Ukraine-Russia war latest: Moscow claims biggest victory in over a year ahead of crucial Putin talks

Key Points

• Nato considering ‘pre-emptive’ action against Russia’s hybrid warfare on Europe
• Macron insists peace talks can 'only be finalised with Europeans around the table'
• Zelensky says US peace plan 'looks better' with revisions
• Witkoff to meet Putin in Moscow on Tuesday
• Putin: Capture of Pokrovsk means Russian military can advance further

Fox News' Brian Kilmeade hammers Steve Witkoff's 'totally unacceptable' call: He 'likes Russia too much'

Nato considering ‘pre-emptive’ action against Russia’s hybrid warfare on Europe

Nato is considering “pre-emptive” action against Russia following a string of hybrid attacks on Europe, a senior official in the alliance has warned.

Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, an Italian who serves as chair of the Nato Military Committee, said the alliance may need to adopt a more “aggressive” approach to deter Moscow from continuing its campaign of drone incursions and cyber attacks in Europe.

A recent Financial Times investigation revealed how Nato has been put on high alert after three vessels in the Baltic Sea were accused of dragging their anchors in a bid to damage energy and communication cables, with a total of 11 incidents recorded.

Other incidents include frequent cyber attacks on European countries and incursions of Russian drones into Nato airspace.

Admiral Dragone told the FT that the alliance was “studying everything” in deciding how to respond.

Nato considering ‘pre-emptive’ action against Russia’s hybrid warfare attacks

Macron insists peace talks can 'only be finalised with Europeans around the table'

French president Emmanuel Macron yesterday praised US-led efforts to end the Ukraine war, but warned that a peace plan can “only be finalised with Europeans around the table”.

Macron said the talks are still in a "preliminary phase" but called the flurry of diplomatic activity "a moment that could be a turning point" for the future of peace in Ukraine and security in Europe.

“Today, there isn't a finalised plan on territorial questions. These can only be finalised by President Zelensky," Macron said at a press conference alongside his Ukrainian counterpart.

Last week, Macron urged Western allies to bring "rock-solid" security guarantees to Ukraine in case a ceasefire or a peace deal is reached.

He has endorsed deploying a "reassurance force" on land, at sea and in the air to help ensure the country's security. The French president said Monday that the coming days will see "crucial discussions" between US officials and Western partners, who would aim to clarify US participation in security guarantees.

Macron's office said he and Zelensky held talks with other European partners including leaders from Britain, Germany, Poland, Italy, Norway, Finland, Denmark and the Netherlands. Also included were European Union officials Antonio Costa and Ursula von der Leyen and Nato secretary-general Mark Rutte.

Zelensky says US peace plan 'looks better' with revisions

Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelensky has spoken optimistically about the process of revising the Trump administration's peace plan, saying "it looks better" and talks continue on how to end Russia's war.

“Today, following the work of the teams in the United States, head of the Ukrainian delegation Rustem Umerov reported on the main parameters of the dialogue, its emphases, and some preliminary results. It is important that the talks have a constructive dynamic and that all issues were discussed openly and with a clear focus on ensuring Ukraine’s sovereignty and national interests,” he said in a post on X late on Sunday.

He thanked US president Donald Trump’s team, and “the president personally for the time that is being invested so intensively in defining the steps to end the war”.

Today, following the work of the teams in the United States, head of the Ukrainian delegation Rustem Umerov reported on the main parameters of the dialogue, its emphases, and some preliminary results. It is important that the talks have a constructive dynamic and that all issues…

— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) November 30, 2025

Landmine deaths hit four-year high in 2024, report finds

Deaths and injuries from landmines and unexploded ordnance hit a four-year high in 2024, driven by conflicts in Syria and Myanmar as well as European countries moving to withdraw from the treaty banning their use, a new report showed on Monday.

Over 6,000 incidents were recorded last year, including 1,945 deaths and 4,325 injuries - the highest annual total since 2020, according to the Landmine Monitor 2025 report. Nearly 90% were civilians, with almost half women and children.

Ukraine announced its withdrawal from the Convention on June 29. Military analysts said that doing so could help slow the Russian advances Kyiv is struggling to contain over three years after Moscow's full-scale invasion.

The report documented signs of new Ukrainian mine use. Russia and Myanmar, non-signatories, used landmines extensively, the report said.

Belarus accuses Lithuania of drone incursion - ICYMI

The Belarusian Foreign Ministry has lodged a protest with Lithuania over an alleged border violation by a drone, Russia's Tass state news agency reported.

A Lithuanian drone violated Belarus' border on 30 November, TASS cited the ministry as saying on Monday.

It follows a wave of allegations Russia has been responsible for drone incursions into Nato territory in recent months.

Zelensky arrives in Dublin

Volodymyr Zelensky has touched down in Dublin Airport for his first official visit to Ireland.

The Ukrainian president’s plane landed shortly before 11pm tonight. He is being joined by Ukraine’s First Lady, Olena Zelenska.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin and minister of state at the Department of Foreign Affairs Thomas Byrne greeted Mr Zelensky on Dublin Airport’s runway.

Mr Zelensky will hold bilateral talks with the taoiseach and will visit newly inaugurated Irish president Catherine Connolly in Áras an Uachtaráin on Tuesday.

He is also expected to address the Dáil and the Seanad, the two houses of the Irish parliament.

Putin: Capture of Pokrovsk means Russian military can advance further

Russian president Vladimir Putin said the capture of the key Ukrainian town of Pokrovsk would enable the military to proceed with its tasks in its offensive operations in Ukraine, according to Russian news agencies.

"This is an important direction. We all understand just how important. It will ensure solutions going forward to the tasks we initially set at the beginning of the special military operation," Putin was quoted as saying during a visit on Sunday to a command post.

Russia refers to its more than 3-1/2-year-old invasion of Ukraine as a special military operation.

"Russia's armed forces are confidently holding the initiative and continue to carry out the operation's tasks. Russian forces are advancing on practically all directions."

Ukraine, Putin was quoted as saying, was unable to react to the advances of the Russian military and he singled out successes recorded further south in Zaporizhzhia region.

In his remarks, Putin also described heavy losses that he said had been sustained by Ukrainian forces in the fighting as "the tragedy of the Ukrainian people".

Zelensky: Trump's peace deal 'looks better' after latest talks

Ukraine's president has spoken optimistically about revising the Trump administration's peace plan, saying "it looks better" and the work will continue during talks on how to end Russia's nearly four-year war.

Volodymyr Zelensky spoke after meeting France's president in the latest discussions aimed at brokering the terms for a potential ceasefire in the largest armed conflict in Europe since the Second World War.

Mr Zelensky's visit to Paris followed Sunday's meeting between Ukrainian and US officials, which secretary of state Marco Rubio described as productive.

The two sides have worked to revise the proposed US-authored plan that was developed in negotiations between Washington and Moscow but criticised as being too weighted towards Russian demands.

"It's a process, it's not over yet," Mr Zelensky said. He called the topic of Ukraine's control over its territories "the most complicated" in the discussions.

Putin told that Russia has captured Pokrovsk

Russian president Vladimir Putin visited a military command post on Sunday and heard reports from top commanders of the capture of the towns of Pokrovsk and Vovchansk, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Monday.

Valery Gerasimov, chief of the Russian military's General Staff, "reported to the commander in chief of the liberation of the cities of Pokrovsk (called Krasnoarmeysk in Russia) in (Donetsk region) and Vovchansk in Kharkiv region, as well as the results of other offensive actions of troops in other sectors."

Ukrainian officials have made no acknowledgement that either city has fallen into Russian hands.

White House 'very optimistic' about Ukraine talks

The Trump administration is "very optimistic" about reaching an agreement to end the war in Ukraine, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Monday, citing good talks with Ukrainian officials that took place in Florida on Sunday.

"The administration feels very optimistic," Ms Leavitt said.

"Just yesterday ... they had very good talks with the Ukrainians in Florida."

Witkoff to meet Putin in Moscow on Tuesday

Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff has left talks between Ukraine and the US in Florida to visit Kyiv, where he is set to meet Russian president Vladimir Putin.

A White House official said Witkoff would be joined by Trump adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner for his trip to Russia.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas spoke to reporters in Brussels on Monday following a meeting of the bloc's defence and foreign minsters.

She expressed her concern that the upcoming US-Russia talks could end up with Ukraine having to make yet more concessions, like being pressured to give up territory.

"I'm afraid that all the pressure will be put on the victim, which is that Ukraine has to make concessions and obligations," Kallas told reporters in Brussels.

"It's the United Nations charter that says that you can't change borders by force. If this pays off, we will see this elsewhere all around the world," she warned.

"Whoever has the power gets to take what they want."

She said she and her peers would be focusing on supporting Ukraine and finding an end to the war without rewarding aggression.

“The goal is to have a just and durable peace, not a deal that lays ground for the next war,” she said.

Editorial: When will Donald Trump see that Vladimir Putin wants this war?

Fiona Hill, a former White House adviser, tells The Independent that the Russian president is manipulating his US counterpart and has no intention of stopping the war in Ukraine:

When will Donald Trump see that Vladimir Putin wants this war?

Trump ‘to hand occupied Ukrainian land to Putin in return for peace deal’

US special envoy Steve Witkoff is heading to Moscow to discuss peace prospects for the war in Ukraine this week.

Ahead of the visit, sources claimed that Russia could be offered US recognition of occupied territories in exchange for a peace deal.

Read the claims in full - and what it would mean for Ukraine:

Trump ‘to hand occupied Ukrainian land to Putin in return for peace deal’

Russia and Saudi Arabia boost ties with new travel scheme

Russia and Saudi Arabia on Monday signed an agreement to implement a visa-free regime for tourists and business people from the two countries for up to 90 days.

The deal was signed on the sidelines of the Saudi-Russian Investment and Business Forum in Riyadh.

Former US ambassador urges Trump to avoid bad Ukraine deal ‘for the sake of signing something’

With the US president seemingly more concerned with getting a peace deal signed than the details of its contents, experts tell Arpan Rai what the agreement must include to prevent the future destruction of Ukraine:

Former US ambassador urges Trump to avoid bad Ukraine deal ‘for the sake of signing’

Volodymyr Zelensky to visit Ireland at ‘critical time’ for Ukraine

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is to make a brief visit to Ireland this week as efforts to strike peace plans continue.

Here’s what’s in his busy itinerary:

Volodymyr Zelensky to visit Ireland at ‘critical time’ for Ukraine

Four killed, dozens wounded in Russian missile attack on Dnipro

Four people were killed and 40 wounded in a Russian missile attack on the eastern-central Ukrainian city of Dnipro on Monday, Ukrainian officials said.

Vladyslav Haivanenko, the acting governor of the surrounding Dnipropetrovsk region, said on Telegram that 11 of those injured in the strike were in a serious condition. He said the search and rescue operation had been completed.

Ukraine's emergency services said car service stations, other businesses, an office building and 49 cars were all damaged in the attack.

The industrial city of Dnipro and the surrounding region have faced repeated Russian missile and drone attacks that have killed civilians and damaged housing, industry and infrastructure.

Changing borders by force sets a dangerous precedent, warns Kallas

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas spoke to reporters in Brussels on Monday following a meeting of the bloc's defence and foreign minsters.

She expressed her concern that the upcoming US-Russia talks could end up with Ukraine having to make yet more concessions, like being pressured to give up territory.

"I'm afraid that all the pressure will be put on the victim, which is that Ukraine has to make concessions and obligations," Kallas told reporters in Brussels.

"It's the United Nations charter that says that you can't change borders by force. If this pays off, we will see this elsewhere all around the world," she warned.

"Whoever has the power gets to take what they want."

She said she and her peers would be focusing on supporting Ukraine and finding an end to the war without rewarding aggression.

“The goal is to have a just and durable peace, not a deal that lays ground for the next war,” she said.

Britain, France and Ukraine discuss latest peace developments

The leaders of Britain and France joined Ukraine’s Zelensky in conversation with officials following the latest peace talks in Florida over the weekend.

Zelensky said on social media on Monday that he, Keir Starmer and Emmanuel Macron had spoken with the head of Ukraine’s delegation, Rustem Umerov, and the US special envoy, Steve Witkoff.

“It was an important briefing, and we agreed to discuss more details in person—our teams will coordinate schedules for possible further contacts,” he said.

Talks seeking peace in Ukraine could be a 'turning point', Macron says

French President Emmanuel Macron welcomed Zelensky to Paris on Monday, and called ongoing talks "a moment that could be a turning point" for the future of peace in Ukraine and security in Europe.

"Ukraine is the only one that can discuss about its territories" as a sovereign nation, Macron said during a joint news conference with Zelensky.

Macron also denounced Russia's continued onslaught against Ukraine, saying: "At a time when we are talking about peace, Russia continues to kill and destroy.”

Zelensky talks security guarantees with Macron

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said talks on Monday with his French counterpart focused on how to end the war and on security guarantees.

“Peace must become truly durable,” he said, adding: “The war must end as soon as possible.”

Zelensky said the talks lasted several hours, and that he would also be speaking with other leaders today.

Peace plan must not punish Ukraine, Europe tells Trump

Donald Trump’s peace plan for Ukraine must not lead to Russian president Vladimir Putin escaping accountability for alleged war crimes, a senior European Union official said.

Michael McGrath, the European commissioner for justice and democracy, told Politico on Monday that negotiators should ensure any ceasefire plan does not allow Russia to avoid prosecution, setting what appears to be a new red line for any settlement.

Read the full story:

EU warns Trump that Ukraine peace plan must not pardon Putin for war crimes

Watch: Rubio says US-Ukraine talks on Russia war 'productive'

EU warns Trump that Ukraine peace plan must not pardon Putin for war crimes

Donald Trump’s peace plan for Ukraine must not lead to Russian president Vladimir Putin escaping accountability for alleged war crimes, a senior European Union official said.

Michael McGrath, the European commissioner for justice and democracy, told Politico on Monday that negotiators should ensure any ceasefire plan does not allow Russia to avoid prosecution, setting what appears to be a new red line for any settlement.

His remarks underline concerns across Europe over the original version of the US proposal, which proposed a “full amnesty for actions committed during the war” and steps to reintegrate Russia into the global economy.

Read our full story below.

EU warns Trump that Ukraine peace plan must not pardon Putin for war crimes

Belarus accuses Lithuania of drone incursion

The Belarusian Foreign Ministry has lodged a protest with Lithuania over an alleged border violation by a drone, Russia's TASS state news agency reported.

A Lithuanian drone violated Belarus' border on 30 November, TASS cited the ministry as saying on Monday.

It follows a wave of allegations Russia has been responsible for drone incursions into NATO territory in recent months.

Recap: Zelensky says 'tough issues' still to be resolved before peace an option

Tough barriers to peace must still be resolved following talks with the US in Florida, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said on Monday.

"There are some tough issues that still have to be worked through," Zelensky said on X.

Zelensky’s assessment came as he travelled to Paris to rally support from president Emmanuel Macron on Monday before heading to Ireland tomorrow.

Donald Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff is meanwhile heading to Moscow to brief the Kremlin on the US-backed peace proposals.

Trump told reporters on Sunday that Ukraine has its own problems - namely a corruption scandal over which its top negotiator resigned last week - but said there was a good chance a deal could be reached.

Russian forces claim Klynove village in eastern Ukraine

Russia claimed control over the village of Klynove in Donetsk on Monday, the defence ministry said.

Klynove is a small village in the eastern part of the country.

The Independent was unable to verify the claim.

Recap: What happened over the weekend?

- Ukrainian and US officials met in Florida on Sunday to continue negotiations on a peace plan aimed at ending the war. Marco Rubio said they had built on “groundwork [laid] in Geneva” but said there was more work to do.

- Moldova was the latest country to see Russian drones breach its airspace, local authorities claimed on Saturday in what was the third such incident reported in nine days.

- NATO’s top military official said the alliance was weighing a more assertive response to hybrid attacks on its soil.

- Russia continued to pound populated areas of Ukraine with drones and missiles over the weekend. A drone killed one person and wounded 11 on the outskirts of Kyiv, the regional governor said on Sunday.

- Russia also confirmed launching a “massive” attack on Ukraine, which it said targeted Ukrainian military-industrial and energy facilities. Zelensky said Russia had fired 36 missiles and nearly 600 drones, killing six and wounding dozens nationwide.

Three killed in Russian strike on Dnipro, officials say

Three people were killed and at least eight wounded in a Russian missile attack on Dnipro on Monday, the acting governor of Dnipropetrovsk region, Vladyslav Gaivanenko, said.

"The rescue operation is ongoing, with preliminary damage to a service station and an enterprise,” he wrote on Telegram.

“The survey of the area is ongoing, and the consequences are being clarified.”

Zelensky meets with Macron in Paris

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived at the Elysee Palace on Monday for talks with French President Emmanuel Macron.

The meeting comes as European allies rally around Kyiv in support of coveted security guarantees amid discussions on peace talks to end the war with Russia.

Zelensky was last in Paris on November 17.

Landmine deaths hit four-year high in 2024, report finds

Deaths and injuries from landmines and unexploded ordnance hit a four-year high in 2024, driven by conflicts in Syria and Myanmar as well as European countries moving to withdraw from the treaty banning their use, a new report showed on Monday.

Over 6,000 incidents were recorded last year, including 1,945 deaths and 4,325 injuries - the highest annual total since 2020, according to the Landmine Monitor 2025 report. Nearly 90% were civilians, with almost half women and children.

Ukraine announced its withdrawal from the Convention on June 29. Military analysts said that doing so could help slow the Russian advances Kyiv is struggling to contain over three years after Moscow's full-scale invasion.

The report documented signs of new Ukrainian mine use. Russia and Myanmar, non-signatories, used landmines extensively, the report said.

In pictures: Aftermath of heavy fighting in Donetsk

Ukraine drones strike Russian ‘shadow fleet’ oil tankers in Black Sea

Ukraine employed its Sea Baby naval drones to strike two Russian oil tankers in the Black Sea, an official from Kyiv’s security services revealed on Saturday.

The two oil tankers, Kairos and Virat — said to be part of Russia’s “shadow fleet” that evade sanctions — were hit off Turkey’s Black Sea coast on Friday.

The official said Sea Baby drones have disabled vessels capable of transporting oil worth almost $70 million.

Read the full story:

Ukraine drones strike Russian oil tankers in Black Sea

Putin courts China with travel freedoms

Vladimir Putin on Monday signed a decree granting visa-free access to Russia for up to 30 days for many Chinese citizens, including tourists, business people, academics, artists and sports people.

Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping signed a "no limits" strategic partnership agreement days before the Kremlin chief sent tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine in February 2022 and Moscow has since heavily relied on imports from Beijing to help it weather Western sanctions.

Netherlands commits 250mn euros for Ukraine

The Netherlands will contribute another 250 million euros to the PURL Initiative for Ukraine, the country’s defence minister announced on Monday.

The Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) initiative is a joint fund to ensure the consistent flow of weapons to Kyiv.

"On a daily basis, we see heavy air attacks in Ukraine. The only way to help them in short notice is by delivering out of American stock. That's why I now announce that the Netherlands will contribute another 250 million," defence minister Ruben Brekelmans said before a meeting with his EU colleagues in Brussels.

Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway and Sweden announced a joint $500 million package in November. The Netherlands funded the first package in full earlier this year.

Trump officials try to reassure Ukraine’s negotiators over peace deal

Ahead of US special envoy Steve Witkoff’s visit to Russia, American officials welcomed a delegation from Ukraine in Washington.

Both sides came away describing their talks as “productive”, but acknowledged work still remains towards ending the war.

Here’s what happened:

Trump officials try to reassure Ukraine over peace deal before meeting Putin

Recap: What happened over the weekend?

- Ukrainian and US officials met in Florida on Sunday to continue negotiations on a peace plan aimed at ending the war. Marco Rubio said they had built on “groundwork [laid] in Geneva” but said there was more work to do.

- Moldova was the latest country to see Russian drones breach its airspace, local authorities claimed on Saturday in what was the third such incident reported in nine days.

- NATO’s top military official said the alliance was weighing a more assertive response to hybrid attacks on its soil.

- Russia continued to pound populated areas of Ukraine with drones and missiles over the weekend. A drone killed one person and wounded 11 on the outskirts of Kyiv, the regional governor said on Sunday.

- Russia also confirmed launching a “massive” attack on Ukraine, which it said targeted Ukrainian military-industrial and energy facilities. Zelensky said Russia had fired 36 missiles and nearly 600 drones, killing six and wounding dozens nationwide.

Turkey says Moscow and Kyiv show greater readiness for peace deal

Russia and Ukraine are showing increased openness to a possible peace agreement after years of attritional fighting, Turkey’s foreign minister has said.

Hakan Fidan told the German newspaper Welt am Sonntag that both sides appeared more inclined to negotiate than at any point in the conflict.

“After four years of attritional war, the parties are more prepared to conclude peace than previously,” he said.

“They have seen the extent of human suffering and the destruction, and recognized their own limits.”

According to Mr Fidan, Ankara understands that Russian president Vladimir Putin is now willing to pursue a settlement if certain conditions are met, and Turkey has passed on this position to Ukrainian officials.

He said Turkey remained involved “in certain aspects of this,” noting that the war continued to exact a “heavy toll” on Russia.

The minister described the talks under consideration as vital not only for bringing the war to a close, but also for establishing longer-term security across the continent.

He said aspects of the proposed agreement aimed at protecting Europe warranted particular attention. “In this context, we should look more closely at certain articles of the agreement that are intended to ensure Europe's security. I see in these an historic opportunity for preventing further attacks,” he said.

Key questions remain unresolved, including what concrete security guarantees Ukraine might receive. Mr Putin has recently claimed that Russia could issue written assurances pledging not to attack any European country.

Rubio ‘optimistic’ about peace talks after productive meeting with Ukraine

US and Ukrainian officials held what both sides called productive talks on Sunday about a Russia peace deal, with secretary of state Marco Rubio expressing optimism about progress despite challenges to ending the more than 3-year-long war.

Rubio met with a Ukrainian delegation led by a new chief negotiator in Florida, his home state, for talks that he said were meant to create a pathway for Ukraine to remain sovereign and independent.

"We continue to be realistic about how difficult this is, but optimistic, particularly given the fact that as we've made progress, I think there is a shared vision here that this is not just about ending the war," Rubio told reporters after the talks concluded.

"It is about securing Ukraine's future, a future that we hope will be more prosperous than it's ever been."