President Volodymyr Zelensky has acknowledged battlefield progress has been “slower than desired”, weeks into Ukraine’s military offensive to recapture areas occupied by Russia. “Some people believe this is a Hollywood movie and expect results now. It’s not,” he told the…
EU’s von der Leyen says frozen Russia assets will rebuild Ukraine
A proposal for the European Union to use frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine will be put forward in the coming weeks, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said. The European Commission will put forward a plan to do…
Russia legalises recruitment of offenders for military service
The Russian parliament legalised the recruitment of criminals for military service in Ukraine, according to a statement published on the Russian State Duma’s website on Tuesday. It said the validity of the document did not extend to those who had…
Ukraine war must end, South African President Ramaphosa tells Putin
The war in Ukraine must end, South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa has told Russia’s leader Vladimir Putin. Mr Ramaphosa’s remarks came as he met Mr Putin in St Petersburg on Saturday as part of a peace mission with six other…
Kiev hit with fresh missile attack as African leaders seek to mediate
Kiev was bombarded in a fresh missile attack as African leaders visited the city in an attempt to mediate in the ongoing conflict. “Explosion in the capital in the Podil district,’’ Mayor Vitali Klitschko said on Telegram, without providing further…
Kremlin says no positive prospects for Black Sea grain deal renewal
The Kremlin said on Thursday it saw no positive prospects when it came to renewing the Black Sea grain deal given that parts of the accord affecting Russia remained unfulfilled. The agreement allowing Ukraine to resume sea-borne grain exports was…
Kherson flooding: Ukraine evacuation boat attacked by Russia, killing 3
Three people were killed after Russia attacked a boat carrying evacuees from a flooded area in Kherson, the regional governor said. Ukraine has been trying to rescue people trapped on the Russia-held eastern bank of the Dnipro River since the…
Ukraine counter-offensive actions have begun, Zelensky says
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky appears to have confirmed that his country’s long-awaited counter-offensive against Russia has started. “Counteroffensive and defensive actions are taking place,” he said on Saturday. But he added that he would not talk in detail about which…
Scholz to visit Italian Prime Minister Meloni in Rome
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz plans to travel to Rome on Thursday to meet Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. It is the chancellor’s first visit to the Italian capital since the leader of the radical far-right Brothers of Italy party took…
Zelensky visits area flooded by destroyed dam in southern Ukraine
President Volodymyr Zelensky has travelled to the region of southern Ukraine flooded after the destruction of the Kakhovka dam to observe ongoing evacuations, he announced on Telegram on Thursday. Masses of water were continuing to flow out of the reservoir…
