Ukraine-Russia war latest: Trump attacks European leaders in tirade after Zelensky says peace is ‘very, very far away’

A fire broke out on an oil pipeline in Russia’s southern Rostov region on Monday after a Ukrainian drone attack, the regional governor said.

“As a result of a mass drone attack in Chertovsky district, a fire has broken out on an oil pipeline,” Rostov Governor Yuri Slyusar wrote on Telegram. He said workers had been evacuated from the area, just over the border from Ukraine, and no casualties had occurred. Emergency crews had been dispatched to the scene.

The King is “very conscious” of his global responsibility and unique diplomatic role and determined to put that to use, a royal source has said.

A royal source said: “It has been six days of royal diplomacy at its most delicate, deliberate and nuanced.

“His Majesty is very conscious of his responsibility globally, regionally and nationally – and passionately engaged in all the detail.”

The source added: “As a global statesman and a head of state for both the UK and Canada, the King’s role is highly significant, and His Majesty is determined to play his part, within appropriate parameters. His role by necessity and constitutional obligation is to offer symbolic gestures, rather than express comment.”

Although the King must remain politically neutral, he is able to advise and warn his ministers, including his prime ministers, when necessary.

The source described the King’s audiences with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday and Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau on Monday as being “routine but highly significant, given the global context”.

Details of what is discussed at private audiences are not shared by Buckingham Palace, but it is understood the challenges Canada faces with its nearest neighbour the US were high on the agenda, as was support for Ukraine.

In subsequent comments on the Telegram messaging app, Zelensky stressed unity between Ukraine and its partners, including the United States, following a telephone call with the leaders of the three Baltic states, which support Ukraine but did not attend Sunday’s summit of European nations in London.

Zelenskiy said he filled them in on the outcome of the meeting and repeated that Ukraine needed security guarantees as part of any settlement of the conflict.

“Together, we must prepare an action plan to bring us closer to real security guarantees. There are concrete initiatives and we will keep working,” he wrote.

“Unity with all our partners is important for us in order to end the war as quickly as possible and provide a reliable and durable peace,” Zelensky added. “Ukraine, Europe and the USA – only together can we bring security back for all our people. And this is truly possible.”

In what could be a major setback in ending Russia’s war on Ukraine, the US president launched a tirade just as the prime minister was on his feet in the Commons insisting America was vital, sincere and indispensable in the path to peace.

Sir Keir rejected calls from MPs for Britain to shun Trump and America after last week’s extraordinary ambush on Mr Zelensky in the White House Oval Office.

Our political editor David Maddox brings you the latest:

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed Russia’s war in Ukraine with Czech foreign minister Jan Lipavsky on Monday as Washington and Europe seek to regroup following President Trump’s clash with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky last week.

The two officials discussed U.S.-Czech relations “including our support of peace and stability, increasing defence spending for NATO, and buying U.S. technology to help meet Czechia’s energy needs,” U.S. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said in a statement following their call.

Rubio also “emphasized President Trump’s determination to bring a durable end to the Russia-Ukraine war,” she added. Trump on Monday signaled that his patience was running out as European leaders floated a potential ceasefire.

Lipavsky, in a post on X, said separately that working with the U.S. on a just and lasting peace for Ukraine remains a priority for the Czech government.

“We discussed mutually beneficial transatlantic cooperation including Europe significantly stepping up its burden sharing,” he said.

Northern Ireland’s First Minister has said she is “incredulous” at a large order for a Belfast plant to supply missiles for Ukraine.

The Thales plant in east Belfast is to supply 5,000 air defence missiles to Ukraine in a deal worth up to £1.6 billion, the UK Government has announced.

However, Michelle O’Neill said she found the deal “incredulous” at the time of public service cuts, winter fuel payment cuts, national insurance hikes and inheritance tax changes for farmers.

Speaking in the Northern Ireland Assembly on Monday, she said: “I think at a time like that, rather than buying weapons of war, I would rather see the money invested in public services.”

Ms O’Neill also said she felt the focus of the international community “should always be to work towards negotiation and peace settlements”.

“Our own example here will tell us that,” she added.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said on Sunday that the lightweight-multirole missiles (LMM) will be made at the Thales weapons plant in Belfast, creating 200 jobs.

Shares in Britain’s BAE Systems jumped by 19 per cent at one stage in Monday morning trading while Germany’s Rheinmetall gained 14 per cent, France’s Thales increased 16 per cent and Italy’s Leonardo was up 10 per cent.

Weapons manufacturers have long said they are ready to increase production should European governments start placing orders, while defence bosses have continually called for an increase in spending to reflect the heightened security threat posed by Vladimir Putin’s Russia following his invasion of Ukraine, which is now in its fourth year.

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A spat between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has come as a windfall for the Kremlin, raising Moscow’s hopes for a halt in US assistance to Kyiv even as Russian troops seek to extend their gains in Ukraine.

The Oval Office meeting on Friday that exploded in acrimony when Mr Trump and US vice president JD Vance accused Mr Zelensky of refusing to negotiate peace and berated him for being ungrateful for US support so far has cast doubts over the future of US-Ukrainian relations.

The Kremlin was quick to cast the White House encounter as a proof of Mr Zelensky’s reluctance to negotiate an end to the three-year conflict.

“What happened in the White House on Friday certainly showed how difficult it will be to get on the path to a Ukrainian settlement,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

“The Kyiv regime and Zelensky do not want peace, they want the war to continue.”

He claimed that the White House blow-up has proven President Vladimir Putin’s statements about Kyiv’s refusal to hold peace talks.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said he hopes for continued US support to end the war, and said peace is needed as soon as possible through “substantive” diplomacy.

In a post on X, he says other steps towards peace are set to “come soon” and that “Ukrainians want peace most because the war ruins our cities and towns. We lose our people”.

He adds: “We need to stop the war and to guarantee security. We are working together with America and our European partners and very much hope for US support on the path to peace.

“Peace is needed as soon as possible.”

Donald Trump has hit out at calls from European leaders for the US to provide security guarantees for any Ukraine peace deal.

The US president, who has led the push for a peace deal with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, said the European demand was showing weakness to the Kremlin.

His comments came as Sir Keir Starmer restated his call for “strong US backing” for any European-led peacekeeping force in Ukraine.

Mr Trump said: “It is what I was saying, this guy doesn’t want there to be peace as long as he has America’s backing and, Europe, in the meeting they had with Zelensky, stated flatly that they cannot do the job without the US – probably not a great statement to have been made in terms of a show of strength against Russia.

“What are they thinking?”

Speaking in the Commons, Sir Keir again promised British troops and jets would be available to a peacekeeping force if a deal is done to end the war, along with a “coalition of the willing” from other nations.