Putin's negotiators ‘soften hardline stance in private’ & Trump links security guarantees to Zelensky ceding territory

Putin's negotiators ‘soften hardline stance in private’ & Trump links security guarantees to Zelensky ceding territory

Day 1,433.

Today, amid increased Russian military pressure in the Donbas, and as Ukraine faces what the NATO Secretary General calls its “harshest winter for a decade”, we bring you the latest from the Ukraine peace talks, where the United States is understood to be increasing pressure on President Zelensky’s government to concede territory to Russia before Washington grants any security guarantees. But is Moscow’s position under Vladimir Putin softer than it appears, as some allege? Then we discuss civilian resilience in Ukraine with an expert from Harvard University.


Contributors

Francis Dearnley (Executive Editor for Audio). @FrancisDearnley on X.

Dominic Nicholls (Associate Editor of Defence). @DomNicholls on X.

With thanks to Dr Emma Mateo (Harvard University’s Ukrainian Research Institute). @emm_mateo on X.


SIGN UP TO THE ‘UKRAINE: THE LATEST’ WEEKLY NEWSLETTER:

http://telegraph.co.uk/ukrainenewsletter

Each week, Dom Nicholls and Francis Dearnley answer your questions, provide recommended reading, and give exclusive analysis and behind-the-scenes insights – plus maps of the frontlines and diagrams of weapons to complement our daily reporting. It’s free for everyone, including non-subscribers.


CONTENT REFERENCED:

Learn more about Harvard’s Ukrainian Research Institute’s ‘Solidarity Within and Beyond Ukraine Conference this Friday and Saturday:

https://www.huri.harvard.edu/tcup-conference


France opposes EU plan to buy British Storm Shadows for Ukraine (The Telegraph):

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/01/26/france-opposes-eu-plan-to-buy-british-storm-shadows-ukraine/


Exclusive: Russian negotiators soften hardline stance in private, US officials say. Ukrainians urge caution (Kyiv Independent):

https://kyivindependent.com/kremlin-negotiators-drop-hardline-stance-behind-closed-doors-us-official-reveals


US links security guarantees for Ukraine to peace deal ceding territory (Financial Times):

https://www.ft.com/content/8ca0d4fd-fdfd-4aa3-a3a2-90be00d55b9d


NATO boss Rutte slaps down calls for European army prompted by Trump fears (Reuters):

https://www.reuters.com/world/nato-boss-rutte-slaps-down-calls-european-army-prompted-by-trump-fears-2026-01-26/


Commission approves second wave of SAFE defence funding for eight Member States (EU):

https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_26_211


‘Bread and War: A Ukrainian Story of Food, Bravery and Hope’ by Felicity Spector:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bread-War-Ukrainian-Story-Bravery/dp/1914613783


LISTEN TO THIS PODCAST IN NEW LANGUAGES:

The Telegraph has launched translated versions of Ukraine: The Latest in Ukrainian and Russian, making its reporting accessible to audiences on both sides of the battle lines and across the wider region, including Central Asia and the Caucasus. Just search Україна: Останні Новини (Ukr) and Украина: Последние Новости (Ru) on your on your preferred podcast app to find them. Listen here: https://linktr.ee/ukrainethelatest


Subscribe: telegraph.co.uk/ukrainethelatest

Email: ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episoder(1044)

Russia 'risks meltdown' by targeting nuclear power plants & Trump leaks world leaders' texts

Russia 'risks meltdown' by targeting nuclear power plants & Trump leaks world leaders' texts

Day 1,426.Today, as Moscow reportedly tests thermobaric munitions on ground-based drones, and strikes on substations connected to Ukrainian nuclear power plants continue, we turn to the World Economic...

20 Jan 45min

Trump hands Putin ‘the prize he’s always wanted’ over Greenland & Ukraine’s robot machine gunner ‘held off Russia for six weeks’

Trump hands Putin ‘the prize he’s always wanted’ over Greenland & Ukraine’s robot machine gunner ‘held off Russia for six weeks’

Day 1,425.Today, amid the gravest crisis for the transatlantic alliance in decades over the fate of Greenland, we examine the implications of Russia considering strikes on substations supplying Ukrain...

19 Jan 56min

Europe overtakes US intelligence support for Kyiv & Trump ‘gifted’ a Nobel Peace Prize

Europe overtakes US intelligence support for Kyiv & Trump ‘gifted’ a Nobel Peace Prize

Day 1,422.Today, as Trump is finally gifted a Nobel Peace Prize – just not quite the one he wants – we hear how Germany has denied a Russian shadow-fleet tanker access to the Baltic Sea, and assess Em...

16 Jan 57min

Russia forces African recruits to become suicide bombers & Zelensky declares ‘state of emergency’

Russia forces African recruits to become suicide bombers & Zelensky declares ‘state of emergency’

Day 1,421.Today, as President Zelensky declares a national emergency over the energy crisis triggered by Russian attacks on Ukraine’s infrastructure, we ask what Europe’s strategy is now, before exami...

15 Jan 45min

France pushes to block Ukraine from buying US weapons & Moscow’s ‘glee’ at Trump’s Greenland gambit

France pushes to block Ukraine from buying US weapons & Moscow’s ‘glee’ at Trump’s Greenland gambit

Day 1,420.Today, as reports emerge that a Russian air-defence missile has struck a residential building in the city of Rostov-on-Don, we examine claims that France is pushing to prevent Ukraine from p...

14 Jan 48min

550,000 'without power in Russia' & exclusive interview with President of Moldova, Maia Sandu

550,000 'without power in Russia' & exclusive interview with President of Moldova, Maia Sandu

Day 1,419.Today, as much of Kyiv continues to live without power, so too does a region of Russia, as the United States accuses Moscow of making a mockery of peace through its continued attacks. Then, ...

13 Jan 51min

Russia’s new ‘dandelion’ tank armour; Kremlin attacks ‘wet dreams of British perverts’ & how Iran regime collapse would impact Ukraine

Russia’s new ‘dandelion’ tank armour; Kremlin attacks ‘wet dreams of British perverts’ & how Iran regime collapse would impact Ukraine

Day 1,418.Today, as thousands remain without power in Kyiv, we examine President Zelensky’s pledge to carry out more operations “inside” Russia and analyse Moscow’s latest tank and weapons innovations...

12 Jan 55min

Putin fires nuclear-capable hypersonic missile at Lviv & Trump's men meet Russian envoy

Putin fires nuclear-capable hypersonic missile at Lviv & Trump's men meet Russian envoy

Day 1,415. Today, the world responds to Putin’s latest outrage that has seen a nuclear-capable ballistic missile fired by Russia hit Ukraine just 50km from Nato’s border, with one leading European pol...

9 Jan 55min

Populært innen Politikk og nyheter

giver-og-gjengen-vg
aftenpodden
aftenpodden-usa
forklart
i-retten
popradet
stopp-verden
fotballpodden-2
rss-gukild-johaug
dine-penger-pengeradet
det-store-bildet
nokon-ma-ga
bt-dokumentar-2
hanna-de-heldige
rss-penger-polser-og-politikk
frokostshowet-pa-p5
chit-chat-med-helle
aftenbla-bla
e24-podden
rss-dannet-uten-piano