This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . The next check for changes will be

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/czxwl15w2qko

The article has changed 14 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 2 Version 3
Ukraine has unbreakable pledge from West with Trump's backing - Starmer Macron says 26 countries ready to send troops for Ukraine ceasefire
(about 1 hour later)
Ukraine's president joined France's Emmanuel Macron for the summit at the Élysée PalaceUkraine's president joined France's Emmanuel Macron for the summit at the Élysée Palace
UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has told a summit of about 30 Western countries that they had an "unbreakable pledge" to Ukraine that was backed by the US, and now had to press Russia to end the war in Ukraine, a Downing Street spokeswoman says. Twenty-six Western allies have formally committed to deploying troops "by land, sea or air" to Ukraine the day after a ceasefire deal is agreed, Emmanuel Macron has said.
Sir Keir, who was co-chairing a largely virtual meeting with France's Emmanuel Macron, warned that Russia's Vladimir Putin could not be trusted as he continued to delay peace talks while continuing the 40-month full-scale war. Speaking after a summit of 35 countries dubbed the "Coalition of the Willing", the French president accused Russia of trying to delay the peace process to buy more time to seize more Ukrainian territory.
Hopes of a Ukraine-Russia summit to end the fighting have receded since Russia's Vladimir Putin met Donald Trump in Alaska last month. In the latest violence, two people clearing mines were killed in a Russian attack in northern Ukraine. Hopes of a Ukraine-Russia summit to end the fighting have receded since Russia's Vladimir Putin met Donald Trump in Alaska last month.
Trump, who still believes a deal is possible, spoke over the phone to Western allies after the meeting. Trump spoke to the Western allies over the phone on Thursday, and Macron said US support would be finalised in the coming days.
The US president has indicated he is willing to help Ukraine secure a deal, "probably" with air support. Details so far are vague, but air support could include help with air defence or intelligence. However, the US president was also critical of EU countries that continued to buy Russian oil, Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky told reporters.
Nato chief Mark Rutte said the aim was to have "clarity" on what the so-called "Coalition of the Willing" could deliver so they could discuss what the Americans could provide. The 27-member European Union has set a target of ending all gas and oil imports by the end of 2027. Hungary and Slovakia, whose leaders are seen as close to Russia, are among the EU's biggest importers of Russian oil.
Few countries have openly promised to deploy troops on the ground in Ukraine in the event of a deal, and the US has already ruled such a move out. European diplomats have suggested that committing troops at this point would probably help Putin's narrative against the West.
Moscow has made clear that no Western forces should be deployed to Ukraine and has insisted that it should be one of the countries acting as "guarantors" - an idea rejected by Kyiv and its allies.
The French president said he had "no doubt" of US willingness to be part of security guarantees for Ukraine.
Trump recently indicated that US backing could come "probably" in the form of air support. Details so far are vague, but air support could include help with air defence or intelligence.
Russia continues to send troops into Ukraine despite the latest attempts to set ceasefire talks, Macron complained.
In the latest violence, two people clearing mines were killed in a Russian attack in northern Ukraine.
UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said Western allies now had an "unbreakable pledge" to Ukraine, backed by the US, and had to press Russia to end the war, according to a Downing Street spokeswoman.
Sir Keir, who co-chaired the Paris summit remotely, said Putin could not be trusted.
Ukraine and its allies believe a ceasefire should be agreed before any attempt at securing a broader peace deal, although Russia disagrees.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said following the meeting that the first priority was to secure a ceasefire at a summit involving Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky, and then provide "strong security guarantees".German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said following the meeting that the first priority was to secure a ceasefire at a summit involving Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky, and then provide "strong security guarantees".
Ukraine and its allies believe a ceasefire should be agreed before any attempt at security a broader peace deal.
A source at the Élysée Palace said there were three aims behind the security guarantees:
to strengthen Ukraine's armed forces
to support them by deploying a separate force to make it clear to Russia that Ukraine had Western backing
and to have a US safety net, which the Americans would obviously have to maintain.
Zelensky's top officials held talks in Paris with US special envoy Steve Witkoff on Thursday.Zelensky's top officials held talks in Paris with US special envoy Steve Witkoff on Thursday.
4,000 miles from Ukraine this Asian city is part of Russia's war4,000 miles from Ukraine this Asian city is part of Russia's war
Putin: Russia will achieve aims military with no dealPutin: Russia will achieve aims military with no deal
More than three-and-a-half years after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Putin said this week there was "a certain light at the end of the tunnel" and that "there are options for ensuring Ukraine's security in the event the conflict ends".More than three-and-a-half years after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Putin said this week there was "a certain light at the end of the tunnel" and that "there are options for ensuring Ukraine's security in the event the conflict ends".
However, Russia has made clear that no Western forces should be deployed to Ukraine and it has insisted that it should be one of the countries acting as "guarantors" - an idea rejected by Kyiv and its allies. The prospect of a direct meeting involving Putin and Zelensky has become increasingly unlikely since it was suggested last month by President Trump.
Putin has also raised the unrealistic prospect of Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky coming to Moscow for talks. Putin suggested this week Zelensky could come to Moscow for talks, an idea branded "unacceptable" by Kyiv. The Ukrainian leader said it was indication Russia did not really want the meeting to take place.
Rutte said on Thursday that Russia had no veto on Western troops being deployed to Ukraine: "Why are we interested in what Russia thinks about troops in Ukraine? It's a sovereign country. It's not for them to decide." Nato chief Mark Rutte said on Thursday that Russia had no veto on Western troops being deployed to Ukraine: "Why are we interested in what Russia thinks about troops in Ukraine? It's a sovereign country. It's not for them to decide."
Trump told CBS News on Wednesday that he remained committed to reaching a deal to end the war and said he continued to have a good relationship with both Putin and Zelensky.Trump told CBS News on Wednesday that he remained committed to reaching a deal to end the war and said he continued to have a good relationship with both Putin and Zelensky.
"I think we're going to get it all straightened out," he said."I think we're going to get it all straightened out," he said.
Watch: 'My job is to make sure Ukraine stays in the fight', says John HealeyWatch: 'My job is to make sure Ukraine stays in the fight', says John Healey
UK Defence Secretary John Healey has praised Trump, who he says "brought Putin into talks" and "not closed off any options".UK Defence Secretary John Healey has praised Trump, who he says "brought Putin into talks" and "not closed off any options".
Ukraine is looking to the Coalition of the Willing to come up with a reassurance force involving British, French and other European troops. Germany has said it is too soon to make that kind of commitment.
The Russian leader, who spent Wednesday with China's Xi Jinping and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, claims that his country's military is pushing forward on all fronts in Ukraine.The Russian leader, who spent Wednesday with China's Xi Jinping and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, claims that his country's military is pushing forward on all fronts in Ukraine.
He warned that without a deal Moscow was prepared to "resolve all our tasks militarily".He warned that without a deal Moscow was prepared to "resolve all our tasks militarily".
While Ukraine and its allies say a ceasefire should be agreed initially, Russia has insisted its campaign will not end before a full peace deal. Russia has rejected the idea of an initial ceasefire, insisting its campaign will not end before a full peace deal.
The source at the Élysée Palace said it had already become clear that Russia had no intention of having a ceasefire as part of a peace deal. A source at the Élysée Palace suggested ahead of Thursday's talks that there were several historical examples of ceasefires that had lasted without a full peace agreement.
The source pointed to the demarcation line between North and South Korea, where a ceasefire had lasted for years with a powerfully armed, allied American deployment serving as a signal to North Korea. That concept was extremely important for the Ukrainians, the source added.The source pointed to the demarcation line between North and South Korea, where a ceasefire had lasted for years with a powerfully armed, allied American deployment serving as a signal to North Korea. That concept was extremely important for the Ukrainians, the source added.