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Russia stepped up its attacks on Ukraine after the US stopped sharing intelligence with the country last week
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Ukrainian and American officials are meeting in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday to discuss how to bring an end to the war with Russia.
Ahead of the talks, which the US will use decide whether Kyiv is interested in a “realistic” peace deal, Donald Trump said the US had “just about” lifted its suspension on intelligence sharing with Ukraine.
The suspension came after Donald Trump‘s Oval Office clash with Volodymyr Zelensky.
Mr Zelensky said in his nightly video address that he would travel to Saudi Arabia on Monday to “continue to work for the sake of peace”.
On the eve of the talks, Mr Trump suggested that Ukraine may not outlast the Russian war even with support from the US but said the US has “just about” ended the suspension of intelligence sharing.
It also comes after Russia expelled two British diplomats from Moscow, over what the British Foreign Office labelled “malicious and baseless” accusations of spying.
Donald Trump has been upbeat about the potential outcome of peace talks with Ukraine.
Teams of diplomats from the US and Ukraine are travelling to Saudi Arabia for negotiations on Tuesday, and the US wants to see material concessions from Ukraine to secure a lasting peace.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who was travelling to Saudi Arabia on Monday to meet with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, said his chief of staff Andriy Yermak will lead the Ukrainian team alongside Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha, while US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will lead the American team.
Sybiha spoke with Rubio on Friday ahead of Tuesday’s negotiations, and Sybiha described the call as “constructive”.
Trump also sounded positive when speaking ahead of the meeting.
“I think you’re gonna have eventually — and maybe not in the distant future — you’re gonna have some pretty good results coming out of Saudi Arabia this week,” Trump said from Air Force One.
It’s a departure from his comments in a Fox interview, where he suggested Ukraine “may not survive” the war with Russia.
Donald Trump said the United States has “just about” ended its suspension of intelligence sharing with Ukraine, ahead of peace talks in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday.
The US halted intelligence sharing with Ukraine last week amid deteriorating relations between the countries following a White House clash between Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky.
Russia stepped up attacks on Ukraine after US intelligence sharing was halted, but asked ahead of talks whether the US would end the suspension Trump said: “We just about have. We just about have.”
Britain has accused Russia of making “malicious and baseless accusations” after Moscow expelled two diplomats over spying claims.
Images from a video released by the Russian Foreign Ministry today show a representative of the British embassy exiting the Ministry’s main building in Moscow after a decision to revoke the accreditations of two British diplomats.
Russia claimed the diplomats had provided false personal information while seeking permission to enter Russia.
In response, a British Foreign Office spokesperson said: “This is not the first time that Russia has made malicious and baseless accusations against our staff.”
A UK minister said it was “the right thing to do” to support Ukraine in its peace negotiations with the US.
It comes after reports a senior adviser to Sir Keir Starmer travelled to Ukraine to advise president Volodymyr Zelensky ahead of Tuesday’s peace talks in Saudi Arabia.
Housing Minister Alex Norris said on Sky News Breakfast that the peace talks were a “big step forward” and the UK had a role to play.
“We collaborate as the UK government with the Ukraine government at lots of levels, and so I don’t think it’s a surprise that our people are talking to their people,” he said.
“Our role in this is to make sure that Ukraine is in the strongest position possible.
“Peace will only be secured through that strength, that’s why we did the aid package that we did last week, and then alongside that we’ve been doing significant diplomatic efforts with our European counterparts.”
Russia has ordered two British diplomats to leave the country within a fortnight after accusing them of spying, as relations between Moscow and the rest of Europe continue to strain.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer‘s recent statements about putting British boots on the ground and planes in the air in Ukraine as part of a potential peacekeeping force have angered Moscow, as has Britain’s continued support for Ukraine.
Russia’s Federal Security Service said that the two diplomats provided false information to gain entry into Russia and said they were found conducting “intelligence and subversive work” that threatened Russian security.
Members of the National Police Special Purpose Battalion of Zaporizhzhia region fire a D-30 howitzer towards Russian troops on a front line, amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine, in Zaporizhzhia.
Russian attacks have intensified after the US ceased its intelligence sharing with Ukraine, attacking supply lines in the Kursk region.
Russia has no planned talks with the US this week, as American and Ukrainian officials prepare to meet for peace talks in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday.
Russian state news agency TASS cited Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova as saying on Monday that no talks were planned this week between Russia and the US.
CNN had reported on Sunday that US officials would meet Russian counterparts during talks with Ukraine in Saudi Arabia this week.
Donald Trump said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was a “smart guy” who had not been grateful for US support.
In an interview with Fox on Sunday ahead of peace talks in Saudi Arabia, Trump warned Ukraine “may not survive” the war with Russia.
“He’s a smart guy, and he’s a tough guy.” Trump said of Zelensky. “He took money out of this country, under [Joe] Biden, like candy from a baby.”
Asked if he was comfortable with the fact that if the US walked away from supporting Ukraine, the country may not survive, Trump said: “Well, it may not survive anyway. But, you know, we have some weaknesses with Russia. You know, it takes two.”
The UK is advising Ukraine on how to manage peace talks ahead of a meeting between US and Ukrainian officials.
Ukrainian President Vlodymyr Zelensky is travelling to Saudia Arabia today, after meeting with Sir Keir Starmer’s national security adviser Jonathan power over the weekend, The Times reports.
The talks come after a renewed Russian onslaught after the US halted intelligence sharing with Ukraine.
US President Donald Trump said America has “just about” ended the suspension of intelligence sharing ahead of the peace talks.
Donald Trump has warned he wants more concessions from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky ahead of talks in Saudi Arabia.
American officials are meeting with Ukrainian counterparts tomorrow to see whether a deal to end the war between Ukraine and Russia can be brokered.
While Ukraine has already agreed to a minerals deal with the US, NBC reports the US President wants Zelensky to be open to giving up territory to Russia and make moves to hold an election and potentially step down as the country’s leader.
‘We want to do anything we can to get Ukraine to be serious about getting something done,’ Trump told reporters on Sunday.
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