Ukraine: The Latest

Day 1,379.Today, after Tuesday’s inconsequential meeting in Moscow, Ukrainian negotiators are updating European counterparts on Kyiv’s response before flying to meet Steve Witkoff in Miami. We consider why U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau has lambasted European NATO allies for prioritising their own defence industries over American suppliers – comments made just as another billion dollars was added to the PURL fund – and we ask whether, if Pokrovsk has indeed fallen, Russia will now shift its efforts toward Zaporizhzhia oblast. And later, we return to the GRU’s murder of British woman Dawn Sturgess by nerve agent in 2018, as the final report into her death is released.ContributorsDominic Nicholls (Associate Editor of Defence). @DomNicholls on X.Francis Dearnley (Executive Editor for Audio). @FrancisDearnley on X.Hamish De Bretton-Gordon (Former British Army Tank Commander). @HamishDBGon on X.SIGN UP TO THE ‘UKRAINE: THE LATEST’ WEEKLY NEWSLETTER:http://telegraph.co.uk/ukrainenewsletter  Each week, Dom Nicholls and Francis Dearnley answer your questions, provide recommended reading, and give exclusive analysis and behind-the-scenes insights – plus maps of the frontlines and diagrams of weapons to complement our daily reporting. It’s free for everyone, including non-subscribers.CONTENT REFERENCED:Trump: I don’t know what the Kremlin is doing (The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/news/2025/12/03/trump-i-dont-know-what-the-kremlin-is-doing/ Britain can’t let the man Putin hates most die in prison (Sir Tom Stoppard in The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/05/19/britain-cant-let-the-man-putin-hates-most-die-in-prison/ The West’s Last Chance (Alexander Stubb, Finland’s President, in Foreign Affairs):https://www.foreignaffairs.com/united-states/wests-last-chance Top US official berates Europe over cutting American industry out of defense buildup (POLITICO):https://www.politico.eu/article/christopher-landau-top-us-official-berates-europe-nato-cut-industry-defense-buildup/ LISTEN TO THIS PODCAST IN NEW LANGUAGES:The Telegraph has launched translated versions of Ukraine: The Latest in Ukrainian and Russian, making its reporting accessible to audiences on both sides of the battle lines and across the wider region, including Central Asia and the Caucasus. Just search Україна: Останні Новини (Ukr) and Украина: Последние Новости (Ru) on your on your preferred podcast app to find them. Listen here: https://linktr.ee/ukrainethelatestSubscribe: telegraph.co.uk/ukrainethelatestEmail: ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk

Day 1,378.Today, as the world reacts to the marathon – but ultimately fruitless – talks in Moscow on Tuesday night, we examine how the impasse will shape today’s meeting of NATO Foreign Ministers and, also in Brussels, the European Council’s discussions on frozen Russian assets and the ‘new era’ the EU says it is entering, free from Russian fossil fuels. Plus, our Russia expert assesses Moscow’s ‘caviar diplomacy’ and its growing problems in Africa, and we report how Australia and New Zealand are stepping up their support for Ukraine. Finally, we hear the assessment of Ukraine’s former Foreign Minister, Dmytro Kuleba, on the current state of the war – and whether he harbours any ambition to succeed President Zelensky.ContributorsDominic Nicholls (Associate Editor, Defence). @DomNicholls on X.James Kilner (Foreign Correspondent). @jkjourno on X.With thanks to Latika Bourke. @latikambourke on X.SIGN UP TO THE ‘UKRAINE: THE LATEST’ WEEKLY NEWSLETTER:http://telegraph.co.uk/ukrainenewsletter  Each week, Dom Nicholls and Francis Dearnley answer your questions, provide recommended reading, and give exclusive analysis and behind-the-scenes insights – plus maps of the frontlines and diagrams of weapons to complement our daily reporting. It’s free for everyone, including non-subscribers.CONTENT REFERENCED:Latika Bourke Substackhttps://substack.com/@latikambourkeAustralia and New Zealand join forces to fund NATO weapons for Ukrainehttps://thenightly.com.au/world/australia-and-new-zealand-join-forces-to-fund-nato-weapons-for-ukraine-c-20819893Today’s Telegraph Ukraine Live Blog:https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/12/03/ukraine-russia-war-latest-news-peace-deal-talks/Cosmonaut Artemyev was removed from the Crew-12 crew: https://theins.ru/news/287330

Day 1,377.Today, on a national day of mourning in Ukraine after a single ballistic missile strike killed four people and injured forty more, we report on the arrival of the US delegation in Moscow as the latest round of peace talks gets under way. Then we hear from our Washington Correspondent on the mood in the United States toward Ukraine – and the current strength of President Trump – and take a deep dive into how Russian soldiers are being sent into combat without helmets or body armour.ContributorsFrancis Dearnley (Executive Editor for Audio). @FrancisDearnley on X.Dominic Nicholls (Associate Editor, Defence). @DomNicholls on X.Verity Bowman (Foreign Correspondent). @VerityBowman on X.Connor Stringer (Washington Correspondent). @connor_stringer on X.SIGN UP TO THE ‘UKRAINE: THE LATEST’ WEEKLY NEWSLETTER:http://telegraph.co.uk/ukrainenewsletter  Each week, Dom Nicholls and Francis Dearnley answer your questions, provide recommended reading, and give exclusive analysis and behind-the-scenes insights – plus maps of the frontlines and diagrams of weapons to complement our daily reporting. It’s free for everyone, including non-subscribers.CONTENT REFERENCED:Russian troops sent to slaughter with no helmets or armour (Verity in The Telegraph):https://tinyurl.com/yc4aysxrUkraine strikes Chechen special forces unit ahead of Putin-Witkoff talks (The Telegraph):https://tinyurl.com/3f9s4vu5Zelensky warns US not to reward Putin (The Telegraph):https://tinyurl.com/y685hcpcEx-British soldier ‘helped Russia assassinate prominent Ukrainians’ (The Telegraph):https://tinyurl.com/bdft3f7mECB refuses to provide backstop for €140bn Ukraine loan (Financial Times):https://www.ft.com/content/616c79ee-34de-425a-865e-e94ba10be788Ukraine has brought back 1,859 Russia-abducted children, Zelenska says in Paris (Kyiv Independent):https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-says-1-859-abducted-children-have-been-returned-zelenska-tells-paris-summit Five South Africans in court over alleged recruitment for Russia’s war in Ukraine (The Guardian):https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/dec/01/south-africans-court-alleged-recruitment-russia-war-ukraine Subscribe: telegraph.co.uk/ukrainethelatestEmail: ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk

Day 1,376.Today, after a fresh round of talks between the Ukrainian and American delegations in Miami, we examine a new investigation exposing the Trump administration’s profit motives behind the emerging proposals. We then assess the resignation of Andriy Yermak, formerly Zelensky’s right-hand man, and the unexpected intervention of former Commander-in-Chief Valerii Zaluzhnyi – viewed as preparing for a presidential run after the war. Afterwards, we analyse Kyiv’s decision to strike the Russian shadow fleet off the coast of Senegal, and how Europe – and France in particular – is positioning itself for this next, volatile phase.ContributorsAdélie Pojzman-Pontay (Journalist and Producer). @adeliepjz on X.Francis Dearnley (Executive Editor for Audio). @FrancisDearnley on X.Dominic Nicholls (Associate Editor of Defence). @DomNicholls on X.Joe Barnes (Brussels Correspondent). @Barnes_Joe on X.SIGN UP TO THE ‘UKRAINE: THE LATEST’ WEEKLY NEWSLETTER:http://telegraph.co.uk/ukrainenewsletter  Each week, Dom Nicholls and Francis Dearnley answer your questions, provide recommended reading, and give exclusive analysis and behind-the-scenes insights – plus maps of the frontlines and diagrams of weapons to complement our daily reporting. It’s free for everyone, including non-subscribers.CONTENT REFERENCED:Valerii Zaluzhnyi: How to defeat Putin and build a better Ukraine (The Telegraph):https://tinyurl.com/582phz7bZelensky meets Macron in Paris (The Telegraph Live Blog):https://tinyurl.com/4vspzy8yUkrainian drone boats blow up Russian oil tankers (The Telegraph):https://tinyurl.com/5evypnz5Zelensky’s chief of staff goes to front line after resigning over corruption scandal (The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/11/29/zelensky-chief-of-staff-andriy-yermak-goes-to-front-line/ Kyiv’s new peace talks chief caught in same corruption scandal as ousted predecessor (The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/11/30/ukraine-make-or-break-week-survival-witkoff/ Antony Beevor: For Russia, conspicuous cruelty is a necessary weapon of war (The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/11/30/antony-beevor-interview/ Make Money Not War: Trump’s Real Plan for Peace in Ukraine (Wall Street Journal):https://www.wsj.com/world/russia/russia-u-s-peace-business-ties-4db9b290 Subscribe: telegraph.co.uk/ukrainethelatestEmail: ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk

Day 1,373.Today, in a world exclusive, we report how Donald Trump is preparing to hand over Ukraine’s occupied territories, as his team prepares to fly to Moscow to present the plan to Vladimir Putin. Meanwhile, the Russian President claims his country’s army “cannot be held back”, as Russia experiences one of the heaviest drone raids of the war. Then, we turn to Kyiv, where the offices of the head of President Zelensky’s office – Andriy Yermak – were dramatically raided by anti-corruption officers. And later, at a time when leaders talk about gifting land to the Kremlin, we bring you unheard, rare testimony of what it’s like to live under Russian control in those regions, and what many more millions may soon be condemned to endure.ContributorsFrancis Dearnley (Executive Editor for Audio). @FrancisDearnley on X.With thanks to "Anna".SIGN UP TO THE ‘UKRAINE: THE LATEST’ WEEKLY NEWSLETTER:http://telegraph.co.uk/ukrainenewsletter  Each week, Dom Nicholls and Francis Dearnley answer your questions, provide recommended reading, and give exclusive analysis and behind-the-scenes insights – plus maps of the frontlines and diagrams of weapons to complement our daily reporting. It’s free for everyone, including non-subscribers.CONTENT REFERENCED:Trump hands Putin Ukraine’s occupied territories (The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/11/28/trump-to-recognise-occupied-ukraine-part-of-russia/ Zelensky’s chief of staff raided by anti-corruption officers (The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/11/28/zelenskys-chief-of-staff-raided-by-anti-corruption-officers/ Putin: Russia ready to fight until last Ukrainian dies (The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/11/27/putin-says-russia-ready-fight-until-last-ukrainian-dies/ Russia tightens grip on occupied Ukraine with illegal mobilization and child militarization, experts warn (Kyiv Independent):https://kyivindependent.com/russia-tightens-grip-on-occupied-ukraine-with-illegal-mobilization-and-child-militarization-experts-warn/ Ukraine Says It Won’t Give Up Land to Russia (The Atlantic):https://www.theatlantic.com/national-security/2025/11/ukraine-zelensky-russia-trump-peace-land-red-line/685090/ Subscribe: telegraph.co.uk/ukrainethelatestEmail: ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk

Day 1,372.Today, as Thanksgiving is marked in the United States – and supposedly the day by which Ukraine was meant to agree to a peace deal, a deadline Donald Trump has now walked back – Russia denies leaking the phone call in which Steve Witkoff coached Vladimir Putin’s top aides on how to flatter the former president. We assess whether Marco Rubio’s apparent demand – that a peace deal be signed before the US grants Ukraine any security guarantees – is remotely deliverable. We also report on how Moldovan authorities attempted to return a Russian drone that violated their airspace. And later, we hear from the Ukrainian public, and gauge their reaction to this week’s extraordinary developments.ContributorsDominic Nicholls (Associate Editor of Defence). @DomNicholls on X.Francis Dearnley (Executive Editor for Audio). @FrancisDearnley on X.With thanks to Svitlana Morenets, columnist at the Spectator.SIGN UP TO THE ‘UKRAINE: THE LATEST’ WEEKLY NEWSLETTER:http://telegraph.co.uk/ukrainenewsletter  Each week, Dom Nicholls and Francis Dearnley answer your questions, provide recommended reading, and give exclusive analysis and behind-the-scenes insights – plus maps of the frontlines and diagrams of weapons to complement our daily reporting. It’s free for everyone, including non-subscribers.CONTENT REFERENCED:Who leaked Witkoff’s Kremlin call? These are the main suspects (The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/11/26/steve-witkoff-kremlin-call-main-suspects-witi-leaks/ Made in Moscow: The “U.S. peace plan” for Ukraine was substantially formulated months ago by Kremlin operative Kirill Dmitriev (The Insider):https://theins.press/en/politics/287159 Allies worry US demands Ukraine deal before security guarantees (POLITICO):https://www.politico.com/news/2025/11/26/us-demands-peace-deal-before-security-guarantees-for-ukraine-00670210 Moldova's Foreign Ministry confronts Russian ambassador with drone that violated country's airspace (Kyiv Independent):https://kyivindependent.com/moldovas-foreign-ministry-confronts-russian-ambassador-with-drone-that-violated-countrys-airspace/ A better way to craft a reparations loan (Hugo Dixon of the Ukraine Reparations Loan):https://www.ukrainereparationsloan.com/post/a-better-way-to-craft-a-reparations-loan Zarah Sultana’s pompous, luxury beliefs about Ukraine (The Spectator):https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/zarah-sultanas-pompous-luxury-beliefs-about-ukraine/ Subscribe: telegraph.co.uk/ukrainethelatestEmail: ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk

Day 1,371.Today, as a leaked call reveals that Steve Witkoff, the US special envoy to Russia, coached a Kremlin negotiator on how to make Donald Trump more favourable to Moscow’s position, we examine the fallout – or the lack of it. We also assess new signals that Trump’s much-trailed Thursday deadline may not be as cast-iron as claimed. Then we turn to the reaction from Moscow and across Europe’s parliaments: alarm, or business as usual?ContributorsFrancis Dearnley (Executive Editor for Audio). @FrancisDearnley on X.Dominic Nicholls (Associate Editor of Defence). @DomNicholls on X.James Kilner (Foreign Correspondent). @jkjourno on X.Adélie Pojzman-Pontay (Journalist and Producer). @adeliepjz on X.SIGN UP TO THE ‘UKRAINE: THE LATEST’ WEEKLY NEWSLETTER:http://telegraph.co.uk/ukrainenewsletter  Each week, Dom Nicholls and Francis Dearnley answer your questions, provide recommended reading, and give exclusive analysis and behind-the-scenes insights – plus maps of the frontlines and diagrams of weapons to complement our daily reporting. It’s free for everyone, including non-subscribers.CONTENT REFERENCED:Telegraph Ukraine Live Blog:https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/11/26/ukraine-russia-war-latest-news-trump-peace-talks/ Trump envoy coaches Kremlin negotiator in leaked call (Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/politics/2025/11/25/witkoff-coach-russians-peace-plan-trump/Starmer demands British boots on ground under Ukraine peace deal (The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/11/25/russia-hints-it-may-reject-latest-peace-deal/ I’ve seen high-level negotiations. Witkoff broke the one rule that matters (David Blair in The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/11/26/witkoff-ushakov-leaked-call/ Bloomberg’s Leaked Transcripts:https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-11-25/witkoff-advised-russia-on-how-to-pitch-ukraine-plan-to-trumpSubscribe: telegraph.co.uk/ukrainethelatestEmail: ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk

Day 1,370.Today, as the United States holds secret talks with separate Ukrainian and Russian delegations in Abu Dhabi, we unpack the emerging 19-point peace plan – and react live on air to breaking reports that President Zelensky has agreed to the framework of a potential deal. We then gauge the mood in Europe’s capitals: is this a moment of quiet strategy and resolution, or rising panic as the diplomatic landscape shifts beneath their feet?ContributorsFrancis Dearnley (Executive Editor for Audio). @FrancisDearnley on X.Dominic Nicholls (Associate Editor of Defence). @DomNicholls on X.Joe Barnes (Brussels Correspondent). @Barnes_Joe on X.James Rothwell (Berlin Correspondent). @JamesERothwell on X.SIGN UP TO THE ‘UKRAINE: THE LATEST’ WEEKLY NEWSLETTER:http://telegraph.co.uk/ukrainenewsletter  Each week, Dom Nicholls and Francis Dearnley answer your questions, provide recommended reading, and give exclusive analysis and behind-the-scenes insights – plus maps of the frontlines and diagrams of weapons to complement our daily reporting. It’s free for everyone, including non-subscribers.CONTENT REFERENCED:Zelensky ‘agrees’ to Trump’s amended peace deal (The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/11/25/russia-ukraine-zelensky-putin-war-latest-news5338/ Trump and Zelensky set for crunch talks on peace plan (The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/11/24/trump-zelensky-ukraine-peace-plan-talks/ Battle for Ukraine splits Trump’s top team (The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/news/2025/11/25/ukraines-future-depends-who-wins-battle-white-house/ How Trump's 28-point plan for Ukraine shocked the world (Axios):https://www.axios.com/2025/11/24/trump-ukraine-plan-28-points-back-story Japan to deploy missiles to island near Taiwan, Defence Minister sayshttps://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/japan-to-deploy-missiles-to-island-near-taiwan-defence-minister-says US and Ukraine draft new 19-point peace plan but defer biggest decisions (Financial Times):https://www.ft.com/content/883e5a47-430c-4fc2-85ee-cd6af9bb599d Subscribe: telegraph.co.uk/ukrainethelatestEmail: ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk