Vladimir Putin has announced a temporary ceasefire in Ukraine next weekend to mark the 80th anniversary of victory in WW2, the Kremlin has said.
The 72-hour ceasefire is the second announced by Moscow in recent weeks, after it declared a 30-hour Easter Sunday truce - which Kyiv and its European allies accused it of breaching.
The Kremlin said the truce will last from the beginning of 8 May and last until the close of 10 May, adding that Russia give an “adequate and effective response” to any Ukrainian violations. Moscow remains ready for peace talks without any preconditions, the statement added.
Mr Putin is looking to win back favour with Donald Trump, after the US president said he was “very disappointed” in Russia’s continued bombardment of civilian areas in Ukraine.
Mr Trump also said he believes Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky is ready to give up Crimea in order to strike a peace deal with Russia.
Meanwhile, North Korea’s Kim Jong Un confirmed he sent his troops to support Russian president Vladimir Putin’s war efforts in Ukraine for the first time.
Mr Kim said his deployment order was meant to "annihilate and wipe out the Ukrainian neo-Nazi occupiers and liberate the Kursk area”.
Key Points
- Breaking: Putin announces three-day ceasefire to mark WW2 anniversary
- Why is Russia calling a truce this weekend?
- Trump says he ‘thinks’ Zelensky is ready to give up Crimea
- North Korea confirms it sent troops to Russia to support Putin's war efforts
- Trump 'very disappointed' in Putin
Watch: Trump claims Zelensky ready to give up Crimea after meeting at Pope Francis' funeral
16:28 , Alex CroftRussia launches 166 drones at Ukraine through Monday
15:40 , Alex CroftUkrainian air defences shot down 40 out of 166 drones launched by Russia in multiple attacks on Monday, the Ukrainian air force said.
A total of 74 Russian drones were redirected by electronic warfare, it said in a statement. Damages were registered in four regions - in the east, northeast, and centre of the country.
Ukraine offers assistance to Spain and Portugal blackouts
15:23 , Rebecca WhittakerUkraine is no stranger to power blackouts, having dealt with them so routinely since Russia’s invasion.
As a result, Ukraine was ready to assist in restoring energy networks after blackouts hit Spain and Portugal, Ukrainian Energy Minister German Galuschenko said.
"We are ready to share the knowledge and experience, including those gained during the systematic Russian attacks on the energy infrastructure," Galuschenko said in a post on X.
Putin meets with key speakers following ceasefire announcement
15:10 , Rebecca WhittakerRussia's President Vladimir Putin meets with the Federation Council speaker Valentina Matviyenko and Speaker of the State Duma Vyacheslav Volodin in Saint Petersburg.
It comes after he announced a three-day ceasefire in Ukraine next month.
Putin has also been addressing а meeting of the Federal Assembly's Council of Legislators in Saint Petersburg, thanking MPs for making a "significant contribution” to “victory".
Moscow waiting for signal from Kyiv regarding direct negotiations - Kremlin
15:01 , Alex CroftMoscow is waiting for a signal from Ukraine from Kyiv regarding direct negotiations to end the war, the Kremlin said on Monday before calling for a temporary truce.
There are no signs of any movement, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, three days after revealing that the prospect of direct talks had been raised in a three-hour meeting between Vladimir Putin and US envoy Steve Witkoff on Friday.
Asked by a reporter if the signal for direct talks should come from Ukraine or the United States, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: "Well, from Kyiv, at least Kyiv should take some actions in this regard. They have a legal ban on this. But so far we don't see any action."
Kyiv accuses Russia of playing for time in an attempt to seize more territory, while Moscow has accused Ukraine of being unwilling to make any concessions and only seeking a ceasefire on its own terms.
At least six killed in Russian attacks over past day
14:45 , Alex CroftRussian attacks across Ukraine killed at least six civilians and injured 13 more over the past day, regional authorities reported on Monday morning.
Moscow’s forces have intensified their attacks on Ukrainian towns and cities in the past week.
Five people were killed and six injured in a attacks across Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region, according to governor Vadym Filashkin, including an attack against Kostiantynivka which damaged 21 houses.
In the Dnipropetrovsk region, a 73-year-old woman was injured during Russian drone and artillery attacks on the Nikopol district, governor Serhii Lysak said.
Analysis | Why Crimea matters so much to Putin – and now Trump
14:29 , Alex Croft
Trump criticises Putin hours before Kremlin calls temporary ceasefire
14:14 , Alex CroftTrump seeking permanent ceasefire, not temporary - White House
14:11 , Alex CroftDonald Trump wants to see a permanent ceasefire to end Russia’s war in Ukraine, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Monday.
Ms Leavitt said the US president was increasingly frustrated with Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy, and both needed to come to the negotiating table to end the war.
She noted that Putin had offered a temporary ceasefire on Monday, but reiterated that the US president had made it clear that he was seeking a permanent ceasefire.
'Why wait until May 8th?' says Ukrainian foreign minister
14:03 , Alex CroftUkrainian foreign minister Andrii Sybiha has called on Moscow to implement a ceasefire immediately, to show it is serious about peace.
“If Russia truly wants peace, it must cease fire immediately,” Andrii Sybiha wrote on X.
“Why wait until May 8th? If the fire can be ceased now and since any date for 30 days—so it is real, not just for a parade.
“Ukraine is ready to support a lasting, durable, and full ceasefire. And this is what we are constantly proposing, for at least 30 days.”
If Russia truly wants peace, it must cease fire immediately.
— Andrii Sybiha 🇺🇦 (@andrii_sybiha) April 28, 2025
Why wait until May 8th? If the fire can be ceased now and since any date for 30 days—so it is real, not just for a parade.
Ukraine is ready to support a lasting, durable, and full ceasefire. And this is what we are…
Putin trying to protect Victory Day parade, Ukrainian MP says
13:45 , Alex CroftOleksandr Merezhko, a Ukrainian MP who has served close to Volodymyr Zelensky, has said Moscow’s declaration of a temporary truce stems from Vladimir Putin’s fear that Moscow’s Victory Day celebrations could be ruined.
Moscow said it is calling a truce to mark the 80th anniversary of victory in WW2 by Russia and the allied forces, which it celebrates with a huge military parade on 9 May.
“There are two reasons for Putin doing this: Propaganda, because for Russia the [80th] anniversary [of WW2 Victory Day] is a huge propagandistic celebration,” Mr Merezhko said.
“Second reason, I suspect that he might be trying in this way to prevent any military actions on the part of Ukraine on the eve or during the Victory Day, because he doesn’t want this holiday to be spoiled, to show that there is nothing to celebrate.”
He added that the truce is “not technically or legally speaking a ceasefire because ceasefire presupposes bilateral agreement from both sides”.
Putin is not going to keep his word, Ukrainian MP tells The Independent
13:30 , Alex CroftVladimir Putin will not keep his word with his latest ceasefire announcement, a Ukrainian MP and adviser to Volodymyr Zelensky has told The Independent.
“He is not going to keep his word,” Ukrainian MP Oleksandr Merezhko said.
“He is declaring something and immediately doing the opposite. Again there will be no ceasefire, there will be a continuation of bombing, on the frontline there will be continuation of fighting, I have absolutely no doubt about that.”
Mr Merezhko added that Mr Putin might be calling the ceasefire to “show Trump he is responding in a positive way to his [peace] initiative”, adding that this is “not sincere” from the Russian autocrat.
Reminder: Russia kills three in one region during Putin's Easter ceasefire
13:19 , Alex CroftRussian attacks during the 30-hour Easter ceasefire unilaterally declared by President Vladimir Putin over the weekend killed three people in Ukraine's southern Kherson region, a regional official said Monday.
Oleksandr Prokudin, the head of Kherson's administration, added that three others were wounded in the region, parts of which are occupied by Russia.
After Mr Putin declared the move on Saturday 19 April, Ukraine responded by voicing readiness to reciprocate any genuine ceasefire but said the Russian attacks continued. Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said that Russia violated the ceasefire more than 2,900 times.
Read last week’s full report:
Russian attacks during Easter ceasefire declared by Putin killed 3 in Ukraine's Kherson region
Analysis | Ukraine will greet ceasefire with skepticism
13:14 , Alex CroftChief international correspondent Bel Trew writes:
Less than two days after US President Donald Trump lashed out at Vladimir Putin for “tapping me along” over a peace deal, the Russian president has announced another temporary ceasefire — this one scheduled to last three days.
The Kremlin said a truce would take place from May 8 to 10, coinciding with Russia’s Victory Day celebrating the defeat of Nazi Germany. Timing likely designed to stir up domestic audiences, given Putin’s repeated and completely baseless claims that a “neo-Nazi regime” in Ukraine justified his full-scale invasion.
Ukraine has yet to officially respond, but will no doubt greet the news with a large dose of skepticism.
Kyiv previously said Moscow violated a similar temporary truce during Easter. President Volodymyr Zelensky even accused Russia of using that ceasefire to advance: saying Russian assaults persisted on multiple fronts, artillery fire did not subside, and attacks on energy infrastructure were relentless.
Over the weekend, Mr Zelensky warned Russia had only shown an “alleged readiness” to accept U.S. proposals for 30-day ceasefire to kick start longer term peace negociations.
“Every day of such battles at the front proves that Russia is really trying to deceive the world - to deceive America and others - and to further prolong this war,” he said on social media.
That stance was reiterated by his chief of staff and close confidant Andriy Yermak Monday morning, just before news broke of Putin’s proposal.
“All the Russian statements about peace without their stopping the fire are a simple lie,” he wrtoe on his Telegram page.
There are unlikely to be celebrations on the ground in Ukraine. During the last ceasefire announcement, air raid sirens blared in Kyiv, sending residents scrambling to shelters. On Monday morning, the same scene repeated - reportedly under a wave of Shaheed drones.
On popular Ukrainian Telegram groups, Ukrainian analysts and journalists immediately called it out as “Another lie for Trump”.
“Putin’s promise will likely have nothing to do with a real ceasefire again,” wrote one.
For Ukrainians anything less than an full agreement to follow a proper deal, is quite literally blast and bluster.
Russia calls on Ukraine to join ceasefire
13:07 , Alex CroftRussia has called on Ukraine to “follow” its example in calling a ceasefire for the May public holiday next weekend.
There has been no immediate response from the Ukrainian side, which accused Russia of repeated violations of the previous temporary truce it called on Easter Sunday.
"All military actions are suspended for this period [8-10 May]. Russia believes that the Ukrainian side should follow this example," a Kremlin statement read.
"In the event of violations by the Ukrainian side, Russia’s armed forces will give an adequate and effective response."
Mapped: Ukrainian frontline as Russia calls temporary ceasefire
12:57 , Alex CroftWhy is Russia calling a truce this weekend?
12:56 , Alex CroftMoscow says it is calling a truce to mark the 80th anniversary of victory in WW2 by Russia and the allied forces.
While most of the allied countries celebrate 8 May as VE (Victory in Europe) Day, Russia and some former Soviet countries celebrate it on 9 May.
This is because Germany’s unconditional surrender entered into force at 11:01pm on 8 May in most of Europe - which was 12:01am on 9 May in Moscow time.
Moscow hosts a Victory Day Parade each year in the Red Square, a vast military affair with thousands of troops lined outside the Kremlin for an event attended by Russia’s most powerful figures.
Ceasefire offers restbite for troops in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region
12:51 , Alex CroftA ceasefire will bring relief to troops in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region, where Russia has focussed the bulk of its attacks for many months.
Russia sends thousands of troops charging towards Ukrainian defences almost every day, suffering significant personnel losses for the sake of incremental territorial gains.
The war of attrition has been damaging for Ukraine, which has struggled with manpower problems against the sheer might of Russian forces.
But Ukrainian troops have so far held out in Pokrosvk, a key strategic town 56 kilometres northwest of Donetsk, critical for the transfer of Ukrainian supplies across the frontline.
No response from Zelensky yet
12:46 , Alex CroftThere has been no response from Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky to the Russian declaration of a temporary ceasefire over the May public holiday.
We’ll bring you all the latest reaction as it comes in.
Breaking: Putin announces temporary ceasefire over May public holidays
12:20 , Alex CroftVladimir Putin has announced a temporary ceasefire for the May public holidays, the Kremlin has announced.
The ceasefire, lasting from 8-11 May, will coincide with Russia’s World War 2 Victory Day on 9 May.
Russia will respond to any Ukrainian violations of the ceasefire and Moscow remains ready for peace talks without any preconditions, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Petrov said.
Trump suggests Zelensky will let Putin take Crimea. Russia’s top diplomat calls it a ‘done deal’
12:12 , Alex CroftDonald Trump has said he “thinks” Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky is ready to give up Crimea to Russia as part of a peace deal.
"I see him as calmer. I think he understands the picture, and I think he wants to make a deal," Trump told reporters at an airport in New Jersey.
Asked whether Kyiv was prepared to lose Crimea to Moscow, which Zelensky ruled out just last week in comments which sparked a renewed war of words, the U.S. president said: “I think so.”
Moscow, which has occupied Crimea since a ground invasion in 2014, has said it does not see the southern peninsula as being part of any negotiations.
Read the full report:
Trump suggests Zelensky will let Putin take Crimea. Moscow calls it a ‘done deal’
In pictures: Donetsk burns after Russian strikes continue
11:57 , Alex Croft
Crimea's recognition by Russia 'impossible to achieve', says expert
11:47 , Alex CroftThe formal recognition of Crimea as Russian territory is “impossible to achieve” and a difficult challenge for Volodymyr Zelensky, a Ukrainian expert has said.
If Ukrainian lawmakers were even to entertain the idea of surrendering Crimea, it would trigger a long, drawn-out legal debate, said Tymofiy Mylovanov, president of the Kyiv School of Economics and a former economics minister.
"That's why Russia is pushing it, because they know it's impossible to achieve," he said.
"Anything related to constitutional change gives so much policy and public communication space to Russia," he added. "This is all they want."
Additionally, formal recognition of Crimea would also amount to political suicide for Mr Zelensky and could expose him to legal action in the future, he said.
Mr Mylovanov said that signing a potentially unconstitutional document could be interpreted as high treason.
Russian troops seize village in Kharkiv region, Moscow says
11:25 , Alex CroftRussia troops have taken control of the village of Kamianka in Ukraine’s northeastern Kharkiv region, the Defence Ministry said on Monday.
The Independent could not independently verify the battlefield report.
Pictured: South Koreans watch news report of Putin and Kim Jong-un
11:17 , Alex Croft
At least six killed in Russian attacks over past day
11:03 , Alex CroftRussian attacks across Ukraine killed at least six civilians and injured 13 more over the past day, regional authorities reported on Monday morning.
Moscow’s forces have intensified their attacks on Ukrainian towns and cities in the past week.
Five people were killed and six injured in a attacks across Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region, according to governor Vadym Filashkin, including an attack against Kostiantynivka which damaged 21 houses.
In the Dnipropetrovsk region, a 73-year-old woman was injured during Russian drone and artillery attacks on the Nikopol district, governor Serhii Lysak said.
Ukrainian soldier behind 'Russian warship, go f*** yourself' slogan honoured at football game
10:45 , Alex CroftThe Ukrainian soldier who was behind the world-famous ‘Russian warship, go f*** yourself’ slogan, which became a symbol of Ukrainian resistance in the early days of Russia’s invasion, has been honoured at a football match.
On the first day of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Roman Hrybov made the final communication to Russian warship Moskva. The phrase became widely adopted as a Ukrainian slogan, featuring in pro-Ukrainian demonstrations across the West and even being commemorated on a postage stamp by Ukrposhta, the Ukrainian postal service.
He was awarded a medal for his actions at the end of March.
On Sunday, Mr Hrybov was honoured at a football match between Shakhtar Donetsk and Dynamo Kyiv.
Ukrainians honored Roman Hrybov ahead of a football match. He is the author of the legendary phrase, "Russian warship, go f@ck yourself," which united millions of Ukrainians in the first days of the full-scale invasion and became an everlasting symbol of resistance, dignity, and… pic.twitter.com/nErB8ypgn7
— Oriannalyla 🇺🇦 (@Lyla_lilas) April 28, 2025
ICYMI: Macron appears to 'snub' Donald Trump before Zelensky meeting at Pope's funeral
10:31 , Alex CroftMoscow waiting for signal from Kyiv regarding direct negotiations - Kremlin
10:19 , Alex CroftMoscow is waiting for a signal from Ukraine from Kyiv regarding direct negotiations to end the war, the Kremlin said on Monday.
There are no signs of any movement, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, three days after revealing that the prospect of direct talks had been raised in a three-hour meeting between Vladimir Putin and US envoy Steve Witkoff on Friday.
Asked by a reporter if the signal for direct talks should come from Ukraine or the United States, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: "Well, from Kyiv, at least Kyiv should take some actions in this regard. They have a legal ban on this. But so far we don't see any action."
Kyiv accuses Russia of playing for time in an attempt to seize more territory, while Moscow has accused Ukraine of being unwilling to make any concessions and only seeking a ceasefire on its own terms.
In pictures: Ukrainians pay respect to fallen soldiers in cemetery
10:06 , Alex Croft
Putin hails North Korean fighters for standing 'shoulder to shoulder' with Russia
09:52 , Alex CroftVladimir Putin has hailed North Korean troops for standing “shoulder to shoulder’ with Russian soldiers in its western Kursk region, after Kim Jong-un admitted for the first time the role his countrymen played in Moscow’s war effort.
In a statement posted on the website of the Kremlin, Putin praised those who had "shoulder to shoulder with Russian fighters, defended our Motherland as their own."
He added: "The Russian people will never forget the heroism of the DPRK [Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, or North Korea] special forces. We will always honor the heroes who gave their lives for Russia, for our common freedom, fighting side by side with their Russian brothers in arms.”
Trump peace proposals akin to Ukrainian capitulation - German minister
09:37 , Alex CroftGerman defence minister Boris Pistorius has described Donald Trump’s peace proposals as “akin to a capitulation”.
Speaking to German TV news service Tagesschau, Mr Pistorius said: "Ukraine on its own could have got a year ago what was included in that [Trump] proposal, it is akin to a capitulation. I cannot discern any added value.”
He accepted that a sustainable ceasefire may “involve territorial concessions” but said these will not go “as far as they do in the latest proposal from the US president”.
Mapped: Territory Ukraine could lose as details of US peace deal proposal revealed
09:23 , Alex CroftLast week, the US laid out its “final” proposals for peace in Ukraine, making clear the territory which it says Kyiv must cede to Moscow in order to achieve peace.
A Washington team has been engaging in intense shuttle diplomacy, looking to force through a deal between Ukraine and Russia as progress towards peace appeared to be slowing.
During talks in Paris and London over the past 10 days, US officials passed on the proposals to their European and Ukrainian counterparts - who responded with their own set of proposals, demonstrating a significant gap in position.
Here’s the territory Ukraine could stand to lose if the Washington’s vision for peace is pushed through:
Mapped: Territory Ukraine could lose as details of US peace deal proposal revealed
Trump says he is 'very disappointed' in Putin
09:09 , Alex CroftDonald Trump has said he is “very disappointed” in Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, as Moscow’s forces continue bombarding Ukraine amid Washington’s efforts to force through a peace deal.
Speaking before boarding Air Force One in New Jersey, the US president said: "I want him to stop shooting, sit down and sign a deal.”
Mr Trump added that he was "very disappointed that they did the bombing of those places [such as Kyiv, where nine people were killed in a Russian airstrike on Friday] after discussions".
He reiterated that his talks with Volodymyr Zelensky before the Pope’s funeral had gone well, describing the Ukrainian president as “calmer”.
Russia could provide military help to North Korea if needed, Kremlin says
09:05 , Alex CroftRussia can provide military assistance to North Korea if needed, the Kremlin has said after president Vladimir Putin thanked Pyongyang for sending troops to help Moscow’s war effort.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said North Korea's role in combat operations in Russia's Kursk region had demonstrated the effectiveness of a strategic partnership treaty signed by Mr Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, the RIA news agency said.
The pact included a mutual defence clause, under which could help North Korea in return if help was needed, he said.
Zelensky says Ukraine troops still fighting in Kursk and Belgoroed
08:46 , Arpan RaiVolodymyr Zelensky said his soldiers continue to fight Russian forces in the Kursk and Belgorod regions as he issued a direct rebuttal to Vladimir Putin’s claims.
Yesterday, the Russian president telephoned his top commanders in Kursk to congratulate them on "victory" and the end of the operation to expel Ukrainian forces from the region in western Russia, Russian news agencies quoted the Kremlin as saying.
However, Mr Zelensky in his nightly address yesterday said that his troops are holding positions for proper diplomacy.
“Our military continues to operate in the Kursk and Belgorod regions - we maintain our presence in Russia. Pokrovsk, all other directions in Donetsk region - I thank our warriors for resilience. Incredible job!.
“We are keeping all our positions strong so that we have every opportunity for proper diplomacy,” Mr Zelensky said.
The state RIA news agency earlier reported that a Russian military commander told Mr Putin that "the scattered remnants" of the Ukrainian army remaining in Kursk region would soon be destroyed.
Our military continues to operate in the Kursk and Belgorod regions - we maintain our presence in Russia. Pokrovsk, all other directions in Donetsk region - I thank our warriors for resilience. Incredible job!
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) April 27, 2025
We are keeping all our positions strong so that we have every… pic.twitter.com/BDc6eTw1Hp
Crimea's recognition by Russia 'impossible to achieve', says expert
08:29 , Arpan RaiThe formal recognition of Crimea as Russian territory is “impossible to achieve” and a difficult challenge for Volodymyr Zelensky, a Ukrainian expert has said.
If Ukrainian lawmakers were even to entertain the idea of surrendering Crimea, it would trigger a long, drawn-out legal debate, said Tymofiy Mylovanov, president of the Kyiv School of Economics and a former economics minister.
"That's why Russia is pushing it, because they know it's impossible to achieve," he said.
"Anything related to constitutional change gives so much policy and public communication space to Russia," he added. "This is all they want."
Additionally, formal recognition of Crimea would also amount to political suicide for Mr Zelensky and could expose him to legal action in the future, he said.
Mr Mylovanov said that signing a potentially unconstitutional document could be interpreted as high treason.
Ukrainian officials say they will never accept surrender of Crimea
08:12 , Arpan RaiUkrainian officials are said to have been shocked by a US proposal for a ceasefire deal with Russia that included formal recognition of Moscow’s authority over Crimea.
While Kyiv expects to have to concede territory to Russia, at least temporarily, in the terms of any truce, the idea of a legal or formal surrender of Crimea – which Vladimir Putin annexed illegally in 2014 – would be impossible, officials say.
According to experts, it would require a change to the Ukrainian constitution and a nationwide vote, and it could be considered treason. Lawmakers and the public are firmly opposed to the idea.
"It doesn't mean anything," Oleksandr Merezkho, a lawmaker with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy's party, told the Associated Press in Kyiv. "We will never recognise Crimea as part of Russia."
Crimea, a strategic peninsula along the Black Sea in southern Ukraine, was seized by Russia years before the full-scale invasion that began in 2022.
What do we know about North Korea's confirmation of troops in Ukraine war?
08:02 , Arpan RaiIn a rare admission of his military operations outside North Korea, Kim Jong Un today confirmed his soldiers fought alongside Russian troops in Ukraine war.
Here’s what North Korea’s top leader has said so far:
- Mr Kim said he signed the order to send the combat troops to Russia under a mutual defence treaty he and Mr Putin signed in June 2024
- The treaty, seen the biggest such defence agreement between North Korea and Russia since the end of the Cold War, requires both nations to use all available means to provide immediate military assistance if either is attacked
- The deployment was meant to "annihilate and wipe out the Ukrainian neo-Nazi occupiers and liberate the Kursk area in cooperation with the Russian armed forces”, Mr Kim said
- "They who fought for justice are all heroes and representatives of the honor of the motherland," Mr Kim said
- Mr Kim has said a monument will soon be erected in Pyongyang to mark North Korea's battle feats and that flowers will be laid before the tombstones of the fallen soldiers.
- The North Korean regime will take steps to preferentially treat and take care of the families of the soldiers who took part in the war, Mr Kim said
- Mr Kim did not say how many troops North Korea eventually sent and how many of them had died fighting alongside Russia in the Ukraine war
Trump claims Zelensky ready to give up Crimea after meeting at Pope Francis' funeral
07:31 , Arpan RaiPutin thanks Kim Jong Un for North Korea's help in Kursk
07:29 , Arpan RaiRussian president Vladimir Putin has thanked North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un for sending troops who he claims have driven Ukrainian soldiers out of Russia’s Kursk region.
In a statement published this morning by the Kremlin, Mr Putin said: "Our Korean friends acted based on a sense of solidarity, justice and genuine comradeship. We highly appreciate this and are sincerely grateful personally to the Chairman of State Affairs Comrade Kim Jong Un, the entire leadership and people of the DPRK," the statement said, referring to North Korea by the initials of its formal name.
The remarks come shortly after North Korea said it had sent troops to fight for Russia in the war in Ukraine under orders from Mr Kim and that it had helped regain control of Russian territory occupied by Ukraine.
North Korea makes first public admission it sent troops to fight for Russia
07:08 , Arpan RaiNorth Korea confirmed for the first time on Monday that it has sent troops to fight for Russia in the war with Ukraine under the order of dictactor Kim Jong Un.
As Kyiv claims its soldiers continue to cling to parts of Kursk following a Russian counter-offence involving North Korean troops, KCNA state news agency cited the North’s ruling party as saying its contribution showed the "highest strategic level of the firm militant friendship".
The admission comes as top US diplomat Marco Rubio warned the Trump administration would walk away from brokering peace talks if there was no realistic prospect of a deal in sight.
"We cannot continue to dedicate time and resources to this effort if it is not going to come to fruition,” the Secretary of State told NBC News.
"The last week has really been about figuring out how close are these sides really, and are they close enough that this merits a continued investment of our time as a mediator."
North Korea makes first public admission it sent troops to fight for Russia
Upset with Putin, Trump says he wants Russian president to 'sit down and make a deal'
07:07 , Arpan RaiDonald Trump has said he wants the Russian president Vladimir Putin to “sit down” and make a peace deal on Ukraine.
Yesterday evening, as he left his golf club in New Jersey, Mr Trump told reporters he remained "disappointed" in Russia's attacks.
Mr Trump said of Mr Putin: "I want him to stop shooting, sit down and make a deal." On being asked what he would do if Russia does not stop its attacks, Mr Trump replied: "I have a lot of things that I can do."
On Saturday, the US president said he doubts Mr Putin wants to end the more than three-year-old war, expressing new skepticism a peace deal can be reached soon. Only a day earlier, Mr Trump had said Ukraine and Russia were "very close to a deal”.
South Korea condemns Kim Jong Un's troops deployment in Ukraine war
06:53 , Arpan RaiThe confirmation from Kim Jong Un of North Korea’s troop deployment is an "admission of criminal act”, South Korea has said as it condemned North’s “inhumane and immoral” decision.
"With their public admission of the deployment, while claiming they are fully in accordance with international law, they are once again mocking the international community. We strongly condemn this action," South Korea’s foreign ministry said.
"The dispatch of the North Korean troops, along with broader military cooperation between Russia and North Korea, constitutes a grave violation of international norms, including the UN Charter, and UN Security Council resolutions," it said.
North Korea hails its 'heroes' who fought in Ukraine war
06:09 , Arpan RaiNorth Korea has confirmed its soldiers fought for Russia against Ukrainian forces and has hailed them as heroes.
Under its leader Kim Jong Un’s orders, North Korean military units fought with the same heroism and bravery they would have shown if they were fighting for their own country, state media KCNA cited the Central Military Commission of the North's Workers' Party as saying.
"They who fought for justice are all heroes and representatives of the honour of the motherland," KCNA quoted Mr Kim as saying.
North Korea "regards it as an honour to have an alliance with such a powerful state as the Russian Federation," KCNA said.
North Korea sent an estimated total of 14,000 troops, including 3,000 reinforcements to replace its losses, Ukrainian officials have said. Lacking armoured vehicles and drone warfare experience, they took heavy casualties but adapted quickly.
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Trump says he sees Zelensky as 'calmer' as US threatens to walk away from peace talks
06:00 , Arpan RaiUS president Donald Trump has appreciated Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky as a calmer person who wants to make a deal while the US officials have threatened to walk away from peace process if Russia does not cooperate.
"I see him as calmer. I think he understands the picture, and I think he wants to make a deal," Mr Trump said of Mr Zelensky last night.
After meeting him in the Vatican after Pope’s funeral, Mr Trump rebuked Russian president Vladimir Putin, saying on social media that there is "no reason" for Russia to shoot missiles into civilian areas.
US secretary of state Marco Rubio, meanwhile, said the Trump administration might abandon its attempts to broker a deal if Russia and Ukraine do not make headway.
"It needs to happen soon," Mr Rubio told the NBC program "Meet the Press”.
"We cannot continue to dedicate time and resources to this effort if it's not going to come to fruition."
Trump says he ‘thinks’ Zelensky is ready to give up Crimea
05:46 , Arpan RaiDonald Trump has said he believes Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky is ready to give up Crimea in order to strike a peace deal with Russia.
On being asked yesterday whether he thought Mr Zelensky was ready to “give up” the illegally annexed territory, Mr Trump said: “Oh, I think so”.
He did not comment on the latest comments from Kyiv rejecting the surrender of Crimea in Ukraine war.
Ukrainian officials are said to have been shocked by a US proposal for a ceasefire deal with Russia that included formal recognition of Moscow’s authority over Crimea.
The US president, before boarding Air Force One last night, said his meeting with the Ukrainian war-time president at Pope Francis’s funeral went well.
“It was a nice meeting. It was a beautiful meeting,” he said.
“The nicest office I’ve ever seen. It’s a beautiful, beautiful scene, but we’re just very he wants to do something good for his country, doing a good job, and he’s working hard. We’ll see what happens,” Mr Trump said.
Trump doubts Putin’s willingness to end Ukraine war
05:29 , Arpan RaiDonald Trump is taking a harder line on Vladimir Putin, doubting the Russian leader’s willingness to end his war on Ukraine. The president noted that further sanctions on Russia may be needed.
Trump made the observation in a Truth Social post from aboard Air Force One as he returned to the US, having attended the funeral of Pope Francis at which he held a one-on-one meeting with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky at the Vatican.
The president specifically called out the Russian leader for the continued bombing of civilian areas of Ukraine.
“There was no reason for Putin to be shooting missiles into civilian areas, cities and towns, over the last few days. It makes me think that maybe he doesn’t want to stop the war,” Mr Trump posted on his social media platform.
“He's just tapping me along, and has to be dealt with differently, through ‘Banking’ or ‘Secondary Sanctions?’ Too many people are dying!!!”
Trump doubts Putin’s willingness to end Ukraine war, threatening further sanctions
Pope Francis would have been ‘filled with hope’ by Trump-Zelensky meeting
05:27 , Arpan RaiPope Francis would have been “filled with hope” by the meeting between Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky that took place ahead of his funeral, according to the most recent ambassador to the Holy See.
The Pope was deeply concerned by Russia’s war on Ukraine — especially the fate of the 19,000 Ukrainian children deported to Russia — Joe Donnelly, appointed as the US representative at the Vatican by Joe Biden, told Politico shortly after the service.
“I think that Pope Francis would have been filled with hope, and would hope that the result that came out of that meeting would be a good one for Ukraine and the world,” Donnelly told Playbook regarding the photo of the two presidents meeting one-on-one shortly before the service on Saturday morning.
Pope Francis would have been ‘filled with hope’ by Trump-Zelensky meeting
Ukrainian officials say they will never accept surrender of Crimea
05:22 , Arpan RaiUkrainian officials are said to have been shocked by a US proposal for a ceasefire deal with Russia that included formal recognition of Moscow’s authority over Crimea.
While Kyiv expects to have to concede territory to Russia, at least temporarily, in the terms of any truce, the idea of a legal or formal surrender of Crimea – which Vladimir Putin annexed illegally in 2014 – would be impossible, officials say.
According to experts, it would require a change to the Ukrainian constitution and a nationwide vote, and it could be considered treason. Lawmakers and the public are firmly opposed to the idea.
"It doesn't mean anything," Oleksandr Merezkho, a lawmaker with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy's party, told the Associated Press in Kyiv. "We will never recognise Crimea as part of Russia."
Ukraine denies Putin's claims over recapturing Kursk
05:08 , Arpan RaiUkrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has denied his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin’s congratulatory wishes celebrating the recapture of Kursk and said Ukrainian forces remain active in the region.
Ukrainian forces remained active in both Kursk and Belgorod regions, he said on his Telegram channel.
Quoting a report from top Ukrainian commander Oleksandr Syrskyi, Mr Zelensky also said Russian forces had mounted nearly 70 attacks on Ukrainian positions yesterday, with conditions remaining "difficult" in many areas.
Most of the battles, Mr Zelensky said, were continuing in three sectors of the eastern front: Pokrovsk, a Russian target for months, as well as Kramatorsk and Lyman.
His comments come shortly after Mr Putin telephoned his top commanders in Kursk to congratulate them on "victory" and the end of the operation to expel Ukrainian forces from the region in western Russia, Russian news agencies quoted the Kremlin as saying yesterday.
The state RIA news agency earlier reported that a Russian military commander told Mr Putin that "the scattered remnants" of the Ukrainian army remaining in Kursk region would soon be destroyed.
What to know about the battle for Russia's Kursk region
04:49 , Arpan RaiUkraine has denied Russian president Vladimir Putin’s claim that his forces have regained full control of the border region of Kursk, insisting that fighting is still ongoing.
Here are key moments of the battle for Kursk and its impact:
- Ukrainian forces pushed into Kursk on August 6, 2024, in a surprise attack.
- The incursion was a humiliating blow to the Kremlin — the first time the country’s territory was occupied by an invader since World War II.
- Ukraine said Kyiv’s forces captured nearly 1,300 square kilometres and about 100 settlements in the region that covers 29,900 square kilometres.
- The Kremlin bolstered Russian forces in Kursk in the autumn, and they gradually intensified their effort to drive out the Ukrainians.
- By February, Russia reclaimed about two-thirds of the captured territory, leaving Ukraine with an area around Sudzha, a border town that was Ukraine's main hub in the region.
- Ukraine's military General Staff dismissed Moscow's claim of reclaiming full control of Kursk.
- If confirmed, Russia's victory in Kursk would weaken Kyiv’s hand in peace talks, removing its bargaining chip for exchanging territory it lost earlier in the war.
US calls for North Korea's military deployment in Russia's war to end
04:48 , Arpan RaiThe US State Department said it was concerned by North Korea's direct involvement in Russia's war in Ukraine and that Pyongyang's military deployment for Russia must end.
"We continue to be concerned by (North Korea's) direct involvement in the war. (North Korea's) military deployment to Russia and any support provided by the Russian Federation to (North Korea) in return must end," a State Department spokesperson said in an email to Reuters, adding third countries like North Korea "bear responsibility" for the war.
North Korea confirms it sent troops to Russia to support Putin's war efforts
04:39 , Arpan RaiNorth Korea’s top leader Kim Jong Un has said he sent troops to Russia to support its war against Ukraine, marking an official confirmation for the first time.
Mr Kim said he decided to send combat troops to Russia under a mutual defence treaty signed by him and Russian president Vladimir Putin in June 2024, the North's Central Military Commission said in a statement carried by state media.
The statement cited Mr Kim as saying the deployment was meant to "annihilate and wipe out the Ukrainian neo-Nazi occupiers and liberate the Kursk area in cooperation with the Russian armed forces."
"They who fought for justice are all heroes and representatives of the honor of the motherland," Mr Kim said.
He added that a monument will soon be erected in Pyongyang to mark North Korea's battle feats and that flowers will be laid before the tombstones of the fallen soldiers.
Mr Kim said the government must take steps to preferentially treat and take care of the families of the soldiers who took part in the war.
