James Waterhouse

The Ukrainian convicts swapping jail for the front line Some 10,000 Ukrainian inmates have signed up to escape jail, but not all will live to see freedom.

“I can kill and not be convicted”

As Ukraine’s search for motivated men deepens, we meet the growing number convicts swapping prison for the frontlines.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

The Ukrainian convicts swapping jail for the front line Some 10,000 Ukrainian inmates have signed up to escape jail, but not all will live to see freedom.

“I can kill and not be convicted”

As Ukraine’s search for motivated men deepens, we meet the growing number convicts swapping prison for the frontlines.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Just the 70 Russian drones still airborne this Sunday morning. Another restless night for Ukrainian cities. Thankfully no deaths reported this time.

Ukraine’s wartime leader wants to remain just that: telling Axios he’d be willing to hold elections during a ceasefire, and that he wouldn’t seek re-election.

Zelensky warns of a widening war as Trump changes his tone, but not his actions.

At the UN 🇺🇳 Trump was unequivocal on NATO shooting down encroaching Russian jets, but vague on US back up.

He’d also “know in a month” whether he trusts Putin.

Their relationship is a world away from February, but Zelensky palpably wants him to get tougher with Moscow.

How do you deal with Russian fighter jets flying into NATO airspace? “Shoot them down” says Czech President Petr Pavel.

Turkey did just that in 2015, and it didn’t happen again.

Only now Europe doesn’t want to find itself in confrontation with Russia, without an ambiguous US.

Trump: “I thought it would have been easiest war to solve but President Putin has let me down, he’s really let me down”

What is the “coalition of the willing” willing to do?

26/35 to supply troops after a Ukraine ceasefire (not 🇵🇱 or 🇮🇹)

Tougher sanctions if 🇷🇺 doesn’t negotiate

🇪🇺membership for Ukraine

What 🇺🇸 is prepared to contribute will determine whether peace is remotely possible.

Ukrainecast - Q&A: Security Guarantees, Ukrainian Elections and Putin's Trump Whispering - BBC Sounds Your questions answered with the BBC’s Russia Editor and Ukraine Correspondent

Security guarantees, ceasefires & Putin’s Trump whispering.

A Q & A with @bbcstever.bsky.social

www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

After years of being separated by a border and awful war, today I finally met @bbcstever.bsky.social It was worth the wait.

President Zelensky makes it to the meeting stage this time.

The Oval Office: take 2

Will the awaiting European leaders be welcome additions? Or much-needed back up?

Bypassing a ceasefire is a blow to Europe. Continued fighting suits Russia and not Ukraine.

But Trump reportedly raised Ukraine security guarantees “inspired by NATO’s article 5”

If Russia keeps the land it’s taken, the whole weight of the West could prevent more being lost.

Ukrainecast - Q&A: The Trump-Putin Alaska Preview - BBC Sounds Your questions answered ahead of crucial US-Russia summit

Territory?

Security guarantees?

“Opportunities”?

A #Ukrainecast Q & A on what might be discussed between Trump & Putin.

With Jamie Coomarasamy, Olga Robinson, RUSI’s Matthew Savill & me.

www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

Newscast - The Trump-Putin Meeting: Europe’s Message To Trump - BBC Sounds European leaders hold a virtual meeting with Trump before the US president meets Putin.

Europe’s message ahead of the Trump-Putin meeting?

*Don’t negotiate without us…and start with a ceasefire*

Broken down on #Newscast on BBC Sounds

www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

Zelensky could still attend Trump-Putin meeting, but rest of Europe is shut out As things stand, there are no invites for the country being invaded, nor the continent it sits in, writes James Waterhouse.

Latest from Brussels:

Why Zelensky could still attend the Trump-Putin meeting, but the rest of Europe is shut out:

www.bbc.com/news/article...

Zelensky could still attend Trump-Putin meeting, but rest of Europe is shut out As things stand, there are no invites for the country being invaded, nor the continent it sits in, writes James Waterhouse.

Latest from Brussels:

Why Zelensky could still attend the Trump-Putin meeting, but the rest of Europe is shut out:

www.bbc.com/news/article...

As things stand, Trump will meet Putin to discuss, in part, the trading of Ukrainian territory for Ukrainian territory.

Zelensky will be involved, just not yet says Washington.

Its previously said Europe won’t be part of the talks at all.

A privilege to be invited to Harlequins to discuss resilience with the men’s squad. And for letting me to slip in this Darwin quote:

“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is most adaptable to change.”

Could Trump's ceasefire deadline be near?

"India isn’t only buying Russian Oil, they’re selling it," he claims.

"They don’t care how many Ukrainians are killed by the Russian war machine. I will be substantially raising the Tariff they pay the US.”

🇮🇳 calls it "unjustified"

Ukraine’s parliament has decisively passed a law that puts the country’s two independent anti-corruption bodies under direct government oversight.

Zelensky says it’s to rid them of Russian influence, but there’ve been demonstrations across different cities, and the EU is not impressed.

Ukrainecast - Q&A: Another deadline, Zelensky's reshuffle, and France snubs Trump? - BBC Sounds Your questions answered as the US threatens secondary tariffs

Another Trump deadline, Zelensky’s reshuffle and French reluctance to buy US weapons for Ukraine.

The latest #Ukrainecast 🔊

www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

On the FT's report that Trump asked Zelensky if Ukraine could hit Moscow with missiles, White House Press Karoline Leavitt tells the BBC:

“The President was merely asking a question, not encouraging further killing. He’s working tirelessly to stop the killing and end this war.”

Donald Trump finally swaps appeasement for strength as he tries to stop Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Billions of dollars’ worth of US air defences, missiles and ammunition will be sent to Ukrainian forces via NATO.

It keeps Kyiv in the fight, but will Moscow want to end it?

Ukrainecast - Q&A: Trump turns on Putin, Ukrainian infighting, and Turkey's diplomatic tightrope - BBC Sounds Your questions answered as US senators consider new sanctions

Trump’s latest stance, Ukrainian infighting & Turkey’s tightrope.

Your questions answered on Ukrainecast:

www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

Before the 7/7 London attacks I worked at a gym in Aylesbury, where I met on of the suicide bombers, Germaine Lindsay.

He was quiet, regularly trained, and once challenged me to an arm wrestle. I declined.

I’d no inkling he was capable of killing 26 people & injuring 340.

After telling the BBC he “would look at” supplying Ukraine with Patriot Air Defences, Donald Trump has paused some US weapons packages for Kyiv, which include air defences.

A change of scene for me this summer; working with the BBC Bureau teams across Europe for a few weeks.

First stop: the ever-growing number of migrants making the perilous journey across the channel to the UK.

As the world’s gaze shifted to other wars, Russia reportedly launched 5,331 drones at Ukrainian cities, the most in a month. In May, it was 4,003.

As American military aid starts to wane, The White House is still refusing to sell more Patriot air defence systems to Kyiv.