Russia Ukraine latest news: Trump slams Putin’s ‘disgusting’ war as Zelensky calls for regime change after deadly Kyiv attack – UK Times

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has urged his allies to bring about “regime change” in Russia after Moscow’s drone attack on Kyiv killed 16 people, including a six-year-old boy.

At least 150 people sustained injuries after the overnight strikes reduced part of a nine-storey apartment block in Kyiv’s western suburbs to rubble.

Speaking via video at a conference commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Cold War-era Helsinki Accords, Zelensky said Russia could be “pushed” to end the war.”

But if the world doesn’t aim to change the regime in Russia, that means even after the war ends, Moscow will still try to destabilise neighbouring countries,” he said, according to AFP.

President Volodymyr Zelensky restored the independence of Ukraine’s two main anti-corruption agencies on Thursday, moving to defuse a political crisis that has shaken faith in his wartime leadership.

Thousands of protesters rallied in Kyiv and other cities in recent days in a rare show of discontent.

It came after lawmakers led by Zelensky’s ruling party rushed through amendments last week defanging the respected agencies.

He signed a new bill on Thursday shortly after lawmakers approved it 331 to 0, saying the legislation “guarantees the absence of any kind of outside influence (or) interference”.

“Ukraine is a democracy – there are definitely no doubts,” Zelenskiy said on the Telegram messaging app.

President Donald Trump has made clear that he wants a deal to end Russia’s war in Ukraine by August 8, the United States told the United Nations Security Council on Thursday.

“Both Russia and Ukraine must negotiate a ceasefire and durable peace. It is time to make a deal. President Trump has made clear this must be done by August 8. The United States is prepared to implement additional measures to secure peace, senior U.S. diplomat John Kelley told the 15-member council.

Trump said on Tuesday that the US would start imposing tariffs and other measures on Russia “10 days from today” if Moscow showed no progress toward ending its war in Ukraine.

Syria’s top diplomat met with Russian officials on Thursday on the first visit to Moscow by a member of the new government in Damascus since former Syrian President Bashar Assad was ousted.

Russian President Vladimir Putin hosted Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani in the Kremlin, according to Syrian news agency SANA.

Before the talks with Putin, al-Shibani met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who emphasised that the Russian authorities “sincerely wish that the Syrian people, with whom we have long-standing friendship, overcome all existing challenges and completely normalise the situation.”

Assad was an ally of Russia, and Moscow’s scorched-earth intervention in support of him a decade ago turned the tide of Syria’s civil war and kept Assad in his seat until his swift demise in December.

A powerful US Senate committee approved a military spending bill on Thursday that includes about $1 billion to support Ukraine, despite President Donald Trump’s administration having asked Congress to eliminate such funding in its budget request.

The Republican-led Senate Appropriations Committee approved $852 billion for the Department of Defence in the fiscal year ending on Sept. 30, 2026.

This is $21.7 billion, or 2.6%, more than the Republican president requested earlier this year.

The committee voted 26-3 to send the spending measure for a vote in the full Senate, with strong support from both Democrats and Trump’s fellow Republicans.

A pair of bipartisan US senators on Thursday introduced a bill that would provide £40 billion ($54.6bn) in military aid to Ukraine over the next two years.

The bill, introduced by Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski and Democrat Jeanne Shaheen, faces a stiff struggle to become law but follows threats by President Donald Trump to increase military aid to Kyiv if Moscow does not take steps to end the war.

Congress last passed a major aid package for Ukraine – £46 billion ($61bn) – in April 2024, when Democrat Joe Biden was still president and his fellow Democrats had a slim majority in the Senate.

President Donald Trump has said that Russia’s war in Ukraine is “disgusting”.

Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, he said he plans to impose sanctions on Moscow if no agreement can be reached to end the conflict.

Trump said he was not sure whether sanctions would deter Russia.

He has given Russian President Vladimir Putin until August 8 to make a deal or else he will respond with economic pressure.