
Trump puts onus on Europe to pressure Putin in Ukraine conference call
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Diverging Reports Breakdown
Ukraine-Russia war latest: Trump issues warning to Europe as Macron confirms 26 countries have pledged troops
26 countries have pledged to deploy troops in Ukraine as a “reassurance force” in the event of a ceasefire. Russian President Vladimir Putin has said he is open to talks, but no agreement has yet been reached. Putin has also said he will not back down from his stance on the Ukraine crisis. Russia has been accused of firing missiles into Ukraine from its territory in violation of a UN Security Council resolution. The Russian government has denied it has fired any missiles into the Ukrainian territory, saying it was responding to an attack on its military base in the town of Dnepropetrovsk. The US has said it is ready to impose new sanctions on Russia if it does not accept a cease-fire in the Ukraine. The EU has said that it is prepared to act on its own if Russia does not agree to a ceasefire in the region, but has not ruled out the possibility of new sanctions. The UN has called on Russia to stop firing missiles at the Ukrainian military base, which has been hit by a series of attacks.
Following the meeting, which was attended by the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, Macron said that 26 countries – including the UK and France – have pledged to deploy troops in Ukraine as a “reassurance force” in the event of a ceasefire.
Despite Zelensky expressing a willingness to talk, a ceasefire agreement is not currently on the table, and it remains unclear whether Russian President Vladimir Putin will agree to a cessation of hostilities. He said on Wednesday that in the absence of a deal, Russia will have to achieve its goals “by military means”.
Key Points Trump put pressure on European leaders over Russian oil purchases: White House
26 countries committed to providing reassurance force in Ukraine: Macron
Putin cannot be trusted, says Sir Keir Starmer
Russia has no say on deployment of Western troops to Ukraine, says Nato chief
Russian official suggests Moscow may seize British assets over frozen funds
Pictured: The coalition of the willing meets in Paris 18:30 , Daniel Keane 18:30 , Daniel Keane (via REUTERS) (via REUTERS)
These Ukrainians refused to leave their homes. Now they have no choice 18:00 , Daniel Keane 18:00 , Daniel Keane Residents of Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region are facing devastating conditions as evacuations continue amid ongoing conflict. Read our full story below. These Ukrainians refused to leave their homes. Now they have no choice
Russia destroys drone launch site in Chernihiv 17:30 , Daniel Keane 17:30 , Daniel Keane Russia says it has destroyed a launch site for long-range drones in Ukraine’s Chernihiv region. It comes after Ukrainian officials said earlier today that a Russian missile strike on a humanitarian demining mission near the city of Chernihiv had killed two people.
Finland leader says Trump wants US and Europe to act together on sanctions against Russia 16:17 , Taz Ali 16:17 , Taz Ali Finland’s President Alexander Stubb said Donald Trump suggested the US and Europe should act together on further sanctions against Russia. “Trump’s approach was very much that we must act together on sanctions policy and now look for ways in particular to halt Russia’s war machine by economic means,” Stubb told Finnish media, according to Reuters. He said there were two main targets for sanctions – Russian oil and gas, adding that the EU and Trump’s top advisors “will discuss this over the next 24 hours”.
Trump demands Europe to stop buying Russian oil 16:09 , Taz Ali 16:09 , Taz Ali “President Trump emphasised that Europe must stop purchasing Russian oil that is funding the war — as Russia received €1.1bn in fuel sales from the EU in one year. The president also emphasised that European leaders must place economic pressure on China for funding Russia’s war efforts.”
Zelensky says allies have general framework for security guarantees 15:53 , Taz Ali 15:53 , Taz Ali Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Kyiv and European partners have agreed on a general framework for security guarantees, and that documents were being prepared in each of the countries that have agreed to contribute. Speaking at a news conference in Paris on Thursday, he added that a strong Ukrainian army would be central to any such commitments, as he urged European defence firms to boost their work to full capacity. European leaders have been tight-lipped about the nature of the security guarantees, which are expected to include the deployment of Western troops to Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire.
Zelensky speaks during a press conference following the ‘Coalition of the Willing’ summit 15:43 , Taz Ali 15:43 , Taz Ali (Getty Images)
New sanctions against Russia if Moscow continues to reject peace talks: Macron 15:37 , Taz Ali 15:37 , Taz Ali Russia will face further sanctions if Moscow continues to reject peace talks, French President Emmanuel Macron said. He added that the coalition was ready to coordinate sanctions on Russia with the US.
26 countries committed to providing reassurance force in Ukraine: Macron 15:32 , Taz Ali 15:32 , Taz Ali French President Emmanuel Macron said 26 European nations are committed to taking part in a reassurance force in post-war Ukraine. Macron made the comments in a press conference on Thursday alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky following the meeting of the “Coalition of the Willing” in Paris. He added that US support to security guarantees will be finalised in the coming days.
Trump put pressure on European leaders over Russian oil purchases: White House 15:23 , Taz Ali 15:23 , Taz Ali US President Donald Trump spoke with European leaders during a videoconference call on Thursday, a White House official said. Trump told leaders that Europe must stop purchasing Russian oil, a White House official said, according to Reuters. The US president also emphasised that they must place economic pressure on China “for funding Russia’s war efforts”. The call took place after Ukraine and its allies met in Paris to discuss security guarantees in the event of a peace deal.
Zelensky thanks allies after Paris meeting 15:00 , Taz Ali 15:00 , Taz Ali The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, has thanked members of the so-called “Coalition of the Willing”, as he singled out Donald Trump for “all his efforts” to end the war. During a meeting of the coalition in Paris on Thursday, Zelensky said members “discussed in detail each country’s readiness to make a contribution to ensuring security” for Ukraine. In a statement posted on X, he said: “We share the same view that Russia is making every effort to drag out the negotiation process and prolong the war. “Support for Ukraine must be increased and pressure on Russia must be intensified.”
EU chief says India has crucial role to play in pressing Russia to end war 14:31 , Taz Ali 14:31 , Taz Ali European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said she spoke with Indian prime minister Narendra Modi as part of Europe’s ongoing diplomatic efforts to end the Russian invasion of Ukraine. She asserted that India has a crucial role to play in pressing Russia to end its war, according to a post on X, as she thanked Modi for his “continued engagement” with the Ukrainian president. We had the pleasure of speaking with Prime Minister @narendramodi.
We warmly welcome India’s continued engagement with President Zelenskyy.
India has an important role to play in bringing Russia to end its war of aggression and helping create a path towards peace.
This war… pic.twitter.com/ri5Vkep6MQ — Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) September 4, 2025
Putin cannot be trusted, says Sir Keir Starmer 13:45 , Taz Ali 13:45 , Taz Ali Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said Russian President Vladimir Putin “could not be trusted” as Moscow continues to delay peace talks and launch attacks on Ukraine. “That was further underlined by the indiscriminate attacks in Kyiv last week, causing significant damage to the British Council and EU delegation buildings,” he added, according to a statement by Downing Street. Speaking to members of the Coalition of the Willing virtually from Glasgow, Sir Keir “emphasised that the group had an unbreakable pledge to Ukraine, with President [Donald] Trump’s backing”, the statement read. He said they “now needed to go even further to apply pressure on Putin to secure a cessation of hostilities”. He also welcomed announcements from other coalition partners that they would to supply long-range missiles to Ukraine. Sir Keir Starmer with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at Downing Street in August (PA)
Pictures: The ‘Coalition of the Willing’ gathers in Paris to discuss security guarantees for Ukraine 13:01 , Taz Ali 13:01 , Taz Ali White House Special Envoy Steve Witkoff shakes hand with French President Emmanuel Macron (AP) The meeting at the Elysee presidential palace (AP) French President Emmanuel Macron welcomes Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as he arrives for the summit (Reuters)
Russia has no say on deployment of Western troops to Ukraine, says Nato chief 11:57 , Taz Ali 11:57 , Taz Ali Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte said Russia has no right to decide whether Western troops can be deployed to Ukraine as part of security guarantees if a truce is reached. Speaking at an event organised by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) in Prague on Thursday, he expressed his support for the deployment of Nato troops to Ukraine as a peacekeeping force. He emphasised that Russia has no say in the matter. “Why are we interested in what Russia thinks about troops in Ukraine?” Rutte said. “Ukraine is a sovereign nation, if Ukraine wants to have security guarantee forces in Ukraine to support a peace deal, it’s up to them. “Nobody else can decide about it. And I think we really have to stop making (Russian President Vladimir) Putin too powerful.” The Kremlin has rejected the deployment of Western troops in Ukraine and said it would not accept a peacekeeping force as part of any deal.
Zelensky to meet US special envoy Steve Witkoff 11:28 , Taz Ali 11:28 , Taz Ali Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected to have a one-on-one meeting with US special envoy Steve Witkoff in Paris, Reuters reported. Witkoff was pictured earlier being greeted by French President Emmanuel Macron at the summit on Thursday. (AP)
Russian official suggests Moscow may seize British assets over frozen funds 10:51 , Taz Ali 10:51 , Taz Ali A senior Russian official warned Moscow would go after British property and seize more Ukrainian land after the UK announced it had spent £1bn on weapons for Ukraine with money raised from frozen Russian assets. “Given that the money cannot be recovered in court for obvious reasons, our country has only one way to return the valuables: return it in kind. That is ‘Ukrainian land’ and other immovable and movable property located on it,” former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev posted on his Telegram channel on Thursday. Medvedev also suggested that Russia would respond to “any illegal seizure of frozen Russian funds or profits” by seizing the “valuables of the British Crown” including British property in Russia. It comes after the defence secretary, John Healey, said more than £1bn of military support for Ukraine had been paid for by frozen Russian assets.
Macron opens meeting of leaders in Paris 10:18 , Taz Ali 10:18 , Taz Ali French President Emmanuel Macron has welcomed leaders at the summit in Paris, giving brief opening remarks to the media before the meeting commenced. (AP)
Sanchez to attend Paris summit by video call after technical problem on plane 09:29 , Daniel Keane 09:29 , Daniel Keane Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez will attend a summit on Ukraine held in Paris on Thursday by video call after a technical problem on his plane forced him to return to Madrid, a spokesperson at his office said. It comes just a week after EU Commission Ursula von der Leyen’s plane was forced to land blind after suspected Russian interference in the aircraft’s GPS system.
Pictured: Cargo truck burns inside warehouse after Russian drone strike on Odesa 08:59 , Daniel Keane 08:59 , Daniel Keane (via REUTERS) (via REUTERS)
Trump commits to pursing Russia-Ukraine peace – reports 08:41 , Arpan Rai 08:41 , Arpan Rai President Donald Trump said he remains committed to pursuing a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine despite uncertainty over face-to-face talks between Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky, CBS News said in a report. “I’ve been watching it, I’ve been seeing it, and I’ve been talking about it with President Putin and President Zelensky,” Trump said in a phone interview with the broadcaster. “Something is going to happen, but they are not ready yet. But something is going to happen. We are going to get it done.”
Trump issues fresh warning to Putin 07:59 , Arpan Rai 07:59 , Arpan Rai Donald Trump warned “you’ll see things happen” if the US is unhappy with Vladimir Putin’s decisions over the war in Ukraine. Speaking alongside Polish president Karol Nawrocki on Wednesday, the US president said he was awaiting a decision from Putin, as he spoke of the ongoing loss of lives in the region due to the conflict. Putin had earlier said he would be prepared to meet Volodymyr Zelensky in Moscow following weeks of apparent stalling on peace talks since the summit in Alaska. “I have no message to President Putin,” Trump told reporters at the White House. “He knows where I stand and he’ll make a decision one way or another. Whatever his decision is, we’ll either be happy about it or unhappy about it and if we’re unhappy about it, you’ll see things happen,” he said. Putin said on Wednesday he believed “that if common sense prevails, it is possible to agree on an acceptable option for ending the conflict,” adding that Trump has “a sincere desire” to find a settlement. “It seems to me that there is a certain light at the end of the tunnel,” Putin said at a news conference in Beijing, wrapping up a four-day visit to China. “Let’s see how the situation develops. If not, then we will have to achieve our goal by military means.”
Zelensky offers condolences on Lisbon accident 07:38 , Arpan Rai 07:38 , Arpan Rai Volodymyr Zelensky has extended his condolences to the Lisbon president after an electric streetcar that is one of Lisbon’s big tourist attractions derailed and crashed, killing 15 people and injuring 18 others. “Deeply saddened by the tragic accident with Glória elevator in Lisbon, which caused dozens of fatalities and left more than 25 people injured. On behalf of the Ukrainian people, I extend heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims, to President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, @LMontenegro_PT, and we wish a speedy recovery to those injured. In this time of grief, we remain in prayer and solidarity with Portuguese people mourning the loss,” Zelensky said on X. Authorities called it an accident, the worst in the city’s recent history, and it cast a pall over Lisbon’s charm for the millions of foreign tourists who arrive every year. Officials did not immediately provide a cause of the crash. Deeply saddened by the tragic accident with Glória elevator in Lisbon, which caused dozens of fatalities and left more than 25 people injured.
On behalf of the Ukrainian people, I extend heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims, to President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa,… — Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) September 3, 2025
Putin vows to achieve all aims militarily if Kyiv doesn’t agree on deal 07:04 , Arpan Rai 07:04 , Arpan Rai Russia will continue with its goals in Ukraine invasion by military means if Moscow’s peace deal is not agreed upon, Vladimir Putin said in fresh signs of wanting to continue his military operations in Ukraine despite peace talks. Putin said there was a chance to end the war in Ukraine via negotiations “if common sense prevails”, an option he said he preferred, but that he was ready to end it by force if that was the only way. Speaking in Beijing at the end of a visit that resulted in an agreement on a new gas pipeline to China, Putin said he perceived “a certain light at the end of the tunnel”, given what he said were sincere efforts by the United States to find a settlement to Europe’s biggest land war since the Second World War. “It seems to me that if common sense prevails, it will be possible to agree on an acceptable solution to end this conflict,” Putin said in Beijing yesterday. “If not, then we will have to resolve all our tasks militarily.” “Especially since we can see the mood of the current US administration under president (Donald) Trump, and we see not just their statements, but their sincere desire to find this solution… And I think there is a certain light at the end of the tunnel. Let’s see how the situation develops,” he said. “If not, then we will have to resolve all the tasks before us by force of arms,” he warned. Russian president Vladimir Putin speaks during a press conference at the end of his visit to China for the Tianjin SCO Summit in Beijing (Reuters)
Trump says he is commited to pursuing Russia-Ukraine peace 06:39 , Arpan Rai 06:39 , Arpan Rai US president Donald Trump said that he remains committed to pursuing a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine despite mounting uncertainty over the prospect of face-to-face talks between Russian president Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky. “I’ve been watching it, I’ve been seeing it, and I’ve been talking about it with president Putin and president Zelensky,” Trump said in a phone interview with CBS News on Wednesday. “Something is going to happen, but they are not ready yet. But something is going to happen. We are going to get it done,” he said. Trump told CBS News he is unhappy with the carnage between Russia and Ukraine but will keep pushing for a peace agreement. “I think we’re going to get it all straightened out. Frankly, the Russia one, I thought, would have been on the easier side of the ones I’ve stopped, but it seems to be something that’s a little bit more difficult than some of the others,” he said. Trump yesterday said he plans to hold talks about the war in Ukraine in coming days after his Alaska summit with Putin in August failed to achieve a breakthrough. A White House official said Trump is expected to speak on the phone today with Zelensky.
Watch: Zelensky says Putin is telling stories about how someone else is ‘forcing him to fight, kill’ 06:15 , Arpan Rai 06:15 , Arpan Rai
Kyiv denies Russian claims of capturing half of Kupiansk 05:26 , Arpan Rai 05:26 , Arpan Rai Ukraine’s military has denied Russian claims of advancing in the country’s northeastern Kharkiv region’s Kupiansk city. Russia’s defence ministry said that its troops had captured “about half” of the city of Kupiansk in a military update yesterday. The Russian defence ministry released a drone video showing a soldier holding a Russian flag while standing on a road in the town. Much of the city has been destroyed as Moscow tries to seize it back as part of a slow advance westward along parts of the 1,000-km (620-mile) long frontline. Ukraine’s 10th army corps, in a post on the Telegram messaging app, described the Russian report as staged propaganda. “All such attempts are pointless,” it said alongside a video of its own, which it said showed a Russian unit being destroyed. “All such attempts by the Russian occupiers to use localities as a decoration for propaganda videos are doomed to fail.” Ukraine’s official Centre Against Disinformation said any notion that Russian forces had advanced into Kupiansk was untrue and a propaganda exercise. Kupiansk has been the focus of months of increased Russian military activity and heavy fighting. Russian troops captured the city in the early weeks of their February 2022 invasion and Ukrainian forces took it back later that same year.
German foreign minister seeks India’s help to bring ally Russia into Ukraine peace talks 05:07 , Arpan Rai 05:07 , Arpan Rai German foreign minister Johann Wadephul urged India to press its close ally Russia to return to peace talks over the war in Ukraine, days after Indian prime minister Narendra Modi met Russian president Vladimir Putin at a regional summit in China. Wadephul told a news conference yesterday that despite enormous efforts by Europe and the United States, Russia hasn’t been willing to enter negotiations, a challenge New Delhi could possibly address. “The only demand is that weapons fall silent,” the German minister said during his two-day visit to India, adding that Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has shown an intention to make peace. German foreign minister seeks India’s help to bring ally Russia into Ukraine peace talks
‘Coalition of the willing’ and other Ukrainian allies meet today to discuss security guarantees 04:56 , Arpan Rai 04:56 , Arpan Rai Some 30 leaders will hold talks today with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky over future security guarantees to Kyiv if there is a ceasefire with Russia, hoping they have done enough to persuade the United States to back their efforts. The summit, both in person and virtually, of the “coalition of the willing” brings together leaders mostly from Europe, but also Turkey, Australia and Canada. The countries have talked for months at various levels to define their military contributions to Ukraine to help deter Russia from attacking it again once there is a final truce. But those efforts have stalled recently as governments have said any European military role would need its own US security guarantees as a backstop. President Donald Trump has made no explicit commitment to provide those. French president Emmanuel Macron said alongside Zelensky in Paris on Wednesday that the coalition leaders would endorse plans today for security guarantees completed by their militaries.
Russia says potential military troops deployment in Ukraine unacceptable 04:35 , Arpan Rai 04:35 , Arpan Rai Russia has no plans to discuss any potential foreign military deployment in Ukraine in any format, calling it “unacceptable”, foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova told reporters today. She was commenting on remarks by European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen on plans to send European troops to Ukraine, a move, which was also rejected by Germany. In an interview to the Financial Times on Sunday, von der Leyen said Europe was drawing up “pretty precise plans” for a multinational troop deployment to Ukraine as part of post-conflict security guarantees that will have the backing of US capabilities. “Russia is not going to discuss a foreign intervention in Ukraine in any form or format that is fundamentally unacceptable and undermines any security,” Zakharova told a weekly briefing with reporters. Germany’s defence minister on Monday also harshly dismissed as premature remarks by von der Leyen. A soldier fires a mortar towards positions of Russian troops near Kostyantynivka in Donetsk region (AP)
Trump issues fresh warning to Putin 04:19 , Arpan Rai 04:19 , Arpan Rai Donald Trump warned “you’ll see things happen” if the US is unhappy with Vladimir Putin’s decisions over the war in Ukraine. Speaking alongside Polish president Karol Nawrocki on Wednesday, the US president said he was awaiting a decision from Putin, as he spoke of the ongoing loss of lives in the region due to the conflict. Putin had earlier said he would be prepared to meet Volodymyr Zelensky in Moscow following weeks of apparent stalling on peace talks since the summit in Alaska. “I have no message to President Putin,” Trump told reporters at the White House. “He knows where I stand and he’ll make a decision one way or another. Whatever his decision is, we’ll either be happy about it or unhappy about it and if we’re unhappy about it, you’ll see things happen,” he said. Putin said on Wednesday he believed “that if common sense prevails, it is possible to agree on an acceptable option for ending the conflict,” adding that Mr Trump has “a sincere desire” to find a settlement. “It seems to me that there is a certain light at the end of the tunnel,” Putin said at a news conference in Beijing, wrapping up a four-day visit to China. “Let’s see how the situation develops. If not, then we will have to achieve our goal by military means.”
Recap: Trump promises to keep backing Poland with troops 04:02 , Jane Dalton 04:02 , Jane Dalton Donald Trump on Wednesday said the US could increase its troop presence in Poland and pledged to secure the country’s defences during a White House meeting with its conservative nationalist president, Karol Nawrocki. Mr Trump said the US had a “tremendous relationship” with Poland. Asked whether he planned to keep American troops in Poland, Trump said yes. “We’ll put more there if they want,” he said. The US military presence on Nato’s eastern flank, including Poland, remains one of the central issues for Warsaw, which is seeking assurances of continued support in the midst of Russia’s war with Ukraine.
Ukraine to roll out sweeteners for soldiers over 24 03:01 , Jane Dalton 03:01 , Jane Dalton Ukraine may roll out benefits previously offered only to new recruits aged 18-24 to older age groups, President Zelensky’s Deputy Chief of Staff Pavlo Palisa said, according to the Kyiv Independent. Ukraine introduced updated military contracts, also known as the “18-24” contracts, in early 2025. These contracts target volunteers aged 18 to 24 who are not yet subject to conscription. They offered those who commit to a one-year service contract a one-million-hryvnia (£18,000) bonus, paid in three instalments.
Analysis: Putin rehabilitation is almost complete 02:02 , Jane Dalton 02:02 , Jane Dalton What the Kremlin leader cares about is “Making Russia Great Again”, writes Owen Matthews: Putin’s rehabilitation is almost complete – and he’s busy ‘making Russia great again’
We’ll get strong security guarantees thanks to France, Zelensky says 01:01 , Jane Dalton 01:01 , Jane Dalton Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky says he believes his efforts with France will deliver strong security guarantees. Mr Zelensky and French leader Emmanuel Macron gave each other warm hugs when they met for talks in Paris. France stands with Ukraine, and we are grateful to the entire French nation and personally to President @EmmanuelMacron for such strong support for our country and for France’s leadership in many initiatives and coalitions.
During today’s meeting with President Macron, we… pic.twitter.com/aetr8HjfvK — Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) September 3, 2025
China summit with Putin may signal geopolitical shift Wednesday 3 September 2025 23:59 , Jane Dalton Wednesday 3 September 2025 23:59 , Jane Dalton A summit and parade in China may signal a geopolitical shift. They might also be political jockeying
Pictures: Ukrainians shelter inside a metro station as Russian strike drones fly over Kyiv Wednesday 3 September 2025 23:00 , Steffie Banatvala People take shelter inside a metro station while Russian strike drones fly over Kyiv (REUTERS) People take shelter inside a metro station while Russian strike drones fly over Kyiv (REUTERS) People take shelter inside a metro station while Russian strike drones fly over Kyiv (REUTERS) Wednesday 3 September 2025 23:00 , Steffie Banatvala
Ukrainian children forced to learn underground as new year starts in the shadow of Russian assaults Wednesday 3 September 2025 22:00 , Steffie Banatvala Wednesday 3 September 2025 22:00 , Steffie Banatvala Pupils across Ukraine returned to school on Monday, embarking on a new academic year under the shadow of Russia’s ongoing invasion, with many lessons now taking place underground. Schoolchildren enter an underground school (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved) Schoolchildren enter an underground school (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)
On the ground: North Korea sending another 6,000 troops to Russia Wednesday 3 September 2025 21:00 , Steffie Banatvala NEW: Russian President Vladimir Putin leveraged a meeting with Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico to pretend to offer marginal concessions to US demands while continuing to refuse to meet actual US demands and while blaming Europe and the United States for provoking Russian… pic.twitter.com/MN2572Hqiw — Institute for the Study of War (@TheStudyofWar) September 2, 2025 Wednesday 3 September 2025 21:00 , Steffie Banatvala
ICYMI: China trialling visa-free travel for Russians: Putin adviser Wednesday 3 September 2025 20:00 , Steffie Banatvala Wednesday 3 September 2025 20:00 , Steffie Banatvala China will extend visa-free travel to ordinary passport holders from Russia on a trial basis, its foreign ministry said on Tuesday. The visa exemption will be for a period of a year from September 15, with entry to China of no more than 30 days.
Zelensky seeks ‘sanctions, tariffs, any pressure’ on Russia Wednesday 3 September 2025 19:30 , Jane Dalton Wednesday 3 September 2025 19:30 , Jane Dalton Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has said officials will “try to connect” with President Trump to hear about new ways to increase pressure on Russia. The Ukrainian leader recalled, in Denmark, how he and Mr Trump had previously discussed ways the United States could put pressure on Russia to lead Vladimir Putin to engage in political negotiations over the war. Mr Zelensky said he’d asked Mr Trump to put “sanctions, tariffs, any pressure” he could on Russia if Mr Putin did not agree to a “diplomatic format of dialogue, not the dialogue by weapon”. “When we speak about pressure, we mean air defence, we mean weapon deals, we mean drone production, and of course, of course, sanctions,” the Ukrainian leader said at a news conference alongside Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen. “Such signals we gave (the) president of the United States. He said ‘couple of weeks’, and he will answer on this,” Mr Zelensky said of Mr Trump. “‘Couple of weeks’, in my understanding, it’s two weeks or maximum three weeks. This Monday, two weeks ended.” (Ritzau Scanpix)
Trump pushes Europe to stop purchasing Russian oil and up pressure on China in latest effort to end Ukraine war
US President Donald Trump told a meeting of world leaders that Europe must stop purchasing Russian oil and put economic pressure on China. Trump made the comments in a Thursday call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and other European leaders. French President Emmanuel Macron said that 26 countries have promised to contribute to a potential peacekeeping force if a ceasefire deal is finalized. Trump is growing increasingly frustrated with the lack of progress on peace and is contemplating how involved he should be personally in brokering a meeting between Kremlin and Ukrainian leaders, administration officials have told CNN. The developments reflect the intractability of the conflict in Ukraine and the increasing pressure Trump is under to punish Russia as he struggles to push forward negotiations to end the war. the US has indicated to allies it is open to playing a limited role in providing security guarantees to Ukraine if a peace deal is reached with Russia. Such guarantees could involve US pilots flying manned air support missions, though Trump has ruled out boots on the ground.
US President Donald Trump told a meeting of world leaders Thursday that Europe must stop purchasing Russian oil and put economic pressure on China to try to bring about an end to the war in Ukraine, a White House official told CNN, as the administration seemed to put the onus on its allies to get more involved in stopping the conflict.
Trump made the comments in a Thursday call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and other European leaders in a meeting of the “Coalition of the Willing,” a group of Ukrainian allies trying to end the war and provide security for Ukraine from future attacks.
Following the call, French President Emmanuel Macron said that 26 countries have promised to contribute to a potential peacekeeping force if a ceasefire deal is finalized – though US support for security guarantees is seen as central to lending the Europeans’ actions credibility.
Macron acknowledged as much on Thursday, saying that alongside strengthening Ukraine’s armed forces and deploying European troops to Ukraine, the third component of Ukraine’s security guarantees ought to be an “American safety net.”
“In the coming days we will finalize the American support for these security guarantees,” the French president said.
The developments reflect the intractability of the conflict in Ukraine and the increasing pressure Trump is under to punish Russia as he struggles to push forward negotiations to end the war. Now almost three weeks after his high-stakes Alaskan summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Trump is growing increasingly frustrated with the lack of progress on peace and is contemplating how involved he should be personally in brokering a meeting between Kremlin and Ukrainian leaders, administration officials have told CNN.
The White House official said Macron and European leaders called Trump into the coalition meeting, and Trump “emphasized that Europe must stop purchasing Russian oil that is funding the war — as Russia received €1.1 billion in fuel sales from the EU in one year.”
“The President also emphasized that European leaders must place economic pressure on China for funding Russia’s war efforts,” the official said.
The official did not describe any discussion over what security guarantees the president is willing to provide Kyiv should a deal with Moscow be struck.
Trump pledged last month to participate in post-war security guarantees for Ukraine after hosting Zelensky and seven European leaders at the White House, though top Trump administration officials, like Secretary of State Marco Rubio, have argued that Europe should take the lead.
The US has indicated to allies it is open to playing a limited role in providing security guarantees to Ukraine if a peace deal is reached with Russia. Such guarantees could involve US pilots flying manned air support missions, though Trump has ruled out boots on the ground, CNN previously reported.
On Thursday, Zelensky said the strengthening of Ukraine’s air defenses is under discussion, adding that officials also talked about a “new format.”
“We shared it with the partners today and President Trump,” Zelensky said.
Trump also has previously threatened “severe consequences” on Putin if he does not end the war, though the US president is privately wary that doing so could upend talks, Trump administration officials say.
In the meantime, he’s looked to target countries that purchase Russian goods and oil as a way to force Putin’s hand. Asked Wednesday about whether he is considering slapping sanctions on countries that do business with Russia, Trump argued he’s already done so.
“I’ve already done that with regard to India,” Trump said, referencing his decision to raise tariffs on India to 50% for importing Russian oil and helping Russia finance the war.
For his part, Zelensky on Thursday also stressed the importance of ratcheting up pressure Moscow and “all countries who trade with Russia.”
“The Russian economy is pressured and all the countries who trade with Russia are pressured, and we will continue with this,” Zelensky said, adding that “secondary sanctions and special trade tariffs” can help.
Zelensky rejected Putin’s suggestion earlier this week that he’s ready for the two of them to meet in Moscow.
“Our American partners told me that Putin had invited me to Moscow. In my opinion, if someone wants the meeting to not take place, they should invite me to Moscow,” he said.
CNN’s Kaitlan Collins, Victoria Butenko, Svitlana Vlasova, Christian Edwards, Ed Upright and Sophie Tanno contributed to this report.
Ukraine war: Putin ally threatens UK assets and brands Lammy ‘English idiot’; US support for security guarantees ‘to be finalised’
Russia claims its forces have destroyed a launch site for Ukraine’s long-range drones. Defence Ministry said Iskander missile hit the target in Ukraine’s Chernihiv region.
In developments on the battlefield, Russia has claimed its forces have destroyed a launch site for Ukraine’s long-range drones.
The Defence Ministry said an Iskander missile hit the target in Ukraine’s Chernihiv region.
This has not been independently verified.
Earlier, Ukrainian officials said a Russian missile strike on a humanitarian demining mission near the city of Chernihiv had killed two people (see our 13:48 post).
Trump pressures European leaders over Russian oil purchases, White House official says
U.S. President Donald Trump told European leaders on Thursday that Europe must stop buying Russian oil that he said is helping Moscow fund its war against Ukraine. Trump joined a call of the “Coalition of the Willing” countries, led by French President Emmanuel Macron, who were meeting on security guarantees for Kyiv in the event of a peace deal with Russia. Trump has been frustrated at his inability to bring a halt to the fighting in Ukraine after he initially predicted he would be able to end the war swiftly when he took office last January. The European Commission has proposed legislation to phase out EU imports of Russian oil and gas by January 1, 2028, as Brussels seeks to sever its decades-old energy relations with Russia following its 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Most European countries stopped importing Russian crude in 2022 and Russian fuel in 2023.
Summary Trump strikes combative tone in phone call with European leaders and Zelenskiy
Trump urges Europeans to put pressure on China
Joins a call of the ‘Coalition of the Willing’ on Ukraine
WASHINGTON, Sept 4 (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump told European leaders on Thursday that Europe must stop buying Russian oil that he said is helping Moscow fund its war against Ukraine , a White House official said, striking a combative tone amid slow diplomatic progress to end the fighting.
Trump joined a call of the “Coalition of the Willing” countries, led by French President Emmanuel Macron, who were meeting on security guarantees for Kyiv in the event of a peace deal with Russia.
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“President Macron and European leaders called President Trump into their ‘Coalition of the Willing’ meeting. President Trump emphasized that Europe must stop purchasing Russian oil that is funding the war – as Russia received 1.1 billion euros in fuel sales from the EU in one year,” the official said.
The European Commission has proposed legislation to phase out EU imports of Russian oil and gas by January 1, 2028, as Brussels seeks to sever its decades-old energy relations with Russia following its 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
Most European countries stopped importing Russian crude in 2022 and Russian fuel in 2023. It was not immediately clear whether Trump was referring to crude imports by Hungary and Slovakia, which have continued, or imports of fuel made from Russian crude that is refined in third countries, such as India.
Trump also said in the call that “European leaders must place economic pressure on China for funding Russia’s war efforts,” the official said.
Reuters was first to report Trump’s comments.
Trump has been frustrated at his inability to bring a halt to the fighting in Ukraine after he initially predicted he would be able to end the war swiftly when he took office last January.
He has withheld new sanctions on Russia and China, a top Russian oil buyer. But he has ramped up tariffs on U.S. imports from India, another top Russian energy consumer. Trump shrugged off talks this week between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin , but also said the leaders might be conspiring against the U.S.
The U.S. president also continues to press Europeans to absorb more of the burden for their defense and is reluctant to commit more American support to a war that he wants to end.
The White House official said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen were among the leaders on the call.
“The ‘Coalition of the Willing’ meeting was on security guarantees for Ukraine. President Trump questioned their seriousness while they continue to fuel Russia’s economy and war. The president made clear that this is not his war, and the Europeans must step up as well,” the official said.
The official gave no details on the discussion around security guarantees, but Trump has previously expressed support for Ukraine without making a specific pledge. Macron said on Thursday that 26 nations have pledged to provide Ukraine the postwar support of an international force on land, sea, and in the air.
Trump has warned he could impose sanctions on countries that buy oil from Russia, but did not impose direct tariffs on Moscow when he announced broad tariffs on dozens of countries in April.
Reporting By Steve Holland; Editing by Trevor Hunnicutt and Rod Nickel
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It’s time for Trump to put maximum pressure on Putin
The US president went to Alaska having promised “severe consequences” if his Russian counterpart didn’t agree to a cease-fire in Ukraine. Since the summit, Putin has launched hundreds of drones and missiles, while killing and injuring dozens of Ukrainians. Trump can accept Putin’s repeated insults and invite more, or he can answer with the one thing the Russian leader understands: maximum pressure. The United States and Europe have the means to dictate the future, if they can show the political will and common cause. The Sanctioning Russia Act of 2025 (S. 1241), with more than eighty co-sponsors, proposes significant sanctions on Russia, including a 500 percent tariff on Russian goods and imports from countries buying Russian energy. The bill gives the US president leverage to target Russian financial sectors and gives the U.S. power to impose more sanctions if Russia continues its aggression or refuses to negotiate peace in good faith. It’S time for Trump to ask Congress to pass the bill, and strengthen it, and enforce it.
After the red carpets were rolled away and the B-2 bomber returned to its hangar, here’s what the Trump-Putin summit in Alaska in August produced: further Russian escalation of war crimes in Ukraine. Put clearly: Vladimir Putin answered Donald Trump’s disdain for pointless death with more unprovoked bloodletting.
The US president went to Alaska having promised “severe consequences” if his Russian counterpart didn’t agree to a cease-fire in Ukraine. Since the summit, Putin has launched hundreds of drones and missiles—targeting civilian infrastructure and regions far from the front lines, while killing and injuring dozens of Ukrainians. An August 28 attack on Kyiv killed more than twenty civilians, including four children, and wounded forty-eight more people.
Less than a week after the Alaska summit, an August 21 Russian strike destroyed a US electronics and consumer goods factory near the Hungarian border in western Ukraine. That was no misfire. It was contempt. The next day, Trump said that he was “not happy about it,” and that he had threatened sanctions if peace didn’t advance within two weeks. Those two weeks are nearly over.
Still, Putin has not paid a price—even as he has shrugged off an apparent commitment to Trump that he would meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and continue to explore peace. Last week, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said that it’s clear the meeting between the Russian and Ukrainian leaders won’t take place.
On the Monday following the Alaska summit, seven European leaders visited the White House, accompanying Zelenskyy. The aftermath of that meeting is still playing out, but the visit provided a clarifying pathway for common cause to stop Putin’s killing and expansionist ambition.
In an interview over the weekend, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told the Financial Times that European defense chiefs from the British- and French-led “Coalition of the Willing” have worked up “pretty precise plans” for potential military deployments to Ukraine as part of post-conflict security guarantees, in which Trump had committed the United States to participate.
“Security guarantees are paramount and absolutely crucial,” she said. “We have a clear road map and we had an agreement in the White House . . . and this work is going forward very well.” Those European leaders who met with Trump will meet again in Paris on Thursday to flesh out their plans, with von der Leyen telling the Financial Times that “the sense of urgency is very high.”
For his part, Trump needs to feel the same sense of urgency, as he faces a stark and immediate choice. He can accept Putin’s repeated insults and invite more, or he can answer with the one thing the Russian leader understands: maximum pressure. The world witnessed this approach in Trump’s actions regarding Iran, where he bombed three nuclear installations after Tehran ignored his sixty-day deadline for peace talks.
To face down Putin, Trump won’t have to risk a US military action within Russian territory. He merely needs to apply the leverage of the US and European economies, which with a combined gross domestic product of around $50 trillion are nearly twenty-five times larger than the Russian economy. Last year, the combined military spending of the United States, Canada, and European NATO countries was roughly $1.5 trillion, while Russia’s was $149 billion. The United States and Europe have the means to dictate the future, if they can show the political will and common cause.
For Trump, the building blocks for maximum pressure are already in place.
First, Trump should give a quick green light to the US Senate’s sanctions bill. The Sanctioning Russia Act of 2025 (S. 1241), with more than eighty co-sponsors, proposes significant sanctions on Russia, including a 500 percent tariff on Russian-origin goods and imports from countries buying Russian energy, prohibitions on US investment in and exports to the Russian energy sector, and asset freezes for Russian financial institutions.
The bill targets Russian energy and financial sectors and gives the US president leverage to impose more sanctions if Russia continues its aggression or refuses to negotiate peace in good faith. It’s time for Trump to ask Congress to pass the bill, sign it, enforce it, and strengthen it. Thus far, the Trump administration has only gone after India with tariffs to punish it for buying Russian oil. That alienates India, doesn’t hurt the Russians enough, and doesn’t touch China—the country without which Putin wouldn’t be able to continue his war.
“Energy exports, especially oil, remain a lifeline for Russia even though they are declining,” Kimberly Donovan, the director of the Atlantic Council’s Economic Statecraft Initiative, wrote recently in arguing for the Trump administration to impose secondary sanctions on Russian oil. “Putin, quite literally, cannot afford to lose his remaining oil revenue.”
Next, Trump needs to lock in US security guarantees to support Ukraine alongside European allies. “When it comes to security, there’s going to be a lot of help” from the United States, Trump told reporters during his White House visit with European leaders. “They are the first line of defense, because they are there,” he said of the Europeans. “But we’re going to help them out also. We’ll be involved.”
It’s time to make those words real—to move from vague pledges to operational commitments: ISR (intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance), munitions pipelines, and a European air-defense shield with US enablers.
Behind NATO’s new defense-spending pledge at this year’s NATO summit was a clear division of labor: Europe supplies mass, while the United States provides powerful enablers. It’s time to put that thinking into operation in Ukraine. (There are also reports in the media suggesting that US contract soldiers could deploy to Ukraine.)
Finally, it’s time for Trump to lift restrictions on letting Ukraine use longer-range US weapons to hit targets deep in Russia. Britain and France have freed Ukraine’s hand to hit such military and military-related targets—launch sites, airfields, logistics hubs—on the simple logic that doing otherwise provides sanctuary to Ukraine’s killers. Trump even recently criticized former US President Joe Biden because he “would not let Ukraine FIGHT BACK, only DEFEND.” Yet the Wall Street Journal recently reported that Trump’s own Pentagon continued the Biden approach by preventing Ukraine from using the US-made Army Tactical Missile System, or ATACMS, for such strikes.
There are welcome signs that this approach is changing. On Friday, US Ambassador to NATO Matt Whitaker told Fox News, “We’re giving some deeper strike capabilities, and most likely the Ukrainians are going to use them.”
* * *
Trump wants history to remember him. The war in Ukraine presents him with an opportunity worthy of a Nobel Peace Prize. If a sovereign, secure Ukraine emerges from the conflict, it would echo far beyond Europe—to Beijing, Tehran, Pyongyang, and every adversary weighing US resolve. It will take maximum pressure—sanctions, European troop commitments, US security guarantees, and long-range strikes—to end this war on terms that secure peace and preserve Ukrainian freedom.
Following the Alaska summit, Trump can have no further doubt about who he’s dealing with in Putin. Following the historic European visit to the White House, there’s also little doubt about the parameters for success. It’s time for the Trump administration to make clear where the blame lies for this war.
“How much more evident can it be that Russia is the obstacle to peace?” wrote the Wall Street Journal in an editorial this past week. “At this point, Mr. Trump can certainly tell his voters that he tried mightily to talk Mr. Putin into peace. The effort failed. The next strategy, one that has worked for Mr. Trump in other parts of the world, is called maximum pressure. The way Mr. Trump can end the war is by getting Mr. Putin to conclude that the costs are too high for him to continue.”
It is too easy with the deluge of daily news reports—on everything from Jeffrey Epstein to Trump’s efforts to fire a Federal Reserve governor, from troop deployments in US cities to warships heading for Venezuela—to miss the generational significance of what’s unfolding in Ukraine.
For the US president and his legacy, there is no bigger geopolitical test than Ukraine. For Trump, who understands negotiating leverage and yearns to be seen as a peacemaker, it’s time to send a clear message through maximum pressure: The days of Putin playing him are over.
Frederick Kempe is president and chief executive officer of the Atlantic Council. You can follow him on X: @FredKempe.
This edition is part of Frederick Kempe’s Inflection Points newsletter, a column of dispatches from a world in transition. To receive this newsletter throughout the week, sign up here.
Further reading
Image: August 15, 2025, Anchorage, Alaska, USA: President Donald Trump and Russian president Vladimir Putin participate in a joint press conference after their meeting at the Arctic Warrior Event Center at Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska, Friday, August 15, 2025. (Credit Image: ? Daniel Torok/White House/ZUMA Press Wire) REUTERS