Vladimir Putin has been speaking following his meeting with a number of foreign leaders in China over recent days – and claimed he had hope of an “acceptable” resolution to the conflict in Ukraine. Follow the latest on the Ukraine war and listen to The World podcast as you scroll.
Wednesday 3 September 2025 16:27, UK
Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been in Denmark today for talks with leaders of the Nordic and Baltic countries.
It comes ahead of the Ukrainian’s trip to Paris this evening, where he’ll meet with Emmanuel Macron before joining coalition of the willing talks tomorrow.
Earlier this morning, a joint statement from the Nordic-Baltic Eight (Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway and Sweden) reaffirmed the group’s “unwavering support” to Ukraine and promised to “step up military support”.
Denmark also announced that a Ukrainian weapons manufacturer will begin production of fuel for long-range missiles in the country, marking the first expansion abroad by a Ukrainian defence company.
Speaking in Copenhagen this afternoon, Zelenskyy said he had a “substantive discussion” about Ukraine’s defence and security guarantees with the Nordic-Baltic Eight leaders.
He said those talks included “investments in weapons production” and “strengthening the capabilities of both ourselves and our partners”.
“We also discussed security guarantees. We are developing a framework. And thank you that among the “eight” there is a willingness to support in all dimensions: on land, at sea, in the air, and in cyberspace.”
The daughter of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un made her international debut at China’s “Victory Day” parade.
Arriving in Beijing with her father, state media photographs show Kim Ju Ae stepping off the train second in the delegation.
The South Korean National Intelligence Service has previously said it views Ju Ae, who is reportedly about 13, as her father’s probable successor.
It based this assessment on analysis of her public activities and the state protocols provided to her.
But who is the woman analysts now believe is likely a “front runner” to become North Korea’s next supreme leader?
Read our profile…
Has Vladimir Putin traded Donald Trump for Xi Jinping?
Yalda and Richard are back from their summer break to unpack the summit in Beijing. The leaders of Russia, India and North Korea are all there – but what is going on? And what will Trump make of it?
Richard is recording from Israel, where hundreds of thousands of people have been out on the streets protesting against the war in Gaza. He has spoken to the family member of a hostage killed by Hamas, who tells him why the military campaign must now end.
The two presenters also reflect on the latest killing of journalists by Israel, with the number of Palestinian journalists killed in Gaza now reaching 189. International media is not allowed to freely report in the territory.
And Yalda gives an update on the devastating earthquake in Afghanistan and explains why it is women and girls who could suffer the most in the days and weeks to come.
To get in touch or to share questions, email theworld@sky.uk.
As the questioning from Chinese and Russian media comes to an end in Beijing, Vladimir Putin praises Donald Trump’s sense of humour after the US president suggested Xi Jinping was “conspiring against” America with Putin and Kim Jong Un in Beijing.
Asked about the comment, Putin says Trump has a “good sense of humour” and was thought of well by those in attendance at the economic summit in China this week.
“Nobody said anything negative in regards to the current administration of the US,” he says.
“Everyone I met supported our meeting in Anchorage and expressed their hope that Trump’s position would lead to the end of the military conflict, so there is no irony or jokes.”
Asked if he planned to host Donald Trump in Moscow in the near future, Putin says there is no meeting planned, but “the invitation is there on the table”.
Vladimir Putin is asked a sympathetic question about the “heavy economic sanctions” placed on Russia by the West over the Ukraine war.
The Russian president says these sanctions were not discussed when he met with other leaders at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Tianjin on Monday.
“Why? It does not concern us,” he says.
“Events in Ukraine are just an excuse for decisions of an economic nature against certain countries.”
Asked by the small group of reporters if the war in Ukraine is close to ending, Vladimir Putin tells journalists in Beijing that there is “light at the end of the tunnel”.
“I believe that, if common sense is there, it is possible to agree an acceptable option or acceptable way of ending this conflict,” he says.
“We see also that the current administration of the US has the will and desire to find this solution.
“I think there is a light at the end of the tunnel. We will see. Otherwise, we will be forced to resolve all our objectives through military means.”
Analysts, including those cited in our 12.45 post, have repeatedly dismissed such comments from Putin as dishonest attempts to present Moscow as interested in efforts to reach a peaceful resolution to the war in Ukraine.
Ukraine ‘not capable’ of large-scale offensive
On the battlefield, Putin says Russian forces are advancing “on all fronts” in Ukraine.
He says Ukraine is “not capable” of launching large-scale offensives and says it is now trying to plug holes by regrouping its forces.
He adds: “We shouldn’t be relaxed now, maybe they’re preparing some reserves, some actions, large-scale events, but preliminary analysis from our military experts says the military of Ukraine does not have this capability.”
Speaking to the Russian and Chinese media in Beijing, Vladimir Putin is asked whether he is willing to meet with Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
He says he is, so long as the meeting is “well prepared” – a line we’ve heard from Kremlin officials in recent weeks that is likely designed to delay any talks.
The Russian leader asked rhetorically whether there was “any sense” in meeting with Zelenskyy, but continued to say he had told Donald Trump he was happy to meet him in Russia.
“I’ve never refused to do that, if it leads to positive outcomes,” he said.
“And by the way, Donald (Trump_ asked me if it was possible and I said it was possible. I said, let him come to Moscow.”
Vladimir Putin says his visit to China was both positive and useful.
“I have to say, this format of work allows us to conduct very productive negotiations,” he told a small group of reporters from Russia and China.
“We were able to discuss any topic, which is very important.”
Putin said agreements were made concerning the Power of Siberia 2, a proposed natural gas pipeline to export energy from Russia to China.
The Russian president says this will create a “competitive advantage for our Chinese friends as they will be receiving the product at market price, not an inflated price”.
‘We’re not fighting for territory’
Putin is asked about security guarantee proposals for Ukraine and says that “any country has to have assurances for security, including Ukraine”.
But this is not “connected to the exchange of territory” as part of a peace deal, he adds.
“To be honest we’re not fighting for territory, we’re fighting for human rights, for the rights of people who live in that territory, to speak in a Russian language and to live in their traditions.”
Vladimir Putin is about to speak to the Russian and Chinese media in Beijing after a day that began with his attendance at Xi Jinping’s military parade and continued with meetings with Kim Jong Un and other leaders.
Given the journalists he is speaking to, we can expect some sympathetic questions.
Watch in the stream at the top of the page and we’ll bring you updates too.
Our weekly Ukraine Q&A is starting now, with Michael Clarke ready to answer your questions.
Lots of you have been in touch, and we will aim to get through as many of your questions as we can.
Watch and follow along here…
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