Closing summary
It’s just past 11pm in Kyiv and Moscow. Here’s a recap of the latest developments:
At least 12 people were killed and more than 90 people in Kyiv after waves of Russian drones, ballistic and guided missiles struck the Ukrainian capital early on Thursday. The attack was the biggest and most deadly this year. Two children were among the dead. Russia also carried out strikes against Kharkiv and other cities including Pavlohrad and Zhytomyr, as well as in the Zaporizhzhia region. Russia claimed it had targeted Ukraine’s defence industry.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Russians of using a ballistic missile manufactured in North Korea in the strike on Kyiv. “If the information that this missile was made in North Korea is confirmed, this will be further proof of the criminal nature of the alliance between Russia and Pyongyang,” he said in an update late on Thursday.
Donald Trump issued a rare rebuke to Moscow for the Kyiv attack, telling the Russian president in a social media post: “Vladimir, STOP!” The US president is making a renewed push to end the Ukraine war, reportedly on terms favourable to Russia that include recognition of Moscow’s 2014 annexation of Crimea – something Zelenskyy has said he cannot accept.
Trump said he has “my own deadline” amid speculation that he wants to have a ceasefire agreed before his 100th day in office on 30 April. He claimed he was applying pressure on Putin to end the war, claiming that an agreement by Moscow not to take over the entire Ukraine would be a “big concession”. He added that it would “very difficult” for Ukraine to get Crimea back, adding that he had “no allegiance” in the war.
A day before, Trump lashed out at Zelenskyy for failing to support a US “peace plan” in which Crimea and other Ukrainian territories would be handed to Russia. Trump accused Ukraine’s president of prolonging the “killing field” and making “very harmful” statements. Zelenskyy says a complete ceasefire is needed before any settlement can be discussed.
Zelenskyy once again said that Ukraine could not accept US recognition of Russia’s annexation of Crimea. The Ukrainian leader was speaking as he visited South Africa, a trip that he then cut short after the Russian assault on Kyiv. Asked whether he thought the US was becoming impatient with the lack of progress towards a peace agreement, Zelenskyy said the cost of the war continuing was ultimately borne by Ukrainian civilians.
The Kremlin said Trump’s position “completely corresponds with our understanding and with what we have been saying for a long time”. Maria Zakharova, the Russian foreign ministry spokesperson, said Zelenskyy lacked the capacity to negotiate a deal to end the war – and accused him of trying to “torpedo the emerging peace process at any cost”.
Keir Starmer said the Russian attack on Kyiv was a “real reminder that Russia is the aggressor”. Starmer told broadcasters: “I think it’s a real reminder that Russia is the aggressor here and that is being felt by the Ukrainians, as it has been felt for three long years now. That’s why it’s important to get Russia to an unconditional ceasefire.”
South African president Cyril Ramaphosa praised Zelenskyy during his first visit to South Africa for agreeing to an unconditional ceasefire in the war with Russia so that peace talks could begin. “It is a good signal from president Zelensky that Ukraine is agreeable to an unconditional ceasefire so that discussions and negotiations can then ensue,” Ramaphosa told reporters after talks with the Ukrainian leader.
French president Emmanuel Macron said Putin needed to “stop lying” over wanting peace in Ukraine while continuing to strike the country. “The only thing to do is for president Putin to finally stop lying,” Macron said during a visit to Madagascar. He accused the Russian leader of telling US negotiators “he wants peace” but then continuing “to bombard Ukraine”.
Boris Johnson issued stern criticism of Trump’s Ukraine peace proposals in one of his first apparent censures of the US president, saying under his terms the Ukrainians would “get nothing”.
Ukraine’s prosecutor general’s office said it has identified the body of Ukrainian journalist Viktoriia Roshchyna, who died after spending months in Russian captivity.
A forensic medical examination revealed signs of torture and ill-treatment, it said.
Roshchyna, 27, disappeared in August 2023 while reporting from Russia-held eastern Ukraine. Her body was discovered among bodies that Russia handed over to Ukraine in February, the office said.
Ukrainian forensic experts were unable to determine the cause of death, but found signs of injuries and possible torture, Yurii Bielousov, head of the war crimes department for Ukraine’s prosecutor general, said on Thursday.
According to the results of the forensic medical examination, numerous signs of torture and ill-treatment were found on the victim’s body, in particular, abrasions and hemorrhages on various parts of the body, and a rib was broken.
Donald Trump, taking questions from reporters in the White House, was asked “what concessions has Russia offered up thus far to get to the point where you’re closer to peace”. He replied:
Stopping the war, stopping taking the whole country. Pretty big concessions.
Boris Johnson has issued stern criticism of Donald Trump’s Ukraine peace proposals in one of his first apparent censures of the US president, saying under his terms the Ukrainians would “get nothing”.
The former British prime minister, a strong supporter of Ukraine who remains close to Ukraine’s president, Volodomyr Zelenskyy, has previously said there is “method in the madness” of Trump’s approach and that he believed the US president could bring peace.
But in a post on X, Johnson criticised the apparent terms of a deal that Trump is pushing Kyiv to accept.
“Putin indiscriminately butchers more Ukrainian civilians, killing and injuring 100 in Kyiv including children,” Johnson posted. “And what is his reward under the latest peace proposals?
1. The right to keep sovereign Ukrainian territory he has taken by violence and in breach of international law. 2. The right to control Ukraine’s destiny by forbidding Nato membership. 3. The lifting of sanctions against Russia. 4. An economic partnership with America. 5. The chance to rebuild his armed forces for the next attack in a few short years’ time.
He added:
As for Ukraine – what do they get after three years of heroic resistance against a brutal and unprovoked invasion? What is their reward for the appalling sacrifices they have made – for the sake, as they have endlessly been told, of freedom and democracy around the world?
Apart from the right to share their natural resources with the United States they get nothing. What is there in this deal that can realistically stop a third Russian invasion? Nothing. If we are to prevent more atrocities by Putin then we must have a long-term, credible and above all properly funded security guarantee for Ukraine – a guarantee issued by the UK, the US and all western allies.
Trump says 'very difficult' for Ukraine to get Crimea back
Donald Trump was asked whether he agreed that Ukraine will have to give some territory away as part of a potential peace plan with Russia.
“They’ve lost a lot of territory, and we’ll do the best we can,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.
He said Crimea was “handed over” to Russia while Barack Obama was president, adding that “that had nothing to do with me.”
Asked if Ukraine can get Crimea back, Trump replied:
I think that’s going to be a very difficult thing to do.
Norway’s prime minister Jonas Gahr Støre, speaking next to Donald Trump in the Oval Office, praised the US president for his role in pushing for an end to the war in Ukraine.
“Ukraine is under attack,” he said. “They are defending themselves.”
The important thing is that both parties have to know that they have to deliver and they have to feel the pressure to deliver.
He said the US took the initiative to push for a ceasefire and “it needs to be respected”.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in his update on X, called for “real pressure” on Russia to stop its attacks on Ukraine.
“Even in the midst of international diplomatic efforts to end this war, Russia continues killing civilians,” Zelenskyy wrote. “That means Putin is not afraid.”
There must be a full and unconditional halt to the strikes, and Russia must agree to it. This war must be ended justly. And to truly guarantee the safety of our people, we need to strengthen our air shield.
“The cooperation of states that value people and life must stop the alliances of murderers,” he added.
Russian strike on Kyiv used ballistic missile manufactured in North Korea, says Zelenskyy
Volodymyr Zelenskyy said preliminary information showed that a North Korean ballistic missile was used during the Russian air attack overnight that killed at least 12 people in Kyiv.
“Debris removal operations are still ongoing in Kyiv following the Russian missile strike,” the Ukrainian leader said in a social media update on Thursday. He said rescuers and emergency services are continuing to work on the scene. Zelenskyy said:
According to preliminary information, the Russians used a ballistic missile manufactured in North Korea. Our special services are verifying all the details.
If the information that this missile was made in North Korea is confirmed, this will be further proof of the criminal nature of the alliance between Russia and Pyongyang.
They kill people and torment lives together – that is the only meaning behind their cooperation. Russia continuously uses such weapons – missiles, artillery. In return, Pyongyang got the opportunity to make its weapons more deadly under real wartime conditions.
The US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, said the war in Ukraine is “end-able”. “Both sides just have to agree to it,” he tells reporters at the White House.
We’ve shown them a pathway forward. We’ve discussed those ideas … We’ve shown them the finish line.
Rubio said the Russian attacks on Kyiv overnight “should remind everybody of why their war needs to end. It’s horrible.” He added:
We can see the finish line, but both of them have to get there. We’re going to do everything we can to help them get there, but they have to ultimately say yes.
“We are using a lot of pressure on both,” Rubio said.
Trump says he 'wasn't happy' after Russian attack on Kyiv
Donald Trump says he thinks “we’re going to get this over with” hopefully “soon” in terms of ending the war in Ukraine.
“The next few days are going to be very important for the Ukraine war,” Trump says.
The US president says he “wasn’t happy” with Russia’s attack on Kyiv overnight, which has killed at least 12 people.
Asked whether he would consider imposing additional sanctions on Russia, he says he would “rather answer that question in a week”.
“We’re putting a lot of pressure on Russia, and Russia knows that,” Trump said. He noted also:
It takes two to tango and make a deal too, and [Ukraine is] being hit very hard, and I do believe they want to make a deal.
Updated
Trump says he has 'no allegiance' in Russia-Ukraine war
Donald Trump is speaking to reporters as he welcomes Norway’s prime minister, Jonas Gahr Støre, at the White House for talks.
Asked about Norway’s staunch support for Ukraine, Trump says he has “no allegiance to anybody”.
“I have an allegiance to saving lives,” Trump said. “I want to save a lot of lives.”
Asked if he and Støre found any common ground on Ukraine, Trump said the Norwegian prime minister “wants to see people stop dying more than anything else … and he’s going to help us end it.”
Here are some of the latest images from Kyiv after at least 12 people were killed and more than 90 injured after Russia pounded the Ukrainian capital with missiles and drones.
Rescuers were still recovering bodies from the rubble over 12 hours after waves of drones as well as ballistic and guided missiles struck the Ukrainian capital early on Thursday.
“Mobile phones can be heard ringing under the ruins,” Ukraine’s interior minister, Ihor Klymenko, said. “The search will continue until everybody is got out.”
The UK Conservative party leader, Kemi Badenoch, declined to say whether Britain could still regard Donald Trump as an ally after his comments about Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Badenoch, speaking to broadcasters on Thursday, said:
President Zelenskyy is a hero and we need to do everything we can to support Ukraine to end this war.
They are fighting this war on behalf of all of Europe. Russia is the opponent here, they are not an ally.
And President Trump may have a different view, perhaps because of how they have been supporting Ukraine and the money they have spent, and this is why it is really important that our Prime Minister does everything he can to rebuild that relationship.
Here’s more from Donald Trump, who was speaking to reporters ahead of a meeting with Norway’s prime minister, Jonas Gahr Støre, at the White House.
His comments came after the US president issued a rare rebuke of Russia, after Moscow carried out one of the most devastating air attacks against Ukraine for months, killing at least 12 people and injuring more than 90.
Trump said he believes Vladimir Putin is serious about securing a peace deal with Ukraine:
We are thinking very strongly that they both want peace, but they have to get to the table. We’re waiting a long time.
Trump added that there is a lot of “hatred, bad blood and disgust” between Russia and Ukraine:
I think we’re going to get peace ... [I] hope we’re going to get there.
“I have my own deadline and we want it to be fast,” he said.
Asked if he believed Putin would listen to him, Trump replied: “I do.”
Summary of the day so far
This blog will be handed over shortly to the Guardian US team. Here is a summary of the day so far:
US president Donald Trump said he thinks Russian president Vladimir Putin will listen to him on stopping the strikes on Ukraine, after urging Moscow’s leader in a Truth Social post earlier on Thursday to stop the attacks. As he entered the White House with Norway’s prime minister Jonas Gahr Støre, Trump was asked by a reporter if he thought Putin will listen to him. “I do,” Trump said.
The death toll from a Russian missile attack on Kyiv – the largest since last summer – rose to 12 people after two more bodies were pulled from under the rubble, Ukrainian rescuers said. They added that the number of wounded had risen to 90. The Ukrainian air force said Russia had fired at least 70 missiles and 145 drones at Ukraine overnight, the main target being Kyiv.
Russia claimed it had targeted Ukraine’s defence industry, including plants that produced “rocket fuel and gunpowder” in overnight strikes. “Overnight, the Russian armed forces carried out a massive strike with long-range air, land and sea-based weapons, and drones, on Ukraine’s aviation, aerospace, machine-building and armoured vehicle industries,” the defence ministry said, adding: “The objectives of the strike have been achieved”.
President Cyril Ramaphosa praised Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy during his first visit to South Africa on Thursday for agreeing to an unconditional ceasefire in the war with Russia so that peace talks could begin. “It is a good signal from president Zelensky that Ukraine is agreeable to an unconditional ceasefire so that discussions and negotiations can then ensue,” Ramaphosa told reporters after talks with the Ukrainian leader.
Speaking at a press conference with Ramaphosa, Zelenskyy stressed once again that Ukraine, unlike Russia, agreed to president Trump’s request for an unconditional ceasefire. He said that Ukraine has done as much as possible to progress in talks with the US by signing a memorandum on minerals, after removing provisions that would contradict its constitution. He added that Ukraine does not “see strong pressure on Russia now” nor new sanctions against Moscow, despite its unwillingness to progress the talks.
Russia – fresh after launching deadly attacks on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities overnight – accused Zelenskyy of wrecking diplomacy aimed at reaching a peace deal after he refused to agree to recognise Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea. Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova told reporters that it was becoming clearer by the minute that Zelenskyy lacked the capacity to negotiate a deal to end the war.
The United States will demand that Russia accept Ukraine’s right to have its own army and defence industry as part of a peace agreement between Moscow and Kyiv, Bloomberg News reported on Thursday, citing people familiar with the matter. US special envoy Steve Witkoff is expected to raise the issue with Putin when they next meet, the report added.
Poland strongly condemned the Russian attacks on Kyiv and Kharkiv. “We express our solidarity with Ukraine, extending our sympathy to the families of the victims and all those affected by this tragedy,” the Polish foreign ministry said on X. Danish prime minister Mette Frederiksen also reacted to the overnight strikes on Kyiv, saying in her social media that the strikes sent “a clear message from Kremlin: Russia has no real interest in peace”.
Moscow’s overnight strikes on Kyiv are a “real reminder that Russia is the aggressor”, UK prime minister Keir Starmer said on Thursday. Asked for his reaction to the attacks on a visit to Bristol, Starmer told broadcasters: “I think it’s a real reminder that Russia is the aggressor here and that is being felt by the Ukrainians, as it has been felt for three long years now. That’s why it’s important to get Russia to an unconditional ceasefire.”
Seperately, at the Summit on the Future of Energy Security in London, Starmer spoke about the importance of getting off Russian sources of energy and their backing for Ukraine. Starmer said: “Europe must never again be in a position where Russia thinks that they can blackmail us on energy.”
The French president, Emmanuel Macron, said Putin needed to “stop lying” over wanting peace in Ukraine while continuing to strike the country. “The only thing to do is for president Putin to finally stop lying,” Macron said during a visit to Madagascar. He accused the Russian leader of telling US negotiators “he wants peace” but then continuing “to bombard Ukraine”.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the Russian attacks on Ukraine overnight made a mockery of its claims of seeking peace. In a post on social media, she said:
“While claiming to seek peace, Russia launched a deadly airstrike on Kyiv. This isn’t a pursuit of peace, it’s a mockery of it. The real obstacle is not Ukraine but Russia, whose war aims have not changed.”
In a wide-ranging speech on Thusday, the EU’s von der Leyen talked about the need to “team up” with the UK to offer regulatory certainty to investors and about the potential for more clean energy investment in the North Sea. But she also spoke on Europe’s experience of how “Russia intentionally weaponised energy supplies,” also in other regions. She admitted that “for decades … we failed to recognise the costs that came with this dependence: the risk of blackmail, economic coercion, price shocks, that reality was exposed after the full scale invasion of Ukraine”.
A British deputy foreign minister said that the UK does not recognise Russian sovereignty over any territory illegally seized from Ukraine. Stephen Doughty, responding to an urgent question on talks in London to broker peace, told the House of Commons: “The UK’s position regarding Ukrainian sovereignty is well known and our position has not changed, and we do not recognise Russian sovereignty over any territory illegally seized from Ukraine, including Crimea.”
Thousands of pilgrims continue to pay their final respects to Pope Francis, as he lies in state in St Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican. Despite earlier announcements, the basilica closed for just one hour overnight for cleaning, in a push to accommodate more visits before Friday night.
A student at a French high school stabbed four other students at his school on Thursday, killing at least one and injuring three others before being arrested, police said. The circumstances of the attack were not immediately clear. A national police official said it had taken place at the private Notre-Dame-de-Toutes-Aides high school in Nantes on the Atlantic coast.
The Polish and Israeli presidents joined thousands of Israeli youth and others in an annual march at the former German Nazi Auschwitz death camp on Israel’s Holocaust Remembrance Day. The group included Holocaust survivors and former Israeli hostages who were captured by Hamas and held in the Gaza Strip, organisers said.
Two Swedish fighter jets under Nato command were scrambled over the Baltic Sea to escort away a Russian reconnaissance plane that was approaching Polish airspace, Sweden’s armed forces said.
Trump says he has his own deadline on Russian war in Ukraine
US president Donald Trump, who campaigned on ending Russia’s war in Ukraine on his first day in office, on Thursday said that he has his own deadline for the conflict and that Ukraine and Russia have to both negotiate.
“I have my own deadline,” he told reporters at the White House before his meeting with Norway’s prime minister Jonas Gahr Støre, according to Reuters.
Trump says he thinks Putin will listen to him on stopping strikes in Ukraine
US president Donald Trump said he thinks Russian president Vladimir Putin will listen to him on stopping the strikes on Ukraine, after urging Moscow’s leader in a Truth Social post earlier on Thursday to stop the attacks.
As he entered the White House with Norway’s prime minister Jonas Gahr Støre, Trump was asked by a reporter if he thought Putin will listen to him. “I do,” Trump said, reports Reuters.
Updated
President Cyril Ramaphosa praised Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy during his first visit to South Africa on Thursday for agreeing to an unconditional ceasefire in the war with Russia so that peace talks could begin, reports Agence France-Presse (AFP).
Ramaphosa threw South Africa’s weight behind the push for an end to the more than three-year war, holding talks with Zelensky hours after agreeing in a call with US president Donald Trump that the conflict should be ended urgently.
“It is a good signal from president Zelensky that Ukraine is agreeable to an unconditional ceasefire so that discussions and negotiations can then ensue,” Ramaphosa told reporters after talks with the Ukrainian leader, according to AFP.
He added:
It is a confidence-building measure that should be a key ingredient in a negotiation process.
Even while welcoming Zelensky to South Africa, Ramaphosa has maintained warm ties with Russia. He said he had spoken to Putin earlier in the week and “we both committed to work together towards a peaceful resolution of the Russia-Ukraine conflict”.
Earlier on Thursday, he spoke with Trump and they agreed “that the war should be brought to an end as soon as possible to stop further unnecessary deaths”, the South African president said.
They would “meet soon to address various matters regarding US-South Africa relations,” he said, referring to a nosedive in bilateral ties after Trump came to power this year.
US attacks on various South African domestic and international policies culminated in the cutting of aid and expulsion of Pretoria’s ambassador last month.
Ramaphosa said his country was ready to play a role in the “inclusive multilateral efforts” to reach peace in Ukraine.
He said:
And we call upon all parties, both Russia and Ukraine, to ensure that there is a comprehensive ceasefire, an unconditional ceasefire, so that discussions and negotiations can start between the two countries.
Poland strongly condemns Russian attacks on Kyiv and Kharkiv
Poland strongly condemned the Russian attacks on Kyiv and Kharkiv, which killed at least 12 people in Ukraine’s capital.
“We express our solidarity with Ukraine, extending our sympathy to the families of the victims and all those affected by this tragedy,” the Polish foreign ministry said on X.
Updated
US to demand peace agreement includes Ukraine's right to an army – reports
The United States will demand that Russia accept Ukraine’s right to have its own army and defence industry as part of a peace agreement between Moscow and Kyiv, Bloomberg News reported on Thursday, citing people familiar with the matter.
US special envoy Steve Witkoff is expected to raise the issue with Russian president Vladimir Putin when they next meet, the report added.
Updated
Russian president Vladimir Putin urged his economic officials on Thursday to take advantage of opportunities arising in the global economy from market turbulence and intensifying trade wars, reports Reuters.
Russia, whose trade with the United States and European Union has fallen sharply due to sanctions imposed over its ongoing war in Ukraine, has not suffered from the US tariffs on many countries announced by US president Donald Trump.
Russia’s economy has performed better than it expected during the three years of conflict despite sanctions, but the country is now bracing for a protracted period of lower oil prices – its main export – and declining budget revenues.
Speaking to officials, Putin said:
The global economic situation is becoming more complicated as commodities and financial markets experience significant fluctuations due to intensified global competition.
“It is necessary not only to monitor these factors and predict their changes but also to use the emerging opportunities to develop domestic production, trade relations and exports to strengthen the national economy as a whole,” Putin added.
The comments were Putin’s first on the global economic situation since the US tariffs were announced. Putin, who has engaged in diplomacy with the US to seek peace in Ukraine, has praised Trump and his policies on many occasions.
Putin’s meeting with officials took place one day before the central bank’s board meets to decide on its benchmark interest rate, which is currently at 21% – its highest level since the early years of Putin’s rule, reports Reuters.
Both the central bank and the finance ministry, whose heads attended the meeting with Putin, warned about the consequences of global turbulence on the Russian economy.
UK PM says overnight attacks on Kyiv are ‘reminder that Russia is the real aggressor’
Moscow’s overnight strikes on Kyiv are a “real reminder that Russia is the aggressor”, UK prime minister Keir Starmer said on Thursday.
Asked for his reaction to the attacks on a visit to Bristol, Starmer told broadcasters:
I think it’s a real reminder that Russia is the aggressor here and that is being felt by the Ukrainians, as it has been felt for three long years now.
That’s why it’s important to get Russia to an unconditional ceasefire.
Obviously, we had talks in London this week, Paris last week. We’re making progress towards the ceasefire. It’s got to be a lasting ceasefire.
But these attacks – these awful attacks – are a real, human reminder of who is the aggressor here and the cost to the Ukrainian people.
Meanwhile, 150 new trade sanctions against Russia have been introduced by the UK, the Foreign Office has announced. The ban impacts software and technology used in Russian defence and energy sectors, including banning video game controllers used to pilot drones on the frontlines in Ukraine.
Foreign Office minister Stephen Doughty said:
Putin thought he could use British markets to boost his war effort, buying harmless goods and turning them into tools of war – but the UK is exposing and acting on this sinister trade. Today’s action clamps down on Russia’s sneaky trading and deprives Putin of the goods he desperately needs to fight his barbaric war.
Cutting off Russia’s energy revenues will drain Putin’s war chest – that’s why we’re shutting down the sale of sophisticated software used to cash in on new oil and gas reserves, preventing UK expertise from being used to pour fresh fuel into Russia’s war machine.
We’re also banning outright video game controllers going to Russia, preventing them from being used to pilot drones on the frontline, meaning gaming consoles will no longer be repurposed to kill in Ukraine.
And our tough new measures will also degrade Russia’s military machine – new export sanctions mean Putin will no longer be able to get his hands on specialist technology used to produce weaponry for his illegal war.
… and on that note, it’s a wrap from me, Jakub Krupa, but I leave you with Amy Sedghi who will guide you through the afternoon and bring you all the latest updates.
12 dead, 90 injured in Russian attack on Kyiv, emergency service says
The death toll from a Russian missile attack on Kyiv – the largest since last summer – rose to 12 people after two more bodies were pulled from under the rubble, Ukrainian rescuers said, AFP reported.
They added that the number of wounded had risen to 90.
Von der Leyen warns against Russia weaponising energy supplies, using blackmail, as she calls for more cooperation
In a wide-ranging speech after Starmer, the EU’s von der Leyen talked about the need to “team up” with the UK to offer regulatory certainty to investors and about the potential for more clean energy investment in the North Sea.
But she also spoke on Europe’s experience of how “Russia intentionally weaponised energy supplies,” also in other regions.
She admitted that “for decades … we failed to recognise the costs that came with this dependence: the risk of blackmail, economic coercion, price shocks, that reality was exposed after the full scale invasion of Ukraine.”
Von der Leyen praised the EU’s response and its efforts to diversity supply and “accelerate” the clean energy transition, but “we all know that there is so much more to do.”
In a bid to win over US president Donald Trump, she made a number of pointed references to the importance of LNG imports from the US.
She also talked about the importance of protecting critical infrastructure, in cooperation with Nato, including on undersea cables.
In a further apparent response to Starmer’s call for closer relations, she said “Europe is ready to work with all of you.”
“We are in close cooperation anyway, but it’s a broader offer here. As the saying goes, you know it all: if you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together and we want to go far.”
Updated
Europe must never again risk blackmail from Russia, Starmer says, as he calls for 'partnership with EU that meets needs of our time'
Back to Russia and Ukraine, UK prime minister Keir Starmer and European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen are both at the Summit on the Future of Energy Security in London and spoke about the importance of getting off Russian sources of energy and their backing for Ukraine.
Starmer said that “every family and every business across the United Kingdom has paid the price for Russia weaponising energy,” as he added:
Europe must never again be in a position where Russia thinks that they can blackmail us on energy and until Russia comes to the table and agrees a full and unconditional ceasefire.
We must continue to crack down on their energy revenues, which are still fuelling Putin’s war chest.
But then in comments that are likely to attract some attention ahead of next month’s UK-EU summit on reset, Starmer added that “it’s the moment to build a partnership with the EU that meets the needs of our time”.
Pope Francis’ funeral is loaded with potential for diplomatic awkwardness
St Peter’s Basilica has reopened for thousands of people to pay their final respects to Pope Francis for a second day, following a brief pause after keeping its doors open all night.
The 16th-century basilica, where Francis’s simple wooden coffin is placed on the main altar, was scheduled to close at midnight but remained open until 5.30am to allow in those who still wished to enter.
The Vatican said on Thursday that more than 60,000 people had viewed the late pontiff’s body since the basilica opened to the faithful on Wednesday morning.
But as world leaders head to Rome for the funeral of Pope Francis on Saturday, fraught Vatican officials will be poring over logistics in an effort to avoid diplomatic awkwardness.
Should Donald Trump be kept away from the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy? Or the French president, Emmanuel Macron, or Brazil’s leftist leader, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, or any Iranians that might appear? There may be relief that Vladimir Putin has said he will not attend, but will everyone expect front row seats?
The pope’s funeral provides an unexpected opportunity for impromptu international diplomacy and uncomfortable encounters. The 10am start means most heads of state and political leaders will arrive in Rome on Friday evening, with a brief window for meetings if desired.
“There will be some potentially really interesting dynamics at the funeral,” said Francis Campbell, who was the UK’s ambassador to the Holy See between 2005 and 2011.
The last comparable occasion, the funeral of Pope John Paul II in April 2005, was the “diplomatic event of the year”, according to the Center on Public Diplomacy at the University of Southern California.
Student killed and three injured in stabbing attack at French high school
A student at a French high school stabbed four other students at his school on Thursday, killing at least one and injuring three others before being arrested, police said.
The circumstances of the attack were not immediately clear. A national police official said it had taken place at the private Notre-Dame-de-Toutes-Aides high school in Nantes on the Atlantic coast.
The student stabbed four people with a knife during a lunch break before teachers subdued him, and he was later taken in by police, the official – who was not authorised to be named publicly – said.
A police spokesperson said there was no indication of a terrorist motive. Teachers had overpowered the student, 15, before police arrived, they said.
Polish, Israeli presidents join thousands in March of the Living
The Polish and Israeli presidents joined thousands of Israeli youth and others in an annual march at the former German Nazi Auschwitz death camp on Israel’s Holocaust Remembrance Day, AP reported.
The group included Holocaust survivors and former Israeli hostages who were captured by Hamas and held in the Gaza Strip, organisers said.
AP explained that every year young Israelis, many with their national flag around their shoulders, are among those making the March of the Living to remember the victims of the Holocaust.
Polish President Andrzej Duda and his Israeli counterpart, Isaac Herzog, spoke to reporters ahead of the march, describing their presence as part of an effort to stand against antisemitism.
Let’s take a quick look at other events around Europe now.
'US anger should be directed at ... Putin,' Macron says, as he urged Russian leader to 'stop lying'
We now have more lines from Emmanuel Macron (14:27).
The French president said Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin needed to “stop lying” over wanting peace in Ukraine while continuing to strike the country, he said in comments reported by the AFP.
“The only thing to do is for President Putin to finally stop lying,” Macron said during a visit to Madagascar.
He accused the Russian leader of telling US negotiators “he wants peace” but then continuing “to bombard Ukraine”.
“In Ukraine, they only want a single answer: Does President Putin agree to an unconditional ceasefire?” Macron said.
Macron said Putin was the only person holding up the US-proposed and European-backed proposal.
“If President Putin says yes, the weapons will fall silent tomorrow, lives will be saved.”
“US anger should be directed at only one person, President Putin,” he added.
Updated
Zelenskyy calls for more pressure on Russia after massive Kyiv attack – video
You can watch Zelenskyy’s comments from Pretoria earlier in this short clip.
'Vladimir, STOP!', Trump demands, as he says he's 'not happy' with 'not necessary' Russian strikes on Kyiv
US president Donald Trump has just responded to the overnight attacks on Kyiv, saying he is “not happy,” and calling them “not necessary” and criticising “very bad timing”.
In a social media post, he said:
I am not happy with the Russian strikes on KYIV. Not necessary, and very bad timing. Vladimir, STOP! 5000 soldiers a week are dying. Lets get the Peace Deal DONE!
Zelenskyy cannot be expected to accept ceasefire while Kyiv is bombarded, Macron says
French president Emmanuel Macron has also expressed his support for Ukraine and the country’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, despite mounting pressure from the US.
Reuters said that speaking during a visit to Madagascar, he told reporters that one cannot expect Zelenskyy to accept ceasefire terms while Kyiv, the country’s capital, is being bombarded.
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Thousands of pilgrims pay respects to Pope Francis
Elsewhere, thousands of pilgrims continue to pay their final respects to Pope Francis, as he lies in state in St Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican.
Despite earlier announcements, the basilica closed for just one hour overnight for cleaning, in a push to accommodate more visits before Friday night.
By Thursday lunchtime, more than 60,000 people had stood in line for hours in St Peter’s Square to make their way into the basilica to catch a glimpse of Francis’s body, which is laid out in an open coffin, PA noted.
The Vatican also confirmed today that the public will be able to visit Pope Francis’s tomb at the Roman basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore “as early as Sunday morning,” after his funeral on Saturday.
Zelenskyy's press conference with SA's Ramaphosa - snap analysis
The atmosphere at Zelenskyy’s joint press conference with President Cyril Ramaphosa was mostly serious, perhaps paying heed to the loss of life in Ukraine overnight.
It warmed up towards the end of the question and answer session, when Zelenskyy switched from Ukrainian to English to joke with Ramaphosa about whether he had managed to answer the multiple questions posed by journalists.
Zelenskyy refused to be drawn on what Ukraine was willing to compromise on, returning again and again to the need for more pressure on Russia to agree to a comprehensive, unconditional ceasefire.
Ramaphosa was more cautious in his language, calling on “both parties” to agree to a ceasefire and saying the war had negatively affected both Russia and Ukraine. However, he later said that Ukraine should be commended for agreeing to an unconditional ceasefire, saying it was “a positive signal that should be embraced.”
Let’s quickly go to our Southern Africa correspondent Rachel Savage for her take on this press conference.
'Clear message from Kremlin: Russia has no real interest in peace,' Danish PM says
In the last half hour, Danish prime minister Mette Frederiksen also reacted to the overnight strikes on Kyiv, saying in her social media that the strikes sent “a clear message from Kremlin: Russia has no real interest in peace.”
Here is what she said:
“Kyiv was brutally attacked by Russia again last night.
A clear message from the Kremlin: Russia has no real interest in peace.
Peace cannot be negotiated under fire. Denmark stands with Ukraine against this brutality.”
Closing the press conference, South Africa’s Ramaphosa highlights the Ukrainian willingness to talk about an unconditional ceasefire, which he says could be “a key ingredient in a negotiation process.”
He gets asked about the US threat to withdraw from the peace process, and says that “it is for the US to decide on the role they want to play,” but adds “we believe the US has an important role to play, as does Europe,” and others, like China and Brazil.
And that concludes their press conference, with Zelenskyy confirming earlier that he will cut the visit short to return to Ukraine, with foreign ministry officials picking up the rest of the programme.
Not enough strong pressure on Russia, Ukraine's Zelenskyy says
Responding to another round of questions, Zelenskyy stresses once again that Ukraine, unlike Russia, agreed to president Trump’s request for an unconditional ceasefire.
He says that Ukraine has done as much as possible to progress in talks with the US by signing a memorandum on minerals, after removing provisions that would contradict its constitution.
He says Ukraine does not “see strong pressure on Russia now” nor new sanctions against Moscow, despite its unwillingness to progress the talks.
“We believe that with greater pressure on the Russian Federation, we will be able to bring our sides closer,” he says.
He adds that any further compromises can be discussed once the ceasefire is agreed.
But he notes that after over three years of fighting a war of aggression with thousands killed, the willingness to sit down for talks with the aggressor is already a compromise.
The Ukrainian president says that agreeing to the ceasefire would demonstrate “political goodwill” from all sides.
He repeats that Ukraine’s focus is on ending the war, and stresses the importance of returning the Ukrainian children abducted by Russia back home.
Zelenskyy also specifically calls on the US to play a substantial role in guaranteeing peace as he says that the outcome of London talks should be now on president Trump’s desk for consideration.
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In his responses, South Africa’s Ramaphosa sticks to his earlier lines, calling for a diplomatic and negotiated solution to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
He also says that “the world as a whole is ready to act as guarantors” of peace, adding that both South Africa and other African leaders “would be willing to play that positive role as well.”
“All wars do come to an end, and it depends at what stage they come to an end, and we say it should be sooner rather than later, because the continuation of this war continues to wreak havoc, destruction of lives, infrastructure, economies of both countries,” he says.
Russia seeks to put pressure, isolate Ukraine, Zelenskyy warns, as he thanks for 'not easy, but constructive' London talks
Responding to questions, Zelenskyy also says that while he wouldn’t associate the attack with his visit to South Africa, he believes that “Putin does not like Ukraine’s presence” in Africa, as it wants it to block from having normal relations with other states.
He says Russia seeks to put pressure on Ukraine and the US in the peace process, as he describes yesterday’s talks in London as “not easy, but constructive.”
“[The meeting] ended not with disagreements, but with a will to work further,” he says, adding that Russia must have been hoping for “a big scandal,” as he dismisses some later comments – presumably Trump’s burst overnight – as “emotions.”
He says Russia hopes to isolate Ukraine to make it an easier target, but notes that “even in the first days of the war, when we were almost alone, we were able to hold up,” and Ukraine is now “much stronger.”
He returns to his main message:
“If Russia declares that it is ready for a ceasefire, they need to stop the strikes on Ukraine.”
It is on Russia to issue orders to stop attacks, Zelenskyy says
In his opening comments, Zelenskyy talks about the shared values between the two countries, and their “desire for freedom, for independence, for equality and respect.”
Addressing the overnight strikes, he talks about some of the individual stories of those killed in the attack, and adds that rescue operations are still on-going.
He says he agrees with Ramaphosa on the need for a ceasefire, but stresses that its effectiveness depends on Russia, as it has not made the necessary orders to its army.
Noting a brief pause over Easter, he says that “unfortunately, after Easter, Russia resumed assaults on the front and strikes on our cities,” and he stressed the need to put more pressure on Russia to end the war through all diplomatic avenues, including the G20 format that is chaired by South Africa.
He also talks about the need to rescue Ukrainian children abducted by Russia during the war.
South Africa 'deeply concerned' about continuing Ukraine conflict, calls for ceasefire, Ramaphosa says
Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy and South Africa’s Cyril Ramaphosa are now giving a briefing after their talks in Pretoria, South Africa.
Opening, Ramaphosa notes close relations between the two countries and the support South Africa received from Ukraine “during our liberation struggle.”
Crucially, he says:
South Africa is deeply concerned about the continuing conflict in Ukraine, the continuing loss of civilian lives, the damage to critical infrastructure and deteriorating humanitarian situation.
South Africa believes that the only path to peace is through diplomacy, inclusive dialogue, and a commitment to the principles of the United Nations Charter.
This includes the principle that all member states should settle their international disputes by peaceful means, from the experience of our own journey from the nightmare of apartheid to democracy, we value the importance of engaging all parties to conflicts to achieve peace and a just, enduring solution to wars and conflicts.
He says that he spoke with Trump this morning and followed up on this in his talks with Zelenskyy today, adding:
We both agreed that the war should be brought to an end as soon as possible to prevent further death and destruction.
He then added that he also spoke with Russian president Vladimir Putin “earlier this week, where we both committed to work together towards a peaceful resolution of the Russia Ukraine conflict.”
“We call upon all parties, both Russia and Ukraine, to ensure that there is a comprehensive ceasefire, an unconditional ceasefire, so that discussions and negotiations can start between the two countries,” he adds.
“President Zelensky, as he himself will say, told me that, as Ukraine, they are ready to engage in discussions and negotiations with Russia, and they are also ready to have a comprehensive, unconditional ceasefire. This, we believe is the best way towards ending the war between Russia and Ukraine,” he stressed.
Russia's attacks 'make a mockery' of its claims about peace, EU's Kallas says
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the Russian attacks on Ukraine overnight made a mockery of its claims of seeking peace.
In a post on social media, she said:
“While claiming to seek peace, Russia launched a deadly airstrike on Kyiv.
This isn’t a pursuit of peace, it’s a mockery of it.
The real obstacle is not Ukraine but Russia, whose war aims have not changed.”
Swedish jets intercept Russian plane near Poland
Two Swedish fighter jets under Nato command were scrambled over the Baltic Sea to escort away a Russian reconnaissance plane that was approaching Polish airspace, Sweden’s armed forces said.
“The plane was close to Polish airspace so we went up to signal our presence, make a visual identification and escort it out of the area,” Swedish air force spokesperson Therese Akerstedt told AFP.
The Swedish jets, based in Malbork, Poland under Nato command, identified the aircraft as a Russian IL-20 Coot reconnaissance plane.
Britain does not recognise Russian claims to illegally occupied territory of Ukraine, minister says
Meanwhile, a British deputy foreign minister said that the UK does not recognise Russian sovereignty over any territory illegally seized from Ukraine.
PA reported that Stephen Doughty, responding to an urgent question on talks in London to broker peace, told the House of Commons:
“The UK’s position regarding Ukrainian sovereignty is well known and our position has not changed, and we do not recognise Russian sovereignty over any territory illegally seized from Ukraine, including Crimea.
And when, how and what terms this war comes to an end can only be decided by negotiations, with Ukraine at the heart.”
Doughty also condemned Russia’s “most brutal” attack overnight, as he said:
“While Ukraine has been in peace talks, Russia has continued these severe attacks, including last night, and that is a stark reminder of the continued bloodshed and aggression perpetrated by Putin.”
President Zelensky has shown his commitment to peace, President Putin must now agree to a full and immediate ceasefire without conditions as Ukraine has done. We will not stop in our efforts to work with all the parties to that end.”
Russia claims strikes targeted Ukrainian defence industry
Meanwhile, Russia claimed it had targeted Ukraine’s defence industry, including plants that produced “rocket fuel and gunpowder” in overnight strikes, AFP reported.
“Overnight, the Russian armed forces carried out a massive strike with long-range air, land and sea-based weapons, and drones, on Ukraine’s aviation, aerospace, machine-building and armoured vehicle industries,” the defence ministry said, adding: “The objectives of the strike have been achieved”.
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Zelenskyy meets South Africa's Ramaphosa in Pretoria
The rain had been hammering down but cleared up in time for the arrival of Zelenskyy, who got out of his car to shake Cyril Ramaphosa’s hand flanked by his body guards and gun-toting South African soldiers.
Russian strikes on Ukraine overnight - map
Here is a map of the Russian attacks on Ukraine last night, thanks to our brilliant graphics department.
In a social media update posted just before meeting with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, South African president Cyril Ramaphosa said he spoke with US president Donald Trump “to discuss the peace process in Ukraine.”
“We both agreed that the war should be brought to an end as soon as possible to stop further unnecessary deaths,” he said.
He added that they leaders “both agreed to meet soon to address various matters regarding US-South Africa relations,” and “spoke about the need to foster good relations between our two countries.”
Russia blames Ukraine's Zelenskyy for wrecking peace diplomacy
Meanwhile, Russia – fresh after launching deadly attacks on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities overnight – accused Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy of wrecking diplomacy aimed at reaching a peace deal after he refused to agree to recognise Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea, Reuters reported.
Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova told reporters that it was becoming clearer by the minute that Zelenskyy lacked the capacity to negotiate a deal to end the war.
Zakharova said decisions by European countries to continue supplying weapons to Kyiv were encouraging Zelenskyy to pursue the war, regardless of casualties, Reuters reported.
Their attitude showed some European countries were frightened by the prospect of a Russian victory, Russia’s Zakharova claimed.
We understand that while the visit will be cut short after Zelenskyy’s meeting with Ramaphosa, their media activities will still proceed, meaning we should hear from the Ukrainian president in the next few hours.
Rachel and I will keep an eye on this development to see if Zelenskyy takes part in a scheduled press conference in Pretoria in case he wants to say more about the attacks overnight.
We will keep you up to date.
Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in South Africa early this morning with his wife for a meeting with president Cyril Ramaphosa.
South Africa attracted the ire of Ukraine’s allies, including then US president Joe Biden, early in the conflict for refusing to condemn Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Then, in May 2023, the US ambassador to South Africa caused a diplomatic storm when he accused South Africa of supplying arms to Russia. Ramaphosa was in a delegation of seven African leaders who visited Ukraine and then Russia in June that year.
“The visits provides South Africa and Ukraine with an opportunity to discuss bilateral relations and expand bilateral cooperation in the areas of Trade, Agriculture and Education,” South Africa’s foreign ministry said in a statement.
“It will also explore areas of cooperation with the objective to support efforts to bring lasting peace.”
Let’s get a bit more background on that visit to South Africa from our correspondent, Rachel Savage.
Zelenskyy cuts visit to South Africa short after overnight attacks
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy has just reacted to the latest wave of attacks on Ukraine.
The Ukrainian president, visiting South Africa today, said in a social media update that he would inform the country’s president Cyril Ramaphosa “about the situation and our need to intensify global diplomatic efforts.”
But while this meeting with Ramaphosa is still expected to go ahead this morning, the broader visit to South Africa will be cut short, he said, as he intends to immediately return to Ukraine in the aftermath of last night’s attack.
Zelenskyy noted it has been “44 days since Ukraine agreed to a complete ceasefire” proposed by the US, but Russia “continues to kill people and avoid tough pressure and accountability for this.”
9 people were dead, and over 80 injured as a result of overnight strikes, he said.
“It is very important that everyone in the world sees and understands what is really happening,” he said.
“The cessation of strikes is necessary immediately and unconditionally. We also count on assistance in humanitarian matters – in the return of our captives and Ukrainian children abducted by Russia,” he said.
Zelenskyy said he would ask partners to help Ukraine strengthen its air defence to protect against further strikes.
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215 Russian strikes on Ukraine over night, Ukrainian air force says
Russia fired at least 70 missiles and 145 drones at Ukraine overnight, the main target being Kyiv where at least nine people were killed, the Ukrainian air force said.
In a statement on social media, the air force said it had “detected and tracked 215 enemy air targets” – including ballistic and cruise missiles – of which 112 were “confirmed to have been shot down,” AFP reported.
The post added that F-16 and Mirage fighter jets played “an active part in repelling the attack,” with Ukrainian pilots shooting down “dozens” of missiles.
'Particularly horrible' attack on Kyiv leaves nine dead, over 70 injured, foreign minister says
Ukraine’s foreign minister Andrii Sybiha responded to the overnight attacks on Telegram.
He said the overnight attack was “particularly horrible,” and confirmed nine deaths and over 70 people injured, including six children.
He added:
Yesterday’s Russian maximalist demands for Ukraine to withdraw from its regions, combined with these brutal strikes, show that Russia, not Ukraine, is the obstacle to peace.
Moscow, not Kyiv, is where pressure should be applied.
…
Putin demonstrates through his actions, not words, that he does not respect any peace efforts and only wants to continue the war.
Weakness and concessions will not stop his terror and aggression. Only strength and pressure will.
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People shelter in the metro as Russian missiles hit Ukraine's capital – video
'Major rescue operation' after Russian attack, minister says
Ukraine’s interior minister Ihor Klymenko said a major rescue operation was under way in the Svyatoshinsky district of Kyiv, involving dogs and engineering teams.
“Mobile phones can be heard ringing under the ruins. The search will continue until everybody is got out. We have information about two children who cannot be found at the scene of the incident,” he said.
Morning opening: Is this your idea of peace?
At least nine people have been killed and more than 60 wounded in a “massive” missile attack on Kyiv, according to Ukraine’s state emergency service. It is among the deadliest attacks on the capital of the three-year war.
The death toll could go up with reports of people trapped under the rubble and over 40 hospitalised in the aftermath of the attack.
The deadly strike comes a day after a diplomatic meeting in London to discuss the next steps and amid mounting pressure from president Donald Trump on Kyiv to accept a US-brokered peace deal, which would include the US formally recognising Russia’s seizure of Ukrainian Crimea as part of it.
In comments overnight, he boasted: ““I think we have a deal with Russia. We have to get a deal with Zelensky.”
He added: “I thought it might be easier to deal with Zelensky. So far it’s been harder.”
Or, as our defence and security editor Dan Sabbagh put it, “Russia is willing to trade territory it does not control in Ukraine – in effect fresh air – for a US recognition of its 2014 seizure of Crimea, in other words a formal acknowledgment that it is possible to change borders by force, in effect creating an extraordinary precedent.”
After Zelenskyy said Ukraine would never legally recognise the Russian-occupied Crimea, Trump lashed out on his social media blaming the Ukrainian president for “making it so difficult to settle this war” and “prolonging the ‘killing field’”.
White House Karoline Leavitt added that Trump’s patience was “running very thin.""
Let’s see what the day brings us.
Coincidentally, Nato secretary general Mark Rutte will be in Washington today and tomorrow, meeting with US state secretary Marco Rubio, defence secretary Pete Hegseth, and national security adviser Mike Waltz, giving him plenty of opportunities to get the latest US line on Ukraine.
Elsewhere, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen will visit London today for talks on energy security, with her trip coming less than a month before the much-anticipated EU-UK summit on “resetting” the relationship in mid-May.
And the coffin with body of Pope Francis continues to lie in state in St Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican as cardinals finalise arrangements for his funeral on Saturday, and the process of selecting his successor, set to kick off in early May.
It’s Thursday, 24 April 2025, it’s Jakub Krupa here, and this is Europe Live.
Good morning.
