Putin-Trump name scheduled for afternoon, Kremlin confirms
We’ve got simply heard from the Kremlin on the precise timing of the Putin-Trump telephone name, with officers saying it’s scheduled for 1pm to 3pm GMT (2pm to 4pm CET).
“There is a large number of issues from the normalisation of our relations and the Ukrainian issue, all of which the two presidents will discuss,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated, quoted by AFP.
Key occasions
Daniel Boffey
Chief reporter
Whereas Donald Trump talks of the “big beautiful ocean” separating the US from the conflict in Ukraine, 1,000 miles of rail observe hyperlinks London St Pancras to the town of Lviv in western Ukraine.
The 19-hour journey takes in Brussels, the German financial powerhouse of Frankfurt, and Vienna, the Austrian capital, earlier than the prepare rattles into Kraków in south-east Poland and Przemyśl, the Polish border city the place the slimmer railway gauges of western Europe meet the broader tracks of Ukraine and Russia to the east.
At every cease, Europeans are grappling in several methods with new and unsettling realities after the US president appeared in current weeks to herald the top of Pax Americana.
–
You possibly can learn Daniel Boffey’s account of his prepare journey from London to Lviv, to comply with how Trump’s new world order has shaken Europe, right here.
Trump’s plan is for Ukraine to ‘give up’ to Russia, former head of US forces in Europe warns
Daniel Boffey
Chief reporter
A former head of US forces in Europe has stated that Donald Trump’s peace plan is for Ukraine to “surrender” to Russia.
Retired US normal Ben Hodges, who was Commanding Common of United States Military Europe till 2018, castigated Trump for siding with Russia and cited the humiliation of Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy within the White Home as proof of his intent.
Hodges stated:
That is something however a peace plan. It’s a give up. It’s a strain from america for Ukraine to give up to Russia.
The masks got here off after we noticed this debacle within the Oval Workplace two weeks in the past, after which all of the actions which have taken place since.
The administration solely expects Ukraine to make any say, to surrender something, particularly territory, and I don’t perceive why the administration thinks that is good for America’s strategic pursuits.
Trump is because of converse to Vladimir Putin on Tuesday over a proposed 30 day ceasefire within the conflict in Ukraine.
Hodges stated there was no indication that the Kremlin would search any type of peace until it meant victory of their aim of leaving Ukraine as a damaged state.
I feel that this concept that by some means Russia would dwell as much as any settlement, is nonsense.
“There’s no evidence in history that Russia would live up to any agreement where there wasn’t a large force that would compel them to do so. And and then finally, I would say they don’t see any indication of [Russia] actually being interested in a peaceful solution, except where they control everything.”
Hodges, who lives in Frankfurt, was chatting with the Guardian’s chief reporter, Daniel Boffey, as he travelled by prepare from London to Lviv, in western Ukraine, to discover how Europe is adapting to the brand new political, safety and financial realities.
Hodges stated: “It’s clear that the Trump administration has zero respect for Europe as a whole, or frankly, for most European countries. I mean, they don’t take European interests into consideration. They don’t care, except to demand that Europe buys American goods.”
He added: “I would ask, please don’t give up on the United States. I mean, you know, our relationship between the US and many European countries has been lacking over the decades. But you know, eventually we would always kind of get it sorted out. So even as bad as it seems right now, don’t give up on the United States.”
Germany set to vote on Merz’s plans to unlock document stage of state borrowing
Kate Connolly
Berlin correspondent
Germany’s seemingly subsequent chancellor is to face a key vote on plans to unlock a document stage of state borrowing, which he argues is critical to spice up the nation’s army spending and inject development into its ailing economic system.
Friedrich Merz intends to launch a €500bn infrastructure fund and chill out debt guidelines – presently protected by the structure – by way of the outgoing parliament, the place events in favour of the proposals – his conservatives, the Social Democrats (SPD) and the Greens – have the required two-thirds majority.
Merz wants the help of virtually all of the MPs who’ve signalled their willingness to again the scheme as he additionally reckons with some dissenters, together with a former CDU normal secretary who Merz sacked in 2023.
Monetary markets have adopted the developments intently, reacting positively to the information final week that Merz had secured the Greens’ help. Specialists have stated the fiscal injection has the ability to carry Germany’s financial fortunes after two years of unfavourable development, however some have warned that they should be accompanied by strong reform proposals.
Jakub Krupa
Elsewhere, we may also be monitoring the scenario in Germany right this moment, the place the Bundestag will vote on a historic package deal of spending reforms proposed by chancellor-in-waiting Friedrich Merz.
The sitting begins very quickly, at 10am (9am GMT), with votes anticipated round 2pm (1pm GMT).
So let’s hear from our Berlin correspondent on the importance of the vote…
Morning opening: Ready for the decision
Jakub Krupa
US president Donald Trump and Russian president Vladimir Putin will converse on the telephone right this moment discussing the subsequent step in Trump’s plans for bringing a couple of ceasefire in Ukraine.
On Sunday, Trump stated that negotiators had already talked about “dividing up certain assets”, together with energy stations. The authorized standing of Russia-occupied territories can also be believed to be on the desk.
A lot to Europe’s frustration, it as soon as once more finds itself not on the desk and having to depend on readouts from Washington or Moscow containing solely what they select to reveal.
Ukrainian international minister Andrii Sybiha sought to strike an upbeat tone this morning, telling reporters in India that “with leadership of president Trump, we could achieve long-lasting, just peace.” However he additionally repeated a few of Kyiv’s purple traces, together with its refusal to recognise any of the occupied territories as Russian.
For now, Europe continues its work on a safety association that might help a ceasefire or a peace deal, if one is agreed. On Thursday and Friday, European leaders will meet once more for the European Council in Brussels, and armed forces chiefs will proceed their coordinations in London.
However right this moment’s Trump-Putin telephone name will outline the way forward for the talks.
We are going to carry you all of the updates all through the day.
It’s Tuesday, 18 March 2025, and that is Europe dwell. It’s Jakub Krupa right here.
Good morning.
