- 'Putin, over to you': UK's Healey calls on Russian leader to accept ceasefire
- Trump says EU targets Apple, recalls asking Merkel how many Chevrolets are in Munich in swipe at bloc's trade rules
- US 'could do things very bad' to Russia financially but wants peace, Trump says
- 'I think the Irish love Trump,' US president says
- Irish companies create thousands of jobs, Martin tells Trump in response
- Trump accuses Ireland of stealing US pharma industry
- 'We have people going to Russia right now,' Trump says
- Irish taoiseach Martin visits White House
- E5 meeting of defence ministers in Paris - snap analysis
- E5 defence ministers meet in Paris
- Ireland's Martin invites JD Vance to Ireland to play golf at Trump's resort
- Ukraine hopes for 'strong steps' if Russia rejects ceasefire offer, Zelenskyy says
- Rubio's comments on talks with Russia - video
- Trump 'hasn't got a clue,' Churchill's grandson says
- Russia's Putin yet to decide on US ceasefire proposal - snap analysis
- Irish taoiseach Martin begins visit in Washington
- US ceasefire proposal could serve as draft for broader peace deal, Zelenskyy says
- Rubio's comments after talks with Ukraine
- US to 'have contact' with Russia today, Rubio says
- What's next for US-led ceasefire plan - snap analysis
- Four dead after Ukrainian attack in Kursk
- Kremlin waits for US to update it on Ukraine talks
- 'Now it's up to Putin,' Germany's Scholz says
- US aid deliveries to Ukraine back to previous levels, Polish foreign minister confirms
- 'Sensational' result in Greenland's critical election
- EU strikes back against Trump's tariffs
- Morning opening: Ball in Russia's court
- Russian intelligence chief holds call with CIA director
- Two killed in Russian attack on Kryvyi Rih
- Russian foreign minister says 'under no conditions' will Moscow accept Nato troops in Ukraine
- What is the ceasefire agreement?
- Russia says Moscow will make decisions about Ukraine, not the US
- Opening summary
US 'could do things very bad' to Russia financially but wants peace, Trump says
During his meeting with Irish prime minister, Donald Trump was repeatedly asked about the progress on Ukraine, as he played up the prospect of a ceasefire and his role in stopping the war.
He said that the US has “people going to Russia right now, as we speak,” as he said “hopefully we can get a ceasefire from Russia.”
The US president stressed the scale of devastation and killing as a result of Russian invasion of Ukraine, explaining why the war needs to be stopped.
Pressed further on what the US could do to pressure Russia into the ceasefire, he said he hoped “it is not going to be necessary” as he criticised previous presidents for their record of dealing with Moscow. “What I did to Russia was very tough, the toughest ever,” he said, explaining his criticism of the Nord Stream pipeline.
“They never took anything from me. They took them from Obama and Bush, and they took from sleepy Joe Biden. With Biden, they wanted to take the whole country, but I think I’ve stopped that, but we’ll see,” he said.
But Trump said that if needed, “there are things you can do that wouldn’t be pleasant in a financial sense,” and would be “very bad for Russia.”
“We could do things very bad for Russia. Would be devastating for Russia. But I don’t want to do that because I want to see peace,” he said.
'Putin, over to you': UK's Healey calls on Russian leader to accept ceasefire
Britain’s defence secretary John Healey has called on Russian president Vladimir Putin to “accept the ceasefire, start negotiations and end the war.”
Healey, at a joint press conference with his French, German, Italian and Polish counterparts in Paris, said:
I say to President Putin, over to you now. You say you want to talk. Prove it. Accept the ceasefire, start negotiations and end the war.
“Make no mistake, the pressure is now on Putin,” he added.
The defence ministers of France, Germany, Italy, Poland and the UK have been speaking at a news conference following a meeting in Paris on support for Ukraine.
France’s Sébastien Lecornu said about 15 countries had expressed interest in discussing a new security architecture for Ukraine.
Germany’s Boris Pistorius said Europe needs a much more unified approach regarding the procurement of military equipment.
“We don’t have that time, it’s superfluous and costly,” Pistorius said.
As journalists filtered out of the presidential administration in central Kyiv on Wednesday afternoon after a 30-minute press conference with president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the general consensus was that he had not said anything that would immediately make for a dramatic headline.
That, it seems, was the point. Eager to show the White House that Ukraine is onboard for negotiations and not an obstacle to Donald Trump’s desire to bring peace, Zelenskyy seems to be trying to erase the memories of the nightmare meeting in the White House two weeks ago.
Then, he rose to the bait of the US vice-president, JD Vance, and ended up in an argument with him and Trump. Now, the Ukrainian president is making a concerted effort to retain an air of diplomatic zen.
For three years of war, Zelenskyy’s natural ability to communicate – through the media and his nightly videos – and his personal charm when in the room with other world leaders, has largely been an asset. In the White House, though, it became very clear that when dealing with Trump and his entourage, a change of strategy was required.
Read the full analysis: Cautious Zelenskyy keeps cards close to his chest after Ukraine ceasefire proposal
Poland’s prime minister Donald Tusk, at the joint news conference with Turkey’s leader Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, said he hoped Ankara would play an important role in promoting peace in Ukraine. Tusk said:
I made a clear proposal to President Erdoğan: that Turkey assumes the greatest possible responsibility in the peace process, in ensuring stability and security throughout our region.
He added that it was “very important that Nato and European countries simultaneously and effectively guarantee the stability... of the Russian-Ukraine border” after any truce was signed.
“Turkey’s role could be crucial in this respect,” he added.
Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has described the news that Ukraine accepted a 30-day ceasefire with Russia as “positive and important”, adding that he hopes Moscow will respond “constructively”.
Erdoğan, at a joint news conference with visiting Polish prime minister Donald Tusk, said:
Turkey’s attitude towards this war has been very clear since the first day. We do not want any more bloodshed and we hope that our two neighbours end the war by a just peace.
He reiterated Turkey’s proposal to host any peace talks “if the latest developments bring Russia and Ukraine to the negotiating table”.
And on that note, it’s all from me, Jakub Krupa in London, and it’s over to Leonie Chao-Fong in Washington who will guide you through the evening, including the upcoming press conference of E5 defence ministers in Paris.
Stay with us for more updates on Europe Live.
Trump says EU targets Apple, recalls asking Merkel how many Chevrolets are in Munich in swipe at bloc's trade rules
in Dublin
Donald Trump also accused the EU of treating Apple badly over last year’s lawsuit over €14bn ($16bn) back taxes due in Ireland.
Ireland fought and lost the case at the European court of justice last year and is now considering what to do with the windfall.
“Apple has been treated very badly. Apple had tremendously bad luck. I thought they had a very good lawsuit but they lost $16bn... See that is unfair,” he said in his Oval Office meeting with the Irish premier Micheál Martin.
Turning to Martin, Trump said: “I’m not blaming you. I’m blaming the European Union. The European Union’s gone after our companies,” he added before launching a broadside against the bloc.
“We have a problem with the European Union. They don’t take our farm products. They don’t take our cars. We take millions of cars, BMWs and Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagens and everything. We take millions of cars,” he said.
Referring to the former German chancellor Angela Merkel, he added:
I said to Angela Merkel at the time, I said, Angela, how many Chevrolets do we have in the middle of Munich? … None [she said] ... You’re right. We have none. That’s the way it is. We have none. No, I’m not happy with the European Union.
“We have the greatest farmers in the world. They don’t accept our farm products, so you know things are going to change,” he said.
US 'could do things very bad' to Russia financially but wants peace, Trump says
During his meeting with Irish prime minister, Donald Trump was repeatedly asked about the progress on Ukraine, as he played up the prospect of a ceasefire and his role in stopping the war.
He said that the US has “people going to Russia right now, as we speak,” as he said “hopefully we can get a ceasefire from Russia.”
The US president stressed the scale of devastation and killing as a result of Russian invasion of Ukraine, explaining why the war needs to be stopped.
Pressed further on what the US could do to pressure Russia into the ceasefire, he said he hoped “it is not going to be necessary” as he criticised previous presidents for their record of dealing with Moscow. “What I did to Russia was very tough, the toughest ever,” he said, explaining his criticism of the Nord Stream pipeline.
“They never took anything from me. They took them from Obama and Bush, and they took from sleepy Joe Biden. With Biden, they wanted to take the whole country, but I think I’ve stopped that, but we’ll see,” he said.
But Trump said that if needed, “there are things you can do that wouldn’t be pleasant in a financial sense,” and would be “very bad for Russia.”
“We could do things very bad for Russia. Would be devastating for Russia. But I don’t want to do that because I want to see peace,” he said.
'I think the Irish love Trump,' US president says
in Dublin
Donald Trump has seesawed on Ireland in the space of half an hour.
He started off his meeting with taoiseach Micheál Martin claiming Ireland has stolen US pharmaceutical companies and tax.
But within half an hour he was love-bombing Martin.
I think the Irish love Trump. We won the Irish with a tremendous amount of vote I want to thank you very much.
“I’ve been there many times, as you know, and we don’t want to do anything to hurt Ireland,” he said adding that maybe if he “drained” Ireland of all the pharmaceutical companies he would lose the Irish vote.
Irish companies create thousands of jobs, Martin tells Trump in response
in Dublin
Micheál Martin has tried to redress Donald Trump’s claims that Ireland has stolen US business and tax in a lively meeting in the Oval Office in which the US president repeatedly took aim at Ireland and the high presence of American pharmaceutical companies.
He told Trump that Irish firms Ryanair and Aercap, the world’s biggest aircraft leasing company, are the biggest purchasers of Boeing aircraft.
“It is a little known fact. It doesn’t turn up on different statistics,” he said adding about 700 Irish companies based in the US create “thousands of jobs” for Americans.
Trump told Martin: “I’m not upset with you. I think I respect what you’ve done.”
Trump accuses Ireland of stealing US pharma industry
in Dublin
Donald Trump has accused Ireland of stealing its pharmaceutical industry and the taxes they should have paid in the US in a meeting with the Irish taoiseach Micheál Martin.
“The Irish are smart, yes, smart people. And you took our pharmaceutical companies and other companies. … proper taxation, and they made it very, very good for companies,” he said.
“And this, this beautiful island of its island of 5 million people, it’s got the entire US pharmaceutical industry,” he said.
Trump’s broadside dashes hopes of a superficial love in at the Oval House to celebrate St Patrick’s Day.
Ireland’s trade surplus with the US is largely driven by pharmaceutical companies including Pfizer, Boston Scientific and Lilly all manufacturing in the Ireland.
Trump told reporters in the Oval Office he was “going to take back” the country’s rightful “wealth”.
He said he would have said “fine” to pharmaceutical companies that wanted to set up in Ireland decades ago, but he would have made it unviable.
“When the pharmaceutical company started to go to Ireland, I would have said that’s OK. If you want to go to Ireland, I think it’s great, but if you want to sell anything into the United States, I’m going to put a 200% tariff on you so you’re never going to be able to sell anything into the United States.”
Trump has also said the “EU was set up in order to take advantage of the US” during his meeting in the Oval Office.
He said Ireland was no exception.
Asked if Ireland was also taking advantage by an Irish reporter, he replied:
Of course, they are… I have great respect for Ireland or what they did, and they should have done just what they did, but the United States shouldn’t have let it happen.
We had stupid leaders.
American pharmaceutical companies manufacturing packaged medication in Ireland and selling back to the US pay taxes on profits in Ireland, not the US, something that has enraged Trump and his commerce secretary Howard Lutnick.
Ireland sells about €72bn worth of goods a year to the US.
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