Volodymyr Zelensky has said that Donald Trump should talk about Vladimir Putin in the same critical way that he talks about him.
The US President has recently turned on Zelensky over Ukraine’s strikes on Russian oil refineries, saying he was “more difficult to deal with than Putin” in comments that have enraged Kyiv and Europe.
Trump also claimed that Russia “hasn’t been doing much” in Ukraine, despite thousands of civilian deaths the unprecedented destruction of infrastructure.
Speaking to Steven Bartlett’s Diary of a CEO podcast, the Ukrainian president said: “The way Trump talks about me, he needs to adopt that kind of rhetoric about Putin.”
Zelensky said he did not understand why Trump was unhappy with him: “Congress voted for strong sanctions. He can do it – I don’t know why he is not doing it.
“Maybe they have a special relationship, maybe something else. I can’t tell you, I don’t know everything. I can only guess.”
Danish military orders long-range missiles
Denmark said on Thursday it has agreed to buy its first long-range precision missiles as the Nordic country seeks to bolster its security to deter Russian aggression in Europe, drawing condemnation from Moscow.
Danish Defence Minister Jeppe Bruus said the new missile systems would boost Denmark's capabilities and enable strikes "behind enemy lines" if attacked.
"We're in a serious and deteriorating security situation and that is why we are building up the defence and strengthening our combat power," Bruus told reporters.
The Russian embassy in Copenhagen, in a written statement, said Denmark's missile policy aims at confrontation with Moscow and warned of "inevitable disastrous consequences".
Zelensky says 'Trump should talk about Putin the way he talks about me'
Volodymyr Zelensky has said that Donald Trump should talk about Vladimir Putin in the same critical way that he talks about him.
The US President has recently turned on Zelensky over Ukraine’s strikes on Russian oil refineries, saying he was “more difficult to deal with than Putin” in comments that have enraged Kyiv and Europe.
Trump also claimed that Russia “hasn’t been doing much” in Ukraine, despite thousands of civilian deaths the unprecedented destruction of infrastructure.
Speaking to Steven Bartlett’s Diary of a CEO podcast, the Ukrainian president said: “The way Trump talks about me, he needs to adopt that kind of rhetoric about Putin.”
Zelensky said he did not understand why Trump was unhappy with him: “Congress voted for strong sanctions. He can do it – I don’t know why he is not doing it.
South Korea repatriates aid worker from Ukraine over safety, Yonhap says
South Korea's international aid agency has decided to bring back one of its two staff members from its office in Ukraine's capital on safety grounds, the Yonhap news agency reported on Thursday.
Kyiv has come under increasingly heavy Russian drone and missile attacks in recent weeks, more than 4-1/2 years after Moscow's invasion of its neighbour.
South Korea has also been caught up in a diplomatic dispute with Ukraine and withdrew its ambassador this month after accusing Kyiv of breaching a confidentiality agreement over the transfer of two captured North Korean soldiers to the South.
The decision by the Korea International Cooperation Agency to repatriate the aid agency staff member was made after a safety meeting, Yonhap said in its report.
Suspected spy for Russia arrested in Germany
A Ukrainian national has been arrested in the German state Brandenburg on suspicion of spying for Russia, a statement by federal public prosecutors said on Thursday.
Germany has stepped up efforts to counter what it sees as escalating hybrid attacks from Moscow, deemed by Chancellor Friedrich Merz the biggest threat to his country's security.
The suspect, identified by prosecutors as Vadym Y. under German privacy rules, had been in contact with a Russian secret service via an intermediary since at least July 2025, prosecutors said.
Prosecutors said he gathered military-related intelligence, including information on the production of armoured vehicles, ammunition and explosives, as well as personnel and installations involved in securing Nato’s eastern flank.
Ukraine to be able to buy military supplies via Nato agency - report
Nato will allow Ukraine to buy weapons, ammunition and military equipment via its centralised procurement agency, potentially allowing Kyiv to obtain defence supplies faster and more cheaply, the Financial Times reported on Thursday.
“It provides Ukraine with the ability to have a more structured framework to leverage a broad range of capabilities that we offer: procurement expertise, support services and access to established industrial base,” the Nato Support and Procurement Agency director of support to operations, Jacqueline Borsboom, told the FT.
The deal comes amid worsening US-Ukraine relations since US president Donald Trump announced a diesel export deal with Russia this month to lower US fuel prices.
Ukraine has complained of disruption to some intelligence sharing and its use of the Starshield satellite system, though Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky said a meeting in Oslo on Tuesday had agreed to resolve those issues.
Kremlin claims US companies better off in Russia thanks to Trump
The Kremlin has said US companies still operating in Russia are being better treated than their European rivals because of president Donald Trump's efforts to achieve peace in Ukraine.
Reuters reported earlier that Russia had deepened a crackdown on European companies in response to Europe's support for Ukraine, while largely sparing US firms.
"The American administration is doing a lot to help bring about a peaceful settlement (in Ukraine); the European capitals are doing nothing to help while doing a lot to prolong the military action," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
Peskov did concede that European countries were becoming more actively engaged in the peace process, following talks involving Volodymyr Zelensky and Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff in Oslo. He described that as a positive development.
Russia continued to launch heavy aerial strikes on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities overnight into Thursday despite Vladimir Putin meeting with Witkoff just hours earlier and claiming to want a peaceful end to the war, which was started by Russia’s invasion in February 2022.
Asked about possible trilateral peace talks next month with the US and Kyiv, Peskov said no decision had yet been made on who would represent Russia.
Downing Street hits back at Steve Witkoff over claim Putin is a 'humanitarian'
The UK government has hit back at US special envoy Steve Witkoff's claim that Vladimir Putin is a "humanitarian", saying: "We do not recognise that characterisation."
Speaking to reporters, the prime minister's official spokesperson added: "President Putin has killed thousands of people both innocent Ukrainians and the Russian people who he has sent to their deaths on the front line.
"Ukraine's foreign minister summed it up well this morning when he said that last night the people of Kyiv heard what Russian humanitarianism truly sounds like."
The spokesperson also repeatedly refused to say whether the prime minister thinks President Trump is a humanitarian, instead saying: "We fully support President Trump in his efforts to secure a just and lasting peace in Ukraine."
Russian attack damages shopping centre and residential buildings in Ukraine’s Rivne region
German military classifies threat of Russian sabotage as ‘significant’ for first time - reports
Germany’s military has classified the threat of Russian sabotage against its troops and facilities as “significant” for the first time, making it the second-highest threat level, German broadcasters WDR and the Sueddeutsche Zeitung reported.
This comes after the discovery of a drone carrying explosives near Wunstorf air base in September and reported sabotage incidents involving naval vessels.
“We are noting that we face a significant sabotage threat overall for [Germany’s armed forces],” a defence ministry spokesperson said, according to Reuters.
Germany had also accused Moscow of attempting a drone attack at Leipzig/Halle Airport in August.
The move comes amid growing concerns across Europe about suspected Russian sabotage, cyberattacks and other forms of disruption.
Germany’s foreign intelligence chief Martin Jaeger warned earlier this month that the country was in a “shadow war” with Russia and risked being drawn into a violent conflict with Moscow.
Lithuania and Denmark have also reported suspected Russian-linked efforts to target facilities or companies connected to support for Ukraine.
Trump claims Ukraine negotiations are ‘closest we’ve been’ to peace
Donald Trump has said negotiations to end the war in Ukraine are "the closest we've been", even as the Kremlin questioned the latest proposals put forward by Kyiv and European leaders.
Trump’s comments come as US special envoy Steve Witkoff met Vladimir Putin in St Petersburg.
Witkoff had discussed the proposals with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky and European leaders in Oslo before travelling to Russia.
Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said Moscow was “in principle, ready to resume” trilateral negotiations in mid-November, but criticised the proposals, saying “there wasn’t really much substance in them”.
Zelensky has said Ukraine supports restarting the three-way talks as soon as possible.
Witkoff said discussions would continue at a technical level between Washington, Kyiv and Moscow.