Russia Ukraine war latest: Zelensky urges European leaders to show unity after Putin calls them ‘little pigs’

Vladimir Putin dismissed fears of conflict with Europe as “hysteria” stoked by Ukraine’s allies on Wednesday – just two weeks after issuing his own threats against the West.

In a rambling speech, the Russian president claimed that Europeans had been “indoctrinated with fears about an inevitable clash with Russia” despite Moscow escalating its campaign of hybrid attacks in recent months.

“I have repeatedly stated: this is a lie, nonsense, pure nonsense about some imaginary Russian threat to European countries. But this is being done quite deliberately,” he said.

Earlier this month, Putin caused alarm after saying Russia was “ready to fight” against Nato. Russian officials have repeatedly threatened Europe with military action since the beginning of the war in Ukraine.

At a summit starting today in Brussels, many of the leaders will press for tens of billions of euros in frozen Russian assets held in Europe to be used to meet Ukraine’s economic and military needs for the next two years.

The crunch decision comes at a critical time as Ukraine is on the verge of bankruptcy.

The International Monetary Fund estimates that it will require a total of €137bn ($160 billion) in 2026 and 2027. It must get the money by spring. The EU has pledged to come up with the funds, one way or another.

“One thing is very, very clear,” European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen told EU lawmakers yesterday. “We have to take the decision to fund Ukraine for the next two years in this European Council.”

European Council president António Costa, who will chair the summit, has vowed to keep the leaders negotiating until an agreement is reached, even if it takes days.

Russian president Vladimir Putin has lashed out at European leaders calling them “little pigs” amid ongoing US-brokered peace talks.

Putin’s forces invaded Ukraine nearly four years ago and have gradually seized around 19 per cent of the country, suffering huge numbers of casualties in the process.

Yet in a bizarre rant yesterday, Putin blamed the Joe Biden administration in the US for the war, saying it had “deliberately steered the situation towards an armed conflict”.

He claimed that Washington believed Russia could be weakened or even destroyed in a short period of time and European leaders joined in the Biden administration on this.

“Europe’s little pigs immediately joined in the work of the previous American administration, hoping to profit from the collapse of our country,” Putin said in a bizarre rant.

He added that Russia would “liberate its historical lands on the battlefield” or through diplomacy but would achieve its territorial aims in the end.

Putin had previously accused Western countries of “hysteria” adding that claims Russia wanted war with Europe were “a lie”.

US and Russian officials are expected to hold talks in Miami, Florida, this weekend about a possible deal to end the war in Ukraine, Politico reported, citing two people familiar with the matter.

US envoy Steve Witkoff and president Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner are expected to be part of the US delegation, according to Politico.

Kirill Dmitriev, the head of Russia’s sovereign wealth fund, will be part of the Russian delegation.

An unspecified number of people have been killed and injured after Ukrainian drones hit a tanker in the southern Russian port of Rostov-on-Don, the city’s mayor said.

“Emergency teams are extinguishing the fire on the tanker that was struck while docked in a drone attack,” Russian news agencies quoted Skriabin as saying.

“A leak of oil products was avoided. Unfortunately, there are dead and injured,” he said.

Regional governor Yuri Slyusar had initially reported the Ukrainian strike on the vessel in the port and the casualties among the ship’s crew.

Slyusar also said parts of a high-rise apartment block under construction were damaged in the city and two private homes burned down in a nearby town.

Below we look at what we know about the plan – and potential problems – so far.

President Volodymyr Zelensky has called on Ukraine’s partners to take a decision on using the nearly $250 billion of frozen Russian sovereign assets in the European Union, most of it held in Belgium’s Euroclear, to support a loan for Ukraine.

In his evening address on Wednesday, he called on Ukraine’s allies to secure support for Kyiv and show Russia that continuing its war is “pointless,” ahead of a crucial European Union summit on Moscow’s frozen assets.

EU governments agreed last week to freeze the assets for as long as needed instead of voting every six months on extending this status. Some European leaders have opposed the plan as they fear it opens them up to legal risk.

“We need all our partners to have the courage to see the truth, acknowledge the truth and act accordingly,” Zelensky said. He added that Russia was showing with its actions it intended to continue fighting next year.

“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.”

A British paratrooper killed serving in Ukraine said he “went out doing what I trained to do”.

The body of Lance Corporal George Hooley, 28, was repatriated to RAF Brize Norton in west Oxfordshire on Wednesday after his death in what the Ministry of Defence called a “tragic accident” last week.

An extract from a letter written by L/Cpl Hooley to be opened in the event of his death said “don’t remember me with sadness and loss” because he died “doing what I believed in”.

A private, family-only ceremony was held at Brize Norton before L/Cpl Hooley’s body was carried past Carterton Repatriation Memorial Garden.

People paid their respects along the route, some in tears, and members of the armed forces and police also turned out to honour the soldier.

Mourners gathered at the garden, designed by the Oxfordshire community as a space for people to honour fallen military personnel.