Ukraine-Russia war live: Day of mourning for Kyiv attack begins after G7 fails to condemn Putin

Trump administration 'disbands group focused on pressuring Russia'

Trump administration officials have shelved an inter-agency working group created to formulate strategies for pressuring Russia into speeding up peace talks with Ukraine, it has been claimed.

The group was established earlier in the spring but lost steam in May as it became increasingly clear that Donald Trump was not interested in adopting a more confrontational stance toward Moscow, three US officials told Reuters.

"It lost steam toward the end because the president wasn’t there. Instead of doing more, maybe he wanted to do less,” one official was quoted as saying.

The final blow came roughly three weeks ago, when most members of the White House National Security Council, who were coordinating the group – including the entire team dealing directly with the Ukraine war – were dismissed as part of a broad purge, they alleged.

Arpan Rai18 June 2025 06:48

North Korea's Kim met Putin's top security official Shoigu

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un met Russia's top presidential security adviser Sergei Shoigu in Pyongyang yesterday as the two discussed a "special military operation" in the Kursk region bordering Ukraine, state media KCNA reported today.

Mr Kim and Mr Shoigu, secretary of Russia's Security Council, discussed cooperation plans for Moscow's rebuilding of the Kursk region, the report said, confirming earlier reports of the meeting by Russian media.

North Korea will send 5,000 military construction workers and 1,000 sappers to the region to help rebuild it after the Ukrainian incursion that North Korean troops helped Moscow repel this year, Mr Shoigu was cited as saying by the Russian state news agency TASS today.

His visit to Pyongyang and meeting with Mr Kim came nearly two weeks after his last meeting with the leader of the reclusive state on 4 June.

Plans to commemorate the "heroic feats" of North Korean soldiers in the operations in the Kursk region, a part of Russia which Ukrainian forces infiltrated last year, were also discussed during the meeting, KCNA said.

Arpan Rai18 June 2025 06:09

Zelensky informs G7 leaders of Russia's attack across Ukraine: 'A difficult night'

Volodymyr Zelensky discussed the overnight Russian attacks from Tuesday that killed 15 people and injured 150-plus in his country as he met with allies at G7 summit.

"Our families had a very difficult night, one of the biggest attacks from the very beginning of this war,” he said.

"We need support from allies and I'm here," Mr Zelensky said. He added, "We are ready for the peace negotiations, unconditional ceasefire. I think it's very important. But for this, we need pressure."

Canadian prime minister Mark Carney said the attack "underscores the importance of standing in total solidarity with Ukraine."

While the summit was meant to showcase unity on top global issues, no joint statement on the conflict in Ukraine was released.

Arpan Rai18 June 2025 05:48

Zelensky thanks Canada for military aid and Russia sanctions

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky departed from the G7 summit yesterday with new aid from host Canada for its war against Russia.

But before exiting, he warned that diplomacy is in "crisis" after the leaders missed the chance to press US president Donald Trump for more action.

“Today, we have concrete decisions on increased military support, new tranches of aid funded by frozen Russian assets, and additional sanctions targeting what fuels Russia’s war. It is important that partners are ready not only to support our defence now, but also to rebuild Ukraine together after the war ends,” Mr Zelensky said.

Arpan Rai18 June 2025 05:30

Video report: Russian drone attack hits residential building in Kyiv with 14 killed

Arpan Rai18 June 2025 05:19

Starmer tightens screws on Putin as he announces raft of fresh sanctions against Russia

After repeated refusals from Putin to engage in peace talks, and fresh Russian strikes on Kyiv on Tuesday, the PM said his sanctions will “choke off his ability to continue his barbaric war” in Ukraine.

Arpan Rai18 June 2025 05:18

Trump unaware of major Russian attack on Kyiv when asked by reporter

Donald Trump appeared to be unaware of a major Russian attack that killed at least 15 people and injured 116 in Kyiv and Odesa on Tuesday, hours after the assault took place.

Asked about the attack by a reporter aboard Air Force One as he travelled back from the G7 summit in Canada – where reports suggested he had been due to meet Volodymyr Zelensky before cutting his trip short – Mr Trump said: “When was that? When?”

Told that the attack was very recent, the US president replied: “Just now? You mean as I’m walking back to see you, that’s when it took place? Sounds like it. I’ll have to look at it.”

The Kyiv Independent reported that seven hours later, the White House was still yet to comment on the Russian attack.

Arpan Rai18 June 2025 04:50

Trump's early exit forces G7 to abandon joint statement on Ukraine

Canada dropped plans for the G7 to issue a strong statement on the war in Ukraine after resistance from the United States, a Canadian official told reporters.

The G7 wealthy nations struggled to find unity over the conflict in Ukraine after Trump expressed support for Russian president Vladimir Putin and left a day early to address the Israel-Iran conflict from Washington.

Canadian prime minister Mark Carney said Ottawa would provide C$2bn ($1.47bn) in new military assistance for Kyiv as well as impose new financial sanctions.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said he had told the G7 leaders that "diplomacy is now in a state of crisis" and said they need to continue calling on Donald Trump "to use his real influence" to force an end to the war, in a post on his Telegram account.

Arpan Rai18 June 2025 04:29