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The Ukrainian leader said talks will depend on the security situation in the Middle East
Namita Singh & Harriette BoucherSunday 01 March 2026 01:00 GMT- Bookmark
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Volodymyr Zelensky has suggested that US-brokered peace talks could be postponed due to the attacks throughout the Middle East.
The Ukrainian president said: “Depending on the security situation and real diplomatic possibilities, the time and place of the next meeting of our team and the US team – the meeting with the Russians – will be determined.”
Trilateral discussions between Kyiv, Moscow, and Washington were expected to be held in Abu Dhabi next week.
The possible delay to talks comes after the US and Israel launched strikes on Tehran on Saturday, provoking Iranian attacks throughout the region.
It follows Zelensky’s calls for the Trump administration to ramp up its efforts in ending Russia’s four-year-long invasion of Ukraine.
In an interview with Sky News, he said: “The United States is even more stronger than they think about themselves... And they really have pressure on Putin. They can stop this war.”
He said that he and Donald Trump agreed that the next session of trilateral talks in March on a war settlement should lead to a meeting of the countries' leaders.
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Key Points
- Time and place of peace talks depend on security situation in Middle East, says Zelensky
- At least 55 Ghanaians killed after being “lured into battle” in Ukraine conflict
- Zelensky: 'US not doing enough to end the war'
- Russian defence ministry says forces have taken control of two Ukrainian settlements
Tehran 'had every opportunity to prevent a violent scenario', says Ukraine
Ukraine’s foreign ministry said Tehran “had every opportunity to prevent a violent scenario”, and condemned the Iranian regime.
“The Iranian regime, which has been mocking the Iranian people for decades, has launched a large-scale policy of violence against its own people and other countries.
“This includes massive human rights violations within the country, support for militants who have brought chaos to other countries in the region, and direct military support for the aggressor state of Russia in its unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine.”
It comes after the US and Israel launched co-ordinated strikes across Iran on Saturday.
Ukraine’s foreign ministry said the “reason for the current events is precisely the violence and arbitrariness of the Iranian regime, in particular the murders and repressions against peaceful protesters, which have become particularly large-scale in recent months.”
Harriette Boucher1 March 2026 01:00Zelensky: 'US not doing enough to end the war'
Volodymyr Zelensky wants the US to ramp up its efforts to end the war and said the Trump administration was not doing enough.
In an interview with Sky News, the Ukrainian president said it was “not simple” to have a relationship with an administration that had previously called him a dictator and claimed Zelensky had started the war with Russia.
Asked if he trusted Donald Trump, the Ukrainian president said: “You know it's more about me and President Trump, it’s not about personalities, it’s more about institutions. Ukraine and president, and United States and president.
“We need to trust each other, and that's why I'm trying to build such relations with the United States. Relations can't be dependent on their personalities.”
President Zelensky said he had a “long” and “peaceful” phone call with President Trump on Wednesday night, which was joined by US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
He said there will likely be a trilateral meeting between Kyiv, Washington, and Moscow next week.
Harriette Boucher1 March 2026 00:00The women ready to take up arms to defend Finland against Russia
The women ready to take up arms to defend Finland against RussiaHarriette Boucher28 February 2026 23:00Rishi Sunak accepts role with Zelensky for Ukraine’s economic renewal
Rishi Sunak has taken up a role as one of several international advisers helping the Ukrainian government with economic renewal.
Documents released on Friday by the independent adviser on ministerial standards revealed the former prime minister has begun an unpaid role as part of President Volodymyr Zelensky’s International Advisory Council for the Economic Renewal of Ukraine.
The advisory council is expected to provide a panel of experts to advise both Mr Zelensky and his economic adviser, former Canadian deputy prime minister Chrystia Freeland.
Mr Sunak said he had been “honoured” to support Ukraine as prime minister, and praised Mr Zelensky’s leadership and the Ukrainian people for showing “such bravery, such strength, such ingenuity in their resistance in this war”.
“The West needs a strong Ukraine, and a strong Ukraine needs a strong economy,” he added.
Rishi Sunak accepts role advising Zelensky on Ukraine’s economic renewal
The former PM has joined President Volodymyr Zelensky’s International Advisory Council for the Economic Renewal of UkraineHarriette Boucher28 February 2026 22:01Recap: Russian defence ministry says its forces have taken control of two Ukrainian settlements
Russia forces have taken control of Neskuchne in Eastern Ukraine.
Its defence ministry said on Saturday its forces had taken control of the settlements of Neskuchne and Girke in Ukraine's Kharkiv and Zaporizhizhia regions.
According to local reports, Russia’s Interior Ministry said its air defences intercepted 97 Ukrainian drones overnight across several regions.
Harriette Boucher28 February 2026 21:00Denmark warns of potential foreign interference ahead of 24 March general election
Denmark’s intelligence services have raised concerns that a foreign power may attempt to influence the country’s general election on 24 March, reported AFP.
Authorities said the primary risk stems from Russia, linked to its stance on Ukraine, but also highlighted the fallout from US efforts to assert control over Greenland.
In a joint statement, the PET police intelligence service and FE military intelligence said the election campaign could see disinformation and cyberattacks “to sow division, influence the public debate or to target candidates, parties or specific political programmes”.
As drones dominate the Ukraine-Russia War, firm frontlines give way to vast 'kill zones' (Getty Images)“The threat of interference targeting Denmark comes mainly from Russia but could also emanate from other state actors,” the agencies said.
“The United States’ stated desire to take possession of Greenland has led to the spread of disinformation concerning the kingdom of Denmark, which could create uncertainty” ahead of the election.
They added that “the attention paid by the United States” to Denmark has “created new international fault lines that foreign states like Russia and China could exploit for influence purposes”.
Prime minister Mette Frederiksen, who called the election on Thursday, described the shadow cast by Russia as one of Denmark’s biggest threats. She also cited US president Donald Trump’s demands regarding control of Greenland.
Experts said Frederiksen deliberately chose 24 March for the vote, as her popularity has risen following her rejection of Trump’s claims over the Arctic territory.
Harriette Boucher28 February 2026 20:00Netherlands to help scale up Ukraine's drone line
The Netherlands will help scale up Ukraine’s “drone line” initiative, the Ukrainian defence minister has said.
Mykhailo Fedorov met with the Netherlands deputy prime minister and minister of defence and secured additional resources to expand on its drone wall.
In a post on social media, Mr Fedorov said he was “grateful for the Netherlands’ leadership and continued support through PURL. Together we strengthen Ukraine’s technological edge.”
Over 1,000 crews are currently operating under the project.
Between January and February, they eliminated every third Russian service member on the front line, the Ukranian defence department said.
Last June 2025, the Netherlands signed contracts for the production of 600,000 Ukrainian drones under the initiative.
Harriette Boucher28 February 2026 19:00At least 55 Ghanaians killed fighting for Russia in Ukraine war, minister says
At least 55 Ghanaians have died fighting for Russia in Ukraine, Ghana’s foreign minister said Friday, one of the highest death tolls from among several African countries whose citizens are fighting in the war.
Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa said 272 Ghanaians have been lured into the battle since 2022, with two of them captured as prisoners of war, citing information from Ukrainian officials.
“Ukrainian authorities revealed that from their credible intelligence gathering (that) they have documented 1,780 Africans from 36 countries who have been lured by criminal trafficking networks to join the war against Ukraine,” said Ablakwa, who is on a trip to Ukraine.
Ghana adds to a growing list of African nations who have expressed concern about their citizens fighting in the war, many recruited through dubious strategies such as lucrative jobs or skills training.
An intelligence report last week said that 1,000 Kenyans were recruited to fight for Russia after being misled with false promises of jobs. Dozens have either been hospitalized or are missing, the Kenyan government has said.
At least 55 Ghanaians killed fighting for Russia in Ukraine war, minister says
At least 55 Ghanaians have died fighting for Russia in Ukraine, Ghana’s Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa saidHarriette Boucher28 February 2026 17:55News Russian Foreign Ministry condemns US-Israel strikes on Iran as 'unprovoked act of armed aggression'
Russia’s Foreign Ministry on Saturday condemned the U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran as “a pre-planned and unprovoked act of armed aggression against a sovereign and independent U.N. member state,” demanding an immediate halt to the military campaign and a return to diplomacy.
In a statement posted to Telegram, the ministry accused Washington and Tel Aviv of “hiding behind” concerns about Iran’s nuclear program while actually pursuing regime change.
It warned the attacks risked triggering a “humanitarian, economic and possibly radiological catastrophe” in the region and accused the U.S. and Israel of “plunging the Middle East into an abyss of uncontrolled escalation.”
Moscow called the bombing of nuclear facilities under International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards “unacceptable” and said it stood ready to help broker a peaceful resolution, while placing full responsibility for the escalation on the United States and Israel.
"Responsibility for the negative consequences of this manmade crisis, including an unpredictable chain reaction and spiralling violence, lies entirely with them," the statement said.
Russian Foreign Ministry condemns US-Israel strikes on Iran as 'unprovoked act of armed aggression'
Russia has condemned U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran and urged an immediate stop to the campaign and a return to diplomacyHarriette Boucher28 February 2026 17:17‘I’m not the best father’: Zelensky shares personal impact of war
Volodymyr Zelensky has admitted he is “not the best father”, as he spoke of the personal challenges he has faced during the four-year war with Russia.
In an interview with Sky News, the Ukrainian president said his role had taken a toll on his family, but that it was his duty to lead Ukraine.
He said he would do anything to bring about peace for his country, and confirmed that another round of trilateral talks was likely to take place next week.
“During the war, I'm not the best father... because I don't have too much time for my children,” he told Sky News in an interview that aired on Friday.
“I'm the president of Ukraine, I don’t compare my job... because my choice... is duty. My choice is Ukraine. That's why I said I'm no good father during the war.”
‘I’m not the best father’: Zelensky shares rare insight into personal impact of war
The Ukrainian president said it was his ‘duty’ to lead UkraineHarriette Boucher28 February 2026 16:36Newer1 / 5OlderMore about
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