Russia Ukraine battle newest: Putin says he needs he had invaded earlier as blasts heard in Kyiv | EUROtoday

Turkey has acquired an exemption for fuel funds to Russia from sanctions imposed on Gazprombank by the United States, Turkish vitality minister Alparslan Bayraktar stated.

In November, the US imposed new sanctions on Russia’s Gazprombank as president Joe Biden stepped up actions to punish Moscow for its invasion of Ukraine earlier than he leaves workplace in January.

Russian fuel producer Gazprom stated it could ship 42.4 million cubic metres (mcm) of fuel to Europe through Ukraine immediately, the identical quantity as yesterday.

Ukraine posts image of British missiles heading in the direction of Russian forces

The Ukrainian defence ministry has posted a photograph purporting to indicate a British-made Storm Shadow missile being fired in the direction of Russian forces.

Restrictions on the usage of missiles to strike within Russia had been lifted lately, prompting the Kremlin to accuse Ukraine’s western backers of making an attempt to escalate the battle. Those issues had been dismissed on the idea that the transfer was nonetheless defensive in nature, meant to blunt Russia’s potential to assault Ukraine.

One particular person has been killed in a Russian missile assault on Kyiv, in response to the pinnacle of metropolis’s army administration.

The morning assault sparked fires throughout the town, along with damaging an workplace constructing, Serhiy Popko stated this morning, citing preliminary data.

European leaders are voicing their help for Ukraine as Russia continues to achieve floor on the battlefield.

“We need to stand with Ukraine, and every step … needs to be taken with Ukraine and in the presence of the European Union,” stated Luxembourg prime minister Luc Frieden. “The future of Ukraine is decided in Europe and not elsewhere,” he stated.

Dutch prime minister Dick Schoof underlined that solely Ukraine can decide the situations for talks, “and it is not for us to talk about that. At the moment, Ukraine has not yet indicated that they are prepared to do so.”

The message of help for Ukraine has strengthened amid Ukraine’s weakened place within the battle as president-elect Donald Trump is about to imagine workplace subsequent month.

Volodymr Zelensky has additionally doubled down on his diplomatic efforts, calling on the EU and the US to remain united subsequent 12 months, saying that “only together the United States and Europe can stop Putin and save Ukraine.” He stated that the one efficient safety assure stays Nato membership.

German chancellor Olaf Scholz stated it’s vital to “ensure long-term aid to Ukraine – it must be clear that we are prepared to enable support as long as it is needed.”

Air defence, artillery and ammunition are excessive on the record, he informed reporters.

On 20 January, Donald Trump returns to the White House, having promised to finish the battle in Ukraine shortly and talked up his relationship with Russian president Vladimir Putin. Many Europeans are involved that it would lead to a poor deal for Ukraine.

Asked about Mr Trump, Mr Scholz stated that his impression from speaking to the president-elect “is that good cooperation between Europe and the US is possible”. He stated that “the principle is always: no decisions over Ukrainians’ heads, and that of course means over those of the European states.”

There had been no agreements reached in Istanbul between Ukraine and Russia, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has stated.

Speaking throughout a press convention on the European Council assembly in Brussels, Mr Zelensky stated: “Ukraine did not agree to the ultimatum from the Russian Federation. Ukraine did not sign anything, no agreements existed. There was a response to the ultimatum from the Russian Federation.”

Putin had earlier claimed a preliminary settlement had been reached between Russian and Ukrainian negotiators throughout the early weeks of the battle at talks in Istanbul, including that it had not been carried out however may very well be a foundation for future discussions.

European Union leaders insisted yesterday that no choices will be taken about the way forward for war-ravaged Ukraine with out its consent — or behind the backs of its companions in Europe, barely a month earlier than president-elect Donald Trump takes workplace.

Ukraine’s place is precarious, greater than 1,000 days into the battle. Russia continues to make good points on the battlefield, pushing the entrance line progressively westward regardless of struggling heavy casualties. Ukraine’s vitality community is in tatters and army recruits are laborious to search out.

In a present of solidarity at a summit in Brussels with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, many EU leaders repeated a variation of what has grow to be a typical mantra — nothing about Ukraine with out Ukraine, nothing about safety in Europe with out Europeans.

“Only Ukraine as the aggressed country can legitimately define what peace means —and if and when the conditions are met for credible negotiations,” summit host António Costa stated on the finish of the daylong assembly of the 27-nation bloc.

“So now is not the time to speculate about different scenarios. Now is the time to strengthen Ukraine for all scenarios,” stated Mr Costa, the president of the European Council.

President Volodymyr Zelensky made a contemporary enchantment to European allies to coordinate work to achieve lasting peace in Ukraine which is battling Russia’s virtually three-year full-scale invasion.

“We need coordinated work for lasting peace, not just the suspension of hostilities that Putin seeks to buy time. We must push Moscow towards genuine, sustainable and guaranteed peace,” Mr Zelensky stated in his handle to the European Council.