Sir Keir Starmer convened Ukraine’s allies on a virtual call today to gauge support for his and French President Emmanuel Macron’s „coalition of the willing“ idea. Speaking at a news conference, the prime minister said international militaries would meet on Thursday.
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A bit more on the Kursk offensive now…
A leading thinktank has echoed Ukrainian counterclaims by saying there is „no geolocated evidence“ to suggest that Kyiv’s forces have been encircled in Russia’s Kursk region.
Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that Russian forces have „isolated“ Ukrainian forces in the area and that it was „impossible“ for them to withdraw.
Donald Trump then stated in a post on Truth Social that Russian forces have „completely surrounded… thousands“ of Ukrainian forces – presumably in Kursk – and called on Putin to „spare“ their lives.
But Ukraine said its troops had simply pulled back to more defendable areas, and Volodymyr Zelenskyy said today that no troops were „encircled“.
The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) says it has not seen any footage which suggests that Ukrainians in the area are encircled, and also cites several pro-Russian war bloggers pouring cold water on the Kremlin’s claims.
„At least one Russian milblogger explicitly questioned claims that Russian forces encircled Ukrainian forces… and another complained that Russian forces are unable to encircle Ukrainian forces… [because they] cannot conduct rapid, mechanised breakthroughs into rear Ukrainian areas,“ ISW said in an assessment.
Earlier, our deputy political editor Sam Coates asked the prime minister what British troops on the ground in Ukraine would actually look like.
Watch Sir Keir Starmer’s answer here…
With diplomatic talks between Russia and America stalled, the killing on the battlefields continues.
On this episode of The World podcast, Richard Engel reports from the frontline of Mykolaiv, witnessing continued Russian bombardment of the region, while Yalda Hakim reveals what the Russian ambassador in London told her about Moscow’s conditions for a ceasefire.
To get in touch or to share questions for Richard and Yalda, email theworld@sky.uk.
Click here to visit their YouTube channel where you can watch all the episodes.
By Ivor Bennett, Moscow correspondent
Steve Witkoff didn’t stay long in the Russian capital earlier this week.
According to footage posted of his motorcade leaving and returning to Moscow’s Vnukovo airport, he was here for little more than 12 hours.
And for most of that, it seems, he was left waiting.
Witkoff, a former property mogul who has become Donald Trump’s chief negotiator, had been dispatched to Moscow to deliver the US proposal for a 30-day ceasefire to Vladimir Putin.
His visit had been scheduled near the start of the week, following the US-Ukraine talks in Saudi Arabia.
But after arriving around lunchtime on Thursday, he was left twiddling his thumbs for at least eight hours before being called into the Kremlin.
Vladimir Putin was apparently too busy meeting someone else – Belarusian leader Aleksander Lukashenko – for a hastily arranged state visit that had been announced the day before.
Was ally’s visit a classic Putin power play?
We don’t know for sure if the timing of Lukashenko’s visit was deliberate, but it certainly didn’t feel like a coincidence.
Instead it felt like a classic Putin power play.
The Kremlin leader doesn’t like to be backed into a corner and told what to do, especially on his own turf.
This felt like a message to the Americans – I’m the boss, I set the schedule and I’m not beholden to anyone.
He did eventually grant Witkoff that all-important face time, once night had fallen and behind closed-doors.
We don’t know how long they spoke for, nor the exact details of their discussion, but I think we can make a pretty good guess given Vladimir Putin’s comments earlier in the evening.
At a press conference alongside Lukashenko, he made it abundantly clear that he’ll only sign up to a ceasefire if he gets something in return.
And it’s not just one thing he wants.
All Russia’s red lines remain
By the sounds of things, he still wants everything.
His comment regarding the „root causes“ of the conflict suggests all of Russia’s red lines remain – no NATO membership for Ukraine, no NATO troops as peacekeepers, and for Russia to keep all the territory it has seized.
According to Russian media outlet Radio Mayak, Putin’s meetings in the Kremlin finished at 1.30am.
Around half an hour later, Witkoff was back at the airport – leaving Russia, it seems – not with Putin’s agreement but with a list of demands.
It’s now up to Donald Trump to decide what to do next.
Italy’s prime minister has said she does not see a world in which Italian troops would be deployed to Ukraine – either as peacekeepers or in any other capacity.
Speaking after Giorgia Meloni attended the UK’s „coalition of willing“ meeting on Ukraine, the government released a statement saying she „confirmed that Italy intends to continue working with European and Western partners and with the United States to define credible and effective security guarantees“, but that she reiterated that „national participation in a possible military force on the ground is not envisaged“.
Reports from earlier in the week suggested the Italian leader would completely snub today’s virtual call, but Downing Street has since confirmed she joined.
A US senator who Elon Musk called a „traitor“ for visiting Ukraine says he is ditching his Tesla.
Democrat Mark Kelly, who has been a staunch supporter of Kyiv, said any peace deal „can’t be a giveaway to Putin“ after his visit earlier this month.
Musk, an unelected adviser to President Donald Trump, replied to the Arizona senator: „You are a traitor.“
Now Kelly is getting a new set of wheels.
„Hey folks,“ he said in a video on social media. „I’m here in Washington, driving to work for the last time in my Tesla.
„When I bought this thing I didn’t think it was gonna become a political issue.
„Every time I get in this car in the last 60 days or so it reminds me of just how much damage Elon Musk and Donald Trump are doing to our country.“
He said it’s „one bad thing after the next“.
„Elon Musk kind of turned out to be an asshole and I don’t wanna be driving a car built and designed by an asshole. So, looking forward to my new ride.“
These images show continuing protests outisde the US embassy in Kyiv.
Protesters have dressed as Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin while the pair hold cards – an apparent jab at the US president having suggested that Russia „holds all the cards“ in potential peace negotiations.
By Amanda Akass, political correspondent
While Sir Keir Starmer’s coalition of willing world leaders weren’t standing literally shoulder to shoulder at this morning’s 90-minute meeting, their united presence, and punchy read out afterwards, still sent a powerful message of support to the Ukrainians after another tumultuous week.
The roster of attendees included 26 prime ministers and presidents – largely European, but also including the leaders of Australia, New Zealand, and the PM of Canada, Mark Carney. The group has grown since Starmer and President Macron first set out their plan at Lancaster House two weeks ago.
Few specifics from Starmer
A key goal of the meeting, Starmer explained, was to demonstrate this gathering „political and military momentum“. It was clearly important to make a united statement of conviction that the Ukrainians are the „party of peace“, willing to sign up to a ceasefire without conditions, and the Russians therefore the de facto party of war/
But what of the „concrete commitments“ Starmer had said he wanted to secure from the meeting?
While the PM told journalists this afternoon new commitments had been made, he gave no specific details beyond insisting the coalition would be moving into an „operational military planning“ phase, with a meeting of military leaders, already announced, to be held in the UK on Thursday.
He had no detailed answer to Sky’s deputy political editor Sam Coates when he asked what power any troops deployed as part of the ‚coalition of the willing‘ would actually have to police any deal, arguing that he was willing for UK forces to play a leading role, but that operational capabilities will be discussed on Thursday.
The US absence was striking
Today’s messages were directed at both Russia and the US. Starmer insisted Russia would be forced to the table sooner or later – by the increased military support given to the Ukrainians, and through the threat of greater economic sanctions. The long-held hope of seizing frozen Russia assets was also discussed, he said.
And as for his audience in the White House, the PM was demonstrating again that Europe, and its allies, have been listening to his calls to do more to shoulder the burden of defending Ukraine – and themselves.
But his argument that no peace deal can be secure and lasting without American security guarantees is unchanged. Asked by journalists today, he reiterated that all this needs to be done „in conjunction with the United States“, but that his team are in daily talks with Washington.
For all the political power assembled online today, the absence of the US is as striking as ever. But despite that, progress continues.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Kyiv’s allies are interested in a strong Ukrainian army.
Speaking at a news conference in the Ukrainian capital this afternoon, he said he does not know what was discussed in Moscow between US and Russian officials.
He said the question of territory is „complicated“ and should be discussed later.
Australia’s prime minister Anthony Albanese, who was on Sir Keir Starmer’s call, has released a statement following the virtual summit.
He said his country is „always open to considering any new proposal to support Ukraine“.
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Ukraine war latest: Putin's ceasefire conditions 'not good enough' says Starmer following Ukraine summit – Sky News
