Ukraine-Russia war live: US and Ukraine sign critical minerals deal after Trump softens demands – UK Times

Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky meeting at Pope Francis’s funeral was “indicative” of the “effort” being put in to secure a peace deal for Ukraine, David Lammy has said.

The US and Ukrainian presidents were pictured in discussion at the Vatican over the weekend, having both travelled to Rome for the service.

The foreign secretary told the House of Lords International Relations and Defence Committee yesterday that Sir Keir Starmer and French president Emmanuel Macron have done “a lot of the heavy lifting” in terms of trying to bring nations together to support any potential future agreement.

US politicians have asked the State Department for details of Russia’s use of Chinese fighters in its war in Ukraine, saying in a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio that Moscow could employ Chinese mercenaries only with Beijing’s “tacit approval”.

Ukraine said earlier this month that its forces had captured two Chinese men in eastern Ukraine and that at least 155 Chinese nationals were fighting on the Russian side.

Canadian prime minister Mark Carney spoke with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky and underscored Canada’s commitment to supporting Ukraine in achieving lasting peace and security, Mr Carney’s office said.

Mr Zelensky congratulated the newly elected Canadian prime minister on his victory in Monday’s vote, and the two leaders agreed that a durable peace can only be achieved with Ukraine at the table, the Canadian prime minister’s office said in a statement.

The US will not walk away from peace efforts between Ukraine and Russia despite growing frustration among president Donald Trump’s team, his special envoy Keith Kellogg said.

On being asked in an interview with Fox News if the US is ready to walk away from peace talks to end Russia’s war against Ukraine, Mr Kellogg said: “I don’t think so.”

The US secretary of state Marco Rubio has repeatedly warned that the US will walk away from a ceasefire deal between Ukraine and Russia if either side doesn’t allow progress.

He also noted that the Ukrainian side has shown willingness to meet halfway on a ceasefire deal with Russia, including de facto giving up territory to end the war.

“The Ukrainians have already said they’re willing to give up the land… not de jure, forever, but de facto because the Russians actually occupy it… That’s what they’re willing to go to, they told me that last week,” he said.