Key events
Kremlin says ‘no alternative’ to continuing its invasion of Ukraine
Meanwhile, the Kremlin said this morning there was “no alternative” for Russia than to continue its offensive on Ukraine that it launched in 2022, AFP reported.
“We are continuing our special military operation to ensure our interests and achieve the goals” set by Russian president Vladimir Putin, Kremlin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov told RBC radio, using Moscow’s term for its assault on Ukraine.
The Kremlin also claimed that Russian troops were advancing on all fronts in Ukraine, rejecting Trump’s suggestions that Ukraine could regain all its captured territory, Reuters said.
Peskov said that Russia was a bear, not a tiger, and “there is no such thing as a paper bear“.
Morning opening: Trump sides with Ukraine (for now?)
Jakub Krupa
US president Donald Trump has said he believes Ukraine can regain all the land that it has lost since the 2022 Russian invasion in one of the strongest statements of support he has given Kyiv, just hours after also saying he thinks Nato should shot down Russian aircraft violating its airspace.
The U-turn was even more surprising as it came just hours after Trump publicly admonished Europe for its migration, climate and energy policies, telling astonished leaders that their countries were “being ruined” and “going to hell.”
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy looked initially as surprised as anyone at Trump’s dramatic change of views, but very happy to finally end up on the right side of the US president, at least for now.
Let’s see how long it lasts. I will look out for European reactions and bring them to you here, and we should hear from Zelenskyy himself at the UN general assembly later today.
Separately, I will keep an eye on reports from Denmark as the police investigation into the drone incident at Copenhagen airport continues.
I will bring you all the key updates here.
It’s Tuesday, 23 September 2025, it’s Jakub Krupa here, and this is Europe Live.
Good morning.