Putin attacks Europe for unacceptable demands, hindering peace talks
We are also getting some other strong lines from Russia’s Putin, with the Russian leader quoted as rejecting the European proposals as “not acceptable to Russia.”
He also accused European leaders for “hindering” US proposals and insisted they “do not have a peaceful agenda.” (sic!)
He added that Russia did not want a war with Europe, but “if Europe wants to fight war, we are ready now,” he is reported by Reuters as saying.
I will bring you more on these lines in a moment.
As always with Putin, there is always a bit (or a fair bit more that that) of posturing, but it’s a clear and direct warning towards Europe as the talks with the US are about to get under way.
Updated at 10.28 EST
Key events
2m ago
Putin’s hawkish remarks dial up pressure before key talks with US on Ukraine — snap analysis
18m ago
Putin attacks Europe for unacceptable demands, hindering peace talks
24m ago
The Russian advances near Pokrovsk — visuals
24m ago
Russia’s Putin says Pokrovsk holds ‘special significance’ for army goals
28m ago
The slow death of Pokrovsk — profile
46m ago
Zelenskyy’s comments in Dublin — summary
1h ago
Zelenskyy declines to criticise Ireland for changes to refugee support rules
1h ago
Ireland ready to take part in peacekeeping forces, Martin says
1h ago
Territory, frozen assets, security guarantees key part of peace talks, Zelenskyy says
1h ago
Zelenskyy says ‘no simple solutions’ to end war
1h ago
Ireland’s Martin backs plans to use frozen Russian assets for Ukraine’s reconstruction
1h ago
‘High time to transfer them to Ukraine,’ Zelenskyy says on frozen Russian assets
1h ago
Ukraine’s Zelenskyy says ‘more than ever’ there is chance to end war, but ‘some things still need to be worked out’
1h ago
‘Your struggle is our struggle,’ Martin says as he declares Ireland’s support for Ukraine’s EU path
1h ago
Putin ‘must never be allowed to succeed,’ Martin says, as Zelenskyy’s visit comes at ‘critical’ time for Ukraine
2h ago
Nato secretary general Rutte ‘confident’ efforts will ‘eventually restore peace’ in Europe
2h ago
Zelenskyy’s visit to Government Buildings in Dublin — in pictures
4h ago
Ireland promises €125m in funding for Ukraine on non-lethal military support, energy
4h ago
Zelenskyy begins his Ireland trip – in pictures
4h ago
Zelenskyy begins Ireland visit
4h ago
Zelenskyy’s job during Ireland trip is to stop things fraying as first cracks in position towards Ukraine appear — analysis
5h ago
Zelenskyy says Ukraine takes peace talks with ‘utmost seriousness’ as he gets debrief on progress so far
5h ago
Russian claims on taking control of Pokrovsk ‘overexaggeration’ even as situation is difficult, Ukrainian MP says
6h ago
All eyes on key city of Pokrovsk as US-Russia talks on Ukraine continue
6h ago
Ireland’s Harris pays tribute to country’s Ukrainian community
7h ago
Zelenskyy makes first visit to Ireland
8h ago
Russia claims full capture of Pokrovsk
10h ago
Opening summary
Show key events only
Please turn on JavaScript to use this feature
Putin’s hawkish remarks dial up pressure before key talks with US on Ukraine — snap analysis
Pjotr Sauer
Russian affairs reporter
Russian president Vladimir Putin on Tuesday insisted he was not seeking a war with Europe, but warned that “if Europe wants to fight, we are ready right now.”
Russian president Vladimir Putin speaks with journalists as he attends the VTB Investment Forum in Moscow, Russia. Photograph: Sergei Ilnitsky/Reuters
In a series of hawkish remarks delivered to reporters moments before his scheduled meeting with Donald Trump’s envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner in the Kremlin, Putin accused European governments of sabotaging the peace process and declared that “European demands are not acceptable to Russia.”
“Europe is preventing the US administration from achieving peace on Ukraine,” he said.
Putin did not clarify which European demands on Ukraine he found unacceptable.
But his comments appeared aimed at driving a wedge between Washington and European capitals, which have backed Kyiv in proposing revisions to a 28-point peace plan developed in earlier US–Russia contacts that dramatically favoured Moscow.
The Russian leader also threatened retaliation against Ukraine’s ports and ships after Kyiv in recent days struck several vessels in Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet” in the Black Sea.
Russia, he warned, would “step up strikes on Ukrainian ports and on any ships entering them” in response to attacks on Russian tankers, which he described as “piracy.”
SharePutin attacks Europe for unacceptable demands, hindering peace talks
We are also getting some other strong lines from Russia’s Putin, with the Russian leader quoted as rejecting the European proposals as “not acceptable to Russia.”
He also accused European leaders for “hindering” US proposals and insisted they “do not have a peaceful agenda.” (sic!)
He added that Russia did not want a war with Europe, but “if Europe wants to fight war, we are ready now,” he is reported by Reuters as saying.
I will bring you more on these lines in a moment.
As always with Putin, there is always a bit (or a fair bit more that that) of posturing, but it’s a clear and direct warning towards Europe as the talks with the US are about to get under way.
Updated at 10.28 EST
The Russian advances near Pokrovsk — visualsThe map of Russian advances near Pokrovsk in eastern UkraineA broader map of eastern Ukraine and Russian advancesShareRussia’s Putin says Pokrovsk holds ‘special significance’ for army goals
And right on cue, Russia’s Vladimir Putin is quoted by Reuters as saying that the city is “of a special significance, that’s a great base for fulfilling goals.”
He repeated the earlier claim that the city was “fully in Russian army’s control.”
Let’s take a look at the map to see what’s going on there.
Updated at 10.18 EST
The slow death of Pokrovsk — profile
Dan Sabbagh
Earlier today, I brought you a few lines on the importance of the key Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk, which sees intense fighting between Russia and Ukraine and appears to be used by Russia to claim it is gaining the momentum on the battlefield (11:02, 11:27, 11:42).
Pokrovsk Photograph: Julia Kochetova/The Guardian
Our Dan Sabbagh has this brilliant profile on the 18-month battle that has left “the strategically important Ukrainian town in ruins.”
For a time Pokrovsk was a haven, a wartime Ukrainian boom town because of its strategic position in the east, 30 miles (48km) from the front. But that was before the summer of 2024, when a rapid Russian advance engulfed the industrial centre in a shattering conflict, a duel only now reaching its endgame.
The 18-month battle for Pokrovsk epitomises the current state of the Ukraine war: an attritional struggle in which gradual Russian advances have been made at extraordinary human cost. Though it demonstrates Russia cannot easily capture urban areas, the fight has also drained Ukraine, and consequences are emerging elsewhere.
Such has been the level of destruction that Pokrovsk is no longer even strategically significant. Its population is decimated, its industry destroyed and supply routes are re-routed; instead it has become a bloody signpost as peace negotiations restart.
Photographs by Julia Kochetova.
Updated at 10.07 EST
Jakub Krupa
Next up in Zelenskyy’s schedule is his address to the Irish parliament.
He addressed in virtually in 2022 as part of his diplomatic push to galvanise support for Kyiv in the immediate aftermath of Russia’s invasion on the country, but this time he will be able to deliver his remarks in person.
I will keep an eye on this and bring you the key lines when it starts.
Updated at 09.58 EST
Zelenskyy’s comments in Dublin — summary
Speaking in Dublin, Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that “now, more than ever, there is a chance to end this war,” with a 20 points peace plan, even as “some things still need to be worked out” (15:12).
Answering media questions alongside Irish prime minister Micheál Martin, he listed territory discussions, the use of frozen assets, and future security guarantees for Ukraine as the three key issues in the talks (15:28).
The Ukrainian president stressed that Kyiv wanted to “stop the war in such a manner that in one year, Russia would not come back with a third invasion” (15:24).
Meanwhile, Ireland’s Martin has declared that Russia’s Vladimir Putin “must never be allowed to succeed” in his war on Ukraine (15:07), as he backed the EU’s plans to use frozen Russian assets for supporting Ukraine’s defence and reconstruction needs (15:20), after Zelenskyy said it was “high time” for Europe to move on this issue (15:14).
Martin also mounted a passionate defence of the argument in favour of welcoming Ukraine into the European Union, telling Zelenskyy that “your struggle is our struggle” and that he wanted Ukraine to make the most of the same opportunities that Ireland has benefited from (15:09).
ShareZelenskyy declines to criticise Ireland for changes to refugee support rules
Zelenskyy also gets asked about changes to the way the Irish government supports Ukrainian refugees in the country.
He declines to criticise Dublin saying “the way I was brought up, … I can’t criticise for help – whether they’re getting more or less – we should be grateful.”
He stresses the shared values that underpin “the choice” the Irish people have made to offer that assistance to the Ukrainians in need in the first place.
And that concludes the press conference.
ShareIreland ready to take part in peacekeeping forces, Martin says
Asked about Ireland’s willingness to get involved in a peacekeeping force, Martin confirms the political will to “monitoring any ceasefire or indeed aspects of a peace settlement,” drawing on Ireland’s experience in Lebanon, and Africa.
“We are also, obviously, willing to help in reconstruction,” he says.
ShareTerritory, frozen assets, security guarantees key part of peace talks, Zelenskyy says
Asked about the latest on peace talks, Zelenskyy switches to English for the first time as he repeats the main point from earlier.
He says Ukraine will “wait for the results in US-Russia negotiations,” and will react accordingly, with potential follow-up meetings.
But he says he wants to see the actual results of these talks.
He says he is not prepared to discuss all parts of the deal publicly, but says “you saw a lot of things in the media.”
He says the most sensitive issues are about Ukraine’s territories, the use of frozen Russian assets, and security guarantees for Ukraine, from the US, Europe and other countries.
“I think these three topics the most sensitive and the most important. And I think that our teams will continue to work on it,” he says.
ShareZelenskyy says ‘no simple solutions’ to end war
Zelenskyy insists that “nothing should be decided about Ukraine without Ukraine,” even as he admits there are “no simple solutions” to end the war.
He says the peace negotiations are “not an experiment” for Ukraine, but something that will define the future of the country and the nation, and there should be no escaping the fact that Russia has been the aggressor.
“We have to stop the war in such a manner that in one year, Russia would not come back with a third invasion,” he says.
ShareIreland’s Martin backs plans to use frozen Russian assets for Ukraine’s reconstruction
Martin gets asked about the use of frozen Russian assets, and he says that Ireland continue to support the use of these assets “to fund the reconstruction of Ukraine,” and backs the European Commission’s proposal for a collateral loan.
He says:
“The principle underpinning our position is that when the UN Charter is violated in such a brutal manner, when there is devastation of civilian infrastructure, energy infrastructure, of cities and so forth, there has to be a deterrence against such behaviour into the future.”
He adds:
“I hope that the December meeting will come to a conclusion, we fully respect the concerns of the Belgium government, fully respect, and these issues have to be ironed out and it has to be a collective agreement across the European Union.
Yes, it will be challenging to get that collective agreement but Ireland’s very clearly, supportive of the Commission’s position.”
Zelenskyy says Ukraine will be looking out for signals from today’s US-Russia meeting in Moscow, and “based on these signals, what they will say, will decide our next steps.”
He says Ukraine could meet with the US delegation next, depending on the outcome of these talks.
Zelenskyy also talks about the need to hold Russia “accountable for the aggression and war crimes,” with a special tribunal working on this issue.
He ends with special thanks to all communities in Ireland that welcomed the Ukrainian refugees.
Share‘High time to transfer them to Ukraine,’ Zelenskyy says on frozen Russian assets
Zelenskyy thanks for Ireland’s new aid package for non-lethal weapons and energy, but also picks up on European efforts to fund Ukraine with frozen Russian assets.
He says “it is high time to transfer them to Ukraine, so we can reliably ensure both our defence and our recovery.”
“This will benefit not only us, but also our partners. We will give more orders to countries that help us,” he says.
ShareUkraine’s Zelenskyy says ‘more than ever’ there is chance to end war, but ‘some things still need to be worked out’
Zelenskyy says his visit comes “one of the most challenging and yet optimistic moments at the same time,” as he says “now, more than ever, there is a chance to end this war.”
He says the latest peace plan draft has 20 points, that have been worked on in Geneva and Florida.
But “some things still need to be worked out,” he says.