By Express-Max Parry/Jacob Paul : 11:42, Fri, Mar 14, 2025

President Zelensky has two "red lines" that Ukraine will not cross to sign any peace deal, according to reports.

Volodymyr Zelensky expresses 'regret' over meeting with Trump

 Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has two major "red lines" that he does not want to cross as part of any future peace deal - and one of them is in defiance of the Trump administration. Ukraine's delegation at Tuesday's peace talks with the US in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, made clear to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio that Kyiv would not accept limits to the size of its military or restrictions on which political institutions it could join, including NATO, sources close to the meeting told European Pravda.

"For Ukraine, there are red lines — including that there can be no restrictions on the size of the defence forces and no prohibitions on Ukraine’s participation in international organisations, including the EU and NATO. The issue of NATO also came up in remarks by [Zelensky Chief of Staff Andriy] Yermak, stressing that Russia must not have a veto right," the source told then outlet.

The NATO red line contravenes the American position, as set out by the Trump administration. US President Donald Trump's Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said in February that he "does not believe that NATO membership for Ukraine is a realistic outcome of a negotiated settlement".

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President Zelensky and Donald Trump (Image: GETTY)in an hour11:35 Jacob Paul

Kremlin 'cautiously optimistic' about a ceasefire

Russia echoed the US' cautious optimism over the idea “idea” of the 30-day ceasefire.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday: “The idea [of a ceasefire] itself is correct and we are certainly supporting it, but there are issues that need to be discussed,”

He urged further discussions with Washington and a potential call with US President Donald Trump.

Speaking to reporters on Friday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Putin sent Trump a message about his proposal for a ceasefire in Ukraine via Trump's special envoy and that there were grounds for "cautious optimism."

in 26 mins10:50 Jacob Paul

Russia makes fresh Kursk advance

Russian forces have captured another village in Kursk, the country’s defence ministry has claimed.

Soldiers captured the village of Goncharovka, one of only a handful of settlements still controlled by Ukraine in the Russian border region.

in 20 mins10:44 Jacob Paul

Trump envoy met Putin last night as leaders agree to speak, Kremlin confirms

Donald Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff met Vladimir Putin on Thursday night during his visit to Moscow, the Kremlin has confirmed.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said they agreed Putin and Trump will speak, but he has not confirmed when.

He said: "The exact time of the conversation between the two presidents has not yet been agreed upon.

"Information received in Moscow to the attention of his head of state, then we will determine the timing of the conversation."

in 17 mins10:41 Jacob Paul

Russia burns as massive oil refinery and Moscow targeted in new wave of attacks

Russia's capital, Moscow, came under a ferocious drone attack for the second time in the week overnight, hours after Vladimir Putin appeared to stall on US ceasefire proposals. Ukrainian drones also targeted a major oil refinery some 94 miles from the Kremlin dictator’s £1billion Gelendzhik palace on the Black Sea.

Locals reported hearing a series of 10 explosions before a massive inferno engulfed the Tuapse Oil refinery. Air raid sirens were heard throughout Moscow in the early hours of Friday morning, as a swarm of drones zeroed in on the city. An area close to Kievskaya station, named after the Ukrainian capital, reportedly came under fire.

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3 hours ago07:45 Max Parry

President Trump willingness to 'suffocate' Russian economy 'welcome' - Downing Street

Downing Street warned last night of "very bad" economic consequences for Russia if it failed to sign up to the 30-day peace deal on the table, presented by the US and Ukraine.

Asked whether the UK would ramp up sanctions if the Kremlin rejected the ceasefire proposal, Downing Street said “ongoing US, UK and European pressure” would cripple Mr Putin’s income streams.

“President Trump’s leadership to suffocate Russia’s economy is welcome,” a Number 10 spokesman said.

3 hours ago07:33 Max Parry

US resumes shipping deadly long-range bombs to Ukraine

Washington is preparing to resume supplying Kyiv with long-range Ground-Launched Small Diameter Bombs (GLSDB), Reuters reports.

The bombs have been upgraded so that they are better at mitigating Russian jamming.

3 hours ago07:28 Max Parry

Zelensky blasts 'predictable' Putin over ceasefire stance

Taking to X last night, the Ukrainian President said: "Right now, we have all heard from Russia Putin’s highly predictable and manipulative words in response to the idea of a ceasefire on the front lines—at this moment he is, in fact, preparing to reject it.

"Of course, Putin is afraid to tell President Trump directly that he wants to continue this war and keep killing Ukrainians.

"That’s why, in Moscow, they are surrounding the ceasefire idea with such preconditions that it either fails or gets dragged out for as long as possible.

"Putin does this often—he doesn’t say ‘no’ outright, but he drags things out and makes reasonable solutions impossible. We see this as yet another round of Russian manipulation."

Later in his statement he called on Western allies to ramp up the pressure on the Kremlin.

"Now is the time to increase pressure on him", Mr Zelensky said. "Sanctions must be applied—ones that will work. We will continue working with our American and European partners and with everyone in the world who wants peace—to force Russia to end this war."

3 hours ago07:21 Max Parry

David Lammy brands Putin's conditions 'wrong' as UK support for Ukraine remains 'ironclad'

The Foreign Secretary has said it would be “wrong” for Vladimir Putin to place conditions on a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine.

David Lammy said a pause in fighting would be a “first step” to allow talks to start on “a full settlement” to end the war.

The Foreign Secretary, who is meeting G7 counterparts in Canada, said there is an “opportunity” for “a just and lasting peace” in Ukraine.

“The US and Ukraine have called for a full, immediate and unconditional 30-day ceasefire,” he told The Mirror.

“This would be a first step so that talks can start on a full settlement that protects Ukraine’s security and sovereignty. President Zelensky has shown that Ukraine is the party of peace.

“It would be wrong for Putin to lay conditions. Our support for Ukraine, and that of other partners, remains ironclad.”

David Lammy in Canada (Image: Getty)3 hours ago07:08 Max Parry

Putin's ceasefire sticking points undermine hopes of temporary truce

Vladimir Putin yesterday said a ceasefire deal between Russia and Ukraine was "correct" but added that Moscow would not sign up to anything that would allow Kyiv to rearm and regroup.

Raising Ukraine's offensive into Russia's Kursk region, Mr Putin suggested he would not accept a deal that allowed President Zelensky's troops to hold onto the Russian territory it currently occupies. He said the Ukrainian soldiers in Kursk Oblast, which the Kremlin suggests are close to encirclement, could be made to “surrender or die”.

“If we stop hostilities for 30 days, what does that mean? That everyone who is there will go out without a fight?” Putin asked. “How will supervision [of the ceasefire] be organised? These are all serious questions.”