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A TOP Putin aide has slapped down Trump’s 30-day ceasefire plan, claiming Russia was only interested in a long-term solution.
This shocking admission comes as Moscow’s bloodthirsty troops have been accused of executing Ukrainians while seizing back control of the biggest town in Kursk.
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The Kremlin dictator’s hardline international affairs guru Yuri Ushakov, 77, called the ceasefire “steps that imitate peaceful actions”, as Trump’s envoy arrived in Moscow for talks today.
Ushakov added: “We believe that our goal is a long-term peaceful settlement, we strive for this, a peaceful settlement that takes into account the legitimate interests of our country, our well-known concerns.”
Today, disturbing pictures allegedly show the aftermath of the Russians killing at least five Ukrainian defenders captured near the village of Kazachya Loknya in Russia’s Kursk region, according to Ukrainian reports.
The dictator has already said Ukrainian soldiers in the region would be treated as “terrorists” rather than prisoners of war as Moscow prepares to hold talks with the US later today.
Ukrainian official Dmytro Lubinets has confirmed letters have already been sent to the UN and International Committee of the Red Cross over the alleged war crime.
He claimed: “Once again we see a cynical disregard for international humanitarian law by the Russian army.
“Those who give orders and carry out these atrocities must be held strictly responsible.”
Despite the serious allegations of war crimes against the Russian military, representatives in Moscow are set for backdoor chats with the US today.
Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff landed in the capital this morning for talks around stopping the war – including the US-backed 30-day ceasefire proposal.
It comes as Putin gave his own truce demands over halting the Ukraine war – days after Ukraine agreed to the peace deal.
The dictator put on an army uniform for a frontline visit to Kursk on Wednesday as US President Donald Trump vowed to punish Russia if they refuse to agree to a peace deal.
The Republican and Ukrainian President Zelensky have both agreed on the long-awaited Ukraine truce, cornering the Russian tyrant to act soon.
But Putin has now presented his own list of demands in response, according to two sources familiar with the matter.
It is not exactly clear what Moscow wants or if they are even willing to engage in peace talks which don’t cover their maniacal desires.
The sources said many of the terms are similar to what have been proposed in the past.
One includes the Kremlin reaffirming their stance that Ukraine cannot be allowed Nato membership or deploy European peacekeeping troops.
They have also called for the world to acknowledge the land they have illegally captured during the three-year war as rightfully belonging to them.
The Kremlin have said any peace deal cannot happen if they aren’t given sovereignty over the areas in Ukraine which they have already seized.
This includes annexed Crimea which was taken in 2014 as well as four Ukrainian regions captured during the current conflict.
Mad Vlad’s terms come after he was seen in combat gear visiting a command post in the Kursk region for the first time since Ukraine‘s incursion in August last year.
With no mention of a 30-day ceasefire proposal agreed by Ukraine and the US, Putin instead told Russian troops to “fully liberate” the Kursk region in the near future, reports claim.
The dictator also made a chilling warning that Ukrainian soldiers in the region would be treated as “terrorists” rather than prisoners of war.
Meanwhile Trump has threatened Russia with “devastating” trade and economic pressure from the US if Putin doesn’t agree to the ceasefire.
The President made the chilling warning as he spoke of administration efforts to end the bloody war in Ukraine in the Oval Office with Irish prime minister Micheal Martin.
Trump revealed: “There are things that wouldn’t be pleasant in a financial sense.
“I can do things financially that would be very bad for Russia. I don’t want to do it that because I want to get peace.”
The Kremlin has said it will not make a decision on the US-proposed 30-day ceasefire until it hears from the White House directly.
US representatives are believed to have just landed in Moscow for talks today.
Kremlin insiders have also said Putin wants to meet Trump around April or May, according to The Moscow Times.
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This potential meeting, which could also be held in Saudi Arabia, might coincide with Trump’s visit to the Middle East which he said would take place “within the next month and a half”.
You can follow our live blog, below, for all the latest updates …
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Zelensky reveals what will be discuss during the potential 30-day ceasefire
The Ukrainian President hailed this weeks talks in Saudi Arabia as “constructive” but said there was more to be discussed.
Kyiv agreed to the US-backed ceasefire but both nations are now waiting for Russia to confirm.
Zelensky told reporters in Kyiv today what he planned to negotiate during the potential ceasefire.
These crucial points included: munitions, a prisoner of war exchange, and bringing children back to Ukraine.
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Ukraine showed readiness for ceasefire, Zelensky says
Zelensky has helped push the ball further into Putin’s court by praising Kyiv’s work with the US, following disastrous talks in Washington two weeks ago.
The Ukrainian profusely thanked the US and the UK for their help in negotiations and throughout the war.
He said: “Today we had to show our readiness.
“We have to show the world in real terms what we are ready to do and we did it.”
Zelensky also revealed Kyiv was ready to sign a framework for the controversial minerals deal with the US.
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Zelensky says everything “depends” on Russia now
The Ukrainian President has added to the US pressure directly placed on Putin to agree to the 30-day ceasefire.
Zelensky praised talks held in Saudi Arabia this week at a press conference in Kyiv today.
He said: “Everything depends on whether Russia is willing to do so, to install a truce, or if it is willing to continue killing people.”
Zelensky said security guarantees for his nation needed to be discussed in greater detailduring the possible pause in the war.
He said: “We will need to agree our steps with our allies.”
The President also praised the huge progress made during his talks in Saudi Arabia saying it “completely broke down Russia’s plans”.
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Starmer welcomes progress in peace talks between Ukraine and the US
The British Prime Minister has been a key international leader involved in calming tensions between Trump and Zelensky.
Starmer told MPs during PMQs today that he planned to bring together world leaders to discuss what was next.
He said: “I welcome the progress in talks between Ukraine and the United States.
“We must now redouble our efforts to get a lasting, secure peace.
“On Saturday I’ll convene international leaders to discuss how we can make further progress.”
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Chilling map shows how the UK would look with 20% of territory SEIZED by Putin – just like wartorn Ukraine
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‘UK must consider conscription NOW’ in readiness for war with Putin
Britain is in “no position” to fight a war and the government “must” consider conscription now, former UK defence chiefs have warned.
Ex-Nato officers told The Sun that the UK must “wake up” to the looming Russian threat and recruit thousands more soldiers and reserves now – before it’s too late.
Some nations – including Poland and Latvia – have already brought back conscription to prepare themselves for the worst.
But the UK government disagrees – despite talk of British boots on the ground in Ukraine and Keir Starmer spearheading Europe’s peace efforts.
Sir Richard Shirreff, who served as Nato‘s Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe, told The Sun we need to look to conscript now – or it’ll be too late.
The former commander, said the only way Putin can be stopped is if Europe bolsters its defences and creates an effective deterrence.
He told The Sun: “The government should rule nothing out at the moment. I can’t see how an army of just 70,000 is going to be able to deter Russia in the long term and maintain the mass it needs.
“If you look at the size of our regular army, it’s tiny and they’d find it difficult to deploy a brigade for any period of time.
“You need mass and you achieve mass through alliance and through creating larger forces but you’ve also got to build up your own army.
“Selective conscription must be looked at. We’ve got to think the unthinkable and one of the things we must be considering is selective conscription.”
Read more here.
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Chilling map shows how the US would look with 20% of territory SEIZED by Putin – just like Ukraine
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US intelligence sharing pause on Ukraine has ended – Tulsi Gabbard
The United States Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, has confirmed that the pause on intelligence sharing with Ukraine has now ended.
Donald Trump made the shock decision earlier this month to cut off both military aid and intelligence sharing with the wartorn nation.
His team claimed they would give access back to Ukraine once they became more serious over reaching a ceasefire deal.
Gabbard said on X today: “Because of @POTUS leadership, we are one significant step closer to ending the bloody war in Ukraine.
“Per the President’s direction, the pause on intelligence sharing with Ukraine has ended.”
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‘Now it is up to Putin’ – Olaf Scholz
Outgoing German chancellor Olaf Scholz has doubled down on his support for Ukraine as he described the US-backed peace proposal as the “correct step towards a just peace”.
He also called on Vladimir Putin to make his feelings clear on the truce.
Scholz said on X this morning: “The idea of a 30-day ceasefire is an important and correct step towards a just peace for Ukraine.
“We stand with Ukraine and the US and welcome the proposals from Jeddah.
“Now it is up to Putin.”
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Russia FINALLY responds to US-Ukraine truce proposal
The Kremlin has finally responded to the US-backed 30-day ceasefire with Ukraine.
They warned Russia will continue to wait until they officially sit down with Washington to talk before making any decision.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said his team are carefully studying the US-Ukraine talks and the statements from both sides afterwards.
Moscow and Washington representatives are due to meet at some point this week, Peskov said.
He also said that a phone call between Trump and Putin can be “organised very quickly”.
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Defence chiefs prepare to meet in Paris to plot European peacekeeping force
Later today, the UK defence secretary John Healey will meet his counterparts from France, Germany, Italy and Poland in Paris.
They are set to discuss a joint peacekeeping mission in Ukraine that will act as a deterrent against Russian aggression.
It comes as Prime Minister Keir Starmer says “we all need to redouble our efforts to get lasting and secure peace as soon as possible” after Ukraine agreed to the ceasefire proposal.
On Tuesday, military chiefs gathered in the French capital to discuss Starmer’s “coalition of the willing” to see what each nation would be ready to contribute to a peacekeeping force.
The PM is set to meet with fellow leaders over the weekend to “discuss next steps”
“The UK remains steadfast in its support for Ukraine, and we will continue to lead alongside our European partners as we push for a just and lasting peace,” Healey added.
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Putin crony tells Russia to shot Trump ‘in the other ear’
A Russian war correspondent has shockingly joked about shooting Donald Trump in the ear after the US-Ukraine ceasefire proposal.
Deranged Vladislav Yevtushenko said: “I don’t know what conclusion they will draw from today’s ‘negotiations’ in our high offices.
“At my leve , I think it would be right to shoot the old man in the other ear.”
The comment refers to the assassination attempt on Trump’s life back in July 2024 when he was on the campaign trail in Pennsylvania.
He was hit by a gunman on the right ear and left bleeding as the Secret Service rushed him to safety.
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Kremlin cronies are urging Putin to reject peace deal
Russian war fanatics are said to be deeply suspicious today of the US-Ukrainian ceasefire pact and are now urging Vladimir Putin to reject it.
War monger Boris Rozhin has warned a 30-day truce would only allow for Ukraine to receive fresh supplies, weapons and technology to completely “restore the Ukrainian Armed Forces”.
Russian MP Lt-Gen Viktor Sobolev agrees saying a ceasefire is “unacceptable”.
He said: “The USA will rearm Ukraine during the 30-day truce and start the war all over again.
“Some kind of temporary ceasefire. A temporary ceasefire, and the President has spoken about this, is unacceptable.
“It only serves in the hands of the Ukrainian fascists, who in 30 days will regroup, replenish their ranks, and add drones. We do not need this at all.”
Russian senator Konstantin Kosachev, chairman of the upper house’s Foreign Affairs Committee, also said Putin should reject any ceasefire proposal.
He said: “Russia is advancing, and therefore it will be different.
“Any agreements will be on our terms, not the American ones.
“And this is not boasting, but an understanding that real agreements are still being written there, at the front.”
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Ukraine looking to ‘call Putin’s bluff’ over desire for peace
A Ukrainian official has said their proposed 30-day ceasefire was “partly” designed to “call Putin’s bluff” and test out his desire for peace.
They told The Telegraph: “Let’s see what happens, but I give it less than a 50 per cent chance that they [Russia] will agree.”
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Pictured: Putin launches more brutal strikes across Ukraine
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Trump ‘to speak to Putin this week’
Donald Trump has announced he plans to speak to Russian President Vladimir Putin this week following on from his team having positive chats with Ukraine on Tuesday.
It comes as a ceasefire in the war continues to draw closer.
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Russian foreign minister refuses to accept Nato troops in Ukraine
Russia’s foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, has said Moscow will refuse to allow any conditions which favour stationing Nato troops in Ukraine.
He bluntly added that whatever terms Russia may agree to in a ceasefire pact will never jeopardise the lives of those under Putin’s rule, Reuters reports.
Lavrov went on to discuss Russia’s situation on Iran’s nuclear deal with the US and said the Kremlin is open to Trump’s idea of meeting with China.
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Russian intelligence chief speaks with top CIA director
Russia’s foreign intelligence chief, Sergei Naryshkin, has reportedly held a phone call with the director of the US Central Intelligence Agency, John Ratcliffe.
The chat which came hours after US-Ukraine peace talks in Saudi Arabia ended.
They discussed issues of cooperation between their respective intelligence agencies and crisis management, Interfax news agency reported.
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Latest on US-Ukraine crunch peace talks
Ukraine agrees ceasefire in peace talks with Trump’s team – will Putin agree?
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US-Ukraine minerals deal to be signed when American ‘partners deem it convenient’
Ukraine has said that the minerals deal will be signed when the US “partners deem it convenient”.
Zelensky’s chief of staff Andriy Yermak said on Tuesday that “everything is ready” on their side for the deal to be inked.
“The draft of this document is approved by the Ukrainian government,” he said.
“Even the people who have the authority to sign it have been identified.
“As for the American side, (when) our partners deem it convenient, yes, this agreement will be signed.”
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Ukraine ready for 30-day ceasefire deal
Ukraine is ready to sign up to an immediate 30-day ceasefire deal, with the US declaring: “The ball is now in Russia’s court”.
The proposal, agreed after eight hours of talks on Tuesday, will now be put to the Kremlin — as it was revealed US intelligence sharing and security assistance with Kyiv will resume.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Security Adviser Mike Waltz met with Ukrainian and Saudi Arabian officials in the Middle East kingdom.
Afterwards, Mr Rubio said: “We’re going to tell them this is what’s on the table, Ukraine is ready to stop shooting and start talking, and now it’ll be up to them to say yes or no.”
He added that the only way to end the war is to negotiate rather than through a military solution.
Mr Rubio added: “This is not Mean Girls, this is not some episode of some television show, this is serious. Today, people will die in this war. They died yesterday and sadly they’ll die tomorrow.
“President Trump wants this to stop. That’s why we came here.”
Any ceasefire deal will have to be accepted and implemented by Russia and its tyrant leader Vladimir Putin.
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The hardest part of peace talks is yet to come, Rubio warns
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said that while Ukraine’s agreement to the ceasefire deal is a hugely positive step, the hardest part is yet to come.
If Russia chooses to accept the terms of the deal, that is when the true work will take place.
Rubio said he hopes Putin will agree “so we can get to the second phase of this, which is real negotiations”.
From outside the White House, Donald Trump added on Tuesday that, getting both sides to agree will mean they are “75 per cent of the way” there.
But then they will focus on “getting it documented and negotiating land”.
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Return of military aid and intelligence is ‘biggest win for Ukraine at the moment’
The People’s Deputy of Ukraine Oleksandr Merezhko has said that the resumption of US military support is Ukraine’s “biggest win” so far as ceasefire talks turnover to Russia.
He told Sky News: “For us, it’s crucial for our defensive capabilities and survival.”
But, given Russia’s history of violating ceasefires with Ukraine, he said he is “very sceptical” Putin would abide by any agreement for long.
“This is why we continue to need reliable security guarantees, and the best and cheapest security guarantee for us is NATO membership,” he said.
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Putin launched major drone attack on Dnipro after Saudi peace talks
The regional head of Dnipro, in eastern Ukraine, has said that Russia launched a major drone attack on the city.
The overnight attack hit at least 10 homes, Serhiy Lysak said on Telegram.
The windows of schools and a kindergarten were smashed in the attack and an infrastructure facility was hit, causing a fire to break out.
He has not reported any fatalities or injuries.
Reports of explosions came as Ukraine announced it would accept the proposed 30-day ceasefire deal if Russia agreed.
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US must be prepared for ‘Russian tricks’ in first ‘real test’ of Putin’s commitment to end war
Former US deputy assistant secretary of defence Jim Townsend has warned that the ceasefire proposal is the first “real test of the Russians”.
Speaking to Sky News, Townsend said that it marks the first time Russia is being asked to make concessions.
Without dismissing the major step that was made on Tuesday, the ex-defence official warned that “the Russian’s don’t do anything for free” and they could “play tricks” when agreeing to the deal.
“It goes to Russian motivation. Why should they do this?” he said.
Townsend suggested Putin may refuse to accept the proposal now that Ukraine is receiving US aid and intelligence again and will use this as a bargaining chip and a way to manipulate peace negotiations.
“There’s all kinds of tricks that the Russians could throw out there,” he said.
“If they see something in their favour by going along with this, only then will they agree to this.
“They are not going to do it as a favour to Trump.”