Ukraine is facing a major corruption scandal in its energy sector, triggering ministerial resignations and allegations against a close ally of President Volodymyr Zelensky, as anti-graft agencies uncover a $100 million embezzlement scheme.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky imposed sanctions on former business partner Timur Mindich over a $100 million corruption scandal, as Kyiv faces outrage and pressure from allies to intensify anti-graft efforts.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte downplayed tensions between Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky, emphasising that only Trump can achieve peace between Moscow and Kyiv, despite a rift in recent White House talks.
Ukraine has officially identified more than 19,500 children as unlawfully deported or forcefully taken by Russia since its full-scale invasion, but officials believe the true number is much higher.
The Kremlin said Friday that peace talks between Russia and Ukraine were on "pause" as US President Donald Trump's efforts to end the three-and-a-half-year conflict falter.
Trump also hinted at fresh sanctions against Russia if it fails to make a Ukraine peace deal, saying that "you'll see things happen" if he is not satisfied with President Vladimir Putin's response.
Putin said he had always been open to meeting Zelensky but reiterated the Kremlin's oft-repeated stance that such a meeting had to be well prepared in advance and lead to tangible results.
The fall off in drone strikes came after months of escalating aerial attacks and meetings US President Donald Trump hosted with the Russian and Ukrainian leaders that ended without any breakthrough.
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned it as a 'horrific murder' and identified the victim as Andriy Parubiy, a prominent politician who served as speaker in the 2010s.
Trump raised doubts about potential talks between Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky, even as the US pushes for a negotiated peace in Ukraine.
The remarks came a day after Ukraine marked its Independence Day, with President Volodymyr Zelensky declaring that the presence of foreign troops after the war would be “important” for the country’s security.
On the surface, all three leaders are talking about peace. But dig deeper, and it becomes clear that “peace” means very different things to each of them.
Moscow has long said it will not tolerate Ukraine joining NATO and has been hostile to the idea of Western troops deploying to the former Soviet territory.
US President Donald Trump on Tuesday reiterated his opposition to Ukraine’s NATO membership, aligning with a long-standing Russian demand.
Trump on Monday said Russian President Vladimir Putin had agreed during summit talks last week to provide security guarantees for Ukraine as part of any peace deal.
Trump welcomed Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky to the White House on Monday for high-stakes talks on a possible peace deal with Russia.
Earlier, the White House had inquired whether Zelenskyy planned to wear a suit for the Oval Office meeting, which will also include several European leaders.
Zelensky has rejected ceding any Ukrainian land. Russia currently controls roughly 20 per cent of Ukraine’s territory, including Crimea.
Russia has reportedly demanded the whole of the eastern regions of Donetsk and Lugansk in exchange for a freeze on the southern front line in Kherson and Zaporizhzhia.
Trump also repeated his long-standing claim of having stopped the war between India and Pakistan -- a statement he has made more than 30 times over the past three months.
Zelensky said that Russia should not be "rewarded" for its invasion, after the US leader pressed Ukraine to make concessions in exchange for peace.
The question of Zelenskyy’s attire, seemingly minor on the surface, became a flashpoint during his last White House visit in March, which officials later described as a diplomatic misstep.
If such a deal takes shape, it could reshape Europe’s post–Cold War security order. Ukraine would gain stronger deterrence against Russia, without being a formal NATO ally.
Trump said late Sunday that Zelensky could chose to end the war with Russia "almost immediately," but retaking Russian-occupied Crimea or joining NATO are off the table.
Trump told Zelensky that Putin’s offer included halting Russian advances if Ukraine agreed to withdraw from Donetsk, a region under partial Russian control since 2014.