2 days Ago By The Independent
Donald Trump warned Volodymyr Zelensky he could face “big problems” if he tried to back out of a potential minerals deal with the US. The US president has accused Zelensky of trying to pull out of an agreement - which would see the US gain access to Ukraine’s natural mineral deposits - after the Ukrainian said he would not agree one if it threatened Kyiv’s potential EU membership. After the development, Trump told reporters on board Air Force One: “He's trying to back out of the rare earth deal and if he does that he’s got some problems, big, big problems.
” He added:"He wants to be a member of Nato, but he's never going to be a member of Nato. He understands that." The president has also expressed his discontent with Vladimir Putin after he suggested Zelensky should be replaced by a UN-mandated interim government as part of a ceasefire deal.
Mr Trump told NBC News he was “very angry” with the Russian leader and threatened to slap secondary sanctions on Russian oil if a ceasefire could not be agreed. Key Points Kremlin responds to Trump comments 11:38 , Athena Stavrou The Kremlin has responded to Donald Trump’s threatened sanctions after he said he was “very angry” with Vladimir Putin. On Sunday, Mr Trump told NBC News he was furious with the Russian leader over his suggestion that a temporary administration should be installed to negotiate an end to Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.
Asked about Trump's comments, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Putin remained open to contacts with Trump and that a call between them could be set up at short notice if necessary though no call was scheduled for this week. Peskov added that Moscow and Washington were continuing to work on “building up bilateral ties”. Former MI6 chief and Rusi boss discuss Russia, Trump and the future of the West – how to watch our panel 11:19 , Athena Stavrou The panel, chaired by world affairs editor Sam Kiley , will feature Alex Younger, former MI6 chief, and Rachel Ellehuus, director-general of RUSI, discussing global security, US foreign policy under Trump, and the future of Ukraine and Nato.
Find out how to watch: Former MI6 chief and Rusi boss discuss Russia and Trump – how to watch Watch: Trump ‘p***ed off’ at Putin over disparaging Zelensky comments 11:02 , Athena Stavrou Pro-Trump pastor visits Ukraine 10:44 , Athena Stavrou A Donald Trump-backed pastor has visited Ukraine, Kyiv’s Chief Rabbi said. Described as Trump’s “special spiritual advisor”, Pastor Mark Burns visited the towns of Bucha, Irpin and Borodyanka in Ukraine, which have been heavily impacted by the war with Russia. Chief Rabbi Moshe Azman shared pictures of the visit on social media and said: "What he saw deeply moved him — he did not hide his pain, outrage, and sincere compassion.
I am confident that these emotions and testimonies will not remain with him alone.” Russian downs 66 Ukrainian drones in overnight attack 10:33 , Athena Stavrou Russia said it intercepted 66 Ukrainian drones launched overnight. Moscow’s defence ministry said 41 of the drones were estroyed over the border Bryansk region, 24 over the territory of the Kaluga region and one over the territory of the Kursk region.
No damage was reported as a result of the attacks. China's foreign minister travelling to Moscow 10:14 , Athena Stavrou China’s foreign minister is travelling to Moscow today for talks with his Russian counterpart. Wang Yi is set to meet Sergei Lavrov on Tuesday, though the visit threatens to be overshadowed by Donald Trumps’ comments on Vladimir Putin.
China’s foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun, emphasised Beijing's assertions of neutrality in the Ukraine conflict. "We always believe that dialogue and negotiation are the only viable way out of the crisis. China's cooperation with Russia does not target a third party and should not be affected by any third party," Guo told reporters at a daily briefing.
Russia changing drone tactics - reports 10:03 , Athena Stavrou Russian milbloggers have claimed Moscow has changed its drone strike tactics, a war monitoring think-tank has reported. US based think-tank the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), said a Kremlin-affiliated milbloggers agreed with reports that Russian forces had altered their long-range drone strike tactics. It said that Putin’s forces now have drones “loiter several kilometers from their targets at high altitudes before conducting synchronized strikes with multiple drones”.
The milblogger speculated that these tactics have been used in recent Russian attacks on Kharkiv, Odesa, and Dnipropetrovsk oblasts, the ISW said. Ukraine to establish space policy department 09:44 , Athena Stavrou Kyiv’s ministry of defence has announced the creation of a space policy department. The department to become a point of contact for both domestic and international developers and scientists to help develop Ukraine’s space sector.
"During these three years of full-scale invasion, Ukraine has gained invaluable experience in the space sector thanks to our partners,” Kateryna Chernogorenko, deputy minister of defence of Ukraine for digitalization said. “Despite the challenges of the war, we have not only maintained our ambitions for space, but are also ready to implement them.” Shares tumble across Asia after Trump threatens ‘all the countries’ with tariffs 09:36 , Athena Stavrou Shares across Asia slumped on Monday after president Donald Trump threatened a global trade war with a tariffs for all nations.
Stocks tumbled from Japan to Hong Kong, with the Nikkei 225 down by 4 per cent, falling to its lowest level in over six months, and the Hang Seng in Hong Kong sinking by 1.3 per cent. The shock was felt across markets with the US president set to impose a barrage of tariffs on all goods from overseas from Wednesday – a day he has dubbed America's "Liberation Day".
My colleague Shweta Sharma reports: Shares tumble across Asia after Trump threatens ‘all the countries’ with tariffs What could Trump's secondary tariffs mean for the global economy? 09:19 , Athena Stavrou After saying he was “very angry” with Vladimir Putin, Donald Trump threatened to impose 50 per cent secondary tariffs on Russian oil. The US president said if a peace deal with Ukraine is not made - and he believes it to be Moscow’s fault - we would introduce a 25 to 50 per cent secondary tariff on those still buying oil from Russia. "If Russia and I are unable to make a deal on stopping the bloodshed in Ukraine, and if I think it was Russia's fault - which it might not be - I am going to put secondary tariffs on all oil coming out of Russia," he said.
“That would be, that if you buy oil from Russia, you can’t do business in the United States.” Secondary tariffs could mean countries who buy oil from Russia will face large tax bills on goods entering the US. The move could hit China and India particularly hard.
India has surpassed China to become the biggest buyer of seaborne Russian crude, which comprised about 35 per cent of India's total crude imports in 2024. Starmer updates Trump on peacekeeping force 08:59 , Athena Stavrou Sir Keir Starmer and Donald Trump have discussed the Coalition of the Willing’s plans, Downing Street said. The prime minister updated Trump on the plans for the potential peacekeeping force in Ukraine in a phone call on Sunday.
A Downing Street spokesperson said: “Discussing Ukraine, the Prime Minister updated the President on the productive discussions at the meeting of the Coalition of Willing in Paris this week. The leaders agreed on the need to keep up the collective pressure on Putin. “They agreed to stay in touch in the coming days.
” Several injured as Russia continues attacks on Kharkiv 08:42 , Athena Stavrou Russia repeatedly bombed the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv over the weekend, with the latest attacks leaving several injured. On Monday morning, Kyiv said two people had been injured in overnight attacks which sparked fires and damaged a kindergarten and private homes. The strikes followed another on Kharkiv over the weekend, which killed two people and wounded 35, Ukrainian official said.
A strike on the city of Kupiansk, east of Kharkiv, late on Sunday also left three injured and demolished more than 10 houses and a local cemetery. Watch: Trump warns Zelensky of ‘big problems’ after accusing him of minerals deal u-turn 08:27 , Athena Stavrou Trump: Ukraine will never be member of Nato 08:12 , Athena Stavrou Addressing Zelensky’s alleged attempts to back out of the rare earth deal, Donald Trump said he’s “never going to be a member of Nato”. The US president has claimed that Kyiv is trying to back out of the proposed deal, which will give the US access to Ukraine’s mineral deposits.
Trump warned Zelensky could face “big problems” if he backs out, after the Ukrainian leader said he would not sign a deal if it interfered with potential plans to join the EU. Trump told reporters on Air Force One: "He wants to be a member of Nato, but he's never going to be a member of Nato. He understands that.
" Trump accuses Zelensky of trying to 'back out' of minerals deal 08:00 , Athena Stavrou Donald Trump has also expressed his discontent with the Ukrainian president, accusing him of trying to back out of a potential minerals deal. The US has been trying to secure a deal to give them access to Ukraine’s mineral deposits. But Zelensky has said he would not agree to a deal if it threatened Kyiv’s potential EU membership.
The US president told reporters on board Air Force One: “He's trying to back out of the rare earth deal and if he does that he’s got some problems, big, big problems.” Pictured: Russian forces fire towards Ukrainian positions 07:50 , Athena Stavrou Why is Trump 'very angry' with Putin? 07:39 After weeks of working with Vladimir Putin to reach a peace deal in Ukraine, Donald Trump has now said he is “pissed off” with the Russian leader. In and NBC interview, the US president said he was “very angry” with Putin for attacking Volodymyr Zelensky's governence.
"You could say that I was very angry, pissed off, when...
Putin started getting into Zelensky's credibility, because that's not going in the right location," Trump told NBC. Last week, the Russian president said Ukraine should be put under external UN governance as part of the ceasefire process. His suggestion that Zelensky’s leadership was illegitimate was met with condemnation from leaders around the world.
"New leadership means you're not gonna have a deal for a long time," Trump added in his interview with NBC. Russia launches 131 drone in overnight attack, Kyiv says 07:23 , Athena Stavrou Russia launched 131 drones and two ballistic missiles in an overnight attack, Kyiv said. The Ukrainian air force said it shot down 57 drones during the attack on Sunday night.
It added that another 45 drones did not reach their targets - likely due to electronic countermeasures - but did not specify what happened to the remaining 29 drones. Trump losing patience with Putin, Finnish president says 07:08 , Shweta Sharma Finnish president Alexander Stubb said that Donald Trump is growing increasingly frustrated with Vladimir Putin’s delays in agreeing to a Ukraine ceasefire. He made the remarks after spending several hours with the US president at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida on Saturday, where he also won a golf competition with Mr Trump.
“I think we’re probably moving into the direction where the Americans are seeing Russia for what it’s worth. In other words, the overall ceasefire has been agreed by the United States, by Ukraine and by Europe, but not by Russia,” he told the Guardian after landing in the UK. “The half-ceasefire has been broken by Russia, and I think America, and my sense is also the president of the United States, is running out of patience with Russia.
I think that’s good news for engagement and negotiation. So this is what I sensed over the weekend as well.” Trump says he is 'very angry' with Putin as he threatens new oil sanctions 07:01 , Shweta Sharma US president Donald Trump has said he was “very angry” and “pissed off” with Vladimir Putin, his strongest rebuke towards the Russian president in weeks amid drawn-out attempts to broker a ceasefire.
In an interview with NBC, Mr Trump threatened to impose secondary tariffs of 25 per cent to 50 per cent on buyers of Russian oil if he feels Moscow is blocking his efforts to end the war in Ukraine. "If Russia and I are unable to make a deal on stopping the bloodshed in Ukraine, and if I think it was Russia's fault - which it might not be..
. I am going to put secondary tariffs..
. on all oil coming out of Russia," he said. Mr Trump's criticism of Mr Putin came after the Russian leader suggested that Mr Zelensky lacks the legitimacy to sign a peace deal, and that Ukraine needed to install a UN-led external government before any agreement to end the war can be completed.
What is the Black Sea ceasefire deal between Russia and Ukraine? 06:30 , Shweta Sharma Russia and Ukraine have agreed to stop attacking ships in the Black Sea after intense negotiations with the US in Saudi Arabia. The White House said both countries agreed to several key measures following the talks in Riyadh. Russia and Ukraine agreed to: As part of the agreement, the US also said it would help restore Russia’s access to global agricultural and fertiliser markets – which have been hit by sanctions over the war, help lower maritime insurance costs and improve access to ports and international payment systems.
For Ukraine, the US said it remained committed to helping facilitate prisoners of war exchanges as well as the release of civilian detainees, and help “the return of forcibly transferred Ukrainian children”. However, Russia has said the deal cannot begin until its conditions are met for restored access to global trade markets and payment systems. Read our full report here .
North Korea likely sent new batch of troops to Russia in early 2025, South Korea claims 06:08 , Shweta Sharma North Korea sent an additional 3,000 troops and missiles to Russia at the beginning of 2025 to support its invasion in Ukraine, South Korea ’s military said in its latest assessment last week, as Kim Jong Un is likely to visit Moscow again. The reinforcements were sent in January and February, adding to the roughly 11,000 troops already in Russia, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said. The development coincides with Russian deputy foreign minister Andrey Rudenko' s announcement that Mr Kim’s visit to Moscow is at the “preparatory stage”.
North Korea sends 3,000 more troops to Russia ahead of Kim’s likely visit to Moscow Russia bombs Kharkiv city for second night in row 05:53 , Shweta Sharma Russia continued strikes in the city of Kharkiv in northeastern Ukraine for the second night in a row, injuring two people, sparking fires and damaging a kindergarten and private houses, Ukrainian officials said early on Monday. The attacks on Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, lasted most of the night and hit the city's largest and oldest district, mayor Ihor Terekhov said. "The sixth explosion in Kharkiv," Mr Terekhov said in a post on the Telegram messaging app on Monday.
It was not clear what was the target of these strikes that came a week after the US brokered a partial ceasefire on strikes on energy and Black Sea infrastructure. Both sides have accused each other of breaking the moratorium. Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday said Moscow had fired more than 1,000 drones in the past week and called for a response from the US and other allies.
Oleh Sinehubov, governor of the Kharkiv region, said on Monday that the overnight attacks followed a late Sunday missile strike on the city of Kupiansk that left three injured and demolished more than 10 houses and a local cemetery. Russia says it repelled 66 drone attacks overnight 05:35 , Shweta Sharma Russia's air defence units intercepted and destroyed 66 Ukrainian drones overnight, the Russian defence ministry said on Monday. Forty-one of the drones were destroyed over the border Bryansk region, 24 over the territory of the Kaluga region and one over the territory of the Kursk region, it said.
The regional governors of Bryansk and Kaluga said on social media that there was no damage as a result of the attacks. Two killed as Russia bombs military hospital, shopping centre and residential areas 05:20 , Shweta Sharma Two people were killed and dozens wounded after Russian drones hit a military hospital, shopping centre and apartment blocks in Ukraine's second-largest city of Kharkiv. Ukraine's General Staff had denounced the "deliberate, targeted shelling" of the military hospital late on Saturday.
Among the casualties were service members who were undergoing treatment, it said. Regional governor Oleh Syniehubov said those killed were a 67-year-old man and a 70-year-old woman. Mr Zelensky said on Sunday that over the past week "most regions of Ukraine" had come under Russian attack.
Writing on X, he repeated his assertion that "Russia is dragging out the war", echoing comments he made on Thursday that Russia is prolonging ceasefire talks "just to buy time and then try to grab more land". Trump threatens secondary sanctions on Russian oil buyers 05:02 , Shweta Sharma Donald Trump has threatened secondary sanctions on Russian oil, a move that analysts say could have a far-reaching effect on the oil market. Mr Trump said there would be "a 25 to 50-point tariff on all oil" if a deal is not made between Russia and Ukraine and “if I think it was Russia's fault”.
"Anybody buying oil from Russia will not be able to sell their product, any product, not just oil, into the United States." Analysts suggest that India and China - the biggest buyers of Russian oil - would be the worst affected by the secondary sanctions. Russia is one of the world’s three largest oil exporters, meaning it could have a punishing impact on those buying Russian oil and distruptions in the trade would have a destabilising impact on the market.
William Reinsch, a former senior Commerce Department official now at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said the haphazard way Mr Trump was announcing and threatening tariffs leaves many questions unanswered, including how US officials could trace and prove which countries were buying Russian oil. India has surpassed China to become the biggest buyer of seaborne Russian crude, which comprised about 35 per cent of India's total crude imports in 2024. Russia claims to have taken control of Zaporizhzhia settlement in Donetsk 04:20 , Shweta Sharma Russia’s defence ministry says it has captured Zaporizhzhia, a village in Ukraine’s Donetsk region, after a missile attack.
"Battlegroup Center units completed the liberation of the settlement of Zaporozhye in the Donetsk People’s Republic through successful offensive operations," the ministry said in a statement, using its own names for the village and the region that it claims to have annexed, illegally, from Ukraine. It said a missile strike on Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) units killed up to 170 troops and foreign mercenaries over the past day. The village is unrelated to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant which is in another region of the same name to the south.
The village lies just 7km from the border of Ukraine’s central Dnipropetrovsk region. Trump warns Zelensky of 'big problems' if he backs out of mineral deal 03:51 , Shweta Sharma After threatening Vladimir Putin, Donald Trump warned Ukraine's president Volodomyr Zelensky of "big, big problems" ahead if he backs out of a mineral deal with the US. The US president's remarks come hours after he criticised Russian president Vladimir Putin for comments he made about the leader of Ukraine.
"He's trying to back out of the rare earth deal," Mr Trump told reporters on Air Force One of Mr Zelensky, referring to an agreement that would provide the US with access to Ukraine's rare earth minerals. "If he does that, he's got some problems. Big, big problems.
We made a deal on rare earth. And now he's saying, 'well you know, I want to renegotiate the deal'." Speaking en route from Florida to Washington, Mr Trump said: "He wants to be a member of Nato.
He was never going to be a member of Nato. He understands that." Although he insisted to reporters that "we're making a lot of progress", he acknowledged that "there's tremendous hatred" between Mr Zelensky and Mr Putin, a fresh indication that negotiations may not produce the swift conclusion that he promised during the campaign.
In an earlier interview with NBC News, he referenced comments Mr Putin made on Friday about temporarily putting Ukraine under external governance. Mr Trump said he was "angry, pissed off" when the Russian leader "started getting into Zelensky's credibility". 'Gangster' Putin making mockery of truce efforts, Ukrainian MP tells Independent 03:00 , Alex Croft Vladimir Putin is making a mockery of ceasefire efforts, a Ukrainian MP has told The Independent.
Oleksandr Merezhko, who chairs the Ukrainian parliament’s foreign policy committee, said earlier this week that Donald Trump may change his attitude towards the Russian autocrat when he realises Putin is not serious about peace. Mr Trump’s declaration that he is “p***** off” at the Russian autocrat could be the first evidence of such a change in attitude. Dealing with Putin is “worse than dealing with gangsters” because “you can never trust, you can never rely [on him]”, Mr Merezhko said.
He added: “It’s an illusion to believe you can make a deal with Putin [which will] be followed conscientiously by Putin. It’s a total illusion. “Trump should understand that on Putin’s part, it’s a mockery.
It’s a mockery, all this negotiation process. When Trump realises this, maybe he will change his attitude towards Putin.” Watch: Sam Kiley visits Kherson where Ukrainian civilians are being targeted by Russian drones in near-daily attacks 02:00 , Alex Croft In pictures: Russian attack on Kharkiv kills two and injures dozens 01:01 , Alex Croft Starmer's coalition of the willing: What does it hope to do? Monday 31 March 2025 00:00 , Alex Croft Sir Keir Starmer has updated US president Donald Trump about recent talks between European countries concerning the proposed ‘coalition of the willing’ peacekeeping force in Ukraine.
But what actually is the coalition? The central focus of the coalition of the willing is a peacekeeping force, and European leaders are expected to discuss what, exactly, they are willing to contribute to a military effort on the ground in Ukraine. The group also needs support from the US, which has provided crucial intelligence information to Ukraine throughout the conflict. So far only the UK and France have committed to providing troops to the cause, and Sir Keir will present a detailed plan on what that peacekeeping force could provide to leaders at the Elysee Palace on Thursday.
The leaders are also expected to discuss ongoing military aid and funding to bolster Ukraine’s military. Ukrainians expect Russia to launch a fresh offensive to strengthen its negotiating position Sunday 30 March 2025 23:28 , Alex Croft Russian forces are preparing to launch a fresh military offensive in the coming weeks to maximize the pressure on Ukraine and strengthen the Kremlin 's negotiating position in ceasefire talks, Ukrainian government and military analysts said. The move could give Russian President Vladimir Putin every reason to delay discussions about pausing the fighting in favor of seeking more land, the Ukrainian officials said, renewing their country's repeated arguments that Russia has no intention of engaging in meaningful dialogue to end the war.
Read the full report: Ukrainians expect Russia to launch a fresh offensive to strengthen its negotiating position Zelensky demands sanctions against Russia and air defence for Ukraine Sunday 30 March 2025 22:55 , Alex Croft Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has said sanctions against Russia are “essential” to help bring about a just end to the war in Ukraine. In his nightly address on X, the Ukrainian president said that the “geography and brutality of Russian strikes” show that Vladimir Putin “couldn’t care less about diplomacy”. “Russia deserves increased pressure—all the tough measures that can break its capacity to wage war and sustain the system that wants nothing but war,” Mr Zelensky wrote.
“Sanctions against Russia are essential. More air defense for Ukraine is essential. More cooperation and unity among all partners is essential.
” Trump and Starmer agree to keep pressure on Putin in phone call Sunday 30 March 2025 22:23 , Alex Croft Donald Trump and Sir Keir Starmer agreed that “collective pressure” is needed on Vladimir Putin in a Sunday night phone call, Downing Street said. The two leaders held the call after news broke that the US president is “p***** off” at the Russian autocrat, whose comments were “not going in the right direction”. A Downing Street statement said: "Discussing Ukraine, the Prime Minister updated the President on the productive discussions at the meeting of the Coalition of Willing in Paris this week.
“The leaders agreed on the need to keep up the collective pressure on Putin.” Watch: Farage claims Trump’s Ukraine approach is ‘turning Putin into a winner’ Sunday 30 March 2025 21:52 , Alex Croft Trump plans call with Putin this week Sunday 30 March 2025 21:21 , Alex Croft Donald Trump has said he plans to speak with Russian president Vladimir Putin over the phone this week. The two leaders have had two publicly announced telephone calls in recent months - but the Kremlin said last week that they may have had more contacts.
The White House had no immediate comment on when the call would take place, or if Trump would also speak with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky. In pictures: War grinds on as US push for ceasefire continues Sunday 30 March 2025 20:50 , Alex Croft Full report: Trump says he’s ‘p*****’ off with Putin over lack of ceasefire deal and threatens more tariffs on Russian oil Sunday 30 March 2025 20:29 , Alex Croft President Donald Trump escalated his criticism towards Russia on Sunday after weeks of being accused of taking Vladimir Putin ’s side in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The US president called up NBC’s Kristen Welker prior to her Sunday appearance as host of Meet the Press, according to Welker.
He told her that he was “p***ed off” after the Russian president called for elections in Ukraine and once again questioned the legitimacy of Volodymyr Zelensky’s government — comments the U.S. president said were unhelpful.
Even though U.S. negotiators are currently engaged in moderating peace talks between Ukrainian and Russian officials in Saudi Arabia, on Sunday, Donald Trump put the blame squarely on Putin’s shoulders, adding that he was “very angry” at the Russian president.
Putin’s recent comments about Zelensky, he said, were “not going in the right location.” Washington DC correspondent John Bowden reports: Trump is ‘p*****’ off with Putin over ceasefire deal delay and threatens more tariffs What is Keir Starmer's peacekeeping initiative known as the coalition of the willing? Sunday 30 March 2025 20:07 , Alex Croft The coalition was announced by Sir Keir at the start of March, following a summit on Ukraine he hosted in London. It was formed to help bolster Ukraine’s defences against Russia, including through increasing military aid.
Just days after that first meeting, the US temporarily suspended intelligence sharing with Kyiv, pushing European leaders to hold crisis talks on what further support they could provide to Ukraine. A central part of the point of the coalition of the willing is to create a peacekeeping force, Sir Keir has previously said, which would help enforce any ceasefire on the ground in Ukraine. A peacekeeping force would help “guarantee Ukraine’s future security”, he said last week, adding that what action the force would take was subject to meetings with military experts from around the world.
Fighting in Kursk continues following Ukrainian collapse - analyst Sunday 30 March 2025 19:46 , Alex Croft Fighting in Kursk is ongoing despite the collapse of Ukraine’s defence in the Russian region. Ukraine is still “hanging onto a narrow strip of Russian land in Kursk with 2-3 small villages” Emil Kastehelmi, analyst with the Black Bird Group, said. Russia will continue to push Ukrainians back, although the area held by Kyiv’s forces is not politically relevant.
Meanwhile, Ukraine has opened a new operation to push into Russia’s Belgorod region, advancing around three to four kilometres deep. “It’s unclear how solidified the Ukrainian positions are in the villages and the surrounding areas,” Mr Kastehelmi said. “We may be seeing a fixing operation to draw Russian attention away from Kursk and Sumy, but currently it’s unfolding on a very local level, and the successes are small.
” Zelensky thanks Ukrainian Muslims on Eid Sunday 30 March 2025 19:25 , Alex Croft Volodymyr Zelensky has thanked Ukrainian Muslims for their “resilience in defending our country” as millions around the world celebrate Eid. “I sincerely congratulate Muslims in Ukraine and around the world on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr,” Mr Zelensky wrote. “This is a blessed time for good deeds, forgiveness, and solidarity.
May this holiday bring us closer to our shared goal — a just, dignified, and lasting peace.” The Ukrainian president thanked Ukraine’s Muslim community for its “resilience”, adding that he is “grateful to everyone who supports Ukraine”. “Eid Mubarak — may your holiday be blessed!” he added.
Ukraine destroys 65 out of 111 drones Sunday 30 March 2025 19:02 , Alex Croft Russia launched 111 drones at Ukraine during an overnight attack, Kyiv's air force said on Sunday. The air force said it had shot down 65 of the drones. Another 35 drones were "locationally lost" without causing damage, typically a reference to electronic jamming, but that damage was reported in the Kharkiv, Sumy, Odesa and Donetsk regions.
Analysis | Trump wants to trap Ukraine in US colonial protection racket Sunday 30 March 2025 18:48 , Alex Croft World affairs editor Sam Kiley reports: The latest version of the much-mutated minerals deal from the White House, which has been tabled in Kyiv, goes further than ever before in attempting to get Ukraine to sign up to back pay for US support in the war, plus four per cent. On top of that it demands that the US, under Delaware law, controls most of Ukraine’s industrial output and much of its transport and communications system. It is the result of a mafia-style protection shakedown on Ukraine by its former friends in Washington DC supported (by accident or design) by thuggery from the Kremlin.
Ukrainian parliamentarians told The Independent that even if, as is unlikely, president Volodymyr Zelensky signed up to the offer it would stand no chance of ratification by Ukraine’s legislature. Trump’s mineral deal forces Ukraine to choose between being a US or Russian colony Watch: Trump ‘p***ed off’ at Putin over disparaging Zelensky comments Sunday 30 March 2025 18:27 , Alex Croft In pictures: Kharkiv authorities respond after drone attack kills two Sunday 30 March 2025 17:53 , Alex Croft 'Gangster' Putin making mockery of truce efforts, Ukrainian MP tells Independent Sunday 30 March 2025 17:38 , Alex Croft Vladimir Putin is making a mockery of ceasefire efforts, a Ukrainian MP has told The Independent. Oleksandr Merezhko, who chairs the Ukrainian parliament’s foreign policy committee, said earlier this week that Donald Trump may change his attitude towards the Russian autocrat when he realises Putin is not serious about peace.
Dealing with Putin is “worse than dealing with gangsters” because “you can never trust, you can never rely [on him]”, Mr Merezhko said. He added: “It’s an illusion to believe you can make a deal with Putin [which will] be followed conscientiously by Putin. It’s a total illusion.
“Trump should understand that on Putin’s part, it’s a mockery. It’s a mockery, all this negotiation process. When Trump realises this, maybe he will change his attitude towards Putin.
” US has 'far-reaching' plans if Russia does not accept ceasefire, says Finnish president Sunday 30 March 2025 17:04 , Alex Croft Donald Trump has been told by Finland’s president Alexander Stubb that the US has “far-reaching” plans in case Russia does not accept a ceasefire in Ukraine. Speaking to Finnish reporters in London, Mr Stubb said the US president was running out of patience with Russia, having met him in a surprise visit to Florida. Mr Stubb added that a deadline for a ceasefire in Ukraine must be set in order to make it happen.
"April 20 would be a good time for a full ceasefire without any conditions,” Mr Stubb said, “because a deadline is needed, because it is Easter and because President Donald Trump will have been in office for three months”. In Mr Stubb’s visit to Florida, the presidents discussed strengthening their countries' bilateral partnership and also played a round of golf, the Finnish president’s office said. Trump: Putin knows I am angry with him Sunday 30 March 2025 16:39 , Alex Croft Donald Trump has said Russian president Vladimir Putin is already aware of the US president’s anger towards him.
NBC News reported that Mr Trump told a reporter in a phone call he was furious about Putin’s suggestion that Volodymyr Zelensky’s administration should be replaced by a UN-mandated government. Mr Trump said Putin knows he is angry with him, but said he had “a very good relationship with him” and “the anger dissipates quickly..
. if he does the right thing.” The US president added that tariffs on Russian oil would come within a month without a ceasefire deal.
What has Donald Trump said about Zelensky's leadership? Sunday 30 March 2025 16:30 , Alexander Butler US president Donald Trump referred to Volodymyr Zelensky as a “dictator without elections” as recently as last month. Echoing Kremlin propaganda, Mr Trump berated him as a “modestly successful comedian” before a calamitous White House press conference. What did Putin say about regime change in Ukraine? Sunday 30 March 2025 16:15 , Alexander Butler Speaking from the far north Russian city of Murmansk last week, Mr Putin floated the idea of a UN-mandated government in Kyiv as a way of allowing Ukraine to “hold democratic elections”.
He said a temporary administration under the auspices of the UN could be discussed "with the United States, with European countries, and of course with our partners and friends". "This would be in order to hold democratic elections, to bring to power a capable government trusted by the people and then to begin with it talks on a peace agreement and sign legitimate documents," he said. Mr Zelensky has served beyond his term due to elections being put on hold under martial law following Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Editorial: Why The Independent will not be silent in the face of Trump’s assault on truth and democracy Sunday 30 March 2025 15:59 , Alexander Butler No, no, no, Mr President. Volodymyr Zelensky is not a dictator. Ukraine did not start the war.
The Ukrainian people are right to defend themselves against Vladimir Putin’s aggression. And it is time to speak the truth – without equivocation. Donald Trump’s words on the war in Ukraine cannot be half-accepted or negotiated around.
They must be rejected. Truth is too important. And the truth is that Mr Trump is turning the values of the American republic on their head.
He stands at the head of a nation founded on the idea that a people have the right to decide their own future. That noble idea cannot be given up without a fight. The signs are that we may be witnessing nothing short of a revolution in world affairs: the switch of the United States from an ally of Europe to an ally of Russia.
From an ally of freedom and democracy to an ally of dictatorship, oppression and brutality. Read the full editorial from 21 February here: We will not be silent in the face of Trump’s assault on truth and democracy Recap: Trump unleashes unhinged tirade against ‘dictator’ Zelensky, suggesting Ukraine continued war to get US money Sunday 30 March 2025 15:49 , Alexander Butler Last month, Trump accused Mr Zelensky, who he called a “modestly successful comedian” in a reference to his previous career as a sitcom star and entertainer, of having “talked the United States of America into spending $350 Billion Dollars, to go into a War that couldn’t be won, that never had to start.” “A Dictator without Elections, Zelenskyy better move fast or he is not going to have a Country left,” Mr Trump said.
Read the full story here: Trump unleashes unhinged tirade against ‘dictator’ Zelensky Trump 'very angry' and 'p***** off' with Putin, say reports Sunday 30 March 2025 15:04 , Alexander Butler US president Donald Trump is “very angry” and “p***** off” with Vladimir Putin, according to NBC News. The US network reported that Mr Trump told a reporter in a phone call he was furious about Mr Putin’s call for regime change in Ukraine, saying the comments were “not going in the right direction”. “If Russia and I are unable to make a deal on stopping the bloodshed in Ukraine, and if I think it was Russia’s fault — which it might not be — but if I think it was Russia’s fault, I am going to put secondary tariffs on oil, on all oil coming out of Russia,” Mr Trump told NBC News.
“That would be that if you buy oil from Russia, you can’t do business in the United States,” Trump said. “There will be a 25 per cent tariff on all oil, a 25- to 50-point tariff on all oil.” Kyiv accuses Putin of war crime after hospital attack Sunday 30 March 2025 14:35 , Alexander Butler Kyiv has accused Vladimir Putin of a war crime after a military hospital was allegedly targeted by an Iranian-made Shahed drone in northeastern Ukraine.
The hospital was struck by the drone in Kharkiv on Saturday as Russian forces launched a huge air attack across Ukraine involving nearly 100 airstrikes and 150 deadly glide bombs. “[This was a] deliberate, targeted shelling of a Ukrainian medical institution by the Russian army. War crimes have no statute of limitations,” Ukraine’s general staff said.
At least 153 KAB missiles - winged explosives weighing up to 1,500 kilograms nicknamed the “building destroyer” - were dropped on Ukrainian towns and cities during the attack, according to Ukraine’s general staff..
