Ukraine-Russia war latest: Trump claims Moscow losing more troops than Kyiv as he admits Putin on ‘the offensive’

Swipe for next article Liveupdated Ukraine-Russia war latest: Trump claims Moscow losing more troops than Kyiv as he admits Putin on ‘the offensive’ Trump said that Russia needed the war to end due to its mounting casualties Donald Trump has said that Vladimir Putin needs the war in Ukraine to end as Moscow is losing more troops than Kyiv. Speaking at the G7 summit, the US president described Russia as the “offensive” party in the conflict in an apparent shift in his stance towards the war. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and his allies came to the G7 hoping to convince Trump that Ukraine's fightback is delivering results, and that Russia is in ⁠no position to dictate terms for any peace deal. Trump showed a "real change in approach" regarding the war, French President Emmanuel Macron said earlier in the ​day. Other ⁠European leaders made similar comments. The US president said he had a “very good” meeting with President Zelensky and called on Russia to make peace with Ukraine. Trump’s comments followed a joint leaders' statement that could bolster Kyiv's growing leverage in potential peace talks with Moscow. “To support and accelerate this new momentum, we agree to increase the delivery of air defence capacities, additional systems and interceptors, and long-range capabilities," a joint statement read. Italy will not join PURL scheme to buy weapons for Ukraine Italy will not join the Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List initiative to supply Ukraine with U.S. weapons, the defence minister told parliament on Wednesday. "We have said no from the beginning, and it is still a no," minister Guido Crosetto, a key figure within Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's Brothers of Italy party, said during a question time session at the lower house of parliament. Earlier this week, Crosetto met U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in Washington. James Reynolds17 June 2026 22:00 Recap: Zelenskyy says G7 leaders pledge more vital help for Ukraine against Russia Ukraine has won key pledges of further support for its fight against Russia from world leaders attending the Group of Seven summit in France, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Wednesday. The leaders of the world’s leading industrial economies promised to strengthen Ukraine’s air defenses and ensure its energy supply, as well as step up international economic pressure on Moscow, as Kyiv’s fight against Russia’s all-out invasion stretches into its fifth year with no end in sight. “The G7 Summit in France delivered important results for Ukraine. Most importantly, we agreed on additional strengthening of Ukraine’s air defense,” Zelenskyy, who attended the gathering, said on X. Read the full story: Zelenskyy says G7 leaders pledge more vital help for Ukraine against Russia Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Ukraine has secured key support from world leaders at the Group of Seven summit in France James Reynolds17 June 2026 21:00 The Ministry of Defence (MoD) is investigating after a Russian warship fired warning shots at a British yacht that came near it in the English Channel. The Admiral Grigorovich, a Russian frigate, fired warning shots after making attempts to contact the yacht, the MoD claimed, in order to prevent a potential collision. Russia’s defence ministry has claimed its sailors were acting “in strict accordance” with international shipping regulations. While this is being viewed as an isolated incident, it came days after tensions between the UK and Russia spiked when Britain seized a sanctioned vessel transiting through the Channel. Here’s a timeline of the UK-Russia incidents at sea since the war in Ukraine began: Timeline of UK-Russia incidents at sea since the war in Ukraine began The incident between the yacht and the Admiral Grigorovich is the latest friction to occur between the UK and Russia at sea James Reynolds17 June 2026 20:00 Watch: Zelensky's intimate message to family James Reynolds17 June 2026 19:00 This Week in History: From a post-Soviet purge to the ‘Velvet Divorce’ This week, we revisit the dramatic reshaping of Europe – the internal purges of the post-Soviet era, the slashing of global nuclear stockpiles, and the anxious but peaceful ‘Velvet Divorce’ of Czechoslovakia. Meanwhile, closer to home, the front pages document staggering breaches of public trust, revisiting the dawn-raid arrests of Robert Maxwell's sons over missing pension funds and the notorious, heavily censored release of MPs' expenses. All this and more is charted across the front pages of The Independent. This Week in History: From a post-Soviet purge to the ‘Velvet Divorce’ Explore how major events between 15 and 21 June were captured on The Independent’s front pages James Reynolds17 June 2026 18:00 Recap: Russia accuses Ukraine of attacking bus carrying schoolchildren Russia accused Ukraine of conducting a deadly drone strike on a bus carrying Belarusian schoolchildren on Wednesday, prompting a swift rebuke from Ukraine. Yegor Kovalchuk, the acting governor of Russia's Bryansk region, said the bus had been taking a children's soccer team for a holiday in southern Russia from Belarus. Russia's foreign ministry called the attack "another monstrous crime” and said a woman accompanying the children had been killed and that eight others, including six children, had been injured. The Ukrainian military's General Staff denied the Russian allegation, saying on Telegram that "during the specified period, the defence forces of Ukraine did not employ unmanned aerial vehicles against targets in Bryansk Oblast." Reuters was unable to verify the report. Both sides deny targeting civilians. Kovalchuk, the acting governor, posted images online showing a silver bus with some of its windows blown out, its front right tyre damaged and what looked like blood stains on some of its interior seats. James Reynolds17 June 2026 17:00 Macron says Trump 'took note of fact Russia does not want peace' Emmanuel Macron has said that President Trump “took notice” of the fact that Russia was not seeking peace. Speaking at a press conference at the G7 summit, the French president said Washington acknowledged that Moscow was not looking to end its war in Ukraine. He said the G7 had “showed a real change in the approach from the US on Ukraine”. Trump had earlier suggested that the US could impose sanctions on Russia if it did not take steps to end the war. Daniel Keane17 June 2026 16:25 In pictures: Maira Butt17 June 2026 15:40 Trump says he had 'very good talks' with Zelensky President Donald Trump has confirmed that he has had “very good talks” with Ukrainian leader president Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian president Vladimir Putin as he spoke with Indian prime minister Narendra Modi at the G7 summit. He was seen speaking to Zelensky at the sidelines of the G7 summit on Tuesday. Maira Butt17 June 2026 15:23 Lavish banquet and a personalised football shirt: How Europe is still mollycoddling Trump at the G7 Europe has once again laid out the proverbial red carpet for Donald Trump at the G7 summit in the French Alps this week. Pomp and circumstance, gifts and warm welcomes were all on display for the US president, with the diplomatic awkward barbs exchanged forgotten for now. The Group of Seven is coming together for a series of meetings that started on Monday to discuss the wars in Ukraine and Iran, as well as the global economy and AI. The date of the annual summit was pushed back by a day in order to allow Trump to celebrate his 80th birthday on Sunday, and a series of additional adjustments appear to have been made in order to capture the attention of the mercurial president. Gala banquet and personalised football shirt: How Europe is still mollycoddling Trump With smiles for the cameras and a series of staged events, Europe leaders have gone out of their way to accommodate Donald Trump at the G7, Maira Butt reports Maira Butt17 June 2026 15:10