Donald Trump was caught off-guard by the Pentagon’s decision to announce a pause in some weapons deliveries last week to Ukraine.
An official close to Trump, who is said to have privately expressed frustration with Pentagon officials, claimed the President had been caught "flat footed" by the announcement.
The news came before Russia launched its largest air attack on Ukraine overnight, launching 728 drones and 13 missiles at targets around the country, Kyiv’s air defence said on Wednesday.
The Trump administration is in the eye of a storm after the Pentagon announced last week that it would hold back some air defence missiles, precision-guided artillery and other weapons pledged to Ukraine because of concerns that American stockpiles were running short on supply.
Reports emerged that US defence secretary Pete Hegseth did not tell the White House before pausing those weapons shipments, but the Pentagon denied that Hegseth acted without consulting the president.
Trump made a U-turn on Monday and said the US will have to send more weapons to Ukraine, effectively reversing the move, as he showed signs of growing frustration with the Russian leader.
Key Points
- Zelensky calls for 'biting' sanctions on Moscow after Russia's largest air attack
- Pentagon denies Pete Hegseth halted Ukraine weapons without consulting Trump
- Trump says he gets a 'lot of bull**** thrown by Putin'
- Russia launches record 728 drones overnight on Ukraine
- Ukraine's military estimates Russian casualties at nearly 1,030,000
Hegseth did not get okay from Trump for Ukraine weapons pause, report says
11:02 , Joe SommerladUS Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth did not inform President Donald Trump before authorising a pause on the delivery of weapons to Ukraine last week, according to a report.
CNN cited five sources who revealed that Hegseth’s decision sparked an internal “scramble” within the Trump administration to understand why it was made and to explain the Pentagon’s actions to Congress and to the Ukrainian government.
According to CNN, neither Secretary of State Marco Rubio nor the U.S. Special Envoy to Ukraine, Ret. Gen. Keith Kellogg, were informed of the pause on weapons shipments to Eastern Europe, although Pentagon Press Secretary Kingsley Wilson said in a statement: “Secretary Hegseth provided a framework for the President to evaluate military aid shipments and assess existing stockpiles. This effort was coordinated across government.”
Read the full report here:
Hegseth did not get okay from Trump for Ukraine weapons pause, report says
Watch: Macron says Europe won't abandon Ukraine
10:47 , Rachel ClunUK court convicts three men over arson attack authorities say was organised by Russian intelligence
10:30 , Rachel ClunA British jury convicted three men on Tuesday of arson in an attack on an east London warehouse that was storing equipment destined for Ukraine. Authorities said Russian intelligence was behind the plot.
Prosecutors said the March 20, 2024, attack was planned by agents of Russia’s Wagner mercenary group, acting on behalf of Russian military intelligence. The British government has deemed Wagner a terrorist organisation.
The prosecution said Wagner used British intermediaries to recruit the men to target an industrial unit in Leyton, east London, where generators and StarLink satellite equipment bound for Ukraine were being stored. The StarLinks are frequently used by Ukraine's military in fending off Russia's invasion.
Authorities said the arson was part of a campaign of disruption across Europe that Western officials blame on Moscow and its proxies.
In pictures: Aftermath of largest Russian drone attack on Ukraine
10:07 , Rachel Clun
European intelligence officials warn that a Russian sabotage campaign is escalating
09:53 , Rachel ClunThere have been more than 70 incidents of sabotage that can be linked to Russia since Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, an investigation has found.
And those incidents are becoming more common, according to The Associated Press’s research: AP's tracking shows 12 incidents of arson or serious sabotage last year compared with two in 2023 and none in 2022.
Read the full report on those escalating attacks here:
European intelligence officials warn that a Russian sabotage campaign is escalating
Ukrainian attack on Russian beach kills three
09:37 , Rachel Clun, ReutersA Ukrainian drone attack on a beach in the Russian city of Kursk killed three people and injured seven, the acting governor of the region said early on Wednesday.
Among those killed in the attack was a Russian serviceman who had been trying to evacuate people from the scene, Alexander Khinshtein said on the Telegram messaging app
Khinshtein said the attack had been carried out deliberately in an area frequented by families in the region.
Russia's defence ministry said on Telegram that its air defence units destroyed 86 Ukrainian drones overnight over nine Russian regions, including 23 drones over the Kursk region.
Reuters could not independently verify the account and there was no immediate comment from Ukrainian officials.
Rescue efforts continue after Russian bombardment, Ukraine deputy PM says
09:21 , Rachel ClunUkraine’s first deputy prime minister said rescue efforts were ongoing after Russia’s largest aerial attack on the nation.
Sharing video footage of firefighters battling blazes after the attack, Yulia Svyrydenko said it was “the largest air assault of the war”.
“This attack comes as efforts toward a ceasefire have intensified — Russia continues to answer with escalation,” she wrote on X.
“If there is to be peace, it can only be had by deterrence, not rewards — REAL sanctions, on the core of Russia's war machine. On oil, and on those who still buy it. Every barrel funds more attacks, every barrel funds this global axis that aims to destroy not only Ukraine, but the democratic world. If peace is the goal, sanctions must do the talking now.”
Rescue efforts continue across Ukraine this morning, after Russia launched its largest air assault of the war onto the people of Ukraine: 741 missiles and drones.
— Yulia Svyrydenko (@Svyrydenko_Y) July 9, 2025
This attack comes as efforts toward a ceasefire have intensified — Russia continues to answer with escalation.
If… pic.twitter.com/RgKAvYI7pr
Poland scrambled aircraft as Russia launched strikes on Ukraine
09:05 , Rachel ClunPolish and allied aircraft were activated early on Wednesday to ensure the safety of Polish airspace after Russia launched air strikes targeting western Ukraine, near the border with Poland, the Operational Command of the Polish armed forces said.
At 03.15am BST, most of western Ukraine had been under air raid alerts for nearly three hours following Ukrainian Air Force warnings of Russian missile and drone attacks.
It was Moscow’s largest air bombardment of Ukraine, Kyiv’s air defence said, with a record 728 Shahed and decoy drones fired at Ukraine overnight, as well as 13 missiles.
German chancellor says diplomatic efforts to end the war have been exhausted
08:58 , Rachel ClunGerman Chancellor Friedrich Merz said that the diplomatic means to resolve the war in Ukraine have been exhausted and vowed to continue supporting Kyiv's fight against Russian aggression.
His comments come after Moscow launched its largest air bombardment at Ukraine. firing a record 728 Shahed and decoy drones at Ukraine overnight, as well as 13 missiles, Ukraine's air force said on Wednesday.
Ukraine shot down 296 of those drones and seven missiles, while 415 further drones were lost from radars or jammed, its military said.
The attack mostly targeted Ukraine's western Volyn region and Lutsk, the capital city of Volyn region, in Ukraine's northwest, bordering Poland and Belarus, it said.
In pictures: Aftermath of Russian attacks on Kyiv, Zhytomyr, and Volyn
08:46 , Rachel Clun
Zelensky says Russia orchestrated largest number of attacks in a single day
08:31 , Rachel ClunVolodymyr Zelensky says Russia’s latest attack on Ukraine - involving the “highest number of aerial attacks in a single day” - is a telling move from the Russian leader.
Zelensky said Russia launched 728 drones at Ukraine, most of which were shot down, but some hit targets around the country.
“At the moment, efforts are ongoing across many regions of Ukraine to eliminate the consequences of last night’s Russian attack. The main strike targeted Lutsk,” the Ukrainian president said, adding damage has been reported in 10 other regions.
“This is a telling attack – and it comes precisely at a time when so many efforts have been made to achieve peace, to establish a ceasefire, and yet only Russia continues to rebuff them all,” Zelensky said.
“This is yet another proof of the need for sanctions – biting sanctions against oil, which has been fueling Moscow’s war machine with money for over three years of the war.”
He continued: “Our partners know how to apply pressure in a way that will force Russia to think about ending the war, not launching new strikes. Everyone who wants peace must act.”
Trump says he’s ‘not happy with Putin’
08:24 , Andrew FeinbergWhite House correspondent Andrew Feinberg reports:
President Donald Trump delivered some of his sharpest-ever criticism of Vladimir Putin and said the US is resuming deliveries of weapons to Ukraine to counter Russian attacks on civilians.
Speaking at Tuesday’s cabinet meeting, the president said he was “not happy” with the Russian president, who he accused of “killing a lot of people”, including many of his own soldiers to the tune of “7,000 a week.”
Trump said there is “no reason” for Russia’s continued attacks on Ukraine and complained that reaching a ceasefire in the three-year-old war Putin launched has been “tougher” than expected, while crediting Kyiv’s forces for bravery as they’ve battled back Russia’s invasion.
“I will say the Ukrainians were brave, but we gave them the best equipment ever made ... we gave them missiles, the latest and the greatest. They were able to shoot down a lot of things,” he said.
Trump says he’s ‘not happy with Putin’ as US resumes weapons deliveries to Ukraine
Top Europe human rights court set to rule on case against Russia
07:59 , Rachel ClunEurope's human rights court is expected to rule today on Russia's actions in Ukraine, including human rights violations during the full-scale invasion and the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17.
The judgment will be the first time an international court adjudicates Russian culpability for the wider conflict in Ukraine dating from 2014.
Judges at the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg will rule on four cases, brought by Ukraine and the Netherlands against Russia, but any decision will be largely symbolic as the court’s governing body expelled Moscow in 2022.
However, families of the victims of the MH17 disaster see the decision as an important milestone in their 11-year quest for justice.
"It's a real step in understanding who was really responsible," Thomas Schansman, who lost his 18-year-old son Quinn in the tragedy, told The Associated Press.
The Boeing 777 flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur was shot down on July 17, 2014, using a Russian-made Buk missile fired from territory in eastern Ukraine controlled by separatist rebels. All 298 passengers and crew were killed, including 196 Dutch citizens.
In May, the UN's aviation agency found Russia responsible for the disaster.
Ukraine's military estimates Russian casualties at nearly 1,030,000
07:41 , Rachel ClunUkraine’s military estimates Russia has suffered nearly 1,030,000 casualties since Vladimir Putin launched his full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
In a post on social media the General Staff of the Armed Forces said they estimated Russia has lost about 1,029,660 personnel since 24 February 2022.
Watch: Trump slams Putin’s ‘bulls***’ amid Russia’s ongoing Ukraine war
07:35 , Rachel ClunRussia launches record 728 drones overnight, Ukraine's air force says
07:09 , Arpan RaiRussia launched a record 728 drones against Ukraine and 13 missiles, Ukraine's air force said this morning.
Ukrainian air defence systems destroyed 718 of the drones and seven missiles, the air force said on the Telegram messaging app.
Trump was not consulted by Pentagon on abrupt move to halt weapons to Ukraine
07:00 , Arpan RaiPresident Donald Trump's decision to send more weapons to Ukraine came after he privately expressed frustration with Pentagon officials for announcing a pause in some deliveries last week – a move he felt wasn’t properly coordinated with the White House, according to three people familiar with the matter.
The Trump administration is in the eye of a storm after the Pentagon announced last week that it would hold back some air defence missiles, precision-guided artillery and other weapons pledged to Ukraine because of what US officials said were concerns that American stockpiles were running short on supply.
Mr Trump marked a U-turn on Monday and said the US will have to send more weapons to Ukraine, effectively reversing the move.
Two people, who spoke on condition of anonymity about the sensitive internal discussions, said there was some internal opposition among Pentagon brass to the pause – coordinated by Pentagon policy chief Elbridge Colby – before it was announced.
One of the people described Trump as being caught "flat footed" by the announcement. The White House did not respond to queries about whether Mr Trump was surprised by the Pentagon pause.
European intelligence officials warn that a Russian sabotage campaign is escalating
06:57 , Arpan RaiOn Tuesday, a British court found three men guilty of arson in the March 2024 plot that prosecutors said was masterminded by Russia’s intelligence services — part of a campaign of disruption across Europe that Western officials blame on Moscow and its proxies. Two other men, including Earl, previously pleaded guilty to organizing the arson.
The fire is one of more than 70 incidents linked to Russia that The Associated Press has documented since Moscow's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Four European intelligence officials told AP they’re worried the risk of serious injury or even death is rising as untrained saboteurs set fires near homes and businesses, plant explosives or build bombs. AP's tracking shows 12 incidents of arson or serious sabotage last year compared with two in 2023 and none in 2022.
European intelligence officials warn that a Russian sabotage campaign is escalating
Pentagon denies Pete Hegseth halted Ukraine weapons without consulting Trump
06:46 , Arpan RaiPentagon press secretary Kingsley Wilson denied that defence secretary Pete Hegseth acted without consulting the president.
"It is the job of the Secretary of Defense to make military recommendations to the commander-in-chief. Secretary Hegseth provided a framework for the President to evaluate military aid shipments and assess existing stockpiles. This effort was coordinated across government. The Department will continue to give the President robust options regarding military aid to Ukraine, consistent with his goal of bringing this tragic war to an end and putting America first," Mr Wilson said in a statement to The Associated Press.
The Pentagon, which announced last week that it would hold back some air defence missiles, precision-guided artillery and other weapons pledged to Ukraine because of what US officials said were concerns that American stockpiles were in short supply.
Mr Trump said on Monday that the US will have to send more weapons to Ukraine, effectively reversing the move.
Trump slams Putin’s ‘bulls***’ amid Russia’s ongoing Ukraine war
06:23 , Arpan RaiDonald Trump has called out Vladimir Putin’s “bulls***” whilst discussing the ongoing Russian war and Ukrainian peace talks.
Speaking to reporters following a meeting with his Cabinet on Tuesday (8 July), the US president said: “I'm not happy with Putin. I can tell you that much right now," noting that Russian and Ukrainian soldiers were dying in their thousands.
“We get a lot of bulls*** thrown at us by Putin... He's very nice all the time, but it turns out to be meaningless,” he added.
The US president also said he was considering “very strongly” whether to give his backing to a bill in the Senate that would impose harsh sanctions on Moscow over the war.
Trump slams Putin’s ‘bulls***’ amid Russia’s ongoing Ukraine war
Pentagon says it's going to resume shipments to Ukraine
05:58 , Arpan RaiThe Pentagon said late on Monday that at Donald Trump's direction, it would resume weapons shipments to Ukraine "to ensure the Ukrainians can defend themselves while we work to secure a lasting peace and ensure the killing stops”.
The weapons pause announced last week impacted shipments of Patriot missiles, precision-guided GMLRS, Hellfire missiles and Howitzer rounds and more, taking not only Ukrainian officials and other allies by surprise but also US lawmakers and other parts of the Trump administration, including the State Department.
Still, spokesperson Sean Parnell added that its review for Mr Trump to evaluate military shipments worldwide continues as part of "America First" defence priorities.
The Pentagon did not immediately respond to a request for comment on whether defence secretary Pete Hegseth consulted with the White House prior to pausing weapons shipments and whether or not those shipments have now resumed.
It's also unclear which weaponry would now be sent, though Mr Trump said that the US will primarily be assisting Ukraine with defensive weapons.
US envoy Kellogg to attend Ukraine aid conference in Rome
05:55 , Arpan RaiUS president Donald Trump's Ukraine envoy Keith Kellogg will attend an international aid conference on Ukraine in Rome on 10-11 July, an Italian government source has said said, a day after Donald Trump said the US would resume sending weapons to Kyiv.
The US attempts to end Russia's war in Ukraine through diplomacy have largely stalled and Mr Trump said Russian president Vladimir Putin did not appear to be looking to stop the conflict, after the two spoke late last week.
Ukrainian soldier dies weeks after release from Russian captivity - report
05:27 , Arpan RaiA Ukrainian soldier has died of injuries sustained under torture less than a month after his release from Russian captivity, a Ukrainian media outlet, Suspilne, has reported.
Valery Zelensky, 57, spent 39 months in Russian captivity and was part of the landmark thousand for thousand prisoner deal on 25 May. He died just 22 days later.
Mr Zelensky’s unit delivered weaponse to Ukrainian forces in Mariupol, his daughter told the the outlet. His family thought he was missing in action. Upon returning, he met his grandson for the first time.
Doctors initially treated him for suspected pancreatic issues, before his condition severely deteriorated. A medical report listed extensive injuries, according to the Kyiv Independent.
A number of Ukrainian soldiers have died following their return from Russian captivity after the UN commission reported last year that prisoners of war were facing “brutal treatment inflicting severe pain and suffering during prolonged detention, with blatant disregard for human dignity.”
Three killed in Ukrainian attack on beach in Russia's Kursk
05:16 , Arpan RaiA Ukrainian drone attack on a beach in the Russian city of Kursk killed three people, including a Russian serviceman engaged in rescue operations, and injured seven, acting regional Governor Alexander Khinshtein said early this morning.
The attack had been carried out deliberately in an area frequented by families in the region that borders Ukraine, Mr Khinshtein said.
Five of the seven injured, including a 5-year-old child, were in a serious condition in hospital.
He said one of the dead was a member of Russia's National Guard who had been trying to evacuate people from the scene.
"He had arrived at the beach with his comrades after people began reporting about the drone attack," the acting regional governor said. "The senior sergeant had begun to evacuate people when a second explosion occurred. Unfortunately, he did not survive."
Mr Khinshtein also said a Ukrainian drone had attacked a hospital in the town of Rylsk, closer to the Ukrainian border than the city of Kursk, injuring two people, blowing out windows and setting a roof ablaze.
Kremlin: 'We believe the US sanctions on Russia are illegal'
05:02 , Arpan RaiThe Kremlin has commented on US president Trump’s involvement between Russia and Ukraine. Moscow hinted at a change in its relationship with the US, with the potential of beginning trade trade and economic relations.
They also called US sanctions on Russia “illegal”, decrying them for harming both Russian and American businesses.
"But at the moment, the United States is implementing a number of restrictions. We believe that these sanctions are illegal, and they harm not only our entrepreneurs, but also the entrepreneurs of the United States," Dmytry Peskov said.
Trump says US will be sending more weapons to Ukraine
04:52 , Arpan RaiTrump says he gets a 'lot of bull**** thrown by Putin'
04:50 , Arpan RaiUS president Donald Trump continued his tirade against his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin as he faced delay in ending the Ukraine war while Moscow amped up attacks on its smaller neighbour.
In a televised meeting of top officials, Mr Trump said: “We get a lot of bull**** thrown at us by Putin, if you want to know the truth. He’s very nice all the time, but it turns out to be meaningless”.
The US president said he is “looking at it very strongly” to impose further sanctions on Russia, without sharing further details but added that any action would come as “a little surprise”.
He has threatened, but held off on, imposing new sanctions against Russia's oil industry to try to prod Putin into peace talks.
Russia says drones headed for Moscow destroyed
04:50 , Arpan RaiRussia's air defence units destroyed two drones that were heading towards Moscow, the mayor of the Russian capital Sergei Sobyanin said this morning.
Mr Sobyanin did not report any damage in his post on the Telegram messaging app.
Russia's civil aviation authority Rosaviatsia halted flights for about half an hour overnight at the Sheremetyevo international airport outside Moscow, to ensure air safety, it said on Telegram.
Trump was not consulted by Pentagon on abrupt move to halt weapons to Ukraine
04:49 , Arpan RaiPresident Donald Trump's decision to send more weapons to Ukraine came after he privately expressed frustration with Pentagon officials for announcing a pause in some deliveries last week – a move he felt wasn’t properly coordinated with the White House, according to three people familiar with the matter.
The Trump administration is in the eye of a storm after the Pentagon announced last week that it would hold back some air defence missiles, precision-guided artillery and other weapons pledged to Ukraine because of what US officials said were concerns that American stockpiles were running short on supply.
Mr Trump marked a U-turn on Monday and said the US will have to send more weapons to Ukraine, effectively reversing the move.
Two people, who spoke on condition of anonymity about the sensitive internal discussions, said there was some internal opposition among Pentagon brass to the pause – coordinated by Pentagon policy chief Elbridge Colby – before it was announced.
One of the people described Trump as being caught "flat footed" by the announcement. The White House did not respond to queries about whether Mr Trump was surprised by the Pentagon pause.
Poland scrambles aircraft as Russia launches strikes on Ukraine
04:45 , Arpan RaiPolish and allied aircraft were activated in the early hours today to ensure the safety of Polish airspace after Russia launched air strikes targeting western Ukraine, near the border with the Poland, the Operational Command of the Polish armed forces said this morning.
At 0215 GMT, most of western Ukraine had been under air raid alerts for nearly three hours following Ukrainian Air Force warnings of Russian missile and drone attacks.
