Rubio says US and Europe'belong together' despite tensions Marco Rubio has assured European leaders the US does not plan to abandon the transatlantic alliance, saying its destiny will always be intertwined with the continent's. The US secretary of state told the Munich Security Conference: We do not seek to separate, but to revitalise an old friendship and renew the greatest civilisation in human history. He criticised European immigration, trade and climate policies, but the overall tenor of the closely-watched speech was markedly different to Vice-President JD Vance's at the same event last year, during which he scolded continental leaders. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said she was very much reassured by Rubio's remarks. Rubio, the Trump administration's most senior diplomat, said it was neither our goal nor our wish to end the transatlantic partnership, adding: For us Americans, our home may be in the Western Hemisphere, but we will always be a child of Europe.

US President Donald Trump says Russia's Vladimir Putin has agreed not to attack Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, and other cities and towns for a week due to extraordinary cold weather. Russia has not confirmed any such agreement, but Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky welcomed Trump's announcement and said he expected Russia to keep its promise. Trump did not specify when the pause would begin, but temperatures in the Ukrainian capital are due to plummet from Thursday night and reach -24C (-11F) in the next few days. Russia has intensified attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure during the bitter winter, as it has during cold periods since the full-scale invasion began in 2022. Speaking at a televised cabinet meeting in Washington DC, the US president said: I personally asked President Putin not to fire into Kyiv and the various towns for a week, and he agreed to do that.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has condemned as terrorism a Russian drone attack on a crowded passenger train that local officials say killed at least five people and injured several others. More than 200 people were on the train, officials said, when one of the carriages was hit by a drone and two other drones exploded nearby, in Ukraine's north-eastern Kharkiv region on Tuesday. Zelensky said 18 people were in the carriage at the time and there was no military justification in targeting civilians. Russia has not commented on the strike, but it has intensified drone and missile attacks on Ukraine's energy and transport infrastructure during the harshest winter in years. Elsewhere in Ukraine, the southern port city of Odesa was hit by dozens of drones and officials said three people were killed and dozens more wounded.

A large Russian aerial strike on Ukraine has again left half of Kyiv's residential buildings without heating or power as temperatures across the country continue to hover around -10C. Drones, ballistic and cruise missiles targeted several locations in Ukraine, including Kyiv, Dnipro in the centre and Odesa in the south. Air raid alerts in the capital lasted for most of the night. On Tuesday, sirens rang out again as Russian drones and cruise missiles approached the capital. President Volodymyr Zelensky said a significant number of targets had been intercepted.

Zelensky declares state of emergency in Ukraine's energy sector Ukraine has declared a state of emergency in the country's energy sector, with particular focus on Kyiv, as ongoing Russian strikes continue to leave thousands of residents without power. The nation is in the midst of a particularly cold winter, with overnight temperatures in Kyiv dropping to around -20C. After a special cabinet meeting, President Volodymyr Zelensky said a round-the-clock task force would be set up to deal with the damaging consequences of Russian airstrikes and worsening weather conditions. He accused Moscow of deliberately exploiting the harsh, sub-zero temperatures to target critical infrastructure, including energy distribution facilities. In recent weeks, Kyiv has been particularly affected by Russian attacks, leaving thousands of homes without regular power, heating or running water.

EU's top diplomat rejects Russian claims of Ukrainian attack on government sites The EU's top diplomat has called Moscow's claims that Ukraine targeted Russian government sites a deliberate distraction and an attempt to derail the peace process. Kaja Kallas' comments on social media appear to be a reference to the Kremlin's allegation that Ukraine attempted a drone strike on one of Vladimir Putin's residences. No one should accept unfounded claims from the aggressor who has indiscriminately targeted Ukraine's infrastructure and civilians, Kallas wrote on social media. Earlier this week Moscow accused Ukraine of targeting Putin's private home on Lake Valdai in north-west Russia. Russia would review its position in the ongoing peace negotiations as a result, the Kremlin said.

Ukraine denies drone attack on Putin's residence President Volodymyr Zelensky has denied allegations by Russia that Ukraine launched a drone attack on one of President Vladimir Putin's residences. Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov claimed Kyiv had launched an attack overnight using 91 long-range unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) on Putin's state residence in Russia's northwestern Novgorod region. Russia said it would now review its position in peace negotiations. Zelensky dismissed the claim as typical Russian lies, intended to give the Kremlin an excuse to continue attacks on Ukraine. He said that Russia had previously targeted government buildings in Kyiv.

Three killed after Russia launches'massive' attack across Ukraine Russia carried out a massive overnight attack on several Ukrainian cities, President Volodymyr Zelensky has said, a day after he warned of strikes over the Christmas period. At least three people were killed, according to Ukrainian officials, including a four-year-old child, while energy infrastructure was also targeted, leaving several regions without power. Russia launched 635 drones and 38 missiles, Ukraine's air force said, adding that 621 of them were downed. Zelensky said people simply want to be with their families, at home, and safe in the run-up to Christmas, and said the strikes sent an extremely clear signal about Russia's priorities despite ongoing peace talks. He added that Russian President Vladimir Putin still cannot accept that he must stop killing.

Russia has intensified its strikes on the southern Ukrainian region of Odesa, causing widespread power cuts and threatening the region's maritime infrastructure. Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Kuleba said Moscow was carrying out systematic attacks on the region. Last week, he warned that the focus of the war may have shifted towards Odesa. President Volodymyr Zelensky said the repeated attacks were an attempt by Moscow to block Ukraine's access to maritime logistics. Earlier in December, Russian President Vladimir Putin threatened to sever Ukraine's access to the sea as retaliation for drone attacks on tankers of Russia's shadow fleet in the Black Sea.

Ukraine is preparing to present a revised peace plan to the White House, as it seeks to avoid making territorial concessions to Russia. Kyiv is set propose alternatives to the US after President Volodymyr Zelensky again ruled out surrendering land, saying he had no right to do so under Ukrainian or international law. He made the comments as he met European and Nato leaders on Monday, part of a collective push to deter the US from backing a peace deal which includes major concessions for Ukraine, and which allies fear would leave it vulnerable to a future invasion. Meanwhile, the city of Sumy in north-western Ukraine was left without power overnight after a Russian drone attack. The region's governor said more than a dozen drones had hit power infrastructure, the latest in Russia's nightly attacks.