The deal ‘signals clearly to Russia that the Trump Administration is committed to a peace process centered on a free’ Ukraine, the US said.

Preliminary forensic investigation found ‘numerous signs of torture’.

May 9 is celebrated as Victory Day in Russia, marking the Soviet Union’s role in the defeat of the Nazi regime.

Michael Gloss, 21, went from climate strikes and abortion protests to fighting for Russia in Ukraine.

It was one of the most striking images from the Pope’s funeral – but it nearly looked quite different.

The satellite was launched shortly before Russia invaded Ukraine.

Vladimir Putin skipped Pope Francis’s funeral – and launched attacks on Ukraine during it.

A meeting between the pair, who last spoke in late February, caught attention after tensions boiled over.

This is not the first time Trump has parroted Kremlin talking points, nor is it the first time he has deployed poor diplomacy. 

Top diplomats from the UK, US, France, Germany and Ukraine have suddenly pulled out of peace talks in London.

Senior officials from the five countries will meet instead for high-level talks on how to end Russia’s war.

This downgrading in diplomacy comes despite pressure from President Donald Trump pushing for Kyiv and Moscow to agree to a ceasefire.

The talks in London today would see a US peace proposal discussed, which would recognise Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea.

But this recognition was rejected by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Ukraine’s allies are hoping to receive security guarantees and reconstruction projections.

The Financial Times claimed that Vladimir Putin has also offered to halt his invasion along the current front lines.

This would leave about 20 percent of Ukraine in Russia’s hands. 

It comes as US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Trump may walk away from Ukraine peace efforts in a matter of days if he can’t end the war.

He said: ‘We need to determine very quickly now, and I’m talking about a matter of days, whether or not this is doable.

‘If it’s not possible, if we’re so far apart that this is not going to happen then I think the president is probably at a point where he’s going to say we’re done.

‘It’s not our war. We didn’t start it. The United States has been helping Ukraine for the past three years and we want it to end, but it’s not our war.

‘President (Trump) has spent 87 days at the highest level of this government repeatedly taking efforts to bring this war to and end.

‘We are now reaching a point when we need to decide and determine whether this is even possible or not. Which is why we’re engaging both sides.’

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Zelensky accused Putin of making a mockery of his own ‘truce’.

The truce will last until April 21.

The truce will last until April 21.

Trump previously claimed he could end the war between Russia and Ukraine ‘within 24 hours’.

Further attacks struck Ukraine last night, injuring dozens of civilians and one barrage even hit a cake factory.

If you’ve always wanted to try out the Metro series, a remastered version of the first game is currently a free download.

Philip Ingram MBE addressed the question ‘When Will World War 3 Start?’

‘Only a scoundrel can act like this’, Volodymyr Zelensky said.

A soldier walks through the city of Pokrovsk which is now almost on the front line on April 8, 2025 (Picture: Getty)

Ukraine could be divided ‘almost like Berlin after World War II’ as part of a deal to end Russia’s full-…

A report that Britain is considering deploying soldiers to Ukraine for five years has been described as ‘pure speculation’.

One of a number of options on the table being discussed by Western allies was said to be a European-led force dispatched to the war-torn nation to deter Russia from breaching any agreement of a ceasefire.

But a ministry of defence spokesperson criticised the report, telling Metro: ‘This is pure speculation.

‘As defence secretary John Healey said on Thursday when convening the latest meeting of the 30 countries supporting the Coalition of the Willing, we are stepping up as one to put Ukraine in the strongest possible position to protect its sovereignty.

‘We must put more pressure on Putin to end his war, and we must step up our support for Ukraine, which is why we have announced a further £450 million of military support today to deliver hundreds of thousands of drones and other urgently needed equipment.’

The claims, originally reported by The Telegraph, citing unnamed sources, said the main aim of the deployment would be to immediately start helping to train and rebuild Ukraine’s armed forces.

The force would later withdraw in stages with final troops to leave around the five year mark. 

Away from deploying British and French soldiers on the ground in Ukraine European allies are focusing on military aid to help support the depleted army.

They pledged a record £18.2 billion of help as Healey warned that 2025 was ‘the critical year’ for the war.

The commitments follow a meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group (UDCG) chaired by the UK defence minister and his German counterpart, Boris Pistorius, at Nato headquarters in Brussels.

Addressing a joint press conference after the meeting, Healey said: ‘This UDCG could not meet at a more important time, because 2025 is the critical year for this war in Ukraine, and now is the critical moment in that war.’

Opening the meeting, he had urged allies to ‘step up our support for Ukraine’, adding: ‘Our job as defence ministers is to get urgent military aid into the hands of Ukrainian warfighters.’

The support announced on Friday includes a £450 million package from the UK and Norway to fund radar systems, anti-tank mines, vehicle repairs and hundreds of thousands of drones for Ukraine.

Drones have come to play an increasingly important role in the Ukraine war, with Healey saying on Friday that 70-80% of battlefield casualties were now inflicted by the technology – significantly outnumbering those caused by artillery.

Got a story? Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk. Or you can submit your videos and pictures here.

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Hi absence coincides with Trump’s criticism of Russia’s ongoing bombing of Ukraine.

Two Chinese nationals were captured this week, Ukraine said.