Donald Trump claims that "many elements" of a Ukraine peace deal have been agreed ahead of his planned phone call with Russia's Vladimir Putin later on Tuesday.
“Many elements of a Final Agreement have been agreed to, but much remains," he said on TruthSocial.
"Thousands of young soldiers, and others, are being killed. Each week brings 2,500 soldier deaths, from both sides, and it must end NOW. I look very much forward to the call with President Putin.”
The White House said a peace deal to end Russia’s war in Ukraine has “never been closer”.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov has been more cagey, confirming the call is scheduled for today but declining to give details, saying that "we never get ahead of events".
On the battlefield, Russia claimed its forces had advanced in southern Ukraine and pierced part of the Ukrainian lines less than 50km (30 miles) southeast of the city of Zaporizhzhia. Reports from Russian officials and pro-Russian military bloggers that the village of Stepove had been captured were not confirmed by Ukraine's military.
‘No ceasefire will work’: US medics on Ukraine’s front line scorn Trump’s peace talks
Ukraine ceasefire deal: What to know as Russia demands Kyiv excluded from Nato
Revealed: Ukraine’s red lines for any peace deal with Putin
Putin’s troops say they’re close to retaking Kursk from Ukrainian forces – here’s why it matters
EU foreign affairs chief to meet Lammy and Healey
The EU foreign affairs chief will meet with David Lammy and John Healey on Tuesday to discuss increasing economic pressure on Russia and supporting Ukraine.
Kaja Kallas is due to hold talks with the Foreign Secretary and Defence Secretary. It comes as the UK and France have continued their efforts to bring together a coalition of nations who would be willing to enforce a peace deal.
Their conversations are expected to touch on EU/UK co-operation on Ukraine, as well as how they can put financial pressure on Moscow and ensure damage in Ukraine is paid for.
They are also expected to discuss action against cyberattacks and disinformation.
Ms Kallas is also expected to receive a briefing from the Chief of Defence Staff.
Many elements of Ukraine deal agreed but much remains, Trump says ahead of Putin call
US President Donald Trump on Monday said many elements of a final deal on Ukraine had been agreed to but much remained, ahead of a call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday.
"I look very much forward to the call with President Putin," he wrote on Truth Social.
Russia advances in southern Ukraine, defence ministry says
Russian forces were on Monday advancing in southern Ukraine and had pierced part of the Ukrainian lines less than 50 km (30 miles) southeast of the city of Zaporizhzhia, according to Russian officials and pro-Russian military bloggers.
The reports could not be independently verified.
Russia's Defence Ministry said in a statement that its forces had taken the village of Stepove in the Zaporizhzhia region, pushing through Ukrainian lines.
Ukraine's military made no acknowledgement that Stepove was in Russian hands.
A late evening military bulletin said Ukrainian forces had repelled attacks near Stepove and the nearby village of Lobkove, and three battles were still going on in the vicinity.
Yuri Podolyaka, one of the most influential pro-Russian military bloggers, said Russian forces had also smashed their way into the nearby village of Maly Shcherbaky.
"Our units have broken through the first line of defence in the Zaporizhzhia direction," Podolyaka said.
The popular Ukrainian blog Deep State, which tracks the front line of the war using open sources, said Russian forces had been spotted near Stepove and, despite Ukrainian attempts to contain them, had made some advances towards a major road.
Deep State also reported that Russian forces were continuing to press forward to Maly Shcherbaky and another village south of Stepove.
Trump and Putin are 'very good friends' focused on strengthening ties, says Gabbard
US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin "are very good friends" who are focused on ways to strengthen the bonds between the United States and Russia, US director of national intelligence Tulsi Gabbard has said.
Ms Gabbard said ties between Russia and the US go "very far back" and that Mr Trump is committed to expanding a relationship centred "around peace, prosperity, freedom and security".
"We have two leaders of two great countries who are very good friends and very focused on how we can strengthen the shared objectives and shared interests," Ms Gabbard said in an interview with India's NDTV, portions of which were released on Monday ahead of its broadcast.
Ms Gabbard's comments reflect the dramatic shift in US-Russia relations under Mr Trump, who has boasted of his relationship with Mr Putin, blamed Ukraine for Russia's invasion and taken a hard line against Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
What to expect as Trump and Putin thrash out a ceasefire in Ukraine
The Kremlin has now confirmed that Vladimir Putin will speak on the phone to Donald Trump tomorrow. The White House says Ukraine’s President Zelensky will come to Washington on Friday. Peace – or at least a ceasefire – seems very likely soon.
But never forget, the devil is in the details – and a hastily cobbled-together deal could be very fragile. There will be hardliners on either side who don’t want to give peace a chance.
Let’s consider what might be in a deal agreeable to Trump and Putin – and swallowable by Zelensky.
Mark Almond writes:
What to expect as Trump and Putin thrash out a ceasefire in Ukraine
Ukraine ready for ceasefire but Russia must stop setting conditions, says Zelensky
Ukraine is ready for a ceasefire but, for it to be implemented, Russia must stop setting conditions, Volodymyr Zelensky has said.
The Ukrainian president said he discussed this in his conversation with French president Emmanuel Macron on Monday.
He said the two leaders also spoke about the coalition of countries willing to work with Ukraine to bring about peace, describing the number as “growing”.
White House says peace deal close as Trump prepares for Putin call
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt wouldn't get into details about Tuesday's scheduled call between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. But she sounded optimistic that the talks can help push Russia closer to a deal to end it's three-year war in Ukraine.
"I won't get ahead of those negotiations, but I can say we are on the 10th yard line of peace," Leavitt told reporters Monday. "And we've never been closer to a peace deal than we are in this moment. And the president, as you know, is determined to get one done."
Italy and Spain not ready to back EU plan to boost Ukraine military aid
Italy and Spain made clear on Monday they were not ready to back a European Union proposal to pledge up to €40 billion ($43.67 billion) in military aid for Ukraine this year, with each country contributing according to the size of its economy.
The proposal by EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas could mean a doubling of EU military support for Ukraine in its war against Russia's invasion as the bloc and its members gave some €20 billion in 2024.
EU officials say it is vital to keep backing Ukraine on the battlefield amid uncertainty over the future of US support under Donald Trump's administration, which has ended Russia's diplomatic isolation and is pressing both sides to negotiate.
After a meeting on Monday of foreign ministers from the EU's 27 countries in Brussels, Kallas said her proposal had "broad political support" and discussions were now going into details.
The proposal has strong backing from northern and eastern European countries, according to diplomats.
But some southern European capitals have been more reticent, reflecting a division between those geographically closer to Russia that have given more aid to Ukraine and those further away that have given less, as a share of their economies.
Estonia, Denmark and Lithuania lead the field in Europe, having given more than 2 per cent of their GDP in aid to Kyiv between January 2022 and December 2024, according to the Kiel Institute for the World Economy think tank.
Italy, Slovenia, Spain, Portugal, Greece and Cyprus are among those to have given the least, having provided less than 0.5 per cent of their GDP.
Hungary, which has the EU's most Russia-friendly government, is bottom of the EU table.
US aid and intelligence suspension had no 'material effect' on Ukraine, says Lammy
A US suspension on sharing military aid and intelligence with Ukraine did not have a "material effect" on Kyiv's ability to fight Russian forces, UK foreign secretary David Lammy has said.
Conservative shadow foreign secretary Dame Priti Patel had earlier told the Commons: "It is very welcome that the US military aid and intelligence sharing has resumed and vital that the US and Ukraine continue to work together in the face of this appalling conflict."
She asked Mr Lammy to set out his discussions with US counterparts on the suspension and "his assessments of the consequences caused".
Dame Priti also said: "While we await further details of the proposed 30-day ceasefire, Russia's response shows exactly why the Euro-Atlantic community must be resolute in the face of [Vladimir] Putin's aggression and that he will seek to pursue long-held strategic objectives that he has not achieved on the battlefield through hypothetical negotiations, which means we must be robust."
Mr Lammy said in his response: "I'm pleased to say that our assessment is that that pause as she will know was for a short period, not an extended period, and therefore it has not had a material effect.
"But we were pleased to see that resume, and we were pleased to see what flowed from Jeddah which was the United States, European allies and president [Volodymyr] Zelensky of Ukraine absolutely squared with the need for that ceasefire, and it is for Putin to unconditionally now accept that ceasefire – the ball is in his court."
Starmer thanks Carney for his 'approach to Ukraine'
Sir Keir Starmer thanked his Canadian counterpart Mark Carney for his "approach to Ukraine" and for joining him on a call on Saturday for his "coalition of the willing" to enforce a peace deal in Ukraine.
"It doesn't surprise me that our two countries see this through a similar lens, with the same objectives," Sir Keir said.
The Canadian premier said his country and the UK have a "remarkable" history built on "shared values".
"We're at a point in history where the world is being reordered, and your leadership, the leadership of the UK, I'll use the example ... of Ukraine, what you've been able to do with President Macron to bring together a coalition of the willing at a crucial time, I think, will be decisive, must be decisive, in coming to a lasting solution there."
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
0Comments