Trump tells Congress he ‘appreciates’ Zelensky’s message on Ukraine peace

A British man captured while fighting alongside Ukrainian troops in Russia’s Kursk region has been sentenced to 19 years in prison, according to the regional judiciary.

James Scott Rhys Anderson was convicted of terrorism and mercenary activities by a military court.

The press service for Kursk courts says Anderson has “admitted his guilt and repented”.

He was taken prisoner in November 2024

Image source,EPA

Sticking with PMQs…

Tory leader Kemi Badenoch asks Starmer what he’s doing to convince the US that security guarantees for Ukraine would also be in its interests.

Starmer says he discussed them with President Trump when he visited the White House last Thursday.

He adds that he’s spoken to the US president three times since then.

A telling moment from Starmer on Trump and Natopublished at 19:20

Speaking at Prime Minister’s Questions, Keir Starmer has again pointed to President Trump’s public backing for Nato’s Article 5 – the commitment of each member to come to the assistance of another in the event of an attack.

But it is telling in itself that such reassurances have to be sought – as Nato’s capacity for deterrence relies on Article 5 being sancosanct and so beyond even the subject of discussion.

It would be a little bit like having to be reassured that your front door keys will actually open your front door.

The prospect that they won’t isn’t normal.

Image source,EPA

We need to do everything we can to ensure the US, Europe and Ukraine are working together on lasting peace, says British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

Speaking at Prime Minister’s Questions, Starmer tells MPs he’s doing “everything I can to play my part”.

He says he’s in regular contact with the “key players”, adding that he spoke to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky yesterday afternoon.

We will continue monitoring the Commons for further lines on Ukraine – our full coverage of PMQs can be found here.

As we just reported, France’s Macron is considering another trip to Washington DC for talks with the US president – this time with Ukraine’s Zelensky and Britain’s Starmer in tow.

It comes just a week after all three leaders last visited the White House.

Macron, for his part, was there last Monday. It was a cordial meeting, at which he spoke of both countries wanting peace. He agreed with Trump that Europe needed to take more responsibility for its own security.

On Thursday, it was Starmer’s turn. He shared warm discussions with the US president – and even hand-delivered a letter from King Charles III. The pair talked US security guarantees for Ukraine, earning Starmer the title of “tough negotiator”.

When Zelensky arrived a day later, things took a turn. The Ukrainian president faced an extraordinary dressing down in front of the world’s media, after Trump and his vice-president, JD Vance, demanded that he show more gratitude for years of US support.

Far from the amity of Macron and Starmer’s visits, Zelensky was eventually told to leave the White House before he and Trump could even take the stage for a scheduled news conference.

French President Emmanuel Macron is considering returning to Washington for talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and UK PM Keir Starmer, government spokesperson Sophie Primas says at a news conference at the Élysée Palace.

Earlier today, Primas reiterated France’s commitment to helping Kyiv re-establish its relations with the US.

• For context: All three leaders visited the White House separately for talks last week with US President Donald Trump

  Image source,Getty Images

  Ukraine’s ability to protect its people and cities has heavily relied on sophisticated US air defence systems – such as Patriot batteries and Nasams – jointly developed with Norway.

  The US has given Ukraine the ability to carry out long range strikes – with Himars and Atacm missiles. Washington limited their use inside Russia, but they have still been vital to hit high value targets inside occupied territories.

  It’s not just quality, but quantity, too.

  As the world’s most powerful military, the US has been able to send hundreds of surplus Humvees and armoured vehicles – numbers that smaller European armies could never match.

  The absence of some of this aid may take time to filter down to the frontline. But there could be a more worrying immediate impact, not least in terms of intelligence sharing.

  • Our defence correspondent Jonathan Beale has more

  Late on Monday – in the early hours of Tuesday morning in Ukraine – the White House announced the US was suspending military aid to Ukraine.

  A White House official told the BBC’s US partner, CBS News, that its reason for doing so was to “ensure that it is contributing to a solution”.

  In response, European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said Europe was ready to “step up” on defence, while Moscow welcomed the decision – saying it “could really push the Kyiv regime to a peace process”.

  Later, Vice-President JD Vance said the US needed to “get some payback for the incredible financial investment” it has made in Ukraine.

  Asked if the aid might resume, he said when Kyiv begins negotiating “everything is on the table”.

  He also said that to move forward, they need Ukraine to come and tell them what they need privately: “That is the most important thing, and that lack of private engagement is what is most concerning to us.

For all Trump’s words of appreciation, Ukraine aid pause remainspublished at 17:40

17:40

Image source,Getty Images

Donald Trump’s congressional address is being seen as conciliatory towards Ukraine.

Well, maybe. But the first few months of the president’s second term have taught us to be cautious about inferring too much from individual statements or acts.

Trump blows hot and cold. During the election, Trump’s campaign speeches were taken with a pinch of salt. The speech to Congress had a similar electoral tone.

So, as in the campaign, so in government, the trick is to look for the substance and the trends.

The substance in the speech was his claim he had been in “serious discussions with Russia” and had “received strong signals that they are ready for peace”. Who and what and when were unclear.

The trend is that the president is still imposing extraordinary pressure on a supposed ally to agree a surrender ceasefire on the administration’s terms, one that cedes territory to Russia and mineral resources to the US, without guarantees to ensure Ukraine’s future security.

For all Trump’s words of appreciation for President Zelensky’s olive-branch letter, his suspension on US military aid to Ukraine remains.

We’re continuing to lead on Donald Trump’s declaration that Ukraine and Russia have signalled they are ready to begin peace negotiations.

Compared to recent days, Trump was more conciliatory in his tone towards Ukraine and its president, Volodymyr Zelensky, as he made the announcement in his speech to Congress last night.

It came hours after Zelensky himself shared a statement on X, in which he said it was “time to make things right”.

He also expressed a willingness to consider a partial truce if Russia agreed to do the same.

But what exactly does the Ukrainian president envisage? He’s suggested some initial stages:

• The release of prisoners
• A truce in the sky, with a “ban on missiles, long-ranged drones, bombs on energy and other civilian infrastructure”
• An “immediate truce” in the sea

  While the UK’s defence secretary takes DC, European Union leaders will meet in Brussels tomorrow to discuss further support for Ukraine and European security.

  In a press statement, the European Council says Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has been invited.

  It follows last weekend’s talks in London between European leaders and other allies, after which UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced a four-point plan to work with Ukraine to end the war.

  Image source,PA Media

  Image source,PA Media

  As the US, Ukraine and Russia all show signs of willingness to start peace negotiations, the high-wire diplomacy of the last few weeks continues behind the scenes.

  UK Defence Secretary John Healey is on his way to Washington DC today to meet his US counterpart Pete Hegseth on Thursday.

  Ending the Ukraine war will be top of the agenda, as the UK continues to work with Europe and the US to reach a peace deal.

  Ahead of the trip, Healey says it’s “crucial” for Britain and Europe to step up their security, adding that the US-UK relationship is as “strong as ever”.

  Over in Moscow, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has welcomed Donald Trump’s remarks overnight that Ukraine is ready to sit down for peace talks “as soon as possible”.

  Asked how the Kremlin viewed the US president’s statement, Peskov says: “Positively. The question is who we sit down with.”

  He recalls that the Ukrainian government’s ban on talks with Russia was still in place.

  “That’s why this approach is positive on the whole, but the details haven’t changed,” Peskov says.

  • Some context: Moscow has repeatedly questioned Volodymyr Zelensky’s legitimacy, claiming that his presidential mandate has run out. Elections are suspended under martial law in Ukraine, which has been in place since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022

    Image source,Getty Images

    Volodymyr Zelensky’s chief aide, Andriy Yermak, is calling on Russia to stop daily its daily attacks it wants peace.

    “Russia must stop the daily shelling of Ukraine immediately if it truly wants the war to end,” Yermak says in a post on the Telegram messaging app.

    It comes as Ukrainian officials say Russia staged overnight attacks – see our last post for more detail.

    Image source,State Emergency Service of Ukraine

    Staying in Ukraine, officials have reported overnight strikes across the country.

    The Ukrainian Air Force says 181 drones were launched into the territory by Russia, 115 of which were shot down.

    In Odesa, a port city in southern Ukraine, the mayor and regional head say some districts are without power, heating and water supply after a strike on critical infrastructure.

    A 77-year-old man was killed when drone debris fell on houses on the city’s outskirts, they add.

    In Pavlohrad, a city in the central Dnipropetrovsk region, missile strikes caused damage to two power plants and two tower blocks, regional head Serhiy Lysak says. No casualties have been reported.

    On the ground, Ukraine’s military says there were 108 combat engagements between Ukrainian and Russian troops on Tuesday.

    Seventeen Russian attacks were reported in Pokrovsk, in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region, alone.

    

    We can now bring you some more reaction from Ukrainians to Donald Trump’s speech in Congress last night.

    “Thankfully, no sensations,” says politician and activist Heorhiy Tuka.

    According to former MP Boryslav Bereza, the US president’s speech proves that “it’s been possible to settle the conflict that happened in the White House last Friday”.

    “This is good,” Bereza says. “The US president has changed the tone of his rhetoric.”

    MP Mykola Knyazhytsky says “it went much better for us than could have done”.

    He goes on to say, however, that President Trump’s speech “wasn’t particularly specific” when it came to Ukraine. “Therefore, it’s hugely important to repair ties with America, but it is no less important to wake up Europe.”

    Another MP, Oleksiy Honcharenko, is also happy with the Congress address, and says that the next step would be for Ukraine to “set out its red lines” in discussing any peace settlement.

    

    In the latest episode of Americast, our North America editor Sarah Smith and correspondent Anthony Zurcher pick apart Donald Trump’s biggest speech since returning to the White House.

    He delivered it 24 hours after announcing he was pausing aid to Ukraine, and on the same day tariffs came in on Mexico and Canada.

    He was addressing a joint session of the US Congress, declaring “the American dream is unstoppable”.

    Image source,Getty Images

    It was up to Senator Elissa Slotkin to respond Donald Trump’s address for the Democratic Party last night.

    She used her rebuttal to take the new Trump administration to task for bringing with it “chaos and recklessness”.

    Slotkin also attacked the president’s dealings on the war in Ukraine and his spat with Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelensky last Friday.

    “That scene in the Oval Office wasn’t just a bad episode of reality TV. It summed up Trump’s whole approach to the world,” she said.

    “He believes in cosying up to dictators like Vladimir Putin and kicking our friends, like Canada, in the teeth.

    “He sees American leadership as merely a series of real estate transactions.