Ukraine-Russia war live: Trump ‘p***** off with Putin’ and threatens more sanctions if ceasefire not agreed

Sir Keir Starmer has updated US president Donald Trump about recent talks between European countries concerning the proposed ‘coalition of the willing’ peacekeeping force in Ukraine.

But what actually is the coalition?

The central focus of the coalition of the willing is a peacekeeping force, and European leaders are expected to discuss what, exactly, they are willing to contribute to a military effort on the ground in Ukraine.

The group also needs support from the US, which has provided crucial intelligence information to Ukraine throughout the conflict.

So far only the UK and France have committed to providing troops to the cause, and Sir Keir will present a detailed plan on what that peacekeeping force could provide to leaders at the Elysee Palace on Thursday.

The leaders are also expected to discuss ongoing military aid and funding to bolster Ukraine’s military.

Russian forces are preparing to launch a fresh military offensive in the coming weeks to maximize the pressure on Ukraine and strengthen the Kremlin’s negotiating position in ceasefire talks, Ukrainian government and military analysts said.

The move could give Russian President Vladimir Putin every reason to delay discussions about pausing the fighting in favor of seeking more land, the Ukrainian officials said, renewing their country’s repeated arguments that Russia has no intention of engaging in meaningful dialogue to end the war.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has said sanctions against Russia are “essential” to help bring about a just end to the war in Ukraine.

In his nightly address on X, the Ukrainian president said that the “geography and brutality of Russian strikes” show that Vladimir Putin “couldn’t care less about diplomacy”.

“Russia deserves increased pressure—all the tough measures that can break its capacity to wage war and sustain the system that wants nothing but war,” Mr Zelensky wrote.

“Sanctions against Russia are essential. More air defense for Ukraine is essential. More cooperation and unity among all partners is essential.”

Donald Trump and Sir Keir Starmer agreed that “collective pressure” is needed on Vladimir Putin in a Sunday night phone call, Downing Street said.

The two leaders held the call after news broke that the US president is “p***** off” at the Russian autocrat, whose comments were “not going in the right direction”.

A Downing Street statement said: “Discussing Ukraine, the Prime Minister updated the President on the productive discussions at the meeting of the Coalition of Willing in Paris this week.

“The leaders agreed on the need to keep up the collective pressure on Putin.”

Donald Trump has said he plans to speak with Russian president Vladimir Putin over the phone this week.

The two leaders have had two publicly announced telephone calls in recent months – but the Kremlin said last week that they may have had more contacts.

The White House had no immediate comment on when the call would take place, or if Trump would also speak with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky.

The US president called up NBC’s Kristen Welker prior to her Sunday appearance as host of Meet the Press, according to Welker. He told her that he was “p***ed off” after the Russian president called for elections in Ukraine and once again questioned the legitimacy of Volodymyr Zelensky’s government — comments the U.S. president said were unhelpful.

Even though U.S. negotiators are currently engaged in moderating peace talks between Ukrainian and Russian officials in Saudi Arabia, on Sunday, Donald Trump put the blame squarely on Putin’s shoulders, adding that he was “very angry” at the Russian president. Putin’s recent comments about Zelensky, he said, were “not going in the right location.”

Washington DC correspondent John Bowden reports:

The coalition was announced by Sir Keir at the start of March, following a summit on Ukraine he hosted in London.

It was formed to help bolster Ukraine’s defences against Russia, including through increasing military aid.

Just days after that first meeting, the US temporarily suspended intelligence sharing with Kyiv, pushing European leaders to hold crisis talks on what further support they could provide to Ukraine.

A central part of the point of the coalition of the willing is to create a peacekeeping force, Sir Keir has previously said, which would help enforce any ceasefire on the ground in Ukraine.

A peacekeeping force would help “guarantee Ukraine’s future security”, he said last week, adding that what action the force would take was subject to meetings with military experts from around the world.