Ukraine-Russia latest: Putin hails ‘courageous’ Trump after election win as Zelensky rejects ceasefire
Biden administration reaffirms commitment to ramping up support for Ukraine
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Your support makes all the difference.Russian president Vladimir Putin congratulated Donald Trump on winning the US election and said Moscow was ready for dialogue with him.
In his first remarks since Mr Trump’s win, Mr Putin said the president-elect had acted “like a real man” during an assassination attempt in Pennsylvania in July.
Mr Trump’s win has caused concern in Ukraine, where the Russian forces have made swift advances of late, over fears that he would curtail US support for Kyiv.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, though, commended Mr Trump on his victory and described a recent phone conversation with him as “excellent”. He denounced calls for a ceasefire without security guarantees, calling them “nonsense”.
The Biden administration committed to supporting Ukraine ahead of the presidential election, ensuring Kyiv would continue getting aid even after Mr Trump assumed office in January.
“That’s not going to change,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said. “We are going to surge and get that out there to Ukraine.”
Meanwhile, Russian drone strikes killed at least one person and injured 34 injured in Odesa and Kharkiv early this morning.
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A lot is at stake for North Korea’s leader as he sends young, inexperienced recruits to join Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine
‘We want to back Ukraine’, says UK minister
Sir Keir Starmer's first phone call with President-elect Trump was a "congratulations on your win", Cabinet Office minister Pat McFadden has said.
Asked if the Prime Minister discussed Ukraine in his call with president elect Trump, Mr McFadden told Sky News: "I'm not sure. To be honest, I think it was more a 'congratulations on your win' call.
"We've just been through a election campaign a few months ago here. So we know how stressful these things can be. There's always a relief if you get to the end of it."
He added: "(Ukraine) is very important. It's very important we back Ukraine in its fight to decide its own destiny, in its fight against Russian aggression, and in the Budget last week, the Chancellor reiterated the support and the aid that the UK gives to Ukraine. That hasn't changed with the election result in the United States.
"We want to back Ukraine, back Ukraine fully in the fight that they're having, because it's also in our interests, in our defence and security interests for Russian aggression not to go unanswered.”
Russian state TV gloats over Trump victory, hails Putin
Russian leaders and media figures responded with a mix of jubilation and caution after Donald Trump won the 2024 presidential election.
“There is only one place in the world where the mood is worse than it is at Kamala Harris’s campaign headquarters: Bankova Street, the office of the president of Ukraine in Kyiv,” the host of the Russian TV show The Big Game, Dmitry Suslov, said after the election, according to a translation from Russia analyst Julia Davis.
“Trump now has 24 hours to end the war in Ukraine. Donald, the clock is ticking! This is what Trump has promised,” presenter Olga Skabeeva said of Trump’s “resounding” victory, according to Davis.
Russian state TV gloats over Trump victory and hails Putin for fake Harris support
Trump has claimed he would end Ukraine war before he even takes office
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