Ukraine war latest: Trump and Macron urge Putin to end violence; Ukraine expected in US over minerals deal

Vladimir Putin supports a ceasefire in Ukraine but still has a "number of questions" that need to be answered, the Kremlin says.

The Russian leader has agreed to a limited, 30-day ceasefire covering strikes on energy infrastructure, but is yet to greenlight a broader cessation of hostilities already agreed to by Ukraine.

Speaking this morning, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Moscow had not been given answers to its questions about a possible ceasefire.

He also gave his wider backing to the continuation of peace talks between Russia and the US.

The governor of Ukraine's Kharkiv region has reported several Russian attacks this morning causing injuries, one death and damage to power lines.

Oleh Syniehubov posted on Telegram at 5.30am UK time that a KAB precision-guided Russian bomb hit the village of Tokarivka, killing a 48-year-old man.

"Russia does not stop terrorising the civilian population of the Kharkiv region," he said alongside the post.

A later update this morning reports six further attacks causing two injuries, fires and damage to a high-rise building, housing and power transmission lines.

We mentioned in our first post comments made by Volodymyr Zelenskyy over the weekend, criticising the US embassy in Ukraine for its reaction to deadly Russian strikes.

Following the missile attack on Kryvyi Rih, which is now believed to have killed 20 people, America's ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink posted on X: "Horrified that tonight a ballistic missile struck near a playground and restaurant in Kryvyi Rih.

"More than 50 people injured and 16 killed, including 6 children. This is why the war must end."

Zelenskyy criticised the statement for failing to mention Russia by name, saying the US "must not be afraid to call a spade a spade".

A version of Zelenskyy's post was previously shared to X but has since been deleted. Here's what he wrote in Ukrainian on the Telegram messaging app:

We appreciate the principled statement of the Embassies of Japan, Great Britain, Switzerland and Germany. Unfortunately, the reaction of the American Embassy is unpleasantly surprising: such a strong country, such a strong people - and such a weak reaction. They are even afraid to say the word "Russian" when talking about the missile that killed children. 

Yes, the war must end. But in order to end it, we must not be afraid to call a spade a spade. We must not be afraid to put pressure on the only one who continues this war and ignores all the world's proposals to end it. We must put pressure on Russia, which chooses to kill children instead of a ceasefire.

Watch: Strike on Zelenskyy's city

These maps show the latest territorial situation, indicating how much ground is held by Russian and Ukrainian forces respectively.

The first map shows a wide view of the conflict, and from left to right you can see closer views of the fronts in Donetsk, Kharkiv, Luhansk and of the Russian region of Kursk.

Earlier we mentioned some of the international response to Russia's ongoing deadly strikes against Ukraine.

Donald Trump said he doesn't like the bombing, while French President Emmanuel Macron took to X yesterday to share his frustration at Russia's attacks.

"While Ukraine accepted President Trump's proposal for a complete and unconditional 30-day ceasefire nearly a month ago, and we are working with all our partners to secure peace, Russia continues the war with renewed intensity, with no regard for civilians," he posted.

"These Russian strikes must end. We need a ceasefire as soon as possible. And we need strong action if Russia continues to stall and refuse peace. 

"How long will Russia ignore peace overtures from the United States and Ukraine while continuing to murder children and civilians?"

Back to our live updates for the new week now and starting with news from Russia on an overnight attack from Ukraine.

Authorities in the southwestern Krasnodar region say a Ukrainian drone suppressed by Russia's air defence systems managed to damage railway tracks in the area.

"There were no casualties, and no fire occurred," the administration of the region said in a post on Telegram.

Earlier, Russia's defence ministry said that its air defence units intercepted and destroyed 19 Ukrainian drones overnight. 

Of those, 13 were destroyed over the Sea of Azov, four were downed over the Krasnodar region, while the remaining two were downed over the Bryansk region and the Crimean Peninsula. 

By Mark Wyatt, live news reporter

Welcome back to another week of our live coverage of the war in Ukraine and efforts to bring an end to the fighting.

Before we get to our live updates, here's everything you need to know ahead of a new week.

Deadly strikes continue

Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called on the West to amp up pressure on Russia after more days of deadly air attacks.

A Russian ballistic missile killed 20 people in Kryvyi Rih on Friday, while one person was reported dead in Kyiv following a huge aerial attack there yesterday.

Zelenskyy said that "pressure on Russia is still insufficient, and the daily Russian strikes on Ukraine prove it".

"The number of air attacks is increasing. This is how Russia reveals its true intentions – to continue the terror for as long as the world allows it," he said.

Zelenskyy later accused the US of being "afraid" to name-check Russia in its comments on the attack on Kryvyi Rih

"Unfortunately, the reaction of the American Embassy is unpleasantly surprising: such a strong country, such a strong people - and such a weak reaction," he wrote on X.

'I don't like the bombing'

It's not just Zelenskyy making a point on the attacks. Donald Trump renewed his calls for a ceasefire yesterday.

He also urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the violence.

"We are talking to Russia. We would like them to stop," Trump told reporters onboard Air Force One.

"I don't like the bombing, the bombing goes on and on, and every week thousands of young people being killed."

Striking a similar tone was French President Emmanuel Macron, who called for strong action in a post on X if Russia continues to "refuse peace".

Peace talks

Vladimir Putin's envoy Kirill Dmitriev has said Moscow and Washington could resume contact this week, according to TASS.

Dmitriev is the Kremlin's international economy envoy and last week became the most senior Russian official to visit Washington since the start of the war in Ukraine.

He told Channel One television, that there were "positive dynamics" but cautioned that "there are undoubtedly still a large number of enemies of Russia in the American government".

Dmitriev, who also heads Russia's sovereign wealth fund, said that "there is now a fragile hope that dialogue has been restored".

Minerals deal back on the table?

A team from Ukraine is expected in Washington this week to discuss a new minerals deal that could give the US access to Ukraine's valuable mineral resources, including titanium, lithium, and uranium.

Trump's administration has proposed a more expansive minerals deal, which Ukraine has been reviewing in recent days. 

Ukraine's economy minister Yulia Svyrydenko stressed the US draft reflects only one side's position and is not final. 

"What we have now is a document that reflects the position of the US Treasury legal team. This is not a final version, it's not a joint position."

The talks follow earlier tensions concerning the deal that centred around the contentious Oval Office meeting between Trump, US vice president JD Vance and Zelenskyy.

Critics argue the deal risks undermining Ukraine's sovereignty and EU membership prospects.

Elsewhere...

Our security and defence analyst Michael Clarke answered your questions in our latest Q&A session.

He spoke on a number of different topics, including:

• The truth about the war's casualty figures;
• How he would approach Ukraine's negotiations with Trump and Putin;
• Russia's threats to the UK - and how Britain is already being targeted.

Watch the full Q&A in the video below.

We're now pausing our live coverage of the war in Ukraine.

Sky News will bring you the latest updates, but scroll down to catch up on the latest developments.

Here's a summary of the big news of the day so far:

14 dead in Kryvyi Rih

At least 14 people have died, including six children, following a Russian missile strike on Kryvyi Rih, Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said.

The Ukrainian president said rescue operations were ongoing in the central city - also his hometown - and added the attack showed "Russia does not want a ceasefire, and we see it" 

Regional governor Serhii Lysak added that at least 50 people were injured.

NATO in Brussels

NATO foreign ministers gathered, with Ukraine and defence spending key items on the agenda.

Simultaneously, army chiefs were meeting in Kyiv in a less publicised, but similarly important, meeting.

Britain's David Lammy and France's Jean-Noel Barrot continued their coordinated approach to the conflict with a joint statement this morning, kicking off proceedings by accusing Putin of "dragging his feet".

Notable lines from Brussels came from the likes of US secretary of state Marco Rubio and NATO secretary general Mark Rutte.

While the US has faced accusations of trying to rehabilitate Russia's image on the global stage, Rubio had some ostensibly strong words for Moscow.

In a thinly veiled threat, he said he had "explained" the US's timeline to one of Vladimir Putin's officials, but reassured reporters "none of it was threatening."

He added: "I think it was more an explanation of this is our timeline, and at some point it will be clear whether [Russia] wants peace or [if Russia] doesn't want peace. And that time is coming. It's pretty short."

Meanwhile, Rutte said the "ball is in Russia's court" over peace talks after a US 30-day ceasefire seemingly failed.

Moscow tone shift

It seems some of the US's tougher rhetoric may have gotten through to the Kremlin.

In an interview with Fox News, Putin's investment envoy Kirill Dmitriev said late on Thursday that Russia might consider security guarantees "in some form".

This is a notable departure from previously statements, when Russia has refused to even consider such backstops.

Fighting shows no sign of stopping

However, while the words may be encouraging to US ears, Russia continued its nightly attacks.

It is yet to be seen if Moscow will come to the negotiating table in any serious way.

Stark pictures from Kharkiv showed the aftermath of a drone strike that killed at least four people, and injured over 30.

On the eastern front, Russia claimed to have seized two towns and in Kursk it was continuing its efforts to dislodge Ukrainian soldiers.

A human rights ombudsman says Russia used a ballistic missile in its strike on Kryvyi Rih.

Dmytro Lubinets added on Telegram that the attack reached "not a single military facility - just civilian infrastructure".

Ballistic missiles take just minutes to reach their targets and are difficult to shoot down for all but the most advanced air defences.

After its strike on Kryvyi Rih, Volodymyr Zelenskyy is saying Russia has launched a drone attack at a thermal power plant in Kherson.

The Ukrainian president is accusing Russia of violating the US-brokered energy ceasefire with the attack, and says: "All Russian promises end with missiles and drones, bombs or artillery."

"Diplomacy is an empty word for them," he added in an evening address.