Ukraine-Russia newest: Trump says Putin needs to satisfy him as western allies pledge $2bn assist for Kyiv | EUROtoday

Prime minister Keir Starmer welcomed the French president Emmanuel Macron to Chequers yesterday night for wide-ranging discussions over dinner.

Sir Starmer stated it was a “privilege” to host Mr Macron, the second world chief to satisfy the prime minister at his official nation retreat since he took workplace in July.

Describing the assembly as “further evidence of our ability to work well together”, Sir Keir stated the pair deliberate to debate “a number of issues of concern”, together with the state of affairs in Ukraine and the Middle East, whereas Downing Street has beforehand indicated that unlawful migration, tech and progress would even be on the agenda.

Volodymyr Zelensky stated the most recent in a collection of conferences with Kyiv’s Western allies in Germany had resulted in pledges of an extra $2bn in navy help to assist it struggle the struggle in opposition to Russia.

Mr Zelensky, talking to My-Ukraina tv channel after yesterday’s assembly, gave few particulars of the help, however that 34 nations had pledged help in numerous elements of the 34-month-old struggle.

“We had a very good meeting, a very good result. There was $2bn in additional packages of support to Ukraine,” he stated in a video posted on the tv channel’s Telegram account.

The assist coated air defence, info expertise, demining, naval forces, air forces and artillery.

“And all this will strengthen Ukraine,” he stated. The president gave no particulars on which nations had made the pledges.

Donald Trump stated a gathering was being arrange between him and Russian president Vladimir Putin, however the Republican supplied no timeline for talks between the 2 leaders.

“He wants to meet, and we are setting it up,” Trump stated in remarks earlier than a gathering with Republican governors at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida.

“President Putin wants to meet. He has said that even publicly and we have to get that war over with. That’s a bloody mess,” Trump stated in regards to the Russia-Ukraine struggle.

Mr Trump’s return to the White House on 20 January has sparked hope of a diplomatic decision to finish Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine that started in February 2022, but it surely has additionally led to fears in Kyiv {that a} fast peace deal may come at a excessive worth for Ukraine.