Ahead of the historic meeting, the Ukrainian president was advised by Trump’s team to ditch his usual military-style clothing for something more formal, Axios reports.

However, he didn’t, instead opting to wear all black.

This irritated Mr Trump ahead of what quickly became a car crash of a meeting, according to two sources who spoke to Axios.

Amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, which has resulted in the deaths of thousands, it was Mr Zelenskyy’s outfit that seemed to set the meeting off on a bad footing.

As Mr Trump shook Mr Zelenskyy’s hand at the entrance to the West Wing, he said: “He is all dressed up today.”

Ukraine latest: Trump mocks ‘big shot’ Zelenskyy after fiery White House clash

Then, during the disastrous press conference, Brian Glenn, who is the chief White House correspondent for right-wing website Real America’s Voice, asked Mr Zelenskyy why he doesn’t wear a suit and accused him of having a lack of respect for America.

“I will wear a costume when this war is finished,” the Ukrainian leader responded. “Maybe something like yours. Maybe something better. Maybe something cheaper.”

In Ukrainian, the word “kostium” – pronounced “costume” – means “suit”.

Mr Glenn – who is dating far-right congresswoman and conspiracy theorist Marjorie Taylor Greene – later issued a statement saying: “President Zelenskyy has worn the green jumpsuit (or something similar) on every occasion when meeting other world leaders, dressed respectfully for the occasion.

“For him, once again, to enter the highest office in the most powerful nation in the world, dressed as he did, reflects his inner disrespect for not only our country, the president and the US citizens that have made it possible for Ukraine to survive as long as they have to this point. (Financially speaking).”

His girlfriend, Ms Greene also tweeted a video of the interaction, saying she was “proud” of him.

She added: “Zelenskyy has so much disrespect for America that he can’t even wear a suit in the Oval Office when he comes to beg for money from our President!!”

Russian state media entered Oval Office

The White House selected only certain journalists to be present in the room during the press conference, in line with its new approach to media coverage.

Reuters and AP, two of the most established news agencies in the world, were banned from entering, but a Russian state media reporter was allowed inside – albeit briefly.

“TASS was not on the approved list of media for today’s pool,” a White House official said. “As soon as it came to the attention of press office staff that he was in the Oval, he was escorted out by the Press Secretary. He is not on the approved list for the press conference.”

The White House did not explain how he had been able to gain access unapproved.

The administration has clashed with journalists, notable removing AP from the White House pool after it declined to refer to the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America.

Elon Musk and Churchill

Many social media users were quick to point out that Elon Musk did not wear a suit during his recent visit to the Oval Office.

Images also began circulating of Winston Churchill visiting the White House during the Second World War, dressed in a wartime “siren suit”.

Churchill wore the one-piece air raid outfit during a visit to President Franklin D Roosevelt, in which he hoped to persuade the American public to join the war.

Ironically, a bust of Churchill was present in the room during the meeting between Mr Trump and Mr Zelenskyy, which ended in the Ukrainian leader leaving the White House without agreeing to the deal on minerals he had flown 5,000 miles to seal.

Mr Zelenskyy has now arrived in the UK for a summit with European leaders on Sunday.

The post Trump ‘offended’ by Zelenskyy not wearing a suit in White House appeared first on World News Stories.

Mr Trump also told Mr Zelenskyy “you either make a deal or we are out.”

“Don’t tell us what we’re going to feel,” he said. “We’re trying to solve a problem. Don’t tell us what we’re going to feel, because you’re in no position to dictate that exactly. You’re in no position to dictate what we’re going to feel.”

Ukraine latest: Trump says Zelenskyy disrespected US and can come back when he’s ready for peace

Here is a look at what Sky News’ correspondents thought of the extraordinary exchange.

Dominic Waghorn, international affairs correspondent

European leaders will be looking at tonight’s spectacle in the White House in horror. Their approach has been to look on the bright side and hope wooing and flattering Donald Trump will bring him round on Ukraine.

Only those in the room will know for sure, but from where the rest of us were sitting, this looked very much like a deliberate ambush, led by the vice president JD Vance.

The Oval Office was reduced to a reality TV show. It seemed like the kind of orchestrated pile-on only Jerry Springer or Jeremy Kyle could be proud of.

More from Sky News:
How Starmer secured wins at the White House
Inside the Oval Office with Trump and Starmer

If that is the conclusion of European allies, their choice is stark. Rise to the moment, accept America has become a rogue, unreliable ally under Mr Trump and do what they can to protect Ukraine, or watch themselves and Ukraine be picked apart by greater powers.

It is a moment of destiny for Europe that Sir Keir Starmer, Emmanuel Macron and others have been putting off arguably for too long, unwilling to accept their transatlantic partner cannot be trusted.

It must be repeated that neither Mr Trump nor Mr Vance have yet uttered a word of criticism for Vladimir Putin. They seem to like and respect him as do their cohorts on the far right of American politics.

If that is the case Ukraine now has only Europe to rely on. Is Europe up to the challenge?

David Blevins, Sky correspondent, in Washington

Donald Trump said it would make “great television”.

It certainly didn’t make for great diplomacy. Quite the opposite.

The gulf between the United States and Ukraine laid bare on camera around the globe.

The niceties in the Oval Office came to an abrupt end when Mr Trump said he wasn’t aligned with either Ukraine or Russia.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy questioned how diplomacy would work when Vladimir Putin “breaks ceasefires”.

Vice president JD Vance accused him of being “disrespectful” by trying “to litigate this in front of the American media”.

It went from bad to worse when Mr Zelenskyy replied: “You have a nice ocean and don’t feel now, but you will feel it in the future.”

Mr Trump retorted: “Don’t tell us what we’re going to feel… you’re in no position to dictate that.

“You don’t have the cards right now… you’re gambling with the lives of millions of people… you’re gambling with World War Three… and what you’re doing is very disrespectful to this country.”

You could have cut the atmosphere in the West Wing with a knife as the back-and-forth continued for several minutes.

It brings the flurry of diplomatic activity in Washington this week to a disastrous conclusion.

The French president had flattered Trump with words, the UK prime minister stepping up the charm offensive with a letter of invitation from the King.

But Mr Zelenskyy, who looked like a man with the world on his shoulders, had chosen not to ignore the elephant in the room.

Instead, he continued to demand security guarantees from the United States as part of any ceasefire.

The hostile words culminated in a moment unprecedented in living memory – the Ukrainian president leaving the White House and being told not to return until he’s ready to make peace.

Ivor Bennett, Moscow correspondent

Like everywhere else, Moscow will have watched this exchange open-mouthed – stunned by its implications. But while jaws will still be on the floor in Europe, here in Russia they’re already grinning from ear to ear, because it really couldn’t have gone any better for the Kremlin.

Not only was Volodymyr Zelenskyy publicly humiliated by the leader of the nation on which Ukraine’s future depends, the attack read like a script written by Vladimir Putin.

The Ukrainian leader was accused of “forcing conscripts to the frontline”, of taking foreign leaders on a “propaganda tour” and even “gambling with World War Three”. They are phrases one hears on Russian state media on an almost daily basis.

Under the Biden administration, that kind of language was aimed at Mr Putin, but this was an illustration of how Mr Trump has turned everything on its head and Russia’s president is the beneficiary.

When it was Emmanuel Macron and Sir Keir Starmer in the White House earlier this week, there was a sense of anxiety coming from the Kremlin. On both occasions, Mr Putin felt the need to make public overtures towards Washington, as if to remind Donald Trump of what Russia has to offer, betraying a fear that he may be vulnerable to the other side of the argument.

Well there’s definitely no anxiety now – instead Moscow appears to be gloating.

“Historic,” was the one-word reaction from Kirill Dmitriev, the Harvard-educated head of Russia’s sovereign wealth fund, who was in Riyadh last week for the first meeting between Russian and US officials.

And the reaction from Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova hinted at how Russia might use this going forward.

“It’s a miracle of restraint how Trump and Vance restrained themselves and didn’t punch this scumbag,” she wrote on Telegram, full of flattery.

Expect Moscow to dial up the charm offensive, giving Mr Trump the “respect” he accused Mr Zelenskyy of lacking. The aim will be to make tonight’s spat a permanent separation.

Deborah Haynes, security and defence editor

The fiery and very public bust-up between Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy is a disaster for Ukraine and its European allies and a triumph for Russia.

The spectacle of the US president and his deputy berating the Ukrainian leader for failing to be grateful for American support and portraying him as weak was hard to witness.

Mr Zelenskyy, arms crossed, face exasperated, tried his best to stand up for himself, but it was clear he was fighting a losing battle.

It was a humiliation for a wartime president played out in front of the world’s cameras by the head of a nation that is meant to be Ukraine’s most important ally.

But the extraordinary breakdown is far more serious than just a made-for-television drama.

American support for Ukraine is critical if Kyiv is to withstand Russia’s war.

👉Listen to The World with Richard Engel and Yalda Hakim on your podcast app👈

The UK, France and Ukraine’s other European allies have been working overtime to try to keep Mr Trump on side.

The US president has vowed to end the war and has started talks with Vladimir Putin. The two presidents also plan to meet.

That alone was hard for Kyiv to stomach.

But the Ukrainian government has attempted to work with Washington rather than against it, including by being willing to part with profits from its minerals and other natural resources in return for locking Mr Trump into a long-term partnership with Ukraine.

That now all looks to be shattered – or at best in serious jeopardy.

Read Deborah’s full analysis here

The post Trump-Zelenskyy clash: Sky News correspondents’ views appeared first on World News Stories.

The incident took place near a highway in the state of Uttarakhand’s Chamoli region where workers were engaged in road construction.

Local police said at least 57 workers were initially buried under snow.

Of those, 16 have been rescued so far, senior police officer Rajeev Swaroop said.

Five of them are in a serious condition and have been taken to a military facility for treatment, according to Sky’s India reporter Neville Lazarus.

He says the Indian army is taking part in the rescue operation, with about 150 soldiers on site alongside the national disaster response force and state disaster response force.

However, local officials say the operation is being hampered by adverse weather conditions.

“Currently, the rescue operation is slow because we are facing difficulties in movement due to active rainfall,” Chamoli district magistrate Sandeep Tiwari said.

“As soon as the weather gets better, we will fast-track the rescue operation.”

He said there are currently no reports of any casualties.

Local media had earlier reported that people were trapped after a “glacier burst”, before authorities confirmed it was an avalanche.

The area on the Tibet border is three miles (5km) from the popular Hindu temple of Badrinath, which is visited by hundreds of thousands of devotees each year.

Read more on Sky News:
Trump’s China tariff escalation spooks markets
FBI most wanted drug lord sent from Mexico to US

Follow Sky News on WhatsApp

Keep up with all the latest news from the UK and around the world by following Sky News

Tap here

The Himalayan region, which has been severely affected by global warming, is prone to avalanches.

In 2022, an avalanche killed 27 trainee mountaineers in Uttarakhand.

The post At least 41 people trapped after avalanche in Indian Himalayas appeared first on World News Stories.

Announcing some of the findings from a major internal investigation, the Israeli military said “the IDF failed in its mission to protect people” and it was “one of the greatest failures” in the military’s history.

Nobody in the Israeli security establishment knew of, or predicted, the attacks and the force stationed on the border was the minimum required for everyday threats.

The primary focus at the time was on the threat from Iran and Hezbollah. The inquiry concluded that those actors were aware of Hamas’s plans but probably didn’t know the exact timing of the attacks.

Gaza was seen as a secondary threat and while Hamas was considered an illegitimate governing body of Gaza, there was no effort to develop an alternative.

The inquiry, which is the result of tens of thousands of hours of work by the IDF Southern Command, found as many as 5,600 terrorists broke into Israel in three waves.

On October 7 2023, 4,694 mortars and rockets were fired from Gaza into Israel, and 1,320 people were killed and 251 taken hostage.

As the IDF battled to regain control of southern Israel the same day, some of its commanders were forced to use google maps and mobile phones to communicate and co-ordinate.

The majority of killings and kidnappings occurred during the first two waves of attacks, between 6.29am and 9am on that Saturday morning.

Many Palestinians who entered Gaza in the third wave, during the afternoon, were from other terror organisations or “a mob taking advantage” rather than Hamas fighters trained for the attack.

In the chaos, the Israeli air force struggled to distinguish between Hamas fighters and Israeli civilians. The IDF accepts there were some deaths caused by friendly fire but haven’t elaborated how or where.

By 5pm, there were still hundreds of Hamas fighters spread out along the so-called Gaza envelope of Israeli communities, many in open areas.

It’s thought they planned to reach deeper into Israel, including Ashkelon and key air bases.

Intelligence assessments at the time believed that Hamas didn’t want a full-scale war and lacked the capability to launch one. IDF officials believed there would be early warnings if an attack was imminent, and the strategy was to “maintain the threat” rather than neutralise it.

Based on that, officials said soldiers “were addicted to the precise intelligence information” and failed to challenge the assumptions internally.

Although there were some unusual indications an attack was under way overnight, such as the activation of Israeli SIM cards inside Gaza, duty officers didn’t think it was time-critical and further investigation was needed.

More from Sky News:
Trump shares bizarre AI video of vision for Gaza
Hamas release bodies of hostages
West Bank ‘turning into mini Gaza’

Hamas activity in a specific area was dismissed as a training exercise. After consultation with senior commanders in the middle of the night, it was decided to hold a situational assessment early in the morning. The attack happened before that took place.

The scale and brutality of the attack took the IDF by surprise and their defensive strategies, including a vastly expensive subterranean wall, proved ineffective. The barrier was designed to stop mass protests and limited infiltration but not a large-scale attack. Forces along the border had been reduced because of other requirements on the Lebanon border and in the West Bank, and the IDF had too much confidence in the barrier defences.

Through various intelligence sources, including material found in Gaza, it’s now understood that Hamas’s leader at the time, Yahya Sinwar, first conceived the idea in November 2016. A plan to attack Israel was approved in July 2019.

During those years, Hamas deceived Israel, convincing leaders it wanted economic prosperity rather than conflict.

A short war between the two in 2021 didn’t inflict as much damage on Hamas infrastructure and capabilities as Israel believed.

Hamas was close to launching the attacks on three occasions during 2022 but decided not to for unknown reasons. They eventually did so to take advantage of a Jewish religious holiday in 2023.

The inquiry has also compiled 41 separate findings of battles in specific kibbutzim, military bases and key roads. Those details are being presented to the individual communities over the coming days.

The Israeli government has repeatedly rejected calls for a State Commission of Inquiry, saying the time is not yet right because of the ongoing war.

Critics of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu say he is avoiding personal responsibility for his role as Israel’s leader at the time.

The post Major internal investigation reveals IDF failures in October 7 attack appeared first on World News Stories.

Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan are on a flight from Romania to the United States after a travel ban on them was lifted.

They took a private plane from the country to the US on Thursday morning, according to a Romanian official.

G4media.ro reported the brothers were on a flight to Florida, citing “airport sources”.

A source told the Reuters news agency they were headed there too, adding they would return to Romania at the end of March to fulfil legal obligations.

Romanian prosecutors said they had approved a request from Andrew Tate to travel outside of the country, pending the outcome of a criminal investigation.

“The request to change the obligation of not leaving Romania was approved,” prosecutors said in a statement on Thursday.

“All the other obligations have been maintained, including the requirement to check in with judicial authorities every time they are called.”

A spokeswoman for the Tates told Sky News the Romanian courts had decided they will return to the brothers all of their assets.

This includes restoring their ownership of all previously frozen bank accounts, five properties, six cars including two Audis and a Ferrari, and company shares. Some assets will remain under precautionary seizure, according to the court ruling.

It comes after the Trump administration lobbied their Romanian counterparts to ease the constraints, according to a report in the Financial Times last week.

Romanian foreign minister Emil Hurezeanu said the Tates were mentioned during his brief hallway meeting with Mr Trump’s special envoy Richard Grenell at the Munich Security Conference earlier this month.

Andrew Tate – a champion of Donald Trump – along with his brother are dual US and UK nationals.

The controversial influencer, 38, and his sibling, 36, are facing a series of criminal charges in Romania.

The pair had been released from house arrest, but were not allowed to leave the country and were required to check in with the police regularly.

They deny charges of human trafficking, sexual misconduct and money laundering, as well as starting an organised crime group.

The brothers are fighting a series of legal battles not just in Romania, but also in the UK and the US.

The Tate brothers have consistently denied any wrongdoing in connection with all the legal action taking place.

The Tate brothers grew up in Luton and have millions of social media followers. Andrew Tate also appeared in the UK version of Big Brother in 2016.

Self-described misogynists, their views – which are often widely shared on social media platforms such as TikTok and X – have been heavily criticised, particularly as they have a predominately young, male audience.

A number of banned Twitter accounts have been reinstated by Elon Musk. Tate was among those brought back on 18 November 2022 after Musk took over and rebranded it X.

A British court ruled in March that the brothers are also under a European arrest warrant and will be extradited to the UK – where allegations of rape and human trafficking are being investigated by Bedfordshire Police – after Romanian trial proceedings finish for a separate investigation.

A recent lawsuit filed in Florida accuses both Tate brothers of conspiring to coerce a woman into sex work, luring her to Romania and defaming her after her testimony to Romanian authorities. The Tate brothers had previously sued her for defamation in 2023.

Read more from Sky News:
Actor Gene Hackman and wife found dead at home
Starmer in Washington for Trump talks
Probe blasts off to chase asteroid

Four British women who allege they were raped and coercively controlled by Andrew Tate said they have been “retraumatised” by today’s events.

“It is clear that there is now a major risk that the criminal prosecution for his alleged crimes in Romania will not proceed, and he may use this development as an opportunity to harass further and intimidate witnesses and his accusers as well as continue to spread a violent, misogynistic doctrine around the world,” the alleged victims said in a joint statement.

Tate is facing civil action brought by the women at the High Court. He denies the allegations and has threatened to pursue the women for defamation.

Matthew Jury, their solicitor at McCue Jury & Partners, said: “The news that pressure by the Trump administration has led to Andrew Tate, and his brother Tristan, being allowed to leave Romania by its authorities is equal parts disgusting and dismaying.”

He added: “The UK government knew this might happen more than a week ago. The fact that nothing seems to have been done to prevent it is concerning. One can only hope action will now be taken. Given that Prime Minister Starmer is in the US today to meet with President Trump, perhaps his team may take the opportunity to raise this issue.”

The post Tate brothers’ cars and cash to be returned – as they leave Romania for US after travel ban lifted appeared first on World News Stories.

The remains of the four men were exchanged for the release of more than 600 Palestinian prisoners.

Hamas has previously identified the bodies as those of Tsachi Idan, Itzhak Elgarat, Ohad Yahalomi and Shlomo Mantzur – all four of whom were abducted from their kibbutz homes on 7 October 2023.

DNA testing is being carried out by Israeli authorities to confirm their identities.

A Red Cross convoy carrying dozens of released prisoners was also seen leaving Israel’s Ofer prison in the West Bank before arriving in the Palestinian city of Ramallah.

The group got off the bus to cheers from hundreds congregating outside. Some of the released men—clad in green jackets and keffiyehs—were hoisted aloft by the crowd.

It was not immediately clear when the next detainees would be released.

Local media outlets and a Hamas source also said early on Thursday that 97 Palestinian prisoners were handed to Egypt by Israeli authorities.

Meanwhile, the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed the country had received the four bodies.

It said in a statement: “The coffins were handed over to the IDF at the Kerem Shalom crossing through Egyptian mediation. An initial identification process has now begun on Israeli territory.

“The families of the abductees are being continuously updated on the situation and will be given an official notification at the end of the full identification process.

“The public is asked to respect the families’ privacy and refrain from spreading rumours and information that is not official and well-founded. We will continue to update with reliable information in the future.”

The handover would complete both sides’ obligations under the Gaza ceasefire’s first phase, during which Hamas agreed to return 33 hostages, including eight bodies, in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners.

Early on Thursday, Hamas said it is ready to start talks on the next steps of the ceasefire agreement, but warned the only way it would release the remaining hostages would be through a commitment to the deal.

Hours before the four bodies were transferred on Wednesday, the family of Mr Idan said in a statement: “Our family has received with great sadness Hamas’s announcement that our beloved Tsachi is no longer alive and that his body will be returned to Israel during the night.”

It continued: “Since Tsachi was kidnapped, we received several signs of life, and in the previous deal last November, Tsachi was alive and expected to be released.

“We appreciate the tremendous love and support we are receiving from the citizens of Israel, the media, and the Nahal Oz community.”

Egyptian mediators had earlier confirmed that they secured a breakthrough that would allow the handover of the final four hostage bodies due in the first phase of the deal after a days-long impasse.

Hamas said an agreement had been reached for the exchange of hostages for prisoners, but said their release would be conducted under a new mechanism.

It said the European Hospital in Khan Younis in southern Gaza was preparing to receive prisoners after their release.

Israel had previously refused to release more than 600 Palestinian prisoners and detainees on Saturday after accusing Hamas of breaching the ceasefire deal by staging what it considered an offensive public handover of hostages in Gaza.

The staged ceremonies in which living hostages and coffins containing hostage remains were displayed on stage before a crowd in Gaza drew strong criticism, including from the United Nations.

Days earlier, the ceasefire deal which came into effect on 19 January was held up briefly when Hamas handed over the remains of an unidentified woman instead of mother-of-two Shiri Bibas before delivering the correct body the next day.

With the 42-day truce due to expire on Saturday, it also remains unclear whether an extension will be agreed or whether negotiations can begin on a second stage of the deal, which would see the release of the final 59 hostages left in Gaza.

Read more:
Trump shares bizarre AI video of Gaza vision
Brother of former hostage says he was tortured

Despite numerous hiccups and no immediate proposals to progress it, the ceasefire deal has so far held up.

But moving to a second phase would require agreements on issues that have proved impossible to bridge in the past, including the post-war future of Gaza and Hamas, which Israel has vowed to eliminate as a governing force.

Underlining the precariousness of the ceasefire, the Israeli military said a projectile was fired from Gaza but fell within
the enclave. It said it was investigating the incident.

The hostage exchange came on the same day as the funeral for Ms Bibas and her two sons – four-year-old Ariel, and nine-month-old Kfir – who came to symbolise the trauma felt by many Israelis after the 7 October attack.

The post Hamas releases bodies of last hostages included in first phase of ceasefire – as hundreds of Palestinian prisoners are freed appeared first on World News Stories.

Police in the city of Bielefeld said they could not rule out a connection with the case, linked to the death of a former boxer nearly a year ago.

A suspect is currently being tried on suspicion of the murder of Besar Nimani, a German professional boxer who competed in the light middleweight division.

Several shots were fired in a street near the state court on Wednesday, but there has been no update on the condition of those injured.

Images from the scene show armed officers patrolling the area, with the area around the court cordoned off.

A man was also seen being led away from the scene in handcuffs.

Mr Nimani, who was originally from Kosovo, was fatally shot in the street in Bielefeld last March.

German police began a search for two suspects and a 38-year-old man was arrested in Brussels in July. He is on trial for murder, while a second suspect is still being sought.

This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly.

Please refresh the page for the fullest version.

You can receive breaking news alerts on a smartphone or tablet via the Sky News app. You can also follow us on WhatsApp and subscribe to our YouTube channel to keep up with the latest news.

The post At least two hurt after shots fired near German court where boxer murder trial is taking place appeared first on World News Stories.

But make no mistake, today’s decision to increase military spending is not just about increasing the number of troops, warships and fighter jets or even ensuring they can use the latest drones, satellites or artificial intelligence breakthroughs.

This is an emergency that requires the entire nation to take responsibility for – or at least an interest in – the defence of the nation and the importance of being able to deter threats.

Politics latest: PM makes defence commitment

Sir Keir Starmer signalled this fundamental shift in priorities when he told parliament: “We must change our national security posture because a generational challenge requires a generational response that will demand some extremely difficult and painful choices.”

He continued: “And through those choices, as hard as they are, we must also seek unity. A whole society effort that will reach into the lives, the industries, and the homes of the British people.”

Such a proposal is not something new.

The UK has a long history of being prepared for war.

The entirety of the Cold War era was framed around ensuring the UK had enough troops and reservists to fight a sustained conflict, supported by a vast industrial base to produce weapons and a society that was intrinsically resilient, with the ability to sustain itself with emergency food rations, power supplies and an understanding of the need to be prepared to respond in an emergency.

Back then, the threat was war – maybe even nuclear annihilation – with the Soviet Union.

Today the threat is just as stark but also far more complex.

Russia is the immediate danger. But China poses a long-term challenge, while Iran and North Korea are also menacing adversaries.

Most fundamentally though is the change in the UK’s ability to rely squarely on its strongest ally, the United States.

Donald Trump, with his resentment of shouldering the responsibility for European security, has made clear the rest of the transatlantic NATO alliance must take much more of the share of defending themselves.

He has also signalled that he may not even be willing to deploy America’s powerful military to defend every single member state – singling out those who pay far too little on their defences.

He has a point when it comes to Europe freeloading on the might of the United States for too long.

But the suggestion that European allies can no longer automatically rely on their American partner to come to their aid is enough to call into question the value of Article 5 of the NATO Alliance, which states an attack on one is an attack on all.

When it comes to deterring foes, there must be no such uncertainty between friends.

Read more from Sky News:
Why Trump wants Ukraine’s minerals
Putin hints at potential deals with US
Sanctions have changed European imports

It is why countries across Europe are being urged by the new head of NATO to rapidly ramp up defence spending and adopt what NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has called a “war mindset”.

The UK, who along with France are the only two NATO powers in Europe to possess nuclear weapons, has a bigger responsibility than most to heed that call.

Russia’s invasion of Crimea in 2014 was not a sufficient enough alarm bell.

Even Russian President Vladimir Putin’s full-scale war in Ukraine in 2022 failed to shake the UK and most of the rest of Europe from their slumber.

Instead, it seems the return of Donald Trump to the White House, with all the unpredictability that he brings, is the final shock that has stunned the UK into action.

Of course, defence insiders know that increasing spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 is not soon enough.

But this – coupled with Sir Keir’s language about the need for a “generational response” – is a landmark moment.

The beginning of the correction of a strategic mistake made by Labour and Conservative governments over years to take a “holiday from history” and fail to find credible, capable armed forces and ensure society understands the importance of defence and the ability to deter.

The post Military spending increase is moment the government finally woke up to enormity of threat we face appeared first on World News Stories.

The US and French presidents met amid fragile relations between America and Europe and after Mr Trump launched a verbal attack on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Meeting in the White House on the third anniversary of Russia’s war in Ukraine, the French president said he and Mr Trump “made substantive steps forward during our discussions”.

Mr Macron told reporters that Europe should do more to bolster defence in the continent.

However, he stressed Russia “is the aggressor” in the conflict and added: “President Putin violated the peace.”

Peace must allow Kyiv ‘sovereignty’

The French leader then said: “We want peace, he wants peace. We want peace swiftly, but we don’t want an agreement that is weak.”

“This peace must not mean a surrender of Ukraine or a ceasefire without guarantees,” he added. “It must allow for Ukrainian sovereignty and allow Ukraine to negotiate with other stakeholders regarding the issues that affect it.

“It is also a country in which we need to shoulder our responsibilities so that we ensure security and stability for Ukraine and for the entire region.

“For Europeans, this is an existential issue.”

Read more:
Trump and Macron’s careful dance side-stepped divisions

‘Get this war stopped’

At a news conference following the talks, Mr Macron said he “fully believes” there is a path forward in negotiations.

He also agreed “there is good reason for President Trump to re-engage with President Putin” – a week after the leaders had a 90-minute-long phone call.

Mr Trump added Russia would accept European troops in Ukraine as part of peacekeeping efforts, adding: “I specifically asked him (Putin) that question. He has no problem with it.”

He told reporters: “When I got here, one of the first calls I made was to Putin and it was made with great respect. They want to end this war.”

Mr Trump then explained he wants to “get this war stopped,” whether that’s through a ceasefire or a direct agreement – but when asked if Ukraine should give up territory as part of any deal, he said: “We’ll see.”

The news conference came as Mr Putin said he is ready to discuss Russia cutting its defence budget alongside the US, saying a mutual drop of 50% would be a “good idea”.

The Russian president also touted a possible economic deal with the US, offering talks on a deal for its own rare earth metal supplies and for the sale of aluminium to American firms.

The US president is due to meet Sir Keir Starmer on Thursday, after the prime minister warned Mr Trump that a bad peace deal would be a “disaster for everyone”.

Read more from Sky News:
Johnson criticises Trump’s ‘ghastly’ Zelenskyy comments
US joins Russia to vote against UN resolution on Ukraine

Earlier on Monday, Mr Trump said he hoped Mr Zelenskyy would visit the US to sign a deal on Ukraine’s rare earth minerals soon.

Just last week, in a bitter exchange of words, Mr Trump called Ukraine’s leader a “dictator” and said he “better move fast or he is not going to have a country left” after Mr Zelenskyy had accused him of living in a Russian-made “disinformation space”.

The post Macron says Ukraine ceasefire ‘must not mean surrender’ after Trump meeting appeared first on World News Stories.

He lives in a state of psychosis and wants to return to his home in central Khartoum.

He tells us where to turn and which bridges to cross to get him there.

The war has ripped away the stability that kept him sane and permeates the mental illness that now haunts his days.

“I have 37 bullets still inside me and a sniper shot me in my legs. I took 251 bullets in my legs and hip,” he says after lifting the blanket and pointing to parts of his body that show no signs of harm.

He may not have been wounded but he is deeply scarred.

We find him in a shelter for discharged hospital patients who cannot return home.

In a tented corner in the yard outside his ward, there are men nursing gunshot wounds and amputated limbs.

Badreldeen was trapped in the Shambat neighbourhood of Khartoum North as it was occupied by paramilitary fighters and militiamen belonging to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

“I told the RSF that we are not army soldiers. We are civilians but they just fired at us,” he says looking down at his bandaged leg.

Read more:
Sky News goes inside a liberated district in Sudan’s war-torn capital
Final battles for liberation of Sudan’s capital proving to be most brutal

As the RSF battles Sudan’s military for control of the capital and country, millions have been displaced and dispossessed with tens of thousands of people killed, injured and detained.

He adds: “In Shambat, lots of people died. Five people were killed in our street alone.”

Shambat is a residential district in Khartoum North – the northeastern wing of Sudan’s tri-capital known as Bahri – that has now been fully reclaimed by the military.

Some are slowly returning to their devastated homes in once-occupied areas and others wounded and brutalised under siege are flooding hospitals in the capital’s old city Omdurman.

The sounds of shells whizz over us as we move through Bahri’s southern edges.

Gunfire rings out aimed at positions just across the Blue Nile.

The turning road to Kober Bridge and into Khartoum is bordered by a residential compound full of identical bullet-riddled orange blocks.

The charred, chewed-out corners of some of the buildings are a harsh break from uniformity.

The bridge is still intact but its base is a haunting scene.

An abandoned RSF position where blackened car bodies and beds are surrounded by stolen household items and hundreds of bullet and shrapnel shells.

A wedding dress and baby photos sit among the used ammunition.

The remnants of life ripped out of the surrounding homes and discarded.

We walk into a family home north of the bridge in Bahri and see what fills the houses instead.

Everything is turned over – couches, toy cars, roller skates, dishes.

Even the electric cables are ripped out of the walls.

The corner of the living room is burnt by the wood broken off the antique furniture.

The clothes, cushions and anything of little monetary value are dumped in the centre of the room into a rubbish heap.

Shells boom as we leave the wreckage of the home and motorcycles with steely-eyed army soldiers whizz by on their way to the nearest front.

A military victory may be imminent in Sudan’s capital but a long road to restoration and recovery still lies ahead.

You can watch a special programme on Sudan tonight on The World with Yalda Hakim from 9pm on Sky News.

Yousra Elbagir reports from Khartoum North with camera Garwen McLuckie and producers Nkululeko Zulu and Chris Cunningham

The post Shot ‘251 times’: How horrors of conflict zone have left more than just physical scars appeared first on World News Stories.