Donald Trump’s administration has been secretly working with Russia on a new plan to end the war in Ukraine, Axios reported, citing US and Russian officials.
The 28-point plan roadmap is inspired by Trump's plan for the Gaza ceasefire and the proposal would consist of "peace in Ukraine, security guarantees, security in Europe, and future US relations with Russia and Ukraine," Axios reported, citing sources.
Steve Witkoff, Trump's special envoy, is leading the formation of the plan and "has discussed it extensively with Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev," said a US official.
Witkoff has also reportedly discussed the plan with Volodymyr Zelensky's security adviser Rustem Umerov and is due to meet Zelensky himself later on Wednesday in Turkey.
Zelensky said he was travelling to Ankara in an attempt to revive talks with Russia on how to end the war in Ukraine. No face-to-face discussions have taken place between Kyiv and Moscow since their delegations last met in Istanbul in July.
Key Points
- Trump working with Russia on new Ukraine peace plan – report
- Witkoff expected to join talks with Zelensky in Turkey
- Zelensky plans Turkey visit to try to revive peace talks
- ‘Russia attacking Nato’ warning after Romanian border village evacuated
- Mapped: Where was the Russian strike near the Romanian border?
Poland says two responsible for railway blast worked for Russian intelligence
03:20 , Arpan RaiPoland has identified two people responsible for an explosion on a railway route to Ukraine, the country’s prime minister Donald Tusk said.
Mr Tusk said the two suspects are Ukrainians who collaborated with Russian intelligence and then fled to Belarus.
The blast on the Warsaw-Lublin line, which connects the Polish capital to the Ukrainian border, followed a wave of arson, sabotage and cyberattacks in Poland and other European countries since the start of the war in Ukraine.
“The most important information is that... we have identified the people responsible for the acts of sabotage," Tusk told lawmakers, adding that they were Ukrainians who had collaborated with Russian intelligence for "a long time".
“In both cases we are sure that the attempt to blow up the rails and the railway infrastructure violation were intentional and their aim was to cause a railway traffic catastrophe," he said.
Warsaw has said Poland has become one of Moscow's biggest targets due to its role as a hub for aid to Kyiv.
Two Ukrainians who ‘collaborated with Russia’ were behind railway blast, Poland says
Russia temporarily halts flights at Krasnodar airport
03:05 , Arpan RaiRussia's civil aviation authority Rosaviatsiya said it was temporarily halting flights at the Krasnodar airport in southern Russia in the early hours today.
Unofficial Russian and Ukrainian Telegram news channels reported a series of explosions throughout the Krasnodar region, home to the Novorossiisk oil terminal and the Ilsky refinery.
The temporary shutdown of services was enforced to ensure flight safety, Rosaviatsiya said.
Ukraine's Zelensky plans Turkey visit to try to revive peace talks
03:00 , Holly EvansPresident Volodymyr Zelensky said he planned to go to Turkey on Wednesday in an attempt to revive talks with Russia on how to end the war in Ukraine.
"We are preparing to reinvigorate negotiations, and we have developed solutions that we will propose to our partners. Doing everything possible to bring the end of the war closer is Ukraine's top priority," Zelensky, who was visiting Spain on Tuesday, said about the meetings in Turkey.
No face-to-face talks have taken place between Kyiv and Moscow since they met in Istanbul in July.
Earlier on Tuesday, a Turkish source said that U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff would also visit Turkey on Wednesday and join the planned talks there with Zelenskiy. But a separate Turkish foreign ministry source said Erdogan would meet only Zelenskiy in Ankara and not Witkoff.
Trump working with Russia on new Ukraine peace plan – report
02:52 , Arpan RaiThe Trump administration has been secretly working and consulting Russia on a new plan to end the war in Ukraine, Axios reported, citing US and Russian officials.
It is a 28-point roadmap inspired by US president Donald Trump's plan for the Gaza ceasefire, the news outlet reported. Similar to the Gaza plan, the proposal would consist of "peace in Ukraine, security guarantees, security in Europe, and future US relations with Russia and Ukraine," Axios reported, citing sources.
The US special envoy, Steve Witkoff, is leading the formation of the plan and "has discussed it extensively with Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev," Axios reported, citing a US official.
Citing a Ukrainian official, Axios said Witkoff discussed the plan with Rustem Umerov, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky's security advisor, earlier this week in Miami.
A US official also told Axios that the White House had started to brief European officials on the proposal.
The White House has not issued a comment on the report so far.
As Russia strikes Europe again, when will this hybrid war with Nato turn physical?
02:00 , Holly EvansRussia stands accused of sabotage on Poland’s railways. The Kremlin attacked a gas-loaded tanker on the Romania border, forcing the evacuation of several villages in the country. Moscow has repeatedly flown drones into European airspace, and jets over Estonia.
These, plus waves of sabotage, cyber attacks, and social media propaganda, are acts of war. But they are all part of a hybrid war. And this malevolent blend allows Vladimir Putin to punch well above his weight.
Russia is the prime suspect in Monday’s bombing of the Warsaw to Lublin railway line, a main artery from Poland to Ukraine.
Read the full analysis here from world affairs editor Sam Kiley here:
As Russia strikes Europe again, when will this hybrid war with Nato turn physical?
Spain rolls out $946m Ukraine aid package during Zelensky visit
01:00 , Holly EvansSpain pledged 817 million euros ($946 million) in military and other aid for Ukraine on Tuesday during President Volodymyr Zelensky's visit as he aims to bolster Kyiv's air defences against Russia's invasion.
The bulk of the aid, in which defence equipment will amount to 300 million euros, is part of a 10-year bilateral security and defence agreement signed in May 2024 that envisages an annual 1 billion euros.
As part of the package, Spain will purchase U.S. military equipment worth 100 million euros under NATO's Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) initiative, Spanish prime minister Pedro Sanchez told a joint news conference.
It also includes 200 million euros in credit for companies investing in the reconstruction of Ukraine, with a particular focus on energy, transport and water management.
"First, for the Ukrainian army to protect the territorial integrity of Ukraine from the invader, secondly to protect the civilian population, and finally to give an impulse to reconstruction," Sanchez said about the package.
He also reiterated Spain's support for using frozen Russian assets in Europe for reconstruction.
US approves potential sale of Patriot air defense system sustainment to Ukraine
Tuesday 18 November 2025 23:37 , Holly EvansThe U.S. State Department has approved the potential sale of Patriot air defense system sustainment and related equipment to Ukraine for an estimated cost of $105 million, the Pentagon said on Tuesday.
The principal contractors for the sale will be RTX Corp and Lockheed Martin, the Pentagon said in a statement.
Watch: Zelensky is greeted by Spain's Prime Minister
Tuesday 18 November 2025 23:00 , Olivia IrelandWatch Ukrainian Volodymyr Zelensky meet Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez.
One of Russia's largest oil refineries suspended
Tuesday 18 November 2025 22:00 , Olivia IrelandOne of Russia’s largest oil refineries suspended crude processing after a Ukrainian drone attack.
Three industry sources told Reuters on November 15 Rosneft’s Ryazan oil refinery operations were suspended.
"The plant is expected to remain idle until the end of the month. No [oil product[ loadings are planned before December 1," one of the sources said.
Ryazan Governor Pavel Malkov said on his Telegram channel on Saturday morning that "debris from an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) caused a fire at one of the industry facilities".
He did not specify the name of the facility.
Moscow flights delayed or cancelled
Tuesday 18 November 2025 21:00 , Olivia IrelandAs a precaution, all flights in and out of Moscow airports have been temporarily stopped.
Earlier when the city’s mayor Sergei Sobyanin said a Ukrainian drone en route for Moscow was shot down, flights were stopped.
Moscow’s Sheremetyevo and Vnukovo airports, the city's first and second largest by traffic, were temporarily stopped, Russia's aviation watchdog and Sheremetyevo said.
Ukrainian drone en route to Moscow shot down, Russia says
Tuesday 18 November 2025 20:00 , Olivia IrelandA Ukrainian drone en route to Moscow has been shot down, Russia claims.
The city’s mayor Sergei Sobyanin said on Telegram Russian air defences shot the drone.
Emergency services were working on the scene, he added on Telegram.
Putin says enhancing authority the priority for nations part of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation
Tuesday 18 November 2025 19:00 , Olivia IrelandOn Tuesday, Vladimir Putin met with delegations from 10 nations including China, Iran and India.
Taking part at a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation heads of state council, the Russian president told them enhancing authority was important.
"We all share a common goal: to enhance the authority and influence of the SCO as one of the largest regional organisations in Eurasia and, moreover, the entire world,” Putin said according to the Kremlin.
Ukrainian man killed in drone strike
Tuesday 18 November 2025 18:00 , Olivia IrelandA midday drone strike in the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson has killed a 61-year-old man, the head of the local administration says.
The man, who was a utility worker, was in his vehicle in Novovorontsovka and driving along the Dnieper River when a Russian drone killed him.
A 50-year-old colleague reportedly suffered an “explosive injury” and a concussion.
Zelenskiy set to visit Turkey to discuss reviving peace talks with Russia
Tuesday 18 November 2025 17:30 , Olivia IrelandVolodymyr Zelenskiy is expected to travel to Turkey on Wednesday.
The president will speak with US special envoy Steve Witkoff for talks about reviving a peace deal with Russia.
“We are preparing to reinvigorate negotiations, and we have developed solutions that we will propose to our partners,” Zelenskiy said on social media.
Zelenskiy expects a 'productive' visit in Spain
Tuesday 18 November 2025 17:00 , Olivia IrelandVolodymyr Zelenskiy says Ukraine will soon have more advanced weapons thanks to promises from Spain.
"Advanced radars, drone technologies, essential equipment – all of this means better protection of lives," Zelenskiy said in posts on social media platform X while meeting the defence executives.
Ukraine is interested in a defense partnership with Spain. And today, during a meeting with the leaders of Spain’s defense companies and Spain’s Minister of Defense Margarita Robles, we discussed areas of cooperation.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) November 18, 2025
Spanish manufacturers presented their developments:… pic.twitter.com/mfzMe2YSub
"Ukraine needs to bolster air defence – additional systems and missiles for them," he posted after meeting lawmakers.
He said he expected a "productive visit" that would "result in agreements that will give us greater strength".
Spanish secretary of state for foreign affairs, Diego Martinez Belio, told a conference Spain would announce a "substantial" aid package during the visit but did not provide further details.
Spain promises 'substantial' aid package for Ukraine
Tuesday 18 November 2025 16:30 , Olivia IrelandSpain has promised to deliver a “substantial” aid package to Ukraine after President Volodymyr Zelenskiy visited Madrid on Tuesday.
The Ukrainian president met with Spanish defence sector executives in an attempt to boost Kyiv’s air defences against Russia’s invasion.
Zelenskiy is due to meet Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez later on Tuesday.
Prisoner swap between Russia and US could be conducted
Tuesday 18 November 2025 16:00 , Olivia IrelandAnother prisoner swap could be conducted between Russia and the US.
Vladimir Putin’s special envoy Kirill Dmitriev told US outlet Axios there was discussions underway.
"I met some US officials and members of the Trump team on some issues that are humanitarian in nature, such as possible exchanges of prisoners that the US side has been working on," Axios quoted Dmitriev as saying.
Axios also received confirmation from the US there was discussions.
Kremlin responds to Poland's claim Russia is involved train attack
Tuesday 18 November 2025 15:30 , Olivia IrelandThe Kremlin has provided a response to Poland claiming Russian intelligence was involved in an explosion along a railway line over the weekend.
“Russophobia is flourishing there,” the Kremlin stated.
In addition, spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said it was noteworthy Ukrainians were implicated.
"Russia is accused of all manifestations of the hybrid and direct war that is taking place," Peskov tells Rossiya TV channel.
"In Poland, let's say, everyone is trying to run ahead of the European locomotive in this regard. And Russophobia, of course, is flourishing there."
Poland's threat alert raised
Tuesday 18 November 2025 14:30 , Olivia IrelandFurther in Poland, Prime Minister Donald Tusk told parliament the alarm level has been raised on rail lines.
"The head of the Internal Security Agency and the interior minister have requested that I introduce the third threat level, Charlie, due to terrorist threats. This level will apply to certain railway lines, while the rest of the country will remain under the second alert level,” he said.
Tusk added Warsaw was investigating how to best protect infrastructure like railways.
Drones and better tactics needed to beat Russia says head of Ukraine's National Guard
Tuesday 18 November 2025 14:05 , Olivia IrelandThe head of Ukraine’s National Guard, Oleksandr Pivnenko, says drones and better tactics are needed to beat Russia.
"We need to stop the enemy more as they approach on foot, so that they do not infiltrate, and do not let them through," Pivnenko said according to Sky News.
"If we carry out these tasks with greater density on the frontline and the enemy infiltrates less deeply, it will be better for us."
As Russia strikes Europe again, when will this hybrid war with Nato turn physical?
Tuesday 18 November 2025 14:00 , Sam KileyRussia stands accused of sabotage on Poland's railways. The Kremlin attacked a gas-loaded tanker on the Romania border, forcing the evacuation of several villages in the country. Moscow has repeatedly flown drones into European airspace and jets over Estonia.
These, plus waves of other sabotage, cyber, and social media propaganda attacks, are acts of war. But they are all part of a hybrid war.
And this malevolent blend allows Vladimir Putin to punch well above his weight.
Read the full analysis here.
Polish Prime Minister claims two people responsible for railway sabotage are Ukrainian
Tuesday 18 November 2025 13:55 , Olivia IrelandPolish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has claimed the two people responsible for the sabotage of its railway are Ukrainians helping Russia.
The pair who collaborated with Russian intelligence have fled to Belarus, Tusk added.
The prime minister told lawmakers the suspects had been operating with Russian intelligence for a long time and one was convicted by a court in Ukraine’s Lviv of sabotage in May.
The second suspect is from the Russian-occupied Donbas region.
“We are dealing with an unprecedented event. This is perhaps the most serious situation – in the context of Poland's security – since the outbreak of the full-scale war in Ukraine,” the prime minister said.
“The acts of sabotage occurred separately. The first involved installing a steel clamp on the track, which was likely intended to derail the train.”
Spain to announce 'substantial' Ukraine aid package
Tuesday 18 November 2025 13:22 , Daniel KeaneSpain promised to roll out an unspecified "substantial" aid package for Ukraine as President Volodymyr Zelensky visited Madrid on Tuesday.
Zelensky, who was due to meet Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, visited the headquarters of radar and anti-drone specialist Indra, which is part-owned by the Spanish state, along with other defence firms and Spanish defence minister Margarita Robles.
Zelensky will have lunch with King Felipe before meeting Sanchez and holding a news conference in late afternoon.
He is also expected to raise with Sanchez the issue of potential financing for Ukraine's energy sector and frozen Russian assets.
Was the attack on Odesa a Russian response to Kyiv’s new gas deal?
Tuesday 18 November 2025 12:52 , Daniel KeaneLying on a Black Sea estuary, Izmail is one of a string of ports that are vital for Ukrainian imports and exports, particularly as Russia targets Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.
Zelensky is trying to secure imports of gas and other energy which would help see his country through the approaching winter, amid growing fears that it could be one of the most difficult for Ukraine.
The strike came just one day after the Ukrainian president had visited Greece to agree a deal for US liquefied natural gas to flow to Odesa, via pipelines from the northern Greek port of Alexandroupolis starting in January.
"As of today, we have prepared an agreement on gas for Ukraine," Mr Zelensky said according to The Kyiv Independent. "This will be another route for gas supply — to maximize the security of import routes for Ukraine during winter."
Romanian villages evacuated after tanker strike on Danube River
Tuesday 18 November 2025 12:22 , James ReynoldsTwo Romanian villages were evacuated on Monday after a drone struck a Turkish-flagged tanker, setting it ablaze in southern Ukraine.
The MT Orinda was hit while offloading liquefied petroleum gas in a Ukrainian border city near Romania, sparking fires while more than a dozen workers were onboard. All were evacuated, and nobody was injured.
The strike still risks inflaming tensions as the war in Ukraine overspills into NATO territory. Read the full report:
Did Russia just attack Nato? Villages on Danube evacuated after tanker strike
Spain to announce aid package for Ukraine
Tuesday 18 November 2025 11:51 , James ReynoldsSpain will announce a ‘substantial’ aid package for Ukraine today, the country’s state secretary for foreign affairs said on Tuesday, during Volodymyr Zelensky’s visit to Madrid.
Zelensky wrote on X that he had spoken with parliamentarians to discuss cooperation with Spanish defence companies, the necessity of aid, and support for “the joint path” of Ukraine and Moldova toward EU membership.
Ukraine 'strikes thermal power stations' in occupied Donetsk
Tuesday 18 November 2025 11:32 , James ReynoldsUkraine attacked two thermal power stations in the Russian-occupied Donetsk, the commander of its drone forces said on Tuesday.
Major Robert Brovdi wrote that the Starobeshivska and Zuivska power plants had been hit by his forces.
He posted a video appearing to show onboard footage from a drone attacking one of the facilities.
Russia discusses prisoner swaps with US in effort to show goodwill
Tuesday 18 November 2025 11:14 , James ReynoldsRussia and the United States have discussed the possibility of conducting another prisoner exchange, Russian President Vladimir Putin's special envoy Kirill Dmitriev told Axios in an interview published on Tuesday.
"I met some US officials and members of the Trump team on some issues that are humanitarian in nature, such as possible exchanges of prisoners that the US side has been working on," Dmitriev said.
Dmitriev discussed the idea of the latest swap with US envoy Steve Witkoff and other administration officials, the Axios report added, citing a source.
In August 2024, the US and Russia carried out their biggest prisoner swap since the Cold War, with 24 prisoners gaining their freedom, including US journalist Evan Gershkovich and ex-Marine Paul Whelan.
'Everything points to Russia', Poland says after train-track explosion
Tuesday 18 November 2025 10:29 , James ReynoldsEverything points to Russian intelligence services commissioning sabotage on Polish railways over the weekend, a spokesperson for the special services minister said on Tuesday.
An explosion that damaged a Polish railway track on a route to Ukraine was an "unprecedented act of sabotage", Prime Minister Donald Tusk said on Monday as he vowed to catch those responsible for an incident he said could have ended in tragedy.
Russia will not take part in Istanbul talks this week
Tuesday 18 November 2025 10:15 , James ReynoldsRussian representatives will not take part in talks on Ukraine in Istanbul on Wednesday, a Kremlin spokesperson said today, with Zelensky and US special envoy Steve Witkoff heading for Turkey this week.
Russia’s foreign ministry indicated last week that Moscow is ready to resume direct talks in Istanbul, some four months since the last round took place.
"The Russian team is ready for this, the ball is in the Ukrainian court," said foreign ministry official, Alexei Polishchuk.
Ukraine's corruption scandal: What to know about Operation Midas
Tuesday 18 November 2025 10:00 , James ReynoldsUkraine’s anti-corruption agencies announced last Monday, 10 November, that they had uncovered a large scale corruption scheme in the country’s energy sector.
National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (Nabu) and the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (Sap) concluded after 15 months of investigation that some of Zelensky’s close associates were involved in a plot to launder around $100mn from Ukraine’s energy sector.
In ‘Operation Midas’, the agencies dismantled an alleged criminal organisation consisting of current and former energy officials, government ministers, a former deputy prime minister, and a businessman.
The accused are said to have manipulated contracts at Energoatom, Ukraine’s state nuclear energy company, to take kickbacks - secret payments, like a bribe, made in exchange for a favour. These were said to be worth some 10-15 per cent of contracts given to build up fortifications against Russian attacks on energy infrastructure, as civilians face rolling blackouts.
By Tuesday, 11 November, eight people had been charged with bribery, embezzlement and illicit enrichment. President Zelensky vowed to “overhaul” state-owned energy companies in the wake of the scandal, starting with a full audit.
Several of those implicated in the scandal are closely linked to the president. Zelensky is not directly implicated.
Earlier this year, Zelensky faced scrutiny for signing a law limiting the independence of Nabu and Sap. Ukraine saw its first major anti-government protests since the invasion in 2022.
Teenager among killed in Russian attack in Kharkiv - local officials
Tuesday 18 November 2025 09:39 , James ReynoldsA 17-year-old girl was killed in a Russian attack on Berestyn city in Ukraine’s Kharkiv oblast overnight.
The girl, who has not been named, was critically wounded in the strike and later died from her injuries, regional governor Oleg Synegubov reported.
Nine people were injured in the attack, including seven who were hospitalised with blast injuries, he wrote on Telegram on Tuesday.
In pictures: Aftermath of Turkish-flagged tanker set ablaze in 'drone strike'
Tuesday 18 November 2025 09:05 , James Reynolds
Witkoff expected to join talks with Zelensky in Turkey
Tuesday 18 November 2025 08:46 , James ReynoldsUS special envoy Steve Witkoff is expected to visit Turkey on Wednesday to join the planned talks with Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky, a Turkish source told Reuters today.
Zelensky said earlier that he planned to head to Turkey after his Tuesday visit to Spain, adding that Ukraine was preparing to reinvigorate negotiations and had developed solutions that it would propose to its partners.
The Kremlin has suggested openness to resuming talks in Istanbul. The last time a delegation from Russia and from Ukraine met for direct talks was in July.
Latest images of attack on Ukrainian broadcaster building
Tuesday 18 November 2025 08:23 , Alex CroftWe’ve had more images through on the wires of the Russian attack on Dnipro, which damaged the building housing Ukrainian public broadcaster Suspilne and Ukrainian Radio Dnipro.
Ukrainian public broadcaster newsroom struck in Russian air attack
Tuesday 18 November 2025 08:16 , Alex CroftA major overnight Russian drone attack has damaged a Dnipro newsroom, injured two people and sparked several fires, the local governor has said.
A building housing public broadcaster Suspilne and Ukrainian Radio Dnipro was hit in the attack, Suspilne reported on Tuesday.
Vladyslav Haivanenko, the acting governor of Dnipropetrovsk region, of which Dnipro is the administrative centre, later reported that that Russian drones had pounded the region late on Monday.
A fire broke out in the Suspilne building, windows and doors were blown out, and the building’s floors and roof were damaged, the broadcaster reported. No staff were inside at the time.
Suspilne, which is Ukraine’s nationwide public broadcaster, posted a photo showing a gaping hole torn through a building's concrete floors, leaving exposed metal reinforcing bars, dangling wires and collapsed ceiling panels below.
Zelensky to visit Turkey to revive negotiations
Tuesday 18 November 2025 07:50 , Alex CroftUkrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has said he planned to go to Turkey on Wednesday after his Tuesday visit to Spain.
"We are preparing to reinvigorate negotiations, and we have developed solutions that we will propose to our partners. Doing everything possible to bring the end of the war closer is Ukraine's top priority," he said about upcoming meetings in Turkey.
Mr Zelensky said Kyiv was also working to restore exchanges of prisoners of war, after the Kremlin yesterday said discussions had been opened on the subject.
Today, I am holding meetings in Spain that we have been preparing for quite some time. We expect that another strong country will increase its support – helping us protect lives and bring the end of the war closer. We are working to ensure that the meeting with Prime Minister…
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) November 18, 2025
Watch: Aftermath of Russia's deadly strike on Ukraine's Kharkiv region
Tuesday 18 November 2025 07:31 , Alex CroftZelensky says Rafale jets from France one of the best for Ukraine's defence
Tuesday 18 November 2025 07:15 , Arpan RaiVolodymyr Zelensky has lauded the transfer of 100 Rafale jets from France as a critical air defence deal for Ukraine.
“One of the most productive visits this year – and certainly a new level in relations between Ukraine and France. We have a historic agreement on a new fleet of fighter jets for our country – 100 Rafale aircraft. And this is one of the best aircraft that can be used for our defence. Together with Swedish Gripens and American F-16s, the Ukrainian Air Force will be able to carry out all necessary defence missions and will guarantee our security,” he said on X.
Zelensky signed a letter of intent with France to acquire up to 100 Rafale F4 fighter jets as his country looks to strengthen its defences against Russian aggression.
Air defence systems, munitions and drones were also included in the letter of intent he signed alongside his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron, stood in front of one of the jets and both their flags.
One of the most productive visits this year – and certainly a new level in relations between Ukraine and France. We have a historic agreement on a new fleet of fighter jets for our country – 100 Rafale aircraft. And this is one of the best aircraft that can be used for our… pic.twitter.com/3aYHAfQCGh
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) November 17, 2025
US Treasury says sanctions on Rosneft and Lukoil damage Russia oil revenue
Tuesday 18 November 2025 07:00 , Arpan RaiThe US sanctions against Russian oil majors Rosneft and Lukoil are already reducing Russian oil revenues and are likely to reduce the quantity of Russian oil sold in the long term, the US treasury said yesterday.
The Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control said in a statement that its analysis of the initial market impact of the sanctions announced on 22 October showed they "are having their intended effect of dampening Russian revenues by lowering the price of Russian oil and therefore the country's ability to fund its war effort against Ukraine."
The Treasury action was among the strongest US sanctions since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and the first direct sanctions imposed by president Donald Trump against Russia since taking office in January.
The sanctions set a 21 November deadline for companies to wind down dealings with Rosneft and Lukoil. Violators could be cut off from the dollar-based financial system.
But it was unclear how Treasury will enforce the sanctions. The two largest buyers of Russian oil have been China and India.
The OFAC analysis said that several key grades of Russian crude were selling at multi-year-low prices and noted that nearly a dozen major Indian and Chinese purchasers of Russian crude have announced intentions to pause their purchases of Russian oil for December deliveries.
Watch: Romania evacuates border village after Russian drone attack on gas tanker
Tuesday 18 November 2025 06:58 , Arpan RaiTrump would back Russia sanctions bill if he retains final authority
Tuesday 18 November 2025 06:45 , Arpan RaiPresident Donald Trump is willing to sign legislation to impose sanctions on Russia as long as he retains ultimate decision-making authority over any such measures, a senior White House official said.
Trump told reporters late on Sunday that it was "OK with me" that Republicans were working on legislation to impose sanctions on countries doing business with Russia over Moscow's failure to negotiate a peace deal with Ukraine.
These comments from the US president could clear the way for the legislation to move forward in Congress.
Leaders in the Senate and House of Representatives have held off bringing the legislation to a vote as Trump has preferred instead to impose tariffs on goods imported from India, the world's second-leading buyer of Russian oil after China.
Asked if Trump was now ready to back the legislation, the White House official said: "He would sign it. He signalled that last night.
“But the White House will insist on specific language ensuring that Trump retains control over the sanctions, the official said.
"It's always been important to the White House and the president that there's a carve-out in the sanctions package that ensures the president has the ultimate decision-making authority on the sanctions," they said. “So as long as that is included, I think the president would entertain signing the bill.”
Poland says explosion targeting weapons for Ukraine an ‘unprecedented act of sabotage’
Tuesday 18 November 2025 06:30 , Arpan RaiPoland's prime minister Donald Tusk has said the railway track targeted in an apparent attack was “crucially important for delivering aid to Ukraine” and branded the incident “an act of sabotage”.
The explosion that damaged a Polish railway track headed for Ukraine was the work of a “foreign state”, a Polish minister said on Monday.
Poland’s security services minister, Tomasz Siemoniak, said the attack on a section of the track near Mika village marked “a new stage of threatening the railway infrastructure”.
The blast on the Warsaw-Lublin line follows a wave of arson, sabotage and cyberattacks that have hit Poland and other European countries since the start of the war in Ukraine.
Warsaw has in the past held Russia responsible, saying Poland has become one of Moscow's biggest targets due to its role as a hub for aid to Kyiv. Russia has repeatedly denied being responsible for acts of sabotage.
Read more about the explosion here:
‘Foreign state’ behind explosion on Polish railway track, says minister
Drone strikes Turkish tanker in Ukraine's Odesa
Tuesday 18 November 2025 06:15 , Arpan RaiA drone struck a Turkish-flagged tanker and set it ablaze on Monday in southern Ukraine’s Odesa region, officials said, a day after Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky signed a deal to import US liquefied natural gas through the area.
The MT Orinda was hit during the offloading of liquefied petroleum gas at Izmail port, Turkey’s Directorate for Maritime Affairs said. All 16 crew on board evacuated and no one was hurt, it said.
Russia has used drones, missiles and artillery to repeatedly batter the Odesa region, especially its Black Sea ports, since its full-scale invasion of its neighbour nearly four years ago.
Drone strikes Turkish tanker in Ukraine's Odesa, where US natural gas will go
Rafale fighter jet deal part of 10-year agreement - Reuters
Tuesday 18 November 2025 06:00 , Arpan RaiReuters is reporting that France’s provision of multi-role Rafale fighter jets will be part of a 10-year strategic aviation agreement, citing two people briefed on the batter.
Some could come directly from French stocks, although the bulk would be longer-term and part of Ukraine's efforts to increase its long-term fleet to 250 warplanes, including the US F-16 and Sweden's Gripen, they said.
Operating the advanced jets would take time given the rigorous training programme for pilots.
There have been talks for several weeks to see how France could provide more military support for Ukraine's air defences, although Macron's government is grappling with political and budgetary instability, raising questions over how much France can actually do.
Macron pledged last month to offer more Mirage fighter jets, after initially promising to deliver six, and a new batch of Aster 30 surface-to-air missiles, produced by European group MBDA, for the SAMP/T air-defence batteries operated by Ukraine.
EU chief proposes three options to finance Ukraine
Tuesday 18 November 2025 05:45 , Arpan RaiEuropean Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said in a letter to European Union governments that there are three options for meeting Ukraine's financing needs, including a loan using frozen Russian assets.
“We have identified three main options, i.e. support to be financed by Member States via grants, a limited recourse loan funded by the Union borrowing on the financial markets, or a limited recourse loan linked to the cash balances of immobilised assets," von der Leyen said in the letter, seen by Reuters.
In an options paper attached to the letter, von der Leyen added that "the three options are not mutually exclusive. They can be combined or sequenced".
“Given the urgency of the situation, varying complexity of the options, and the need to start disbursements by the second quarter of 2026, any selected option could be designed as transitional and time limited," she said in the paper.
Her letter comes after EU leaders agreed last month to fulfil Ukraine’s urgent financial needs for the next two years. However, they did not endorse a plan to use frozen Russian assets after Belgium objected to it being used to fund a giant loan to Kyiv.
Leaders from all EU countries except Hungary asked the Commission to come up with options for financially supporting Ukraine.
Ukraine struggling with manpower as recruits flee training
Tuesday 18 November 2025 05:30 , Arpan RaiThe Ukrainian army is facing severe issues with recruiting volunteers as officials confirm the country’s citizens are fleeing its military training centres.
Four out of every five Ukrainians being sent in are fleeing from the military training centres, said Roman Kostenko, the secretary of the Ukrainian parliament’s security, defence and intelligence committee.
“There will soon be as many people who have abandoned their units as there are in our army. 80 per cent [of draftees] are now fleeing from training centres," he said, reported The Times.
“The country is doing nothing to bring them back or to create such conditions under which they are afraid to flee,” the former special forces colonel told a Ukrainian online news channel on Saturday.
Ukrainian attack damages power plants in Russian-controlled Donetsk
Tuesday 18 November 2025 05:01 , Arpan RaiAn "unprecedented" overnight attack by Ukraine has damaged two thermal power plants in Russian-occupied Donetsk, leaving many settlements without electricity, a Moscow-installed local official said this morning.
Russia-backed governor Denis Pushilin said boiler houses and water filtration plants at the Zuivska and Starobesheve thermal power plants had shut down and that emergency crews were working to restore supplies.
On Monday, Pushilin said that an attack by Ukrainian strike drones on energy infrastructure had left roughly 500,000 people without power across several districts.
Kyiv has stepped up long-range drone and missile strikes against power plants and infrastructure in Russian-controlled parts of Donetsk in recent weeks, seeking to disrupt military logistics and undermine Moscow's ability to sustain its war.
‘Russia attacking Nato’ warning after Romanian border village evacuated
Tuesday 18 November 2025 04:33 , Arpan RaiOfficials in Romania’s Tulcea border village were forced to evacuate the local population yesterday after a Russian attack destroyed a tanker carrying gas.
A vessel carrying liquefied natural gas was damaged during a Russian attack in Ukraine's southern Odesa region, Ukrainian foreign minister Andrii Sybiha said.
At least 50 people and their animals were evacuated from the Tulcea village, just 1,600 feet away from the Ukrainian port city, Romania’s department for emergency situations said.
The Romanian authorities also held an emergency meeting and decided to carry out the evacuation to “eliminate potential risks and to protect the population”.
Two other villages – Ceatalchioi and Plauru – were also evacuated.
“On-site, forces from the ministry of internal affairs structures, along with local and county authorities, continue to monitor the situation and intervene to prevent or manage any emergency developments,” the officials said.
Former security minister Tom Tugendhat said the incident was tantamount to Russia "attacking Nato".
He shared footage of the scene on Twitter and added: “Russia is attacking Nato. Putin is expanding his Ukrainian war to dissuade us from defending European freedom.
“Some have begun serious preparations to defend ourselves; others, including Britain, are behaving as if this is our choice and our timeline. The enemy gets a vote."
Russia is attacking NATO. Putin is expanding his Ukrainian war to dissuade us from defending European freedom.
— Tom Tugendhat (@TomTugendhat) November 17, 2025
Some have begun serious preparations to defend ourselves, others, including Britain, are behaving as if this is our choice and our timeline.
The enemy gets a vote. https://t.co/v3uU4kKMsj
Rafale jets will be ‘significant’ in long-term Russia deterrence, says military expert
Tuesday 18 November 2025 04:15 , Arpan RaiThe purchase of 100 French Rafale fighter jets will be “significant” in Ukraine’s long-term deterrence of Russia, an expert on the Russian military has told The Independent.
Volodymyr Zelensky and the French presidential palace have confirmed that Kyiv’s air force will purchase the jets, the latest in a Ukrainian drive to boost its air capabilities.
“Ukraine’s current round of purchasing high-end systems like Rafale and Gripen combat aircraft are to do with establishing long-term deterrence of Russia,” said Keir Giles, senior consulting fellow of the Russia and Eurasia Programme at Chatham House and author of Who Will Defend Europe? An Awakened Russia and a Sleeping Continent.
“Ukraine knows that whatever the outcome of the current war, its existence depends on being able to persuade Russia that the costs of future attacks will be too high.”
He says that Rafale’s “multi-role capabilities, including carrying air to ground weapons”, will be “significant for the relationship with Russia in the long run”.
Kyiv may be thinking forward to a time when it can “dominate the Russian Air Force to such an extent that it can strike deep into Russia with a much wider range of weapon systems than it currently has”, therefore making clear to Moscow the damage the country would suffer if it were to attack again, Mr Giles added.
Watch: Greece and Ukraine sign US gas supply deal as Zelensky visits Athens
Tuesday 18 November 2025 03:54 , Arpan RaiEurope needs to keep 'cool heads', says Finnish leader Stubb
Tuesday 18 November 2025 03:35 , Arpan RaiFinland's president Alexander Stubb said European nations need to keep "cool heads”, after Poland called an attack on its railway network “an unprecedented act of sabotage”.
He warned about overreacting to incidents of alleged Russian disruption, warning that "this is unfortunately the new normal".
“What Russia is trying to do is to destabilise our societies through information and other campaigns,” he said.
In an interview at a Finnish military base, Stubb said Moscow is conducting "two types of warfare" – a kinetic war in Ukraine and a hybrid war in Europe.
“The line between war and peace has been blurred," Stubb said.
Western officials have accused Russia and its proxies of staging dozens of attacks and other incidents across Europe since the invasion of Ukraine three years ago, according to data collected by the Associated Press.
Moscow's goal, Western officials say, is to undermine support for Ukraine, spark fear and divide European societies.
