Future of Starmer’s Chagos deal uncertain as Trump could stop it ‘if he doesn’t like it’
Foreign Secretary David Lammy suggested that Donald Trump could veto Sir Keir Starmer‘s Chagos Islands deal “if he doesn’t like it”.
The UK is looking to hand over the territory to Mauritius while leasing out the island of Diego Garcia, which is home to a joint UK-US military airbase.
However, it has been delayed while the Trump administration looks at its details.
Donald Trump to slap 25% tariffs on EU – but Britain hopes to dodge them for Brexit win
Donald Trump has announced that he will slap 25% tariffs on imports from the European Union.
The US President declared that the bloc was formed to “screw” America and had “done a good job of it”.
He said: “We have made a decision, we’ll be announcing it very soon. It will be 25% generally speaking and that will be on cars and all other things.
“The EU is a different kind of case than Canada, they’ve really taken advantage of us in a different way.
“They don’t accept our cars, they don’t accept essentially our farm products, they use all sorts of reasons why not, and we accept everything from them.”
Donald Trump speaks during the first cabinet of his new presidency (Image: Getty)
Donald Trump refuses to commit to defending Taiwan as China invasion fears mount
US President Donald Trump has refused to commit to defending Taiwan if the country is attacked by China.
Asked if he can promise that, as long as he is president, China won’t take the island, Mr Trump replied: “I never comment on that because I don’t want to ever put myself in that position.”
Donald Trump (Image: Getty)
Former US ambassador to Russia takes swipe at Trump minerals deal
The US ambassador to Russia during two years of the Obama administration has taken aim at the mineral deal between Kyiv and Washington.
Michael McFaul, who was America’s man in Moscow from 2012 to 2014, attacked the agreement struck by the Trump administration and President Zelensky’s government.
The US president has not yet confirmed the deal is over the line.
I thought America stood for more than mineral deals to benefit our corporations. Freedom. Liberty. Democracy. Those are ideals that American presidents since the beginning of our Republic stood for. Hope we get back to our traditions someday.
u2014 Michael McFaul (@McFaul) February 26, 2025
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk slams ‘unpredictable’ Ukraine minerals deal
Donald Tusk criticised Ukraine‘s deal with the US over its rare earth minerals, calling it it “unpredictable”.
He wrote online: “Uncertainty, unpredictability, deals. Are these really the rules that the new international order should be based on?”
Ukraine-UK talks over Russia to pile on ‘tension’ over Starmer meeting with Trump
Britain held discussions with Ukraine’s military over striking military targets in Russia, it emerged last night.
The discussion between the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, General Oleksandr Syrskyi, and Britain’s Chief of the Defence Staff Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, is thought to have taken place in October, hours before President Volodymyr Zelensky‘s presented his victory plan during an address to parliament.
But the CDS and Ukraine‘s Commander in Chief often speak by phone, and experts say news of this intelligence may place extra pressure on Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, as he flies to Washington DC today ahead of talks with US President Donald Trump.
Ukraine military claims frontline gain
Ukrainian troops claimed to have launched a successful counterattack on the eastern frontline, in the Donetsk region.
The Ukrainian military said to have gained control over the village of Kotlyne near the logistics hub of Pokrovsk.
Ukrainian unit involved in the operation posted on social media said: “Taking this settlement would have allowed the occupiers to reach the Pokrovsk-Dnipro highway, so the enemy sent significant forces to capture it.”
Starmer reaffirms backing for Zelensky
The Prime Minister reiterated his view that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is a “democratically elected leader”, adding the UK “has successfully been a bridge between the US and Europe for many, many years”.
Conservative MP Dr Neil Hudson (Epping Forest) said: “I welcome the Prime Minister’s statement committing us to increased defence spending and reaffirming the UK support for Ukraine and their democratically elected leader, President Zelensky, a wartime leader like Winston Churchill, who also had to delay elections because his country faced an existential threat.
“As the Prime Minister travels to Washington with this House and the country willing him to succeed, will he invoke the legacy of Churchill in making the case for the UK to be the key in bridging transatlantic relations to bring us all together for the sake of freedom and democracy across the world?”
Sir Keir Starmer replied: “President Zelensky is a democratically elected leader, and suspending elections was precisely what we did in this country when we were fighting in the Second World War.
“And secondly, on his point, yes, I do think that the UK has successfully been a bridge between the US and Europe for many, many years, it’s vital that we continue in that role, and that’s why my message to President Trump is that the relationship between our two countries needs to go from strength to strength. It’s all very strong, but also working at the same time with our European allies.”
PMQs: Starmer and Badenoch clash over Ukraine
Starmer taunts Kemi Badenoch during fiery exchange
Kemi Badenoch has appointed herself “saviour of the western civilisation”, Sir Keir Starmer said, after the Conservative leader suggested she had advised the Prime Minister to increase defence spending.
At Prime Minister’s Questions, Mrs Badenoch said: “Turning to the details of the plan he set out yesterday: OIver the weekend, I suggested to the Prime Minister that he cut the aid budget, and I am pleased that he accepted my advice.
“It’s the fastest response I’ve ever had from the Prime Minister. However, he announced £13.4 billion in additional defence spending yesterday. This morning, his Defence Secretary said the uplift is only £6 billion. Which is the correct figure?”
The Prime Minister replied: “I’m going to have to let the leader of the Opposition down gently. She didn’t feature in my thinking at all.
“I was so busy over the weekend I didn’t even see her proposal. I think she’s appointed herself, I think saviour of the western civilisation. It’s a desperate search for relevance.
“But, if you take the numbers for this financial year and then the numbers for the financial year 27/28 that’s £13.4 billion increase. That is the largest sustained increase in defence spending since the Cold War, which will put us in a position to ensure the security and defence of our country and of Europe.”
Badenoch wishes Starmer success in Washington
The Prime Minister and the Conservative Party leader are “completely united” in their support for Ukraine, Kemi Badenoch told the Commons.
At Prime Minister’s Questions, Mrs Badenoch said: “I wish the Prime Minister every success on his trip to Washington, the visit to see President Trump must serve our national interest.
“The Prime Minister and I are completely united in our support for Ukraine as a proud and sovereign nation.
“What specific steps will he take to ensure Ukraine is at the negotiating table for any peace settlement?”
Sir Keir Starmer replied: “Well, I thank her for her words about the forthcoming trip, and it is right – and I think the whole House will think it’s right – that Ukraine must be at the table at negotiations.
“There can be no negotiations about Ukraine without Ukraine. That has been my consistent position in all of the discussions that I’ve had.
“That will continue to be my position, because this is about the sovereignty of Ukraine and their ability to decide for themselves the future of their country. So they must be at the table.”
PMQs LIVE: Kemi Badenoch set to challenge Keir Starmer over defence spending row
Kemi Badenoch will once again face off against Keir Starmer at PMQs today, after a fortnight break during Parliament’s February recess.
The pair will likely clash over yesterday’s defence spending announcement, with the Tory leader demanding answers about whether the sum is being artificially inflated by the PM’s planned Chagos sellout to Mauritus.
Follow our live blog here
Ukrainian ministers set to review US deal
Ukrainian ministers set to review the text of an agreement with the United States on Wednesday, titled On Establishing the Rules and Conditions of the Investment Fund for the Reconstruction of Ukraine, said Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal.
During a televised broadcast he said: “Today, the government will review the text of this agreement and authorise ministers to proceed with its signing.”
Mr Shmyhal added that the signing would take place once Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and US President Donald Trump had reached an agreement on security guarantees.
He explained: “In the presence of both presidents, a government representative will sign this preliminary agreement.”
Kremlin claims ‘expert-level’ talks between Russia and US being ‘arranged’
The Kremlin said on Wednesday that expert-level talks between the United States and Russia were being arranged.
During his daily media briefing, Kremlin spokesman Mr Dmitry Peskov said there were no current plans for Russian President Mr Vladimir Putin and US President Mr Donald Trump to speak directly by phone.
The Kremlin said it would not comment on any aspect of a proposed US-Ukraine deal that would allow the United States to extract rare minerals from Ukraine as payment for military support until official statements were made. On Monday evening, Russia’s president offered to sell Russian rare earth minerals to US companies, including those from Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine.
Mr Peskov also stated that no discussions had taken place with China regarding the possibility of Chinese troops being deployed in a peacemaking role in Ukraine in the event of any agreement.
Dozens of delegates walk out of Russia’s UN Human Rights Council speech
Dozens of dignitaries including those from Britain dramatically walked out of Russia‘s speech to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on Wednesday, in support of Ukraine.
Delegates gathered outside the room where the session was taking place, marking three years since Russia‘s full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022.
‘Today is a day of bravery,’ says Zelensky
Posting on X on Wednesday, Ukraine‘s President Volodymyr Zelensky said: “Today is a day of bravery and integrity of all those who did not turn a blind eye to Russia‘s occupation of our Crimea. On these days, 11 years ago, Russian aggression against Ukraine began with the illegal, treacherous seizure of Crimea.
“But February 26 proved that there would be resistance – resistance from Crimea, resistance from all of Ukraine. This day showed that there were and would be people who would reject lies and refuse to surrender their home.”
Today is a day of bravery and integrity of all those who did not turn a blind eye to Russia‘s occupation of our Crimea. On these days, 11 years ago, Russian aggression against Ukraine began with the illegal, treacherous seizure of Crimea.
But February 26 proved that there wouldu2026 pic.twitter.com/qwKeYZm2ED
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / u0412u043eu043bu043eu0434u0438u043cu0438u0440 u0417u0435u043bu0435u043du0441u044cu043au0438u0439 (@ZelenskyyUa) February 26, 2025
The 5 countries ‘at risk’ of Vladimir Putin takeover if Ukraine falls
Volodymyr Zelensky believes that Vladimir Putin could put five other European countries at risk in a bid to extend his control of the region.
On the third anniversary of the war, the Ukrainian president suggested that countries with “Russian roots” and former Soviet Union members could be in danger.
He said: “When you have Russian-speaking people, or their roots, or their families … it’s our history … then you are at risk. At the very beginning, they said that they are not occupying our territories … that they are defending Russian-speaking people.
“If we will fall down … I think all such countries who I mentioned have this risk because of Russian policy, because their view of the Russian world.”
‘Secondary detonation’ at seaport in Krasnodar Krai
Tuapse, a port in Russia‘s Krasnodar Krai, has been targerted in a Ukrainian drone strike overnight, independent Russian news website ASTRA has claimed.
Posting on Telegram, it said: “ASTRA managed to geolocate one of the videos from the site of the drone attacks on the night of February 26 in Tuapse, Krasnodar Krai.
“The video shows “fireworks” – this is a secondary detonation, typical for a warehouse of explosives and ammunition.”
Also posting on Telegram, blogger Andrei Kovalenko said: “The port plays an important role in supporting military logistics. It is used to transport equipment, ammunition and fuel for military needs.
“Provides logistical supplies to the ships of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, in particular those involved in the war against Ukraine,”
Russian economy in turmoil as pensioners ‘suffering’ and bread prices ‘constantly rising’
Russian newspapers are sounding the alarm over Moscow’s ailing economy as bread prices are to spike again and pensioners are expected to suffer.
News outlet Moskovsky Komsomolets reported this week that there will be a “possible big increase in the price of bread from March 1.”
The report adds: “Major producers of bread and flour products have informed stores that from March 1, the cost of their goods will rise by 10-12%.
“Russia is the world’s largest exporter of wheat. And yet bread, which is the staff of life, is constantly going up in price.”
Russian blogger claims $2million tickets on sale for ‘closed-door event’ with Trump and Putin
Tickets costing an eye-watering $2million each are already on sale for what was described as a “closed door meeting with Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump, a Russian blogger has claimed.
The VChK-OGPU Telegram site posted, without providing evidence: “The sale of tickets for a closed event with the US President has begun. The cost is $2 million. As a source of the VChK-OGPU said, one of the largest Russian fixers,
“Valery Bitayev, who positions himself as a person close to the first deputy director of the FSB of the Russian Federation Sergei Korolev, officials of the Presidential Administration of the Russian Federation, etc, confidentially informed his selected clients that the Kremlin and the FSB of the Russian Federation have begun to form a list of people who will be present at the “closed” meeting with Trump during his visit to Moscow.
“Bitayev tells clients that there are very few places, but he is able to facilitate their presence on the coveted list for $2 million. There are those who want to. Everyone is interested in how Bitayev will get out of it later, considering that he never returns the money.”
Healey appears to contradict Starmer’s claims over defence spending
Defence Secretary John Healey has suggested the real-terms increase in defence spending is “something over £6 billion”, after Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer suggested it would mean spending £13.4 billion every year.
Speaking to BBC Breakfast, Mr Healey was asked about criticism of the figures and said “the definition of defence numbers can be done in different ways”.
He explained: “You can take it as a percentage of GDP, you can take it as cash terms.
“What Keir Starmer was talking about yesterday was the increase in hard cash that will be spent on defence in two years’ time compared to what’s being spent today.”
Pushed on whether the £13.4 billion figure would be correct if the assumption was that the Government did not increase the defence budget year on year in line with inflation, Mr Healey said: “Yes, that’s the cash… that’s a cash number.
“If we were increasing it … in real terms, taking in inflation, it would be something over £6 billion. Either way, this is a big boost for defence.”
Fire burns at airstrip on outskirts of Moscow
Satellite imagery appears to show a fire raging at the Lukhovitsy (Tretyakovo) airfield in the Moscow region, according to the Crimean Wind monitoring group.
A Telegram post claimed: “The causes of the fire near the runway are unknown. The Lukhovitsy (Tretyakovo) airfield is operated by the Lukhovitsy Aviation Production and Test Complex of JSC RSK MiG (LAPIK) and the A.V. Fedotov Flight Test Centre.
“Production Complex No. 1 (PC 1), located in Lukhovitsy, Moscow Region, is a powerful modern plant capable of producing a wide variety of aircraft: from ultralight aircraft to modern fighters and passenger airliners.”
Foreign aid cuts ‘won’t make any difference’ to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
James Cartlidge said foreign aid was “not going to make any difference” in Russia‘s invasion of Ukraine.
Asked on Times Radio if foreign aid was the right place to make cuts in order to fund the rise in defence spending, the shadow defence secretary said aid played a different role when counter-terrorism was the “main job” on the armed forces, because it was “not nation-on-nation, peer-to-peer military”.
He said: “In that circumstance you can argue that aid is almost part of your defence because obviously if a country is unstable, it’s more likely to ferment the conditions where terrorism or those sort of disruptive organisations succeed. So aid is really important.
“However, when you’re faced with a peer military threat like Russia, a country where aid is not going to make any difference, then you have to be focused on the reality of the situation.”
Mr Cartlidge added the Government’s acceleration of defence spending to 2.5% by 2027 was “fair enough”
Labour has got its sums wrong on defence spending, claims shadow minister
New figures shared on the rise in defence spending by the Government “don’t seem to be completely right”, the shadow defence secretary said.
James Cartlidge told Times Radio: “It’s in the national interest that we increase defence spending, so I do support that in principle.
“Obviously, we’ve got some questions to follow up on some of what was said in terms of the figures because they don’t seem to be completely right in the cold light of day, it’s fair to say.
“But we obviously need to look at that, understand what it means, because there was this £13.4 billion extra – that is the entire aid budget and the aid budget is being cut by, we understand about 40%, so we’re looking at where the difference arises.”
UK ‘has been firm with Trump,’ claims Healey
The UK has been “really firm” over principles in its dealings with the US, the Defence Secretary has suggested.
Asked whether Britain has been brave enough in dealing with Donald Trump, John Healey said the country shares the president’s aims in ending the war.
He told Times Radio: “I think the UK has been really firm about the sort of principles and what’s required.
“We’re recognising and we share President Trump’s aims to bring a durable peace and an end to the Ukraine conflict.
“He’s pledged to bring Putin to the negotiating table.
“There’s some way to go on that, and in the end, the US is the only force strong enough to put pressure on Putin to negotiate, and the only strongest force to stand behind any long-term peace to make sure that it doesn’t become a pretext for Putin to regroup, re-arm, reload, and then re-invade.”
Defence Secretary John Healey (Image: Getty)
US-Ukraine is a good thing if it boosts peace hopes, says Healey
Defence Secretary John Healey has said a minerals deal agreed between the US and Ukraine would be a “good thing” if it helps “shape” long-term peace.
Speaking to Times Radio, Mr Healey said it appears the countries are “close to a deal”, adding he spoke to his counterparts in Washington and Kyiv on Tuesday.
“In the end, that detail’s a matter for the two countries, and we’ll see the detail emerge, but peace is part of a process,” he said.
“We’re at an early stage, and if this helps shape the long-term peace that’s required in Ukraine, then that’s a good thing.
“In the meantime, my job as defence minister is to make sure that we help keep Ukraine in the fight as strong as possible and that we don’t jeopardise the peace by forgetting about the war.”
Putin ‘trying to weaken United States’ warns Latvian foreign minister
Latvia’s foreign minister has warned that Russian President Vladimir Putin will try to achieve through peace talks what he has failed to accomplish in war – weakening the United States and restoring control over Ukraine.
Baiba Braze was speaking on Tuesday amid a week of intense diplomacy between Europe and the US after Donald Trump’s decision to hold direct talks with Russia while excluding Ukraine and its European allies.
She noted that despite having a population of 140 million, Russia has only managed to seize less than 20% of Ukraine since 2014.
Putin has also failed to weaken the US and NATO or overthrow Ukraine’s democratic government.
Ms Braze stressed that Russia’s main objective remains undermining American power on the global stage.
Russian President Vladimir Putin (Image: Getty)
Ukrainian air force shoots down 110 drones
The Ukrainian air force claimed to have downed 110 Russian drones overnight, with 66 more failing to reach their targets.
A Telegram post said: “On the night of February 26, 2025 (from 19:00 on February 25), the enemy attacked with 177 Shahed type strike UAVs and simulator drones of various types from the directions: Orel, Bryansk, Kursk, Millerovo, Shatalovo, Primorsko-Akhtarsk – Russia.
“The air attack was repelled by aviation, anti-aircraft missile troops, electronic warfare units and mobile fire groups of the Air Force and Defense Forces of Ukraine.”
As of 9am 110 Shahed attack UAVs and drones of other types were shot down in Kharkiv, Poltava, Sumy, Kyiv, Chernihiv, Cherkasy, Kirovohrad, Mykolaiv, Kherson and Dnipropetrovsk region, with 66 enemy drones “lost in location”.
Krasnodar Krai ‘comes under large-scale attack’
Russia’s Krasnodar Krai has come under a large-scale attack by kamikaze drones, with powerful explosions reported in Anapa, according to Ukrainian news website RBC earlier
Sochi Airport has suspended all flights and implemented the Carpet security protocol, Russian social media channels reported.
Clips have also been shared online apparently showing the region under attack.
UK’s national security ‘has entered a new era’, says Starmer
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer writing in the Daily Mail, said Britain’s national security had “entered a new era”.
“Russia, North Korea, Iran – we now face enemies who would happily extinguish the light of democracy given the chance,” he wrote. “And they are increasingly prepared to work together to threaten our interests.
“We cannot hide from this threat. I know that working people have already felt the impact of Russian brutality through rising bills and prices.
“But unless Ukraine is properly protected from Putin, then Europe will only become more unstable. That will hurt us even more.”
Russian ministry of defence reports 128 Ukrainian drone strikes
Russia‘s Ministry of Defence, posting on Telegram, said: “Over the course of the past night, air defense systems on duty intercepted and destroyed 128 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles: 83 UAVs over the territory of Krasnodar Krai, 30 UAVs over the territory of the Republic of Crimea, eight UAVs over the waters of the Sea of Azov, five UAVs over the waters of the Black Sea, and one UAV each over the territories of Bryansk and Kursk regions.”
Starmer flies to Washington for Trump talks
Sir Keir Starmer will fly to the US on Wednesday ahead of crunch talks with Donald Trump, as the Chancellor urged European allies to follow the UK in raising defence spending.
The Prime Minister will travel to Washington after facing his weekly grilling in the House of Commons, following his announcement of a dramatic increase in the size of the UK’s war chest, paid for by cutting the international aid budget.
Meanwhile, Rachel Reeves said European nations must “step up and do more on defence” after the UK pledged to raise defence spending from its current 2.3% to 2.5% of the UK’s economic output by 2027.
Sir Keir will follow French President Emmanuel Macron in visiting Mr Trump in Washington DC, and Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky is expected to visit on Friday.
Ukraine and US reach deal over rare earth minerals
Ukraine and the US have reached an agreement on a framework for a broad economic deal that would include access to Ukraine‘s rare earth minerals, three senior Ukrainian officials said on Tuesday.
The officials, who were familiar with the matter, spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak publicly.
One of them said that Kyiv hopes that signing the agreement will ensure the continued flow of US military support that Ukraine urgently needs.
The agreement could be signed as early as Friday and plans are being drawn up for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to travel to Washington to meet Mr Trump, according to one of the Ukrainian officials.
Another official said the agreement would provide an opportunity for Zelenskyy and Trump to discuss continued military aid to Ukraine, which is why Kyiv is eager to finalise the deal.
Mr Zelensky had claimed the 50% share of rare minerals initially demanded by America would have been akin to selling his nation, but Ukraine now appears satisfied the deal will lead to a continued flow of US military support in its war against Russia.
Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky will apparently meet this week (Image: Getty)
Conflicting reports about flight restrictions over four Russian regions
There are conflicting reports about alleged flight restrictions in four Russian regions after drone strikes overnight.
The SHOT news agency claimed: “
flights are temporarily not being received or sent in Mineralnye Vody, Nalchik, Grozny and Vladikavkaz. The reason is a possible UAV attack. Now, a drone danger regime has been introduced in the regions of the North Caucasus Federal District.”
However, Russian Federal Air Transport Agency Rosaviatsia has denied the claims.
Zelensky’s security chief issues Warsaw Pact warning
Kyrylo Budanov, addressing Yalta European Strategy’s special gathering on Tuesday, said: “The empire that the current leadership of the Russian Federation is leaning toward is a model of the Soviet Union but with the Warsaw Pact countries.
“Poland will be the next one. I am telling you this directly. And there is no need to be afraid of it, it is necessary to realise it.
“Then there will be the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Bulgaria.”
“The Warsaw Pact countries are a minimum task if an empire is to be formed.”
The Warsaw Pact was a military alliance between the Soviet Union and other Eastern Bloc countries during the Cold War.
If Russia, which sees itself as an empire, will become a single country with Belarus and Ukraine, it will then go for Warsaw pact countries, Ukraine‘s Intelligence Chief Kyrylo Budanov said.
During Yalta European Strategy’s special gathering “Three Years u2014 Time to Win,” heu2026 pic.twitter.com/bbMGfz74z1
u2014 Anton Gerashchenko (@Gerashchenko_en) February 25, 2025
Pictures show house in flames
Terrifying pictures have shown a house in Kyiv engulfed by flames after a Russian drone strike on a house in Kyiv which killed on and injured two more.
Meanwhile Volodymyr Zelensky’s security chief has warned Vladimir Putin will move on to Poland and the Czech Republic if he is victorious in Ukraine as part of a master strategy to recreate the Soviet Union.
A post by Ukrainian Telegram channel Suspilnews said: “The body of a deceased person was discovered while extinguishing a fire in a private house in the Buchansky district of the Kyiv region, the OVA reported. Two more people were injured.
“In the region, five private houses were damaged due to shelling, the glazing of apartments in four high-rise buildings, two garages, three cars were destroyed and eight more were damaged.”