Ukraine-Russia war latest: European officials alarmed after FBI holds ‘secret meetings’ with Kyiv

The money would support military costs and help cover basic services crippled by nearly four years of conflict.

Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission president, estimated the loan would cover two-thirds of Ukraine’s funding needs for the next two years. Other partners could cover the rest, she said.

Britain also holds about £25bn of frozen Russian assets and is looking to coordinate with EU states to tap the assets. Some €290bn (£250bn) were frozen in the West after Russia’s full-scale invasion.

My colleague James C. Reynolds has more details below.

Officials worry that Ukrainian representatives could be seeking an amnesty from corruption allegations, while others are suspicious the discussions could be used to exert pressure on Ukraine to accept a peace deal.

Olha Stefanishyna, Ukrainian Ambassador to Washington, confirmed Umerov’s meeting with the FBI, telling the publication he “only covered national security related issues” that could not be publicly disclosed.

An FBI official said the discussion focused on shared law enforcement and national security and white collar corruption was not the main focus despite it being mentioned and called other theories as to the purpose of the meeting “complete nonsense”.

A White House official said: “U.S. officials regularly communicate with world leaders about national security issues of shared interest.”

They added that those concerned “are not privy to these diplomatic conversations and have no idea what they are talking about.”

A representative of Zelensky’s office declined to comment on specific meetings but said “it is stupid to link everything to ‘corruption.’”

Officials worry that Ukrainian representatives could be seeking an amnesty from corruption allegations, while others are suspicious the discussions could be used to exert pressure on Ukraine to accept a peace deal.

Olha Stefanishyna, Ukrainian Ambassador to Washington, confirmed Umerov’s meeting with the FBI, telling the publication he “only covered national security related issues” that could not be publicly disclosed.

An FBI official said the discussion focused on shared law enforcement and national security and white collar corruption was not the main focus despite it being mentioned and called other theories as to the purpose of the meeting “complete nonsense”.

A White House official said: “U.S. officials regularly communicate with world leaders about national security issues of shared interest.”

They added that those concerned “are not privy to these diplomatic conversations and have no idea what they are talking about.”

A representative of Zelensky’s office declined to comment on specific meetings but said “it is stupid to link everything to ‘corruption.’”

Ukraine’s domestically produced “Flamingo” missiles could deal a crushing blow to Russia’s air defences, a new report has claimed.

The report, from the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), says there are “significant vulnerabilities” Moscow’s most important air defence systems that can be exploited by Kyiv’s domestic missile.

Kyiv says that it’s Flamingo missile has a range of 3,000km and a 1,150kg warhead.

The report claims that Ukraine could use the missiles to deal significant damage to Russia’s Pantsir air defence system, “ironically resulting in limiting Russia’s ability to defend other targets over the course of 2026”.

“These are but a fraction of the points of vulnerability identified in Russia’s integrated air defence production,” it adds.

A senior Kremlin official says that the Russian police and National Guard will remain in eastern Ukraine’s Donbas even if a peace settlement ends the nearly four-year war.

It is a possibility that is likely to be rejected by Ukrainian officials as US-led negotiations for peace drag on.

Moscow will give its blessing to a ceasefire only after Ukraine’s forces have withdrawn from the front line, Kremlin adviser Yuri Ushakov said in comments published in Russian business daily Kommersant.

Mr Ushakov told Kommersant: “It’s entirely possible that there won’t be any troops (in the Donbas), either Russian or Ukrainian” in a post-war scenario.”

But he said that “there will be the National Guard, our police, everything necessary to maintain order and organise life”.

President Volodymyr Zelensky made an appearance at the frontline in Kupiansk on Friday, where Ukrainian troops say they have retaken key parts of the town as well as surrounding villages.

“Today, it is extremely important to achieve results on the front lines so that Ukraine can achieve results in diplomacy,” he said wearing a bulletproof vest in a video of him in front of the city’s entrance.

A civilian vessel caught fire after a Russian attack on Ukraine’ southern Odesa region port hub on Friday, two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.

They gave no additional details. Ukraine’s airforce reported missile and drone attacks on the region.

Sir Keir Starmer will discuss using frozen Russian assets to help Ukraine in a meeting with the Belgian premier amid resistance in Brussels to the move.

The Prime Minister is expected to host Bart De Wever on Friday afternoon for Downing Street talks which will also cover migration and economic growth.

Britain has said it is ready to move in tandem with the EU to unlock immobilised Russian sovereign assets, the vast majority of which are held in Belgium, to support Kyiv financially.

But Brussels has opposed the move, citing legal and financial risks.

Asked what the Prime Minister’s message was to European countries who may be nervous about using assets ahead of Friday’s meeting, Sir Keir’s official spokesman said: “We’re continuing work with our European partners to make use of the value of Russian sovereign assets immobilised in our jurisdictions.”

Armed forces minister Al Carns said countries need to “increase our lethality” and stop outsourcing it to others.

His warning comes after Nato secretary general Mark Rutte called Europe “Russia’s next target” and said countries must prepare for a “scale of war our grandparents or great-grandparents endured”.