Ukraine-Russia war latest: Trump says Putin wants to meet him as US pledges $500m aid to Kyiv
US will send half a billion dollars in military aid to Ukraine, the country’s top diplomat announced
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Donald Trump has said Vladimir Putin wants to meet him and that a meeting was being set up as the war in Ukraine crosses 1050-day mark. The Republican president-elect offered no timeline for talks between the two leaders.
“He wants to meet, and we are setting it up,” Mr Trump said in remarks before a meeting 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 said about the Russia-Ukraine war.
The Republican leader’s return to the White House on 20 January has sparked hope of a diplomatic resolution to end Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine but amid fears in Kyiv that a quick peace deal could come at a high price for Ukraine.
And, the US will send half a billion dollars in military aid to Ukraine, the country’s top diplomat has announced.
The $500m (£406m) package includes air defence missiles, air-to-ground munitions and support equipment for F-16 fighter jets. The US has sent roughly £50 billion in military aid to Ukraine since the full-scale invasion nearly three years ago.
Ukraine Kursk offensive: What Kyiv stands to gain and lose in surprise counterattack on Russian soil
Russia claims it has captured another town in eastern Ukraine but Kyiv doesn't confirm the loss
Ukraine-Russia war map: Where are Putin’s forces making gains on the frontline as 2025 begins?
How 2025 could bring Putin closer to victory over Europe
Shelling kills four in Ukraine, officials say
Four people were killed in instances of shelling in Ukraine, one blamed on Russia’s military, the other on Ukrainian forces, regional officials said.
In Donetsk region, the focal point of Russia’s slow advance westward along the front line, regional governor Vadym Filaskhin said on Telegram that two people were killed when Russian forces shelled the town of Siversk.
Further south, in a Russian-controlled area of Zaporizhzhia region, two people were killed when the town of Kamyanka-Dniprovska came under Ukrainian fire, the Russia-appointed governor, Yevgeny Belitsky wrote on Telegram.
The town is located on a large reservoir along the Dnipro River, which bisects Ukraine, not far from the Russian-held Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station.
Zelensky urges Trump not to abandon Ukraine to Putin
Donald Trump must keep backing Ukraine with weapons and ammunition to ensure the country is not “erased off the map”, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has said during a final meeting of Kyiv’s allies before the president-elect returns to the White House.
Speaking at the 25th and final meeting of the Ukraine Contact Defence Group (UCDG) at the Ramstein air base in Germany, where more than 50 of Kyiv’s allies discussed how best to combat Mr Putin’s invasion, Mr Zelensky said it would be “crazy” for Mr Trump to alter the US’ support.
“We’ve come such a long way that it would honestly be crazy to drop the ball now and not keep building on the defense coalitions we’ve created,” Mr Zelensky said.
Tom Watling reports:
Zelensky urges Trump not to abandon Ukraine as US pledges $500m in military aid
‘We’ve come such a long way that it would honestly be crazy to drop the ball now,’ says Ukrainian leader
Ukraine fighting for eastern town despite Russian claims of capture
Ukraine still fighting for eastern town despite Russian claims of a takeover
Ukraine says the eastern town of Kurakhove remains partially in their control despite heavy Russian bombing
Ukrainian family learns son is alive after nearly 3 years of captivity
Ukrainian family learns son is alive after nearly three years of captivity in Russia
The 25-year-old soldier was captured by Russian forces in May 2022 ‘while defending civilians in Mariupol’ said family
Starmer and Macron discuss Ukraine and Middle East ahead of Trump’s inauguration
Prime minister Keir Starmer welcomed the French president Emmanuel Macron to Chequers yesterday evening for wide-ranging discussions over dinner.
Sir Starmer said it was a “privilege” to host Mr Macron, the second world leader to meet the prime minister at his official country retreat since he took office in July.
Describing the meeting as “further evidence of our ability to work well together”, Sir Keir said the pair planned to discuss “a number of issues of concern”, including the situation in Ukraine and the Middle East, while Downing Street has previously indicated that illegal migration, tech and growth would also be on the agenda.
Starmer and Macron discuss Ukraine and Middle East at UK meeting
Mr Macron said the meeting was a great opportunity to discuss EU-UK relations and ‘the main crisis’ in Ukraine.
Zelensky says meeting of allies pledges $2bn in aid
Volodymyr Zelensky said the latest in a series of meetings with Kyiv’s Western allies in Germany had resulted in pledges of an additional $2bn in military assistance to help it fight the war against Russia.
Mr Zelensky, speaking to My-Ukraina television channel after yesterday’s meeting, gave few details of the assistance, but that 34 countries had pledged support in different aspects of the 34-month-old war.
“We had a very good meeting, a very good result. There was $2bn in additional packages of support to Ukraine,” he said in a video posted on the television channel’s Telegram account.
The aid covered air defence, information technology, demining, naval forces, air forces and artillery.
“And all this will strengthen Ukraine,” he said. The president gave no details on which countries had made the pledges.
Trump says Putin wants to meet him, meeting being fixed
Donald Trump said a meeting was being set up between him and Russian president Vladimir Putin, but the Republican offered no timeline for talks between the two leaders.
“He wants to meet, and we are setting it up,” Trump said in remarks before a meeting 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 said about the Russia-Ukraine war.
Mr Trump’s return to the White House on 20 January has sparked hope of a diplomatic resolution to end Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine that began in February 2022, but it has also led to fears in Kyiv that a quick peace deal could come at a high price for Ukraine.
Ukraine is right to stop the flow of Russian gas – whatever the cost
Ukraine is right to turn off the flow of Russian gas – whatever the cost
Editorial: Almost three years after Putin’s invasion, it almost beggars belief that cheap energy from Russia was still being piped across war-ravaged Ukraine into Europe. Stopping it has triggered another global price spiral, and may yet have dire political consequences – but EU leaders cannot afford to maintain this habit
What happens now Ukraine has ended Russian gas to Europe?
Ukraine ends Russian gas pipeline to Europe – but how much will it cost Moscow?
Russia will no longer transport gas to Europe via Ukraine’s pipelines, further limiting its ability to raise capital
Ukraine-Russia war map: Where are Putin’s forces making gains?
Ukraine-Russia war map 2025: Where are Putin’s forces making gains on the frontline?
Russian forces are advancing in the east, slowly but surely, and they are shrinking Ukraine’s partial hold of the border region of Kursk
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments