President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has urged Ukraine’s allies to secure support for Kyiv and convince Russia that pressing on with the war would be futile. He made the comment during his evening address on Wednesday ahead of a key European Union summit focused on Moscow’s frozen assets.
"The outcome of these meetings – the outcome for Europe – must be such that Russia feels that its desire to continue fighting next year will be pointless, because Ukraine will have support," Zelenskyy said.
He called on partner countries to take a decision on using almost $250 billion in frozen Russian state assets held within the European Union - the majority of them at Belgium-based Euroclear — to underpin a loan for Ukraine.
"We need all our partners to have the courage to see the truth, acknowledge the truth and act accordingly," Zelenskyy said.
EU governments agreed last week to keep the assets frozen indefinitely, removing the need for a vote every six months. However, several European leaders have raised concerns about the legal risks associated with using the funds.
He also pushed back against claims, often voiced by U.S. allies, that Moscow was seeking a negotiated end to the conflict. Russia’s actions and messaging, he said, including formal military orders, pointed in the opposite direction.
"Allies in the United States often say that Russia seems to want to end the war. But Russia is sending completely different rhetoric and signals, including official orders to its army."
In Moscow, President Vladimir Putin said Russia would seize more Ukrainian territory by force if Kyiv and European leaders - whom he derided - failed to engage with U.S.-backed proposals for a peace settlement.
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Israel and Lebanon have agreed to implement a ceasefire after U.S.-backed talks in Washington. The deal requires Hezbollah to halt attacks and withdraw from southern Lebanon, while both sides will resume direct talks later this month aimed at reaching a broader agreement.
A series of signals from Washington, including congressional testimony, a U.S. Embassy statement and a senior diplomat's visit to Tbilisi, has given Georgia's ruling party reason to declare a diplomatic reset. But Washington's message is more nuanced than Tbilisi is suggesting.
Afghan and Uzbek business officials have discussed ways to expand trade, ease transit bottlenecks and address customs challenges facing traders, according to the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment (ACCI).
Armenia is set to receive a support package worth more than €50 million ($58.2 million) from the European Union (EU) after Russia, its largest trading partner, imposed restrictions on a range of Armenian exports.
Severe Tropical Storm Jangmi brought heavy rain, power cuts and transport disruption across Japan on Wednesday (3 June) as it tracked towards the greater Tokyo region.
Police officers were pelted with missiles during violent clashes at a protest near the Southampton, UK, home of convicted murderer Vickrum Digwa, as anger continued to grow over the handling of the fatal stabbing of 18-year-old Henry Nowak.
Thousands of people have taken to the streets in Albania in recent days to protest against a luxury tourism project linked to Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of U.S. President Donald Trump, and his wife Ivanka Trump.
An Iranian drone and missile attack struck Kuwait International Airport early Wednesday, injuring several people, damaging Terminal 1 and forcing flight diversions, Kuwaiti authorities said.
Armenia’s parliamentary election comes at a defining moment for the South Caucasus, a region reshaped by the Garabagh conflict and broader shifts in Russia-West relations. The outcome is increasingly seen as a signal of Armenia’s future foreign policy direction and the regional balance of power.
China has criticised planned maritime boundary discussions between Japan and the Philippines, arguing that the waters involved fall within an area where Beijing claims maritime rights and jurisdiction.
U.S. President Donald Trump will attend next month's NATO leaders' summit in Türkiye, ending weeks of uncertainty over whether he would take part in a gathering expected to focus on the future of the alliance.
All 27 European Union (EU) member countries have agreed to begin the first set of talks with Ukraine and Moldova about joining the political and economic bloc.
Germany's foreign minister Johann Wadephul has suggested that Berlin's strong backing of Ukraine and its close ties with Israel may have contributed to its failure to secure a seat on the United Nations Security Council.
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