Ukraine war latest: Kyiv’s troops who stormed into Kursk are nearly surrounded

US secretary of state Marco Rubio told Ukraine that president Donald Trump is determined to end the Russia-Ukraine war as soon as possible, according to a statement from the State Department.

“The secretary underscored President Trump is determined to end the war as soon as possible and emphasized that all sides must take steps to secure a sustainable peace,” Mr Rubio told Ukrainian foreign minister Andrii Sybiha on Friday, according to the State Department.

Mr Rubio also held a separate call with French foreign minister Jean-Noël Barrot earlier in the day to discuss the war.

Mr Trump has made it clear that he wants to end the war, which began when Russia invaded Ukraine more than three years ago. He has also pushed for Europe to take greater responsibility for its own security.

However, his administration has taken steps that have complicated Ukraine’s position. Trump recently paused military aid and intelligence sharing with Kyiv, using it as leverage to push Ukraine into a ceasefire deal. This move followed a tense Oval Office meeting with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky last week.

While European leaders have publicly backed Mr Zelensky after his confrontation with Trump, their ability to support Ukraine remains closely tied to US policy.

In addition to his efforts to force a ceasefire, Mr Trump has said he is “strongly considering” new sanctions on Russia, including financial restrictions and tariffs, to push for a peace deal.

The US government is studying ways it could ease sanctions on Russia’s energy sector as part of a broad plan to enable Washington to deliver swift relief if Moscow agrees to end the Ukraine war, Reuters is reporting.

Russia is among the world’s largest oil and gas producers, and the US has sought to starve it of cash for the war by targeting the industry with sanctions, and by leading a multilateral effort to cap the price of Russian oil exports to $60 a barrel.

The White House has asked the Treasury Department to explore options for easing energy sanctions ahead of expected talks between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, two sources said.

That work would allow Washington to reverse the sanctions quickly in the event of a peace deal, according to the sources. The US would not lift the sanctions without Russian concessions, they said.

President Trump said he didn’t know whether Ukraine wanted “to settle” when asked why the US would not provide the country with air defences.

“If they don’t want to settle, we’re out of there,” he said, warning that it could end up as World War Three if a ceasefire deal is not negotiated.

Asked why Europe had not come up with its own peace plan, he said “they don’t know how to end the war” but added that he did have an idea of how to bring it to an end.

The Lib Dems have condemned President Trump’s “flip-flopping” on Ukraine’s security.

Responding to Mr Trump’s statement that Russia is “pounding” Ukraine and that he’s considering new sanctions on Moscow, Helen Maguire, Liberal Democrat defence spokesperson and Iraq veteran, said: “This is yet more proof of Trump’s flip-flopping approach to Ukraine’s defence and security.

“While we welcome his renewed focus on targeting Russia, the aggressor, what is to stop his opinion from changing again tomorrow?

“This dangerous and inconsistent messaging is further proof that the Trump administration is an unreliable partner – and why we must strengthen relations with our European and Commonwealth allies.”

Sir Keir Starmer and French president Emmanuel Macron have spoken to “compare notes” on their work to get a lasting peace in Ukraine on Friday evening, Downing Street said.

The two leaders, who have been leading efforts to form a “coalition of the willing” to protect Kyiv, spoke on Friday evening, No 10 said.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky says intensive contacts took place between US officials and Kyiv’s on Friday.

“Today the most intensive work has been going on all day with President Trump’s team at different levels – many calls,” Mr Zelensky said in his nightly video address.

“The topic is clear – peace as quickly as possible, the most reliable security possible. Ukraine is committed to being as constructive as possible.”

Russian air defence units downed 43 Ukrainian drones over parts of southern Russia over a two-and-a-half-hour period late on Friday, the defence ministry said.

A statement said 21 of the drones were intercepted over Krasnodar region, east of Ukraine and nine were destroyed over Bryansk region.

The region’s governor, Alexander Bogomaz, said six hit the town of Starodub, near the Ukrainian border, injuring a woman and setting ablaze an industrial plant. Homes were evacuated.

The popular Russian media outlet Mash, reporting on Telegram, said one person died in the attack on the plant, which it said was a food-processing facility.