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
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Johnson held talks with his opposite number after flying in to Ukraine on an unannounced visit amid tight security.
A video was later posted on Twitter showing the two leaders walking through the centre of Kyiv.
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At one point, a local man expresses his gratitude to the PM for the support the UK has provided to Ukraine since Russia’s invasion began on February 24.
In response, Johnson said: “It’s nice to meet you and it’s been our privilege to help. You have a remarkable president, Mr Zelensky, who’s done an outstanding job and we simply wish to keep supporting the people of Ukraine for as long as it takes.”
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Appearing alongside Zelenskyy in a recorded broadcast clip, Johnson said the West would continue to “ratchet up” sanctions on Moscow as he praised the courage of the Ukrainian resistance.
“I think that the Ukrainians have shown the courage of a lion, and you Volodymyr have given the roar of that lion,” he said.
“The UK and others (will) supply the equipment, the technology, the know-how, the intelligence, so that Ukraine will never be invaded again.
“So Ukraine is so fortified and protected – that Ukraine can never be bullied again. Never be blackmailed again. Never be threatened in the same way again.”
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The Ukrainian president said: “I am very grateful for this visit. It is very important at this very difficult and turbulent time for our country.
“You came here and we are especially grateful for this to happen. This is a true reflection of the decisive and significant support for Ukraine from the United Kingdom and we will always remember that.”
It was also announced that the UK has agreed to provide Ukraine with 120 armoured vehicles and new anti-ship missile systems.
That is on top of the £100 million worth of high-grade military equipment announced yesterday, including more Starstreak anti-aircraft missiles, another 800 anti-tank missiles, and high-tech loitering munitions for precision strikes.
The UK is also guaranteeing £385m in World Bank lending to Ukraine, taking its total loan guarantee to up to $1 billion.
Boris Johnson has flown to Kyiv for “surprise” talks with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Downing Street said the prime minister made the unannounced trip “in a show of solidarity with the Ukrainian people”.
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The lightning visit was revealed in a tweet by the Ukrainian embassy in London, which showed Johnson holding talks with Zelensky.
Above the picture was a winking emoji and “surprise”.
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The trip had been shrouded in secrecy due to security concerns.
Afterwards, it was announced that the UK has agreed to provide Ukraine with 120 armoured vehicles and new anti-ship missile systems.
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That is on top of the £100 million worth of high-grade military equipment announced yesterday, including more Starstreak anti-aircraft missiles, another 800 anti-tank missiles, and high-tech loitering munitions for precision strikes.
The UK is also guaranteeing £385m in World Bank lending to Ukraine, taking its total loan guarantee to up to $1 billion.
The PM said: “It is a privilege to be able to travel to Ukraine and meet President Zelenskyy in person in Kyiv today.
“Ukraine has defied the odds and pushed back Russian forces from the gates of Kyiv, achieving the greatest feat of arms of the 21st century.
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“It is because of President Zelenskyy’s resolute leadership and the invincible heroism and courage of the Ukrainian people that Putin’s monstrous aims are being thwarted.
“I made clear today that the United Kingdom stands unwaveringly with them in this ongoing fight, and we are in it for the long run.
“We are stepping up our own military and economic support and convening a global alliance to bring this tragedy to an end, and ensure Ukraine survives and thrives as a free and sovereign nation.”
A Downing Street spokesperson said: “The prime minister has travelled to Ukraine to meet President Zelenskyy in person, in a show of solidarity with the Ukrainian people.
“They will discuss the UK’s long term support to Ukraine and the PM will set out a new package of financial and military aid.”
It is the first time the prime minister has visited Ukraine since the Russian invasion on February 24.
No10 Downing Street
Number 10 later issued a picture appearing to show the two leaders on a walkabout in Kyiv.
The BBC reported that in a Facebook post, Andriy Sybiha, deputy head of the Ukrainian president’s office said: “The UK is the leader in defence support for Ukraine. The leader in the anti-war coalition. The leader in sanctions against the Russian aggressor.”
Addressing a meeting of the United Nations Security Council remotely on Tuesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described the alleged atrocities uncovered in recent days as Russian troops moved out of areas in northern Ukraine.
“The most terrible war crimes we’ve seen since the end of World War II are being committed,” Zelenskyy told the council assembled in New York City, later arguing that “Russia wants to turn Ukraine into silent slaves.”
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Zelenskyy proposed a tribunal for Russians who ordered or carried out war crimes similar to the Nuremberg trials in the years directly following the second world war.
Ukrainian authorities and journalists have seen evidence of widespread civilian casualties in Bucha, a suburban area northwest of Kyiv. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken described the casualties as evidence of “a deliberate campaign to kill, to torture, to rape” ― not “the random act of a rogue unit.”
President Joe Biden on Monday called for Russian President Vladimir Putin to be held accountable for the violence, which he described as a war crime.
Russia has repeatedly asserted that the violence was committed after its forces left the region. Blinken, however, said Tuesday that reports of atrocities committed by the Russians are “more than credible.”
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“I’m addressing you on behalf of the memory of the deceased,” Zelenskyy told the U.N. council. “They died suffering.”
He alleged that Russian troops searched for and killed “anyone who served our country,” including entire families, executing many people in the street. Other people were thrown in wells, Zelenskyy claimed, and some had their limbs or tongues removed. Photographs showed that some of the dead had their hands tied behind their backs.
The world has yet to see the full extent of the brutality, Zelenskyy added.
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The Russians’ behavior is “no different than ISIS,” Zelenskyy said. “And here it is done by a member of the United Nations Security Council.”
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The Ukrainian leader condemned the group, whose permanent members include the Russian Federation, for not doing more to end the conflict. He proposed three options: Remove Russia from the security council, reform the council, or dissolve it completely.
Citing what he called Ukraine’s “moral right” to propose reforms, Zelenskyy argued that Russia’s veto power makes the council worthless in fulfilling its main purpose of peacekeeping.
There is currently no process for removing a member of the security council.
“Accountability must be inevitable,” Zelenskyy said.
The Ukrainian delegation sent a video to be played following the president’s remarks, but technical issues prevented it from being shown immediately afterward.
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield subsequently announced that the U.S. would seek to suspend Russia from the United Nations Human Rights Council, noting that Russia has used false allegations of human rights abuses on the part of Ukraine to justify its invasion.
Boris Johnson has urged Russian people to use alternative forms of news to find out about Vladamir Putin’s alleged war crimes, arguing they would not support the invasion and crimes that are a “stain on the honour of Russia”.
In a video message directed to the Russian population, the UK prime minister said they only needed an online VPN connection to sidestep state-controlled media and gain access to independent information from around the world.
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“Your president knows that if you could see what was happening, you would not support his war,” he said.
“He knows that these crimes betray the trust of every Russian mother who proudly waves goodbye to her son as he heads off to join the military.
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“And he knows they are a stain on the honour of Russia itself.”
Speaking in Russian, he added: “Your president stands accused of committing war crimes. But I cannot believe he’s acting in your name.”
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His comments follow global outrage at the massacre uncovered at Bucha, a Ukrainian town, that was targeted by the Russian forces on their way to conquer Kyiv in March.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Russia of committing the “most terrible war crimes” since the Second World War as he called for trials akin to those held after the defeat of the Nazis.
The Ukrainian president accused Putin’s forces of creating “mass starvation” and shooting and raping civilians, during a graphic address to the United Nations Security Council on Tuesday.
Russian forces then began to withdraw from the region around March 30, reportedly due to a shortage of resources, meaning journalists have been able to access to beleaguered Bucha once again.
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The Associated Press released images from the town showing bodies on the Bucha streets, with their hands tied behind their backs and wounds to the back of their heads.
According to the news agency, at least 21 bodies were found, with at least nine of them in civilian clothing.
Anatoly Fedoruk, Bucha’s mayor, said more than 300 residents in the town had been killed, while Ukrainian prosecutors allege Russian forces used the basement of one house as a torture chamber.
Satellite images showed a 45ft-long mass grave in the town too.
Russia has denied any involvement and suggested the bodies were placed their strategically by the Ukrainians.
Moscow has dismissed any accusations of war crimes too, and claims “Ukrainian radicals” are responsible for the massacre in Bucha as “not a single civilian” faced violent military action from Russian forces.
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In his message, Johnson said the reports were so shocking that Putin had deliberately sought to hide the truth from his people.
Johnson said that people only needed a VPN connection to access independent information from around the world.
“When you find the truth, share it,” he said.
“Those responsible will be held to account. And history will remember who looked the other way.”
During the UK-convened meeting of the UN’s most powerful body, whose membership includes Russia, Zelenskyy called for those responsible to be “brought to justice” in a tribunal similar to the Nuremberg trials.
He warned the world is yet to see the acts committed by the Kremlin’s troops in other regions after evidence of atrocities was unearthed after their withdrawal from Bucha, near Kyiv.
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“Today, as a result of Russia’s actions in our country, in Ukraine, the most terrible war crimes we’ve seen since the end of World War Two are being committed,” he said in the virtual address.
“Russian troops are deliberately destroying Ukrainian cities to ashes with artillery and air strikes. They are deliberately blocking cities, creating mass starvation. They deliberately shoot columns of civilians on the road trying to escape from the hostilities.
“They even deliberately blow up shelters where civilians hide from air strikes.
“The massacre in our city of Bucha is unfortunately only one of many examples of what the occupiers have been doing on our land for the past 41 days.”
