Ukraine war latest: Trump says US will attend Ukraine peace talks with Europe
Ukraine retakes parts of Kupiansk and several villages, according to militaryUkraine has regained parts of the northeastern town of Kupiansk and several surrounding villages, according to Ukraine’s military commander. In a statement on Friday, Ihor Obolienskyi commander of the Khartiia Corps of the National Guard, said the operation consisted of the encircling of Russian troops. “Today, we can say that the Russians in the city are completely cut off. For a long time, they couldn't understand what was happening. But now they know they are surrounded,” he said. In November, Russia said it had taken full control of Kupiansk, a claim that Ukraine denied. Maira Butt12 December 2025 12:37Decision on frozen Russian assets expected at EU summit today, say sourcesA decision on frozen Russian assets is expected to be announced at a EU summit on Friday, according to Reuters. Germany has said it sees no alternative to a reparations loan to Ukraine using the 210 billion euros worth of assets and will shoulder 50 billion in guarantees.A source added that a lack of agreement would “send a disastrous signal to Ukraine”. Maira Butt12 December 2025 12:00Germany summons Russian ambassador over 'hybrid attacks'Berlin has summoned Russia’s ambassador over allegations of “hybrid attacks”, a German foreign ministry spokesperson said on Friday. They include disinformation campaigns, espionage, cyberattacks and attempted sabotage. “This morning we therefore summoned the Russian ambassador to the foreign office and made it clear that we are monitoring Russia's actions very closely and will take action against them,” the spokesperson said.Russia has denied it has engaged in hybrid warfare.Maira Butt12 December 2025 11:19In pictures: Putin meets Erdogan in AshgabIn this pool photograph distributed by the Russian state agency Sputnik, Russia's President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan hold a meeting in Ashgabat on Friday.(POOL/AFP via Getty Images)(POOL/AFP via Getty Images)Maira Butt12 December 2025 11:03Ukraine says it has hit two Russian ships transporting military equipmentUkraine’s military has said it has hit two Russian ships carrying military equipment and weapons in the Caspian Sea. The vessels named as the Composer Rakhmaninoff and the Askar-Sarydzha were sanctioned by the US for carrying military cargo between Iran and Russia, according to a statement by Ukraine’s special forces on Telegram on Friday. Maira Butt12 December 2025 10:39Whole of Donbas region belongs to Russia, says KremlinThe Kremlin has insisted that the whole of the Donbas region belongs to Russia, in response to Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky’s statement that a referendum would need to take place to agree any territorial concessions. It said a ceasefire would only be possible after withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from the Donbas region.US negotiators foresee Ukrainian forces withdrawing from the Donetsk region, with the compromise being that Russian forces do not enter that territory, Mr Zelensky said. He stressed that the decision would have to be determined by a public vote.Maira Butt12 December 2025 10:08UK 'rapidly developing' plans for possible outbreak of warThe UK’s armed forces minister has said that the UK is “rapidly developing” plans for the possible outbreak of war, according to Sky News. ”The shadow of war is knocking on Europe's door once more,” Al Carns said during a visit to RAF Wyton on Thursday. “That's the reality. We've got to be prepared to deter it.”He said that hostile intelligence activity including spying, hacking and physical threats against armed forces and the Ministry of Defence had increased by more than 50 per cent in the last year. The main suspects are Russia, China, Iran and North Korea. (Getty Images)A new defence counter-intelligence unit is being launched to counter the operations. Various military intelligence branches are joining forces to streamline their response to hostilities. “There's a whole load of work going on now between us [Ministry of Defence], the Cabinet Office, and the whole of society approach, and what conflict means, and what everybody's role in society means if we were to go to war and the build up to war,” he said. ”Collectively, everybody - what is their role if we get caught in an existential crisis, and what do they need to be aware they need to do and what they can't do, and how do we mobilise the nation to support a military endeavour?“Not just about deploying the military, but actually about protecting every inch of our own territory. That work is ongoing now, it's rapidly developing. We've got to move as fast as we can to make sure that's shored up.”Maira Butt12 December 2025 09:46Kremlin has not seen revised peace proposals presented to USRussia’s foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov has said that the Kremlin has not seen a revised US proposal after American delegates took part in talks with Ukraine. He added that Moscow may not like parts of the proposal, according to Russian news agency Interfax.The country’s state news agency reported that Russia will discuss the outcome of talks with Ukraine with the US in the near future. Maira Butt12 December 2025 09:17Europe should prepare for war ‘like our grandparents endured’, warns Nato chiefEurope must prepare for a conflict with Russia “on the scale our grandparents endured”, Nato’s secretary general has said in a stark warning to the West.“We are Russia’s next target. And we are already in harm’s way,” Mark Rutte said in a speech in Berlin on Thursday.“Russia has brought war back to Europe, and we must be prepared for the scale of war our grandparents and great-grandparents endured.”Maira Butt12 December 2025 09:03In pictures: Russian city of Tver hit by Ukrainian drone strikeRussia shot down 90 Ukrainian drones (AFP via Getty Images)At least seven people were injured in the attack (AFP via Getty Images)Russian airports were forced to close during the overnight attack (AFP via Getty Images)Alex Croft12 December 2025 08:37
