Ukraine war briefin: Zelenskyy reaches oot tae eastren Europe for a new trade an security pairtnership

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy launched on Friday a new trade an security scheme wi a group o eight countries frae the Carpathian region o central an eastren Europe. In a comment summin up the ootcome o the meetin, Zelenskyy said on Telegram that 50 agreements had been signed for a total value o mair than 1 billion euros. He gae few details, but said mair than half the accords dealt wi energy, pairticularly solar an wind pouer, wi the aim o energy independence frae Russia. The group includes Romanie, Serbie, Poland, Slovakkie, the Czech Republic, Austrie, Hungary, an the European Union.

At the meetin in wastern Ukraine, Zelenskyy thankit regional allies for keepin trade an transport links open follaein Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022. Polish prime minister Donald Tusk, Serbie's President Aleksandar Vucic an Romanie's President Nicusor Dan attendit the inaugural event, whilk is expectit tae last until Sunday. This marks the start o a movement that shud bring oor countries even closer thegither an create anither strang framework for cooperation at the EU level, Zelenskyy said.

Donald Trump on Friday signed legislation enablin sweepin sanctions on Russia aimed at pressin it tae end its war wi Ukraine, an also giein him the pouer tae impose additional tariffs on countries brakin the embargo. The Lindsey O Graham Sanctionin Russia an Iran Act, named efter the hawkish Republican senator, Lindsey Graham, wha died in Julie, aims tae deplete Russia's ability tae continue fundin the war by targetin its natural gas an oil revenues, as weel as countries that continue tae buy Russian energy. The legislation imposes new sanctions on Russian political an military officials an foreign networks helpin tae supply Russia's war machine an evade existin sanctions.

Russians are gaun tae the polls tae elect a new State Duma against a backdrop o intensifien conflict atween Russia an Ukraine. There is little doot that Vladimir Putin's United Russia will extend its grip on parliament thanks tae a tichtly controlt vote. The three-day vote began Friday, wi results expectit efter polls close on Sunday. It is the first Duma election syne the full-scale invasion o Ukraine in 2022. Swarms o Ukrainian drones hae struck oil refineries, factories an logistics hubs across Russia ower the simmer, while pollin has pointit tae growin anxiety aboot the course o the fechtin an whit may still lie ahead.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that Ukraine was deliberately hinderin talks aimed at endin the war an accusit Kyiv o interferin in Russia's parliamentary election. Putin, in comments tae Russia's Military-Industrial commission, also reassertit Moscow's main defence aim o relyin on its nuclear triad o weapons an said Moscow needit tae improve its anti-missile defences. In comments reportit by Russian news agencies, Putin said Ukraine had lang degeneratit intae a dictatorship, referrin tae the country no hauldin a new presidential election despite the expiry o President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's mandate.

Latvie's president has warned that Europe is no keepin up wi developments o drone an aerial warfare in Ukraine an that maist countries in Nato cud no repulse an attack by Russian missiles if the conflict expands. The remarks cam durin a Guardian interview in Washington DC in whilk Edgars Rinkēvičs said that the technological developments in drone warfare in Ukraine were movin at lightnin speed. Whit we see is that air defence, drone defence, anti-ballistic defence has serious problems, he said. Because if Russia decides tae use a couple o missiles in that territory, I think that wad be a serious challenge the day for mony countries tae cope wi that, he addit.

A Russian glide bomb hit an apartment buildin in the northren Ukrainian city o Sumy on Friday, killin twa people an injurin seven, leavin three o thaim in a serious condition. Writin on the Telegram messagin app, President Zelenskyy said emergency crews had rescuet fower people efter the attack an said ithers cud still be trappit under rubble. The heid o Sumy city council said the twa deid were city employees. Regional Governor Oleh Hryhorov said three o the seven injurit were in a serious condition. Amang the injurit was a 13-year-auld lassie.