Ukraine-Russia war latest: ‘US considers recognising Crimea as Russian’ as Trump and Putin set for crucial call

Foreign Secretary David Lammy and the EU’s high representative for foreign affairs Kaja Kallas are meeting today.

Before their official talks, the pair shook hands on the front doorstep of Mr Lammy’s official residence, and he reiterated the need for an “enduring and a lasting peace” for Ukraine.

Mr Lammy said: “We know that we are meeting at a very tough geopolitical moment in which there is of course war in Europe and our deep concern is to continue to support Ukraine at this time, and of course to achieve an enduring and a lasting peace.”

Turkey’s president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan will help provide security guarantees for Ukraine, the Prime Minister of the Netherlands confirmed.

Dick Schoof said he spoke with Mr Erdoğan ahead of Donald Trump’s talks with Russia’s Vladimir Putin, and they discussed the importance of supporting Ukraine.

“Just spoke with President @RTErdogan of Türkiye,” he wrote on X.

“First we discussed the war in Ukraine, the importance of providing unwavering support in the struggle against the Russian aggressor, and European security.

“Türkiye can help contribute to security guarantees, which will be a key condition for stable and lasting peace in Ukraine.”

Sir Keir Starmer told Donald Trump that Ukraine must be put in the “strongest possible position” in order to secure a “just and lasting peace” in the war with Russia when the pair spoke on the phone on Monday evening.

It comes ahead of crunch talks between Mr Trump and Vladimir Putin on Tuesday, where they are expected to discuss the US-Ukraine plan for a 30-day ceasefire.

Following a call between Sir Keir and Mr Trump on Monday night, the prime minister’s official spokesman said: “The prime minister updated the president on his coalition of the willing call with international leaders that took place on Saturday.

“He reiterated that all must work together to put Ukraine in the strongest possible position to secure a just and lasting peace.”

Ukrainian experts inspect the debris of a Russian drone that fell in the morning near a school on the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine on Wednesday amid the ongoing Russian invasion.

According to the Ukrainian Air Force, Russia launched over 100 shock drones against Ukraine during the night of 18 March 2025, with no casualties reported.

Germany’s likely next chancellor, Friedrich Merz, says Russia’s war is not only against Ukraine.

“Putin’s war is directed not only against Ukraine, but also against Europe—against our security and our freedom,” he said in the Bundestag today.

“We will defend ourselves against these attacks with everything at our disposal in the coming years and decades.”

The head of Russia’s foreign investment fund has claimed that he will soon meet with Elon Musk to discuss space exploration.

Russian state media is quoting Kirill Dmitriev, Vladimir Putin’s special envoy on international economic and investment cooperation, as saying that he had also discussed with the head of Roscomos, Russia’s state space agency, the possibility of working with the US on flights to Mars.

“Russia sees big prospects to work with the United States, including in the space sector, and expects to hold talks with Elon Musk soon about flying to Mars,” he is reported as saying.

Dmitriev participated in the peace talks between Russia and the US, after which both sides announced their intention to improve ties.

Musk has not commented on claims about a meeting.

Below you can see the latest maps of the situation in the Russian border region of Kursk, where Moscow’s troops are forcing out the Ukrainian forces that have partially held the area since last August.

The salient collapsed after Russia cut off the final supply line connecting Ukraine’s troops in Kursk to the mainland.