Russian invasion

The world's response
Ukrainian minister: Talks on minerals are in the final stages

Ukraine and the United States are in the final stages of negotiations on a minerals agreement. This is stated by Ukraine's Justice Minister Olha Stefanishyna on X according to Reuters. According to her, they want to reach an agreement as quickly as possible.

– Almost all the details are in place.

The United States has demanded access to rare earth metals in exchange for continued support for Ukraine. Stefanishyna describes the negotiations as constructive, and further writes that she hopes that the parties will be able to sign the agreement in connection with a meeting between the countries' presidents in Washington.

Starmer: Trump has created an opportunity for Ukraine

Donald Trump has "changed the global dialogue" on Ukraine in recent weeks. This is what British Prime Minister Keir Starmer says at the summit in Ukraine on the third anniversary of the Russian invasion. He believes that the American president has now "created an opportunity".

– Now we need to make sure the basics are right, he says according to Sky News.

Starmer also stresses that it is important that the US helps prevent Russia from invading again. British forces will also participate in peacekeeping operations in Ukraine “if the right conditions are in place”.

Starmer will travel to the US to meet Trump on Thursday.

 

Analysis: The fourth year of the war is already marked by threats to the security of all of Europe

The last three years of full-scale war in Ukraine have been marked by several unpredictable events, writes CNN’s Nick Paton Walsh in an analysis. But few would have expected that the fourth year of the war would be about the security of all of Europe, writes Walsh. The US has in a short time swung from being a moralistic benefactor in Ukraine to becoming a transactional predator, he continues and notes that the development is dangerous for Europe:

“Trump benefits Putin.”

This week, both France's Emmanuel Macron and Britain's Keir Starmer are traveling to the United States to try to convince Donald Trump to be on the right side of history, writes Sky News' Deborah Haynes. But based on the statements of recent weeks, there is little to indicate that the American president is willing to change his mind on the issue – something that in itself increases the risk that Vladimir Putin will want to take over more of Europe, according to Haynes.

At the same time, not everything is rosy for Moscow, points out DN's Michael Winiarski. The country's economy has taken a beating from three years of war, and today the advance in Ukraine is slow.

"At the current rate, it would take Russia years to seize the remaining 80 percent of Ukraine," writes Winiarski.

 

US promises UN veto – wants to get resolution passed that does not condemn Russia

The US will veto in the Security Council all proposed changes to the resolution that the country has submitted to the UN, an anonymous official at the US State Department told AFP and Reuters.

The US resolution does not mention that Russia started the offensive war, nor does it mention Ukraine's right to territorial integrity.

Ukraine, together with the EU, has submitted another draft resolution. The same official says that the US will veto it as well.

Five countries have veto power in the UN Security Council: the US, Russia, China, the UK and France.

The UK will not veto the US resolution but will likely take the "historic" decision to abstain from voting, an informed source told Sky News.

The General Assembly, which includes all UN countries, has voted yes to the Ukraine and EU resoluti

General Assembly votes yes to Ukraine's resolution

The General Assembly, which includes all UN countries, has voted yes to the Ukraine and EU resolution on Russia's war of aggression, AP reports.

The resolution mentions, among other things, Ukraine's right to territorial integrity.

The vote was 93 yes and 18 no. 65 countries abstained.

The US resolution was also voted through with similar numbers, but it did so with European amendments, Reuters reports.

In the Security Council, where five countries have veto power, the US intends to veto the Ukrainian resolution, an anonymous official at the US State Department told Reuters.

Instead, the US wants to get its own resolution passed without amendments. The US resolution mentions neither Ukraine's right to territorial integrity nor that Russia started the war of aggression.

Trump: Big economic deals with Putin are coming

Donald Trump has held a meeting with the G7 countries, and summarized it in a post on his Truth Social platform.

The president writes that he stressed the importance of a mineral agreement with Ukraine, and continues:

"At the same time, I am in talks with President Vladimir Putin regarding an end to the war, and also major transactions for economic development between the United States and Russia."

Trump does not specify what kind of agreement he is referring to.

Furthermore, the president says that he will meet with Zelenskyj to sign a mineral agreement, which he says is "very close", according to Reuters.

Zelenskyj's visit could come as early as next week or the following week, according to Trump. He adds that he will also meet with Putin "at some point".

The fighting
Russia: Civilians in Kursk to be evacuated

An agreement has been reached between Russia, Ukraine and the Red Cross to evacuate civilians from Kursk, Russia's human rights commissioner Tatyana Moskalkova said, AFP reports.

It is not clear how many people are involved. According to Moskalkova, several Kursk residents have already been taken to Sumy in eastern Ukraine to await evacuation via Belarus to Russia.

Russian authorities have registered around 500 people missing in the region occupied by Ukraine. According to local residents, it is more like close to 3,000 residents.

The Ukrainians have retained control of some areas in Kursk since the surprise counter-offensive against the region began just over six months ago.