Russia’s Putin says he will talk with Trump later today
Russian president Vladimir Putin told Russian media he was going to speak with US president Donald Trump later today.
Reuters noted that it will be the sixth publicly known conversation since Trump’s inauguration in January. They last spoke in mid-June.
The call comes after we heard that Trump is also planning to speak with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy tomorrow (13:42).
Key events
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‘Strenghten us, as you did before,’ Zelenskyy tells reporter asking what Denmark could do to help Ukraine
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‘Not sure they have a lot of common topics to talk,’ Zelenskyy says on Trump-Putin call
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We want Ukraine to be EU member, Zelenskyy reaffirms
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Zelenskyy confirms plans for call with Trump, says Ukraine counts on continuing US support
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‘Putin does not want peace, so we need to put pressure on him,’ EU’s von der Leyen says
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‘Deeply disappointed’ with Russia not engaging with Trump’s peace plans, EU’s Costa says
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Even more important to strenghten cooperation among doubts about continued US support, Zelenskyy tells EU leaders in Denmark
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Zelenskyy appears alongside EU leaders in Denmark
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Several people stabbed in Tanmere, Finnish police say
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‘Will be speaking to Putin,’ Trump confirms
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Russia’s Putin says he will talk with Trump later today
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EU’s von der Leyen’s line on US trade talks sets expectations for Šefčovič’s meeting in Washington – snap analysis
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Frederiksen’s language on Ukraine and migration a sign of Danish priorities – snap analysis
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Denmark’s Frederiksen throws her support behind Ukraine’s accession to EU
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EU plans to strike deal in principle with US before 9 July deadline, von der Leyen confirms
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US halt to military aid would be a serious setback for Ukraine and Europe, Frederiksen says
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‘Ready for deal’ with US, but ‘all instruments on table,’ EU’s von der Leyen says
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Denmark needs to steer Europe through one of most challenging times in history, Frederiksen says
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Zelenskyy hails new drone production deal with US company as he begins Denmark trip
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Ukraine’s Zelenskyy to speak with Trump on Friday on weapon deliveries pause
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At least five deaths linked to extreme heat in Italy
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Zelenskyy lands in Denmark for talks on prospects for EU accession
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Deputy head of Russian Navy killed by Ukraine in Kursk, official says
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EU should seek to strike ‘quick, simple’ deal with US on tariffs, Germany’s Merz says
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Wind-fuelled wildfires rage in Turkey
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Morning opening: Heatwave continues with wildfire warnings in place
‘Strenghten us, as you did before,’ Zelenskyy tells reporter asking what Denmark could do to help Ukraine
Ha, that’s interesting.
With the press conference wrapping up and the leaders turning around to walk off the podium, one journalist defiantly persisted with asking his question regardless.
He wanted to know what the Danish presidency in the EU could do to support Ukraine.
Already two steps away from the podium, Zelenskyy turned around and appeared to say:
“Strenghten us, as you did before.”
‘Not sure they have a lot of common topics to talk,’ Zelenskyy says on Trump-Putin call
Zelenskyy also gets asked about Trump’s call with Putin, he says:
I don’t know. I’m not sure that they have a lot of common ideas, common topics to talk because they are very different people.
He then reiterates that Ukraine has been supportive of president Trump’s proposal for an unconditional ceasefire “from the very beginning.”
He adds that Ukraine remains ready for “any kind of format” for talks, and “I think that in Russia, only Putin is the real decision maker” and “that’s why we need a meeting on the level of leaders if we really want peace.”
We want Ukraine to be EU member, Zelenskyy reaffirms
Zelenskyy also gets asked about some countries – read: Hungary – blocking Ukraine’s ambition to join the EU.
He says:
From our side we do our best during the war, really.
He adds that security context makes it difficult for government to progress at pace, but he says clearly:
We want to go further forward, to be a member of the EU.
He appears to briefly consider going further in his comments on this, but then makes a pause, and says it’s a “sensitive question,” and merely ends by saying “we will manage.”
Frederiksen repeats her backing for the accession, and says “the vast majority” of countries are in favour.
But she says it’s “a bit too early” to talk about concrete next steps.
Responding to the same question, Denmark’s Frederiksen repeats her line that “the war in Ukraine has never only been about Ukraine – it’s about Europe.”
“All of us hope that US will continue their support for Ukraine, and because of Ukraine for Europe, but if there are any gaps, then I personally believe that we should be willing to fill in,” she says.
Von der Leyen says that EU countries can spend more money on Ukraine with newly agreed fiscal flexibility, and any such spending would also count towards the new, higher Nato targets.
Zelenskyy confirms plans for call with Trump, says Ukraine counts on continuing US support
Zelenskyy gets asked about the pause in US aid deliveries for Ukraine, with EU leaders questioned if they can step in to fill this void.
“We count on continuation of American support, [and] there are some items which Europe … doesn’t have,” he says, referencing missiles for Patriot systems, among others.
“This is crucial,” he says.
He also makes a broader point on supporting Ukraine’s domestic military production.
On Ukraine’s relationship with the US, he says “I hope that maybe tomorrow or in coming days … I will speak about it with president Trump.”
‘Putin does not want peace, so we need to put pressure on him,’ EU’s von der Leyen says
European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen is up next, who says the Danish presidency will now be tasked with getting the 18th package of sanctions over the line, despite opposition from Hungary and Slovakia.
“I am confident that this will be possible,” she says.
We all know that Putin does not want peace, so we need to put pressure on him to come to the negotiation table.
She says Russia’s “overheated war economy” appears to be “coming to its limits,” as she also calls for more investment in defence to support Ukraine’s self-defence.
On trade, she lauds the recent EU-Ukraine trade agreement that she says “will provide long term and predictable trade relationship on agricultural products.”
“We are working hard on your accession process. We’re preparing for your future as a free at modern country inside the European Union,” she says.
‘Deeply disappointed’ with Russia not engaging with Trump’s peace plans, EU’s Costa says
European Council president and former Portuguese prime minister António Costa strikes a similar tone, pointedly criticising Russia for threatening the global peace and violating the international rules-based order.
“I’m deeply disappointed that Russia is not engaging with the efforts of President Trump to achieve a just and lasting peace,” he says.
He stresses the EU will “continue to give full support to Ukraine,” with member states getting more flexibility to spend more on Ukraine aid.
On accession, he praises “impressive” work by Ukraine, and also signals his support for “moving forward” in talks on accession.
Even more important to strenghten cooperation among doubts about continued US support, Zelenskyy tells EU leaders in Denmark
Ukraine’s Zelenskyy begins with elegant congratulations to Denmark for assuming the EU presidency.
“Our first goal is put maximum pressure on Russia to stop this war. These pressure means building up our defence, and keeping tough sanctions on Russia. And we are working hard on both,” he says.
He says he is expecting a “strong” 18th package of EU sanctions and hopes for “full coordination of these sanctions across key global jurisdictions.”
He also highlights the importance of working together on defence funding, and on Ukraine’s plans to be involved in the EU’s rearming process.
He then turns to the EU’s enlargement process, as he says Ukraine “has done everything required” to start accession talks, and adds “we will be ready for other clusters later this year.”
He says that “when there are doubts about continued US support for Europe, it’s even more important to strengthen our cooperation and coordination through the EU, Nato and also in our direct relations.”
Zelenskyy appears alongside EU leaders in Denmark
Danish prime minister Mette Frederiksen opens the briefing by saying the European family “would not be complete” without Zelenskyy in attendance as “no one is sacrificing more for Europe right now than you and your brave countrymen and women.”
The blood shed on the fields of Donetsk is Ukrainian, but the fight for freedom is Europe’s.
She says European leaders “need to stop thinking about European support for Ukraine as donations or gifts and see it as it is, the defence of Europe against aggressive Russian imperialism.”
It has been said that we live in the age of predators. In this age, Europe must not end up being the prey.
Jakub Krupa
We are expecting to hear from Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy very soon.
He is about to appear alongside Danish prime minister Mette Frederiksen, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen and European Council president António Costa at a briefing in Aarhus, Denmark.
Several people stabbed in Tanmere, Finnish police say
Jakub Krupa
Several people were stabbed near the Ratina shopping centre in the Finnish city of Tampere, police said in a statement.
A suspect was arrested at the scene and it is believed there is no further danger to the public.
“The victims are being given first aid,” they added.
I will keep an eye on this story in the background as we wait for more updates on Trump, Putin and Zelenskyy.
The call between Trump and Putin comes just hours after a deputy commander of the Russian navy who had previously led one of the military’s most notorious brigades has been killed near the frontline with Ukraine.
Here’s our defence and security editor Dan Sabbagh’s take on this:
Gudkov had been personally promoted by the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, in March, having led the 155th marine brigade, a frontline unit repeatedly reconstituted because so many of its members had been killed.
Originally considered an elite unit, members of the 155th brigade have been accused of war crimes by Kyiv during the course of the war, such as the execution of nine Ukrainian prisoners of war in the Kursk region last summer. A captured Russian marine said he had witnessed the killing of two other PoWs a month earlier in the same sector.
The Russian unit participated in the failed attempt to take Kyiv in spring 2022, and was then involved the repeated offensives at Vuhledar in 2023 in the south-east corner of the frontline, before being redeployed to fight off Ukraine’s incursion into Russia’s Kursk province.
Jakub Krupa
Timings wise, the Trump-Putin call puts Ukraine’s Zelenskyy in an awkward position.
He is now meeting Danish king Frederik X, and will soon move to join the Danish EU presidency event, where he is expected make brief ‘doorstep’ remarks at some point in the next hour.
So, essentially, at the same time as the Trump-Putin call.
‘Will be speaking to Putin,’ Trump confirms
And we now have a confirmation of the call with Putin from Trump, as he says on Truth Social:
Will be speaking to President Putin of Russia at 10:00 A.M. Thank you!
10am (presumably?) Washington time is 3pm London, 4pm CEST, so essentially in just under ten minutes from now.
Russia’s Putin says he will talk with Trump later today
Russian president Vladimir Putin told Russian media he was going to speak with US president Donald Trump later today.
Reuters noted that it will be the sixth publicly known conversation since Trump’s inauguration in January. They last spoke in mid-June.
The call comes after we heard that Trump is also planning to speak with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy tomorrow (13:42).
EU’s von der Leyen’s line on US trade talks sets expectations for Šefčovič’s meeting in Washington – snap analysis
Jakub Krupa
Von der Leyen’s line on the EU-US trade talks was also interesting, if not exactly surprising (14:53).
But it sets the expectations for Šefčovič’s talks in Washington later today (11:18). One to watch.
Frederiksen’s language on Ukraine and migration a sign of Danish priorities – snap analysis
Jakub Krupa
So, two things stand out for me from what Denmark’s prime minister Mette Frederiksen said at this press conference.
The first is her full-throated backing for Ukraine (14:47) and thinly veiled criticism of some countries objecting to its membership in the European Union, such as Hungary (14:57). Expect the Danish presidency to try to push ahead with this process as much as they can.
The second is her language on migration (14:35). We keep hearing similar strongly worded declarations from more and more leaders, with the new German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, also taking a similar stance.
Von der Leyen’s response was fairly weak, but expect much more pressure to come from the member states to tighten the existing system even further.
