Скачать или смотреть Merz says ‘no restrictions’ on range limits for Ukraine arms as Kyiv hit by record drone attack

Moscow launched its third consecutive night of massive drone strikes against Ukraine overnight into Monday, with Russia firing a record 355 Shahed drones as well as nine cruise missiles.

Russia’s attack came despite Donald Trump’s warning on Sunday night that if Vladimir Putin attempts to conquer all of Ukraine it will lead to the “downfall” of Russia. In the same post, the US president said Putin was “absolutely CRAZY” after a weekend of deadly Russian drone and missile strikes on Ukraine.

In a toughening up of his language, which puts him more in line with the EU’s position, Trump said he was seriously considering imposing “more sanctions on Russia” following the attacks.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the increase in Russian strikes should be met with “increased sanctions”, adding that Moscow’s dismissal of the US-proposed 30 day ceasefire should lead to a “freeze on Russian finances and a halt to its oil trade”.

The European Union has rejected a Russian request for consultations on its carbon border adjustment package, a World Trade Organization document showed on Monday, citing Russia’s “war of aggression” against Ukraine as the reason.

Moscow defended its latest drone and missile attacks on Ukraine as a reaction to Kyiv’s attacks on Russian infrastructure and military targets.

French president Emmanuel Macron said he thinks Trump is realising Putin had lied to him (about his intentions for peace) and he hoped his anger “translates into action”.

Germany’s chancellor Friedrich Merz has confirmed that western countries allied to Ukraine are no longer imposing range limits on arms delivered to Kyiv.

Russia has now said European countries lifting any restrictions on capabilities for Ukraine would be a dangerous move, according to Reuters. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said such a decision would run counter to aspirations for a political settlement to the crisis.

A top Kremlin official on Monday scoffed at a report that Russia could be involved in recent arson attacks on the private home of British prime minister Keir Starmer, a building where he once lived and a car that he had owned.

Zelenskyy will reportedly visit Berlin on Wednesday, where he will meet with Merz and German president Frank-Walter Steinmeier.