The Kremlin has responded after the US said it could abandon its Ukraine war peace efforts within days unless there’s progress. Meanwhile, a minerals deal between the US and Ukraine looks likely to be made official next week. Follow the latest below.
Friday 18 April 2025 11:58, UK
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Ukraine has sanctioned three Chinese entities, according to a presidential decree.
It comes after Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Beijing of supplying Moscow with weapons and after two Chinese nationals were detained fighting for Russia against Ukraine.
The sanctions list, which also includes Russian companies, names Beijing Aviation And Aerospace Xianghui Technology Co Ltd, Rui Jin Machinery Co Ltd, and Zhongfu Shenying Carbon Fiber Xining Co Ltd, all registered in China.
The Kremlin has responded to Marco Rubio’s comments earlier today suggesting that the US was ready to walk away from brokering peace between Ukraine and Russia.
Rubio said not enough progress had been made, and that there must be positive steps made in the coming days or else the White House would “move on” to other global priorities.
But Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said today that progress had already been made.
“Contacts are quite complicated, because, naturally, the topic is not an easy one,” Peskov told reporters.
“Russia is committed to resolving this conflict, ensuring its own interests, and is open to dialogue. We continue to do this.”
Contacts between Putin and Trump are not planned for this week, but if necessary, a conversation can be quickly arranged, Peskov added.
Peskov also claimed there are no calls for peace from Europe, which he accused of only talking about militarisation, commenting on the Paris talks this week.
Putin’s spokesman also cited Russia’s public commitment to an energy ceasefire as proof of progress – but as our Moscow correspondent Ivor Bennett pointed out earlier, that deal “never formally began”.
“And with both sides continuing to accuse the other of violating it, 30 days have now passed and the agreement seems to have disappeared without a trace,” Bennett said earlier (see our 9.57 post).
Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal will travel to Washington at the start of next week to meet Scott Bessent, the US Treasury secretary, to finalise a minerals deal between the two countries.
Kyiv and Washington both signed a memorandum of intent, signalling the shared desire to complete the deal next week.
Yulia Svyrydenko, Ukraine’s first deputy prime minister and economy minister, said this morning the memorandum “testifies to the constructive joint work of our teams and the intention to finalise and conclude an agreement that will be beneficial to both our peoples”.
The two countries are said to be at an understanding that the Ukrainian parliament would need to ratify any final terms, with more discussions pencilled in for Thursday.
Each week, Sky’s military analyst Professor Michael Clarke answers questions from readers on the war in Ukraine.
This week, he looked at Donald Trump’s position when it comes to Russia – and how two particular issues may be influencing his stance there.
Clarke also explained why Russia can’t have all of Ukraine and what will happen when the time comes for someone to succeed Putin.
Watch the full Q&A here…
And if you have questions of your own, click this link and submit them at the top of the page for next week’s Q&A.
By Ivor Bennett, Moscow correspondent
Marco Rubio’s comments are the strongest indication yet of Washington’s apparent growing frustration at the lack of progress in peace talks.
It’s been two months since Donald Trump initiated negotiations, with a call to Vladimir Putin, in the hope of bringing the conflict to a swift conclusion.
Since then, his team has sat down with both sides on multiple occasions, at multiple levels, in multiple locations.
But what have they actually got to show for it?
There was a much-touted 30-day ceasefire covering strikes on energy infrastructure, but it never formally began.
And with both sides continuing to accuse the other of violating it, 30 days have now passed and the agreement seems to have disappeared without a trace.
Then there was supposed to be a maritime ceasefire in the Black Sea.
But again, that still hasn’t actually materialised, because Russia says it will only take part if certain sanctions are lifted first.
Watch: Trump ‘p***ed off’ with Putin
It’s highly doubtful Donald Trump really believed he could end the war within 24 hours of taking office (as he promised several times), but I think he did seriously believe he could secure at least a cessation of hostilities relatively quickly, giving him an early win in his presidency.
There had been suggestions of an April/May deadline, or even an Easter ceasefire, but that now looks like pie in the sky.
So is the threat to “move on” from the talks genuine?
Or another famous negotiating tactic from the so-called master of the deal?
Trump’s approach has been heavily criticised for not being tough enough on Vladimir Putin.
It’s been all carrot for Moscow but only stick for Kyiv – and this latest intervention feels like it’s more of the same.
Because, as things stand, Ukraine still has a lot more to lose than Russia, if the war drags on.
These images show members of Ukraine’s 115th Separate Mechanised Brigade defending the skies above the contested Donetsk region earlier this week.
The defences are mobile, meaning the group can be moved across the line as needed, with Russia’s relentless drone attacks continuing.
French officials say that further talks between the US and Europe are expected in London within days, following a marathon session in Paris yesterday.
Marco Rubio and Donald Trump’s peace envoy Steve Witkoff were involved in talks with French and British foreign ministers in the French capital, with discussions said to be positive.
French officials say a new meeting in London will have the same format, and Rubio has said he could join that meeting – which is expected early next week.
A short time ago, we brought you the comments of US secretary of state Marco Rubio, who said Washington was prepared to walk away from brokering peace between Ukraine and Russia (see 8.12 post).
Watch a short clip showing what Rubio said in this video…
China’s foreign ministry has denied what it called “groundless” claims from Volodymyr Zelenskyy who said yesterday that Beijing is supplying Moscow with weapons.
China has never made lethal weapons available to either side during this war, spokesman Lin Jian said this morning.
For context: Volodymyr Zelenskyy yesterday claimed Ukraine has uncovered evidence of China supplying Russia with artillery.
Speaking at a news conference, Ukraine’s president also claimed that Beijing is helping with weapons production on Russian territory.
“We believe that Chinese representatives are engaged in the production of some weapons on the territory of Russia,” he said.
It comes after Ukraine said it captured two Chinese nationals fighting for Russia.
Some alarming rhetoric coming from the US secretary of state this morning, following his meeting with European partners in Paris yesterday.
Marco Rubio said just moments ago from the French capital that the US will walk away from its efforts to broker peace between Russia and Ukraine unless there are clear signs of progress in the coming days.
“We need to figure out here now, within a matter of days, whether this [peace deal] is doable in the short term, because if it’s not, then I think we’re just going to move on,” he said.
“We’re not going to continue with this endeavour for weeks and months on end,” he added.
Rubio said Donald Trump is still interested in pursuing peace, but that the US has many other priorities around the world.
“We need to determine very quickly now – and I’m talking about a matter of days – whether or not this is doable in the next few weeks. If it is, we’re in. If it’s not, then we have other priorities to focus on as well.”
Trump said yesterday he felt a ceasefire was “close”, and that Moscow was set to get back to him regarding a recent proposal imminently.
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