Zelenskyy will ‘have to get going and make deal,’ Trump says, as he ramps up pressure on Europe to stop buying oil from Russia
Trump also said that Zelenskyy will “have to get going and make a deal” to end the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
“He’s going to have to make a deal; Zelenskyy is going to have to make a deal, and Europe has to stop buying oil from Russia.
Okay? You know, they talk, but they have to stop buying oil from Russia.”
Key events
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Closing summary
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Putin says 100,000 soldiers take part in Russian-Belarusian military drills
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Poland faces new questions over drone incursion response
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EU’s aid programme meant to help least developed countries ‘lacks operational objectives’, will miss target, report says
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Trump’s agenda during state visit to Britain
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Trump departs for Britain
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Russian oil purchases by EU, Nato countries ‘got to stop immediately,’ Trump says
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Zelenskyy will ‘have to get going and make deal,’ Trump says, as he ramps up pressure on Europe to stop buying oil from Russia
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‘Takes two to tango,’ Trump says in comments on lack of progress with Putin on Ukraine
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‘It’s going to be nice,’ Trump says on UK trip and hints at talks on trade
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Russian strikes on Ukraine overnight — video
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Spain first of Eurovision ‘big five’ to decide on boycott if Israel participates — full story
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Italy would not be ready ‘for a Russian attack,’ defence minister admits
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Spain says it will quit 2026 Eurovision song contest if Israel takes part
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No delay on Russia sanctions, with discussions ‘ongoing’, EU spokesperson insists
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EU will adopt new sanctions against Israel tomorrow
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Germany, Sweden criticise Israeli ground assault on Gaza City
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Ukrainian man tried for alleged Nord Stream sabotage ordered to be extradited to Germany
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‘If you’ve got drones putting Polish lives at risk, Nato will … take them out,’ UK defence secretary says
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‘For Europe’s survival, we must do what has not been done before,’ EU’s Draghi says
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EU seen by companies as ‘failing to match the speed of change elsewhere,’ Draghi says as he urges EU to move faster on competitiveness
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EU’s von der Leyen praises bloc’s progress on competitiveness
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More than 3,500 drones launched at Ukraine this month, Zelenskyy says
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Morning opening: Welcome back to Europe, Mr Trump
Closing summary
Jakub Krupa
… and on that note, it’s a wrap!
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US president Donald Trump said Zelenskyy will “have to get going and make a deal” to end the Russian invasion of Ukraine as he ramped up pressure on the EU and Nato countries to “stop buying oil from Russia” (15:51, 15:54, 16:05).
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Speaking with reporters before his trip to the UK, Trump said he was hoping for a “nice” visit and he expected to be involved in talks on trade, among others (15:47).
Separately,
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Spain’s national broadcaster RTVE announced its plans to withdraw from the 2026 Eurovision song contest if Israel takes part in the event (13:03), the first of the so-called “Big Five” countries to do so (14:23).
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The decision comes a day after Spanish culture minister Ernest Urtasun suggested such a move, and shortly after a group of pro-Palestinian protesters disrupted the final stage of the Vuelta a Espana cycling race in Madrid (13:24)
And that’s all from me, Jakub Krupa, for today.
If you have any tips, comments or suggestions, email me at jakub.krupa@theguardian.com.
I am also on Bluesky at @jakubkrupa.bsky.social and on X at @jakubkrupa.
Putin says 100,000 soldiers take part in Russian-Belarusian military drills
Russian president Vladimir Putin said 100,000 troops were participating in the Zapad joint drills with Belarus, during a surprise visit to the exercise, part of which took place close to Nato borders, AFP reported.
“Today we are conducting the final part of the Zapad 2025 strategic exercise,” said Putin, wearing military uniform, adding: “100,000 servicemen are taking part.”
Poland faces new questions over drone incursion response
Poland’s government faces new questions about its response to last week’s Russian drones incursion, amid media reports that a house in the village of Wyryki damaged that night may have been hit not by a Russian drone, but by a missile launched from a Polish fighter jet sent to intercept it.
The report, first published by Rzeczpospolita daily and later confirmed by Onet, included a suggestion that the missile’s targeting system malfunctioned on launch, but its in-built safety system prevented it from arming and exploding.
Today’s media claims prompted the National Security Bureau, reporting to the opposition-aligned president Karol Nawrocki, to urge the government to “immediately clarify” what happened.
The government’s response focused on stressing Russia’s overall responsibility for the attack, which triggered the military reaction, without focusing on the details or confirming the reporting.
Poland’s Donald Tusk did not take questions from reporters when he appeared at a media briefing announcing plans on submarine procurement earlier today, but he responded to media reports on X, saying:
“All responsibility for the damage to the house in Wyryki falls on the authors of the drone provocation, that is, Russia. The appropriate services will inform the public, the government, and the president about all the circumstances of the incident after the proceedings are completed.”
He added:
“Hands off Polish soldiers.”
Poland’s deputy prime minister and foreign minister Radosław Sikorski said:
“My definition of a Russian sockpuppet is someone who tries to remove responsibility from Russia for the consequences of the drone provocation against Poland.”
Poland’s deputy foreign minister Marcin Bosacki, who represented Poland at the UN security council meeting on the incident last week, said:
“All responsibility for the losses resulting from the Russian provocation of sending 19 military drones into Poland falls on Russia – whether the damage was caused by the drones or by the missiles intercepting them, used IN DEFENCE by Polish and allied armed forces.”
The Polish ministry of defence issued only a brief statement saying that “the relevant state authorities are conducting a full investigation into the events following Russia’s aggression.”
“However, it is already clear today that Russia is responsible for the provocation and its consequences,” it said.
It later added:
“Regardless of the final conclusions of the state authorities, the destroyed house in the town of Wyryki will be rebuilt at the state’s expense.”
In its statement, the Operational Command of the Polish Armed Forces sidestepped the question about what happened, insisting instead that it provided the relevant authorities with “all available information, without any omissions.”
EU’s aid programme meant to help least developed countries ‘lacks operational objectives’, will miss target, report says
Lisa O’Carroll
The EU’s aid programme designed to help lift the economies of the least developed countries in the world “lacks operational objectives” and will fail to meet its 2030 target, the official EU financial watchdog has concluded.
The European Court of Auditors said that the goal of spending 25% of the aid budget on “aid for trade” programme “is unlikely to be achieved” with a “disconnect” between pledges made in Brussels and what happens on the ground.
Some 32 of the world’s 44 least developed countries (LDC) are in Africa, with Haiti, the only one categorised as such in the Caribbean are with eight countries in Asia including Cambodia and two in the Pacific classed as LDCs.
An in depth investigation by the court of auditors published today looked at Rwanda, Malawi, Angola and Cambodia.
It found simple issues had arisen inhibiting its efficacy including training of public servants rather than business people.
In Malawi, the EU found that a programme it had backed for farmers and small businesses was not backed by local banks involved. Instead they “only gave loans to big clients they had already worked with”.
Between 2017 and 2022 the EU and its member states allocated €17.2bn through the Aid for Trade programme to the world’s least developed countries, “a fraction of the overall €105.8bn sent to other developing countries”, the court of auditors said.
It also pointed out that the share received by the least developed countries declined from 18% of the Aid for Trade programme, to just 12% in 2022.
Trump’s agenda during state visit to Britain
Kiran Stacey
Here is what’s on Trump’s agenda during his visit to Britain.
Trump departs for Britain
And that’s all for his pre-departure comments.
Trump is now on his way to the UK.
President Donald Trump boards Air Force One, Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2025, in Joint Base Andrews, Md. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Photograph: Evan Vucci/AP
Russian oil purchases by EU, Nato countries ‘got to stop immediately,’ Trump says
Asked if he will put more pressure on EU and Nato, Trump said “the problem” was “they are purchasing Russian oil.”
“I don’t want them purchasing Russian oil, and they’ve got to stop immediately. Not fair to us. They’re purchasing Russian oil, and we have to do things.”
He then makes an argument about the US making money as “they are buying everything from US; unlike Biden, who gave away $350bn, we actually make money.”
“But I don’t want to make money. You know what I want? I want that war to stop,” he says.
Later responding to a question from a Ukrainian journalist, Trump added he “loves Ukraine,” but conceded “it is in serious trouble.”
“It should have never happened. It’s a war that should have never happened. The country is in very serious trouble. But I’m going to get it stopped,” he says.
He then said:
“I’ve stopped seven wars in the last eight months. I thought that would have been the easiest, because I know Putin, but it’s not, because there’s tremendous hatred between Zelenskyy … and Putin, but we’re going to get it stopped.”
Zelenskyy will ‘have to get going and make deal,’ Trump says, as he ramps up pressure on Europe to stop buying oil from Russia
Trump also said that Zelenskyy will “have to get going and make a deal” to end the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
“He’s going to have to make a deal; Zelenskyy is going to have to make a deal, and Europe has to stop buying oil from Russia.
Okay? You know, they talk, but they have to stop buying oil from Russia.”
‘Takes two to tango,’ Trump says in comments on lack of progress with Putin on Ukraine
On Putin, Trump said:
“It takes two to tango. Those are two people, Zelenskyy and Putin, that hate each other, and it looks like I have to sit in the room with them, because they can’t sit in a room together. There’s great hatred there.”
He then defended his Alaska summit in Putin, claiming without offering any evidence to back this up: “That meeting accomplished a lot.”
‘It’s going to be nice,’ Trump says on UK trip and hints at talks on trade
On visiting the UK, Trump said:
“Well, my relationship is very good with the UK, and Charles, as you know, who’s now King, is my friend, and it’s the first time this has ever happened, where somebody was honoured twice so it’s a great honour.
This one’s at Windsor they’ve never used Windsor Castle for this before they use the Buckingham Palace. I don’t want to say one is better than the other but they say Windsor Castle is the ultimate [one], right, so it’s going to be nice.”
He then continued to say that “they want to see if they can refine the trade deal,” adding he’s “into helping them.”
US president Donald Trump is due to leave shortly for the UK state visit.
I will bring you his pre-departure comments as soon we get them.
Russian strikes on Ukraine overnight — video
Going back to our earlier reports on overnight attacks on Ukraine (9:49, 10:02), we can now bring you this footage of the Russian strikes on Zaporizhzhia …
… and Kharkhiv.
Spain first of Eurovision ‘big five’ to decide on boycott if Israel participates — full story
And just briefly coming back to the Spanish decision on boycotting Eurovision if Israel takes part …
Here’s the full story by Sam Jones in Madrid and Lisa O’Carroll in London.
“It makes Spain the first of the “big five” Eurovision countries that make the largest financial contributions to the event – the others are France, Germany, Italy, and the UK – to take such action in response to Israel’s offensive in Gaza.
The decision was made on the same day as a UN commission of inquiry concluded that Israel was committing genocide in Gaza.
There had already been similar decisions over Eurovision from Slovenia, Ireland and the Netherlands.”
I will keep an eye out for any reactions – political or otherwise – and bring you the key lines here.
Italy would not be ready ‘for a Russian attack,’ defence minister admits
Angela Giuffrida
in Rome
Meanwhile, Italy’s defence minister, Guido Crosetto, said Italy would not be ready “for a Russian attack” as tensions between Russia and Nato escalate following drone incursions.
Speaking to reporters in Rome, Crosetto said Italy would not be equipped for a military attack, blaming two decades of underinvestment in defence.
“We are not ready for either a Russian attack or an attack by another nation,” he added. “I’ve been saying this for a long time. I think it’s our job to put this country in a position to defend itself if a madman decides to attack us – I don’t just mean Putin, I mean anyone”.
Italy, along with other Nato countries, has agreed to significantly increase defence spending over the next decade, even if the policy is extremely unpopular among Italians.
In 2024, Italy’s defence spending was just 1.5% of output – at the lower end of the 32 Nato members. The country has committed to increasing this to 5% by 2035. Giorgia Meloni’s government has come up with creative accounting methods to cover the expense, including defining infrastructure projects, for example a controversial €13.5bn bridge linking mainland Italy with Sicily, as military expenditure.
Crosetto estimates it will take at least six years, until 2031, to build an autonomous air defence system.
Crosetto’s comments triggered criticism from Matteo Salvini, deputy prime minister and a longtime supporter of the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, who said Italy needed to defend itself against migrants and not Russia.
For context, the RTVE’s decision comes a day after Spanish culture minister Ernest Urtasun suggested such a move, and shortly after a group of pro-Palestinian protesters disrupted the final stage of the Vuelta a Espana cycling race in Madrid.
“We have to ensure that Israel does not take part in the next edition of Eurovision. Just as Ireland, Slovenia, Iceland and also the Netherlands have already done, if we do not succeed in expelling Israel, Spain should not participate,” Urtasun told Spanish public radio yesterday (Europe Live, Monday).
Spain says it will quit 2026 Eurovision song contest if Israel takes part
Spanish broadcaster RTVE has voted on a motion to withdraw from the 2026 Eurovision song contest if Israel takes part in the event.
The motion was passed by a majority of votes on the broadcaster’s governing body, with ten votes in favour, four against, and one abstention, RTVE said in a statement.
It noted it was the first of the so-called Big Five – France, Germany and Spain, Italy, and the UK – to make such decision, after other countries – including Iceland, Ireland, the Netherlands and Slovenia – also signalled similar plans.
RTVE said the decision will “put more pressure” on the European Broadcasting Union’s general assembly in early December which is expected to make a decision on Israel’s participation in the event.
No delay on Russia sanctions, with discussions ‘ongoing’, EU spokesperson insists
The commission’s chief spokesperson also denied that there is a delay on the latest round of sanctions on Russia.
“We did see reports about the delay, but the fact is that we never announced a concrete date, so we don’t see any delay, right? Discussions are ongoing in order to have a solid package to be put forward as soon as it is ready,” Pinho said.
Earlier on Tuesday, EU officials briefed reporters, including from Politico and Reuters, that there will be a delay in presenting the new package, which had been expected to be presented on Wednesday.