European powers demand seat at table in Ukraine talks

The amount of Russian and Iranian oil held on ships has hit multi-month highs as harsher U.S. sanctions reduced the number of buyers, leaving fewer tankers available to deliver cargoes and driving up crude costs, trade sources and analysts said.

Russia's President Vladimir Putin held a phone call with Syria's interim leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, the Kremlin said on Wednesday, the first direct communication between the two since Sharaa's forces overthrew Moscow's ally Bashar al-Assad in December.

A senior official in Ukraine’s anti-terrorist centre has been arrested on suspicion of spying for Russia, say security chiefs.

On Wednesday morning, U.S. President Donald Trump held a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, after which it was announced that immediate negotiations would begin to end the war in Ukraine. Trump reported this on his Truth Social platform, emphasizing that, in his opinion, the conflict would not have occurred if he had been president earlier. However, since it has happened, he believes it must be brought to an end.